Starbucks to Hire 10,000 Veterans and Military Spouses in Next 5 Years As Veterans Small Business Week kicks off, Starbucks has announced plans to increase veteran hiring and use community stores to support service members.

By Kate Taylor

entrepreneur daily

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Starbucks announced plans today to hire at least 10,000 veterans and active duty spouses in the next five years, as part of a wider strategy of veteran support.

With Starbucks's growth and more than 1 million active duty members of the U.S. military transitioning to civilian life in the coming years, Starbucks sees the commitment as a strategic form of outreach to the military community. The coffee chain will also attempt to engage active duty spouses, a group who faces an unemployment rate more than double the national average.

"The values we are creating for shareholders is tied to the values that guide us as an organization," said Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz in a statement. "As I look at the opportunity ahead of us, we're going to need to hire men and women with like-minded values and the right job skills in order to continue our current levels of growth."

Related: 3 Ways Starbucks is Innovating and Why You Should Care

Currently, Starbucks offers a specialized mentoring program for veterans, provided via the Armed Forces Network (AFN). The AFN supports transitioning military by ensuring new hires have access to the information and resources they need to become successful. With the commitment to increase military hires, Starbucks additionally will expand the mentoring program.

"Companies that fail to engage the military community to identify quality job candidates are doing themselves a tremendous disservice," Marjorie James, executive director of Hire America's Heroes, said in a statement. "Veterans and military spouses are valued members of mission driven teams and working with an organization like Starbucks gives them an opportunity to establish a long term career that builds on that purpose in pursuit of a common goal."

In addition to adjusting internal hiring infrastructure, Starbucks is utilizing community stores to support services members and their families. Starbucks plans to open five community stores in U.S. joint base locations in the coming years. These stores will donate a portion of each transaction to local nonprofits dedicated to meeting the needs of service members.

Alongside these long term changes, Starbucks is offering all active duty and military spouses in the U.S. a free coffee on Veterans Day, Nov. 11.

Related: 5 Stores That Have Already Started the Holiday Season

Kate Taylor

Reporter

Kate Taylor is a reporter at Business Insider. She was previously a reporter at Entrepreneur. Get in touch with tips and feedback on Twitter at @Kate_H_Taylor. 

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Side Hustle

I Started a Semi-Passive Side Hustle That Earns $33,000 a Week on Amazon: 'Selling There Is a No-Brainer'

Dr. Jenny Woo wanted to create a product that would help people connect, and it turned out to be a lucrative one.

Marketing

How Augmented Reality Is Transforming the Marketing Landscape — and How Your Business Can Leverage It Effectively

How can physical goods be endowed with digital content? What is phygital marketing, and why will everyone be involved in it in the next five years? Here's what you need to know.

Business News

X Is Losing Users and Struggling to Attract Creators, According to New Data

The company, which is owned by Elon Musk, says that 1.7 million people join the platform every day.

Science & Technology

Why You Should Incorporate AI into Your Business — and How to Do It the Right Way

The proliferation of generative AI tools has made the technology ever more accessible and relevant. Here's how you can apply it to your business as well.

Money & Finance

You Might Spend Unnecessary Money If You Don't Stay on Top of Your Expenses. Here's How to Manage Them.

Nothing makes paying taxes even more onerous — or gets in the way of a firm understanding of how a business is performing — than ineffective expense management. Use these five expense management tips to not merely survive as a business, but thrive.