Starbucks training seen as first step to address racism in the workplace

Starbucks, trying to put to rest an outcry over the arrest of two black men at one of its stores, is closing more than 8,000 stores for an afternoon of anti-bias training, a strategy some believe can keep racism at bay.

After the arrests in Philadelphia last month, the coffee chain’s leaders apologized and met with the two men, but also reached out to activists and experts in bias training to put together a curriculum for its 175,000 workers.

That has put a spotlight on the little-known world of “unconscious bias training,” which is used by many corporations, police departments and other organizations to help address racism in the workplace. The training, taking place Tuesday at Starbucks’ U.S. outlets, is typically designed to get people to open up about implicit biases and stereotypes in encountering people of colour, gender or other identities.

The Perception Institute, a consortium of researchers consulting with Starbucks, defines implicit bias as attitudes — positive or negative — or stereotypes someone has toward a person or group without being conscious of it. A common example, according to some of its studies, is a tendency for white people to unknowingly associate black people with criminal behaviour.

Starbucks will close all its Canadian company-operated stores and offices for an afternoon on June 11 to provide similar training.

Many retailers including Walmart and Target said they already offer some racial bias training. Target says it plans to expand that training. Nordstrom has said it plans to enhance its training after issuing an apology to three black teenagers in Missouri who employees falsely accused of shoplifting.

Anti-bias sessions can incorporate personal reflections, explorations of feelings and mental exercises. But one expert says training of this kind can have the opposite effect if people feel judged.

According to a video previewing the Starbucks training, there will be recorded remarks from Starbucks executives and rapper/activist Common. From there, employees will “move into a real and honest exploration of bias” where, in small groups, they can share how the issue comes up in

their daily work life.

Starbucks has described it as a “collaborative and engaging experience for store partners to learn together.”

Developed with feedback from the NAACP Legal Defence and Education Fund, the Perception Institute and other social advocacy groups, the four-hour session will give workers a primer on the history of civil rights from the 1960s to present day. Workers will also view a short documentary film.

Alexis McGill Johnson, Perception’s co-founder and executive director, says anti-bias training is about awareness.

“The work that we want to do is not say you’re a bad person because you have a stereotype about a group, but say this is why your brain may have these stereotypes,” she said.

In the Philadelphia incident, Rashon Nelson and Donte Robinson were asked to leave after one was denied access to the bathroom. They were arrested by police minutes after they sat down to await a business meeting.

Nelson and Robinson settled with Starbucks this month for an undisclosed sum and an offer of a free college education. They also reached a deal with the city of Philadelphia for a symbolic US$1 each and a promise from officials to establish a US$200,000 program for young entrepreneurs.

Starbucks has since announced anyone can use its restrooms even if they are not buying anything.