Starbucks outlets in Ottawa will early this afternoon to allow employees to undergo unconscious bias training.
The coffee giant says “we believe everyone should be treated with respect & want to ensure everyone in a Starbucks store feels safe & welcome.*
A letter from Starbucks Canada President Michael Conway said “on Monday June 11, 2018 we will close all our company-operated stores and offices across Canada for a portion of the afternoon, for partners to participate in a training session designed to address implicit bias, promote conscious inclusion, and ensure everyone inside a Starbucks store feels safe and welcome.”
Signs outside some Starbucks stores in Ottawa said the outlets will close at 2.30 p.m. today.
Starbucks closed more than 8,000 stores in the United States for unconscious bias training on May 29.
The move came after a Starbucks employee in Philadelphia called police after two black men sat down at a table in a Starbucks store without ordering anything. The pair was arrested.