Sue Mecklenburg
MBA alumna makes a global impact at Starbucks
As the vice president of sustainable business practices, Sue Mecklenburg’s influence is felt wherever Starbucks coffee is served — in thousands of locations around the globe. “This position gives me an opportunity to leverage the power of this 7 billion-dollar business and make change all over the world...” she expressed.
Under her leadership, Starbucks set new standards for coffee and farmer equity (CAFE) practices that ensure farmers receive a fair price for growing high quality coffee in environmentally and socially responsible ways. Starbucks now procures 75 million pounds of its coffee under the CAFE Practices model and has aggressive plans to expand the program.
“Our previous CEO Orin Smith (UW BA 1965) set two strategic priorities for the company: hit our numbers and live our values,” she explained. Making the business case for sustainable procurement achieves both. “Setting high standards for sustainable trade and economic transparency has also made a huge impact in the industry,” Mecklenburg described. Starbucks has fostered an ever-increasing supply of high-quality arabica coffee, while ensuring the long-term economic health of its suppliers.
How did the former director of the UW Environmental Management Program end up making a global impact on coffee growing? “It was a happy accident,” Mecklenburg admitted. Shortly after earning her MBA, she presented a strategic plan to the Business School’s Advisory Board which included a Starbucks executive. The coffee company called her to help find a director for its new environmental affairs department. It turned out that Mecklenburg was the best fit for the job. “I had a background in nonprofit and community affairs and with my MBA, I was well prepared to help Starbucks incorporate environmental ideas into its business,” Mecklenburg explained. “The UW is a very good school with a strong MBA program. Having my MBA was my ticket to an awesome career at Starbucks — it was a great investment.”