Starbucks Is Officially The Greenest Company In The World
Starbucks has distinguished itself above the rest with the opening of its 700th LEED-certified location, the most of any company in the world. This feat has been accomplished by the help of 300 LEED-accredited designers in 18 in-house design studios around the world.
Numbers play a large role in this distinction. With over 20,000 stores globally and LEED-certified locations in 19 countries, Starbucks was able to put itself ahead of the rest in terms of corporate eco-friendliness.
Starbucks has been opening LEED-certified stores for 10 years, the first opening in Hillsboro, Oregon, in 2005. But the eco-friendly tradition doesn't end here. Starbucks says they are, "committed to nearly double the number in 2016 with a total of 1,200 LEED certified stores."
Bill Sleeth, vice president of store design, said, "Our job as designers is to create spaces that reflect the communities we serve while anticipating its future needs so that we are designing for the longevity of the neighborhood as well as our business. Our responsibility is to do this in a way that integrates environmental sensitivity and local resources, so that we are also using our scale for good."