Joint Statement from Starbucks ceo, Kevin Johnson, Donte Robinson and Rashon Nelson

After constructive conversations, and mediation before a retired federal judge in Philadelphia, Donte Robinson, Rashon Nelson and Kevin Johnson, ceo of Starbucks Coffee Company (NASDAQ:SBUX) reached a settlement agreement earlier this week that will allow both sides to move forward and continue to talk and explore means of preventing similar occurrences at any Starbucks location.

The agreement between the parties stems from the arrest of Robinson and Nelson at a Starbucks store in Philadelphia and includes a confidential financial settlement as well as a commitment to continued listening and dialogue between the parties as a means toward developing specific actions and opportunities.   

 As Johnson said previously, “I want to thank Donte and Rashon for their willingness to reconcile. I welcome the opportunity to begin a relationship with them to share learnings and experiences. And Starbucks will continue to take actions that stem from this incident to repair and reaffirm our values and vision for the kind of company we want to be.”   

Robinson and Nelson intend to focus the public reaction to their arrest toward providing opportunities for young people from underserved communities.

Jointly they said, “We appreciate the opportunity to have meaningful discussions with Kevin Johnson and the group around the table to address hard issues. We all recognize the importance of communication about differences and solutions, and that we will be measured by our action not words.”

And as part of the agreement, Robinson and Nelson will have an opportunity to provide input based on their personal experience to former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder as part of the company’s long-term diversity and equity efforts.  

Robinson and Nelson have also been offered the opportunity to complete their undergraduate degrees through the Starbucks College Achievement Plan, a first of a kind partnership with Arizona State University otherwise available to Starbucks partners to earn their bachelor’s degree with full tuition coverage. 

The pair are represented by Stewart L. Cohen and Harry M. Roth of Cohen, Placitella & Roth, P.C., a Philadelphia law firm.

Since 1971, Starbucks Coffee Company has been committed to ethically sourcing and roasting high-quality arabica coffee. Today, with more than 25,000 stores around the globe, Starbucks is the premier roaster and retailer of specialty coffee in the world. Through our unwavering commitment to excellence and our guiding principles, we bring the unique Starbucks Experience to life for every customer through every cup. To share in the experience, please visit our stores or online at news.starbucks.com and Starbucks.com.

For more information on this press release, press@starbucks.com