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Starbucks closes 8,000 stores for anti-bias training

29 May 2018 22:44 (UTC +04:00)

Starbucks Corp (SBUX.O) appealed to customers for forgiveness in a controversy over alleged racial profiling on Tuesday, saying its behavior toward two black men last month had been reprehensible as it closed 8,000 US stores for anti-bias training, APA reports quoting Reuters.

The company settled privately with the men after a Philadelphia cafe manager’s call to police resulted in their arrests on April 12. It was closing company-owned US stores at around 2 p.m. local time on Tuesday as a first step in training 175,000 employees on how to recognize their own unconscious biases and avoid unintentional discrimination.

The Philadelphia arrests sparked protests at the coffee chain, known for its support of same-sex marriage and other left-leaning social issues.