Dennis Brockman has been appointed as the global chief inclusion and diversity officer for Starbucks.
According to a press release, Brockman is a 13-year partner (employee) and most recently the Midwest regional vice president. Since December, Brockman has served as the interim chief inclusion and diversity officer. With the new appointment, he will continue to report to CEO Kevin Johnson in his new role.
“For all of us at Starbucks, each day we must reaffirm our responsibility to one another — to care for each other, to strengthen our communities, and to ensure diverse perspectives are represented at the company’s highest levels,” said Johnson in a news release. “We have committed to do so with intention, with transparency, and with accountability.”
In his new role, Brockman will be responsible for building a culture of Inclusion & Diversity (I&D) leadership excellence and accountability, and amplifying and operationalizing I&D within the U.S. business.
“Dennis, this promotion is so well deserved,” continued Johnson in the statement. “Know that partners around the world are cheering you on as we continue our journey forward together to be a more inclusive, diverse, and equitable company. I look forward to strengthening our partnership.”
On its journey to advance racial and social equity for its partners (employees), community, and society, Starbucks pledged $100 million to launch a Community Resilience Fund in January. The company has also launched a mentorship program to expand development opportunities for BIPOC partners.
This spring the company will publish its third Civil Rights Assessment that will be conducted by Covington and Burling. It will outline both progress and opportunities for where Starbucks can take steps toward a more inclusive community.
