(Happy Birthday)

ON July 20, 2016, Starbucks welcomed the public to its first signing store, operated by deaf and hearing-impaired “partners”. The store is the first of its kind for Starbucks, globally. Located at a bustling neighbourhood mall – Bangsar Village II – the rationale behind opening such a store was:
▶ to raise awareness about engaging employees from the deaf and disabled communities; and
▶ to affirm and declare Starbucks’ commitment as a company that welcomes one and all with “inclusion at its core".
A year on and the Signing Store has gained much publicity. Although, like any other store in its chain that churns out excellent handcrafted Starbucks coffees along with the full menu, this is run by a whole team of deaf employees, besides the store manager. Still, the Starbucks Experience here is unique.
MEANINGFUL CELEBRATION
The first anniversary of the store may not have been celebrated on a grand scale, however, the “intimate do” which welcomed invited media and guests presented a meaningful occasion. From heartfelt speeches to personal sharing by some of the deaf partners, as well as a little information on the long and arduous, yet meaningful journey getting the store running. Hence, a first anniversary that calls for celebration.
Among the invited guests were Berjaya Food Berhad CEO Sydney Quays (pix right, fifth left), Social Welfare Department’s director of Persons with Disabilities Development Nor Tipah Majin (fourth left), Rose Ng (third left), who represented The Society of Interpreters for the Deaf (S.I.D.) and helped facilitate the hiring, training and coaching of deaf partners, as well as teach Sign Language to a number of hearing partners, and a few special guests from Starbucks International.
BEHIND THE SCENES
Although it required more “work” to set up the Signing Store than regular ones, the team of deaf partners running the store are not any less trained as baristas and coffee masters. They go through the same rigorous training according to Starbucks manuals and requirements, and are put through the same tests as any other regular Starbucks employee/ partner.
The Starbucks Experience here at the first Starbucks Signing Store in the world is iconic. Deaf partners deliver the Starbucks Experience in a uniquely uplifting way while engaging with customers with the same enthusiasm, passion and craft.
It is learnt that Starbucks has a history in employing underrepresented groups in the workplace: from its Starbucks VIP programme, which hires seniors aged 55 years and above, to working with village folk on projects, along with outreach programmes that help the public communicate and understand the deaf, and vice versa.
EXEMPLARY FEAT
Far from just serving and brewing coffee, all Starbucks baristas, deaf or otherwise, are encouraged to learn, grow and develop themselves via Starbucks’ in-house barista training programme.
At the Signing Store, every partner/employee has undergone the baristas’ programme, four of whom – Muhammad Aizad Ariffin, Yap Yee Lin, Mohd Akmal Abd Khalid and Nur’Aizad Mohd Rosli – have moved on to the Coffee Master programme. On graduating, they will be able to conduct coffee tasting and sharing sessions with customers and deaf communities in sign language.
Starbucks, having worked closely with S.I.D., fully supports and encourages its hearing partners and the hearing public to learn Malaysian Sign Language. This is to enable effective communication among the hearing and hearing-impaired, as well as to facilitate recruitment and employment of the deaf. With that, a few hearing partners at Starbucks Support Centre have been undertaking sign language classes.
For more information, visit Starbucks Malaysia website or follow its Facebook.