STARBUCKS Malaysia has partnered with the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) Kuala Lumpur to upcycle its Flavorlock Coffee Bags into pouches with the objective of shrinking its environmental footprint.
As it celebrates its 9th Global Month of Good (GMoG) in conjunction with Earth Day, Starbucks Malaysia aims to reduce its environmental impact and help the B40 community improve their livehood.
“At our core, Starbucks is committed to strengthening organisations such as YWCA KL and this partnership aims to close the loop on our business by upcycling our used Starbucks Flavorlock Coffee Bags into pouches and purses that we will retail at our stores, and where the proceeds will be channelled back to YWCA KL and the B40 Community that are helping us produce these bags,” said Starbucks Malaysia and Brunei CSR manager Rina Siew.
YWCA, is a non-profit organisation that works for the development of women and girls irrespective of race, religion, culture, and socio-economic circumstances. Some of the projects run by YWCA KL includes a shelter for women in crisis based in the Klang Valley, a preschool kindergarten, an edible garden and an onsite vocation school for young women in KL called the Vocational Opportunity Centre (VTOC).
The partnership with YWCA will contribute to the VTOC curriculum and enhance the skillsets of the young girls and women who will lend a hand in sewing the Starbucks Flavorlock Coffee Bags.
“We are excited about the collaboration between Starbucks Malaysia and the YWCA Kuala Lumpur Social Enterprise Estate, as the production of the Starbucks Flavorlock Coffee Bag pouches will increase the livelihood of our B40 seamstresses and empower them to do more for their families and community," said YWCA Kuala Lumpur president Joanne Yeoh.
During the Starbucks Global Month of Good event at YWCA on April 20, 2019, volunteers had the opportunity to try their hand at some of the workshop activities run by Starbucks Malaysia, YWCA KL, EcoKnights and Eat, Shoots & Roots.
For the upcycling campaign, customers are encouraged to drop off their used Flavorlock Coffee Bags at Starbucks stores from May 1, 2019 onwards. For every used Starbucks Flavorlock Coffee Bag donated, customers are entitled to a 10% discount when they purchase any Starbucks Whole Bean coffee.
Starbucks GMoG is held every year in April. The objective of the programme is to unite its partners - employees, customers, non-profit organisations, civic leaders, business partners and the public to dedicate their time to create a positive and meaningful change in the communities that they serve by holding local service events.
