I’m beginning to find out how much power one can actually wield through shareholder activism. You know how I’ve been whining about Cindy of Starbucks not getting back to me about the Starbucks Challenge? Greg, green financial advisor and investor, has no such problems. He got a call from Starbucks today, asking to arrange a conference call.

In preparation, Greg asked me if I could compile some info about where we are, and where we’d like to be, in terms of Starbucks and corporate social responsibility.

The first step: Identifying other allies who would back us in asking Starbucks to 1) live up to its current fair trade promises, and 2) up its fair trade commitments.

Below’s the preliminary list. Please let me know if there are people and orgs to add, delete:

National and International Groups

Global Exchange. This kick-ass non-profit still has a letter-writing campaign going. Valerie of Global Exchange was at the USFT (see below) convergence, and expressed shock and dismay about the fact that fair trade makes up only 3.7% of Starbucks’ coffee, SIX YEARS after the mermaid joined the movement.

Organic Consumers Association. This nonprofit also is running a letter-campaign asking Starbucks for more fair trade, in addition to a petition (PDF). OCA’s especially pissed about the use of genetically modified and hormone-containing ingredients in Starbucks’ lattes (PDF).

IWW Workers Union. The Starbucks Union, which is part of the IWW, got Starbucks to settle with some of its members. In addition, the Starbucks Union supports more fair trade coffee at Starbucks.

United Students for Fair Trade (USFT). Many USFT members have participated in the Starbucks Challenge. There’s lots of support on the USFT listserv for pushing starbucks for more fair trade coffee. USFT’s currently focusing on Jazzman’s — which, by the way, gets its coffee roasted by Seattle’s Best, which is part of Starbucks.

Oxfam. This hip org gets everyone from Chris Martin of Coldplay to Mr. Darcy to pose for its campaigns. Make Trade Fair!

Co-op America. This org’s currently running a pro-fair-trade campaign called “Adopt-A-Supermarket,” which asks you to go into a local supermarket and check out what its fair trade commitment is.

Starbucks Challenge. This blog-based initiative includes 209 blogs participating in taking 331 challenges since last October. How’s Starbucks doing? Latest stats show a sad 44% success rate.

SRI in the Rockies participants. This group includes Greg. After some fuzzy statements made by the Starbucks employees made at the conference keynote speech, Greg and others asked for an explanation — which led to SRI in the Rockies getting a formal statement from Starbucks about its fair trade commitment.

State and City-based organizations

Los Angeles Greens. This group of Greens invited yours truly to talk about the Starbucks Challenge at one of its monthly meetings. Many — who’d avoided Starbucks like the plague before my talk — have since gone into their local Starbucks to ask for fair trade coffee.

StartingBloc participants. After studying Starbucks’ socio-environmental practices, many students in the StartingBloc fellowship program concluded Starbucks wasn’t going far enough.

Fair Trade Los Angeles. This group’s planning to test Starbucks’ fair trade commitment in its local Starbucks shops on World Fair Trade day.

Numerous other city-based fair trade orgs.

Individuals

Dan Jaffee. A PhD candidate who’s writing a dissertation about fair trade.

Matt Warning. Professor and one of the people behind Buyer Be Fair.

Internal Starbucks People

Michael. Michael’s the manager of the Starbucks at Masonic & Fulton, San Francisco. He’s taken things into his own hands; his store brews Cafe Estima pretty much every day — and he’s convincing other SF Starbucks managers to do likewise.

Claire. This Starbucks barista blogged wondering why ISN’T Starbucks doing more for fair trade, and made some plans to try and make the stores she works in more fair trade friendly.

Pat. This district manager of Starbucks stores in the Los Angeles area pulled together a meeting between Starbucks managers and fair trade advocate-bloggers.

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