Starbucks Signs Agreement with Korea Employment Agency for the Disabled and Seoul National University Dental Hospital to Realize Social Value

Starbucks Seoul National University Dental Hospital partners are holding commemorative tumblers designed by a partner with a disability.

[Asia Economy Reporter Seungjin Lee] Starbucks Coffee Korea held a tripartite MOU signing ceremony on the 23rd at the Seoul National University Dental Hospital branch, pledging continuous mutual cooperation with the Korea Employment Agency for the Disabled and Seoul National University Dental Hospital. The goal is to promote employment for people with disabilities, raise awareness about disabilities, and realize social value through these efforts.

At the ceremony, Song Hoseop, CEO of Starbucks, officials from the Seoul National University Dental Hospital branch, Jo Hyanghyun, Chairman of the Korea Employment Agency for the Disabled, and Gu Young, Director of Seoul National University Dental Hospital, were present.

Through this agreement, the Korea Employment Agency for the Disabled will provide employment support services such as consulting for job creation for people with disabilities, customized vocational training, and adaptation support. Starbucks will cooperate in the continuous employment of disabled baristas and operate collaborative programs linked to disability awareness improvement organizations. A portion of the store’s profits from the Seoul National University Dental Hospital branch will be donated to support dental surgeries for people with disabilities. Additionally, Seoul National University Dental Hospital will operate oral health promotion projects for vulnerable disabled groups and promises to continue support and cooperation in the operation of the Starbucks Seoul National University Dental Hospital branch.

Starbucks delivered a fund of 100 million KRW, raised from the profits of the Seoul National University Dental Hospital branch, to the Central Disabled Oral Care Center at Seoul National University Dental Hospital to support dental surgery costs for about 40 disabled youth with work capabilities and children with rare, intractable severe disabilities.

A fundraising campaign for disability awareness improvement was held. Starbucks expressed gratitude to the participating officials and customers by presenting 300 tumblers featuring artwork directly created by Starbucks disabled partners and artists with developmental disabilities.

Song Hoseop, CEO of Starbucks, stated, "I am very pleased that the positive influence that started from one of our stores has become a greater resonance through this agreement. I sincerely thank the Korea Employment Agency for the Disabled and Seoul National University Dental Hospital for their active participation." He added, "We will continue to strive to make Starbucks stores a third place that creates a positive impact on the local community with the goal of realizing social value."

Meanwhile, in December last year, Starbucks opened the Seoul National University Dental Hospital branch, the first in Korea to embody the meaning of promoting employment for people with disabilities and improving disability awareness to realize social value. Among the 12 staff members at the store, six are disabled partners, accounting for half of the workforce.

The Seoul National University Dental Hospital branch is the first Starbucks store worldwide to apply an inclusive store design that allows anyone to use it easily regardless of disability. It reflects the opinions of disabled partners working at Starbucks to consider work convenience. Features include braille menus, tactile maps (maps made with braille and relief), and braille signage to accommodate the mobility and store use of visually impaired customers.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.