'More female and less white': Missouri AG accuses Starbucks of violating anti-discrimination laws

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KTVI) – Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey (R) has filed a lawsuit against Starbucks, claiming the international coffee chain has violated federal and state anti-discrimination laws.

In a lawsuit formally filed Tuesday, Bailey claims the company engaged in race-and-sex-based hiring practices, unlawfully segregated employees and offered certain training and employment benefits exclusively to select groups.

He further alleges that initiatives designed to prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) ultimately amount to unlawful discrimination.

The filing, citing employment data from 2020 and 2024, asserted that Starbucks' workforce has become "more female and less white" over time. Bailey contends that the coffee chain uses quotas to shape its workforce and board of directors, arguing that its policies disadvantage other employees.

According to a 2021 memo from Starbucks, also cited in the lawsuit, the company has set and tracked annual inclusion and diversity goals — aiming for at least 30 percent BIPOC representation at corporate levels and 40 percent at retail and manufacturing levels by 2025. BIPOC refers to employees who are Black, Indigenous, or people of color.

Per the lawsuit, Starbucks' U.S. workforce was 69 percent women and 49 percent BIPOC in 2020, and those numbers shifted to 70.9 percent women and 46.5 percent as of September 2024.

Starbucks has also pledged to create mentorship programs for BIPOC employees and provide additional training and advancement opportunities for those groups, according to the memo. Bailey argues that such targeted initiatives violate anti-discrimination laws by giving preferential treatment to certain racial or ethnic groups over others.

“With Starbucks’ discriminatory patterns, practices, and policies, Missouri’s consumers are required to pay higher prices and wait longer for goods and services that could be provided for less had Starbucks employed the most qualified workers, regardless of their race, color, sex, or national origin," said Bailey via a news release announcing the lawsuit.

The lawsuit seeks a court order to compel Starbucks to immediately stop what Bailey describes as discriminatory patterns and practices.

In a statement to KTVI, Starbucks said, "We disagree with the attorney general and these allegations are inaccurate. We are deeply committed to creating opportunity for every single one of our partners (employees). Our programs and benefits are open to everyone and lawful. Our hiring practices are inclusive, fair and competitive and designed to ensure the strongest candidate for every job every time."

The chain has nearly 200 locations in Missouri, according to the lawsuit, just a fraction of the more than 15,000 cafes the company has nationwide.

KTVI is owned by Nexstar Media Group, which also owns The Hill.

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