An exchange of ideas over a cup of coffee

The coffee shop can be one place where great ideas are born. Unlike in traditional places of learning, a klatch or gathering over coffee is conducive to a free flow and exchange of ideas. Precisely because there is no perceived pressure to learn, ideas and lessons are absorbed faster in a café setting.

That is the rationale that guides “Dialogues at Starbucks.” The corporate social responsibility project of the coffee company aims to encourage discourse between advocates of a cause and an audience that is highly interested in getting to know more about being socially involved. By providing a venue for enlightenment for their community of coffee drinkers, Starbucks hopes to “inspire participants to better-informed, socially responsible action.”

 “The concept of Dialogues is simple,” says Starbucks’ Zarah Perez. “It is about egging people on to talk to each other and providing a venue for them. Its main goal is to link people.” The concept is not original, she explains, and the project was done in the United Kingdom before.

In view of the corporate social responsibility directives of Starbucks, which are Environment, Heritage and Education, speakers will be invited to talk on these subjects. Organizations that have participated so far are VSO Bahaginan, which is a volunteer organization that operates in many countries, the World Wildlife Fund and Wild Bird Club of the Philippines.

Other topics that coffee aficionados can look forward to range from mitigating the impact of household waste on the environment, discussions on climate change, volunteerism and starter sessions on how or where to volunteer on weekends and extended volunteering assignments outside the country. Writers’ groups, artists and musicians are also encouraged to hold sessions and encourage an appreciation of culture and the arts.

As the activity hopes to allow Starbucks’ guests “to have fun, make friends and create uplifting encounters that will enrich people’s lives,” Dialogues at Starbucks will refrain from potentially incendiary political discussion that may foment division rather than encourage comfortable exchange. For the same reason, discussions on faith and religion will be avoided.

To avoid long-winded discussions, each Dialogue will have a minimum of one resource speaker and a maximum of three. Each resource speaker has 10 to 12 minutes for presentation so that enough time will be left for an open forum. While the Dialogues at Starbucks have been held only in Metro Manila so far, the plan is to bring the project to areas where Starbucks operates. Although discussion participants have been mostly Starbucks customers who have heard about the project by means of community boards in the stores, the sessions are open to all and are free of charge.

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To participate in Dialogues at Starbucks or to inquire about scheduled topics, e-mail csr@rustancoffee.ph or call 896-2755 local 1507.