Join us at the largest Global Fraud and Loss Prevention Event of the year

Key issues for retailers including shrinkage strategies, new technologies, safety and crisis management

The NRF Loss Prevention Conference & EXPO, June 20 -22nd is the US’ leading retail-specific loss prevention conference.

NRF's LP event focuses on key issues for retailers including shrinkage strategies, new technologies, safety and crisis management.

Howard D. Schultz / the vast corporate Empire of the Bean / a retake

Raise your hand if you remember when Starbucks seemed cool.

Anyone?

Think back. To before the planet groaned with 17,000 Starbucks shops. Before the pumpkin spice lattes and the Ciao Amore CDs. Before the Strawberries & Crème Frappuccino ice cream, the Starbucks cream liqueur, the Pinkberry-inspired Sorbetto.

In short, to before Howard D. Schultz and his trenta-size ambition turned a few coffeehouses here into the vast corporate Empire of the Bean.

The world has often seemed three espressos behind Mr. Schultz — which is why the low-key guy sitting in his office here doesn’t quite seem like Howard Schultz.

Did he just say “but”? As in, “We have won in many ways, but ...”? Was that a “we” instead of an “I”? A note of humility?

Yes, this is Howard Schultz: the man who willed Starbucks onto so many street corners — and then, for a moment, looked as if he might lose it all.

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The Social Media Sustainability Index

General Electric, IBM, Starbucks, Ford and Dell lead the way in social media communications when it comes to talking about sustainability and CSR. That is the conclusion of Custom Communication’s new in-depth special report, the first-ever ranking of how the world’s largest companies communicate their CSR initiatives via social media.

The Social Media Sustainability Index offers a first-of-its-kind look at how 287 European and North American companies are using social media to tell their stories. They have been selected because all are part of the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, the industry standard in identifying which companies operate the most sustainable business practices.

You can download the full report or an executive summary.