Background 

Starbucks UK has long employed deaf partners in select stores, primarily in Canary Wharf, where a passionate store manager, Toro Manca, established strong connections with the deaf community. In early 2023 Manca, now a district manager, proposed expanding this support by offering British Sign Language (BSL) training to all partners across the UK. The goal was to raise awareness of the deaf community and equip employees with basic BSL skills, fostering a sense of belonging for deaf customers and partners alike.

Starbucks faced the challenge of implementing this initiative at scale, with more than 16,000 partners across 1,200 company and licensed stores. The company aimed to create an engaging and accessible training module that could be delivered consistently across its stores.

Approach 

To meet this challenge, Starbucks partnered with Attensi, a gamified learning platform provider, and the British Deaf Association (BDA). Together they spent six months developing an interactive training module that combined games, avatars and video content featuring deaf Starbucks partners. The module taught partners basic BSL, including greetings, common drink orders and the alphabet, while providing insights into the deaf community.

Partners were encouraged to engage with the training as many times as they wanted, with data showing that, on average, partners completed the module 21 times. Revision materials were also made available to help reinforce learning. Importantly both deaf and hearing partners tested the module before its launch to ensure it met the needs of all employees.

“Starbucks’ BSL training empowered partners to create inclusive experiences, driving meaningful connections with the deaf community”

To make sure the content resonated with the wider deaf community the BDA reviewed the training materials and provided feedback, leading to several adjustments.

Outcome

The BSL training module launched in October 2023, and within nine months 65% of Starbucks partners had voluntarily completed the training. The module’s success is evident from the high engagement levels, with partners choosing to revisit the training multiple times. Post-training surveys showed that 95% of partners enjoyed the learning experience, while 97% reported a better understanding of the deaf community and BSL. Additionally, 95% of learners expressed excitement to use their new skills in stores.

Anecdotal feedback highlighted the module’s impact, with employees reporting increased confidence in serving deaf customers and feeling proud to be part of a company committed to inclusion.

Following the success of this initiative Starbucks has developed a second phase of BSL training, which rolled out in October 2024. In addition, Starbucks are now partnering with DeafPlus to further increase employment opportunities for deaf individuals.