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Starbucks reaches 100% equal pay for women, people of all races in its US workforce

Seattle coffee giant Starbucks reached 100 percent pay equity for its U.S. partners, claiming they closed the pay gap for gender and races across their company in America.

“Roughly 10 years ago we began serious work to ensure women and men – of all ethnicities and races – are compensated fairly at Starbucks,” said Lucy Helm, chief partner officer at Starbucks. “This accomplishment is the result of years of work and commitment.”

Helm made the announcement during a Starbucks annual shareholders meeting in Seattle. She said that the company will now work “with deliberate speed” toward closing the gender pay gap for all partners in company-operated markets worldwide.

In a news release, Starbucks notes that women are paid an average of 80 cents on the dollar compared to men; in retail, women make an average of 70 cents on the dollar compared to men.

Starbucks is publicly sharing the principles and tools the company used to reach this goal in the United States in the hope that other employers will join in working toward pay equity.

>> RELATED: Starbucks commits $10M for greener coffee cup

Tennis legend Billie Jean King is joining Starbucks in encouraging other companies to take steps in achieving equal pay.

“I’ve been pushing for equality for as long as I can remember, and my hope is that one day, true pay equity will be achieved,” King said. “There are a few voices who have been at the forefront of this effort and I hope many will join them to press for greater progress.”

Another big announcement that came out of the meeting on Wednesday — one that environmental activists wanted to hear — is how the company is now committing 10 million dollars to develop coffee cups that are 100 percent recyclable and compostable.

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