Starbucks acted strongly in its attempt to remedy the racist behavior of the store manager who called the police on two black men last month in a store in Philadelphia. But to address the problem, they must do more.
Starbucks closed more than 8,000 of their stores on the afternoon of May 29 to conduct racial-bias education for their nearly 175,000 employees. With the help and advice of several prominent anti-racism leaders they sought and employed well established implicit-bias training programs. Let’s praise the Starbucks corporation for what they have done so far. However, they need to know that more is required.
There is a widespread assumption that racism is something that bigoted people do intentionally. That might be the case in some instances. However, people are beginning to realize that people may commit racism un-intentionally.
Considering unintentional racism brings us to the idea of unconscious bias. Research has shown that unconscious–or implicit–bias (in other words deep-rooted racial prejudice) can lead to racist actions. Thus, employees at Starbucks may commit racism because of their unconscious bias.
To its credit, Starbucks ordered the training of employees to reduce any unconscious bias. However, focusing on intentional or unintentional racism in this way still borrows from the old idea of a one-way cause and effect connection between prejudice (bias) and racism. The causal link between prejudice and racism works both ways–with racism leading to prejudice, and prejudice reinforcing racism.
The prejudice-to-racism view is useful, but it neglects the reverse connection, that running from racism to prejudice. Where does racial prejudice come from? A person is not born with prejudice. A person does not arrive into the world biased. Prejudice is acquired as the person develops. Life experiences and socialization processes shape attitudes, values, and personalities. What people think about those of another race is shaped by many social forces. Racism is central to American history. People growing up in a racist society almost inevitably develop racial prejudices.
Focusing primarily on reducing individual prejudice has limited usefulness because it ignores racism that is institutionalized in agencies and organizations, the most serious and entrenched form of racism. It is the most serious aspect of racism because institutional or organizational racism affects many more people than individual racism.
Institutional racism provides the context for individual prejudice and racism. Institutions, agencies, and organizations commit their racism through their policies and practices. If the intent is to change racist behavior in an organization, policies and practices must change.
Starbucks announced that it would start “a review of its training and practices to make important reforms where necessary to ensure our stores always represent our Mission and Values, by providing a safe and inclusive environment for our customers and partners.” If this next step proceeds appropriately, Starbucks would be on its way to solving its racism problem. Examining policies and practices is more important than anti-bias training.
Individual biases may be corrected, but only at the personal level. A more productive approach is to change organizational policies and practices.