A U.S. judge on Friday dismissed as frivolous a conservative activist investor’s lawsuit against Starbucks’ (SBUX.O) board for the coffee chain’s diversity, equity and inclusion policies.
The National Center for Public Policy Research (NCPPR) sued in August 2022 over Starbucks’ setting hiring goals for Black and other people of color, awarding contracts to “diverse” suppliers and advertisers, and tying executive pay to diversity.
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Chief U.S. District Judge Stanley Bastian in Spokane, Washington, rejected the allegations at a hearing in the case on Friday, saying the lawsuit centered on public policy questions that are for lawmakers and corporations, not courts, to decide.
“If the plaintiff doesn’t want to be invested in ‘woke’ corporate America, perhaps it should seek other investment opportunities rather than wasting this court’s time,” he said.
Source: Conservative Starbucks investor loses diversity challenge | Reuters
