New Starbucks CEO allowed company jet for 1,000-mile commute to Seattle
Activists and those concerned about climate change criticized Starbucks for allowing Brian Niccol to use a company jet to commute from Newport Beach, Calif., to Seattle.

By Leo Sands
August 22, 2024 at 9:22 a.m. EDT

Starbucks is giving its incoming chief executive, Brian Niccol, access to a company-owned jet to commute roughly 1,000 miles to its headquarters in Seattle — a perk that sparked criticism from activists and others concerned about the environmental impact of private jets.

In its offer letter to Niccol, Starbucks said he would not be required to relocate. Instead, Starbucks would establish a small remote office in Newport Beach, Calif. — but Niccol “will be eligible to use the Company aircraft for … travel between your city of residence and the Company’s headquarters,” states the letter, dated Aug. 11 and made public in an SEC filing.

Starbucks’s hybrid work policy requires employees at its Seattle headquarters who live within commuting distance to work from the office at least three days a week. ... A Starbucks spokesperson told CNBC that Niccol will also be expected to work from the office at least three days a week when not traveling for work, in alignment with the company’s broader policy. Starbucks did not immediately respond to a request for comment early Thursday.

Public records list Niccol’s address in Newport Beach, some 992 miles from Seattle. Niccol’s previous role was chief executive of Chipotle Mexican Grill — the headquarters of which he relocated from Denver to Newport Beach.

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Taylor Telford and Aaron Gregg contributed to this report.

By Leo Sands
Leo Sands is a breaking-news reporter and editor in The Washington Post’s London Hub, covering news as it unfolds around the world. Twitter