Judge Throws Out Missouri Lawsuit Claiming Starbucks’ DEI Policies Were Discriminatory

A federal judge in Missouri has dismissed a Republican-backed lawsuit accusing Starbucks of using diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives as a cover for workplace discrimination. U.S. District Judge John Ross, based in St. Louis, ruled that the state failed to demonstrate that the coffee chain had discriminated against even a single Missouri resident who worked at or applied for a job with the company.

The case was brought by the office of Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway, continuing an effort initiated by her predecessor Andrew Bailey. The lawsuit alleged Starbucks linked executive compensation to meeting racial and gender hiring targets, offered extra training and advancement opportunities to certain groups, and maintained diversity-based considerations for its board. Judge Ross, an appointee of former President Barack Obama, said the claims lacked proof of actual harm.

The challenge targeted corporate DEI policies adopted after the 2020 killing of George Floyd, which prompted widespread corporate reviews of hiring and workplace practices. The ruling comes as former President Donald Trump and other Republicans push to curb DEI efforts across government and the private sector, with major firms such as Goldman Sachs, Google, Amazon, and Target adjusting or scaling back related programs. Starbucks employs more than 200,000 people in the United States and about 360,000 globally.

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