The nation’s favourite coffee shop*, Costa Coffee, is flying its true colours with pride as it announces 14 stores along the London Pride March route will stock reusable Pride cups, with 100% of proceeds going to Switchboard, one of the UK’s oldest LGBTQ+ charities. Also returning will be Costa Coffee’s iconic rainbow paper cups, fully recyclable and Instagram-ready.
The limited edition reusable cup, which is only up for grabs in a select number of locations including London, is available on 5th July which is the day before the Pride March on 6th July when thousands will take to the streets to enjoy the lively celebrations.
This is the fourth consecutive year that Costa Coffee has taken part in Pride events, with its newly created team member network SHINE, working with over 80 stores from across the country to bring the network’s initiatives to life.
SHINE is a network formed of Costa Coffee team members that champions an inclusive environment for all team members to thrive. Members of the SHINE network in London will be joining the Pride parade on 6th July to celebrate diversity and inclusion in all its forms across the local community.
Russell Braterman, Global Innovation Director at Costa Coffee and co-chair of the Shine network commented: “We are delighted and proud to bring our immensely popular rainbow cups back for another year, and even happier to be supporting Switchboard, one the UK’s oldest LGBTQ+ charities by donating all proceeds of the reusable travel cups to a partner doing such important work.
At Costa Coffee, we strive to provide opportunities for people to connect and let their true colours shine, to be inclusive in our thoughts and actions and to influence positive change in a way that genuinely reflects our culture and values. We are proud to see so many of our SHINE network members marching with their local communities across the country.”
New for 2019, the reusable Pride travel cups will provide Costa Coffee customers with a way to show their support beyond the Pride march whiledoing their bit for the environment. SHINE members taking part in marches across the country will also be assisting the community in the clean-up operation to ensure splashes of rainbow remain in the sky and not on the pavements.
George Thomas, Store Manager at the London Shelton Street Costa Coffee store, said: “The Pride marches in London are always an incredible experience and we are thrilled to be supporting again this year. It’s an important moment for all Costa Coffee team members to celebrate what makes each of us unique and showcase the amazing, inclusive environment that we have built here in London for employees and customers alike.”
Natasha Walker, Co-Chair of Switchboard, commented: “While it can be said that there have been significant changes in the path to equality for LGBTQ+ people living in the UK, Switchboard takes around 15,000 calls a year from people in need of someone to talk to. Costa Coffee share our belief that everyone should feel comfortable to be their true self, whether in the work place or elsewhere, and we are incredibly excited to partner with them this Pride to raise funds to carry on our work.”
To learn more about SHINE, Costa Coffee’s LGBTQ+ network, please visit – https://www.costa.co.uk/behind-the-beans/our-people/shine/
For more information on participating stores for the new rainbow cups, please visit –www.costa.co.uk