Music publishing giant Universal, which recently acquired Neil Diamond’s song catalog, said in a statement, “We urge an end to the violence in Ukraine as soon as possible. We are adhering to international sanctions and, along with our employees and artists, have been working with groups from a range of countries to support humanitarian relief efforts to bring urgent aid to refugees in the region.
CEO Chris Kempczinski wrote in a memo to staff; “We join the world in condemning aggression and violence and praying for peace… Our values mean we cannot ignore the needless human suffering unfolding in Ukraine.” Starbucks’ Kevin Johnson posted to the company website: “We continue to watch the tragic events unfold and, today, we have decided to suspend all business activity in Russia, including shipment of all Starbucks products. Our licensed partner has agreed to immediately pause store operations and will provide support to the nearly 2,000 partners in Russia who depend on Starbucks for their livelihood.
However, Laguarta noted, “As a food and beverage company, now more than ever we must stay true to the humanitarian aspect of our business. That means we have a responsibility to continue to offer our other products in Russia, including daily essentials such as milk and other dairy offerings, baby formula and baby food.”
No Mc Donald’s. No Coke. No Netflix. Russians are going to be much healthier.