Drink Your Starbucks With More Pride

Photos via Starbucks

Earlier this week at Starbuck's annual shareholders meeting in Seattle, CEO Howard Schultz upheld his and the company's supportive stance on marriage equality, as reported by KPLU.

When the coffee conglomerate publicly backed Washington state's motion to legalize same-sex marriage last year, the National Organization for Marriage launched a global boycott--which a shareholder suggested hurt the company.

"In the first fill quarter after this boycott was announced, our sales and our earrings--shall we say politely--were a bit disappointing," he said.

This comment fired up Schultz who replied that the decision to back marriage equality was not for economic reason, but for "respecting diversity." He also added that the company had delivered a healthy return last year, boycott or no, and stated to the shareholder:

"If you feel, respectfully, that you can get a higher return than the 38 percent you got last year, it's a free country. You can sell your shares of Starbucks and buy shares in another company. Thank you very much."

Schultz's statements were received with a loud applause from the audience.