REUTERS/Carlo Allegri/File PhotoCompanies Starbucks Corp FollowAug 11 (Reuters) - A U.S. judge on Friday dismissed a conservative activist investor's lawsuit against Starbucks' (SBUX.O) board, opposing the company's diversity, equity and inclusion policies and calling it frivolous.
The nonprofit, which holds around $6,000 in Starbucks stock, said those policies require the company to make race-baced decisions that violate federal and state civil rights laws.
The lawsuit is similar to those recently by conservative activist groups opposing corporate diversity and inclusion efforts in the wake of a June Supreme Court ruling.
The ruling declared unlawful the race-conscious student admissions policies used by Harvard University and the University of North Carolina.
On Friday, Daniel Morenoff of The American Civil Rights Project argued that Starbucks policies seeking to increase racial diversity among its suppliers, vendors, and employees were discriminatory and that NCPPR's cause was in the corporate interest.
Persons:
Carlo Allegri, District Judge Stanley Bastian, Daniel Morenoff, Bastian, Craig, Jody Godoy, Tom Hals, Chris Reese, Marguerita Choy
Organizations:
Empire, REUTERS, Companies Starbucks, Starbucks, National Center for Public Policy Research, Blacks, Chief U.S, District, Harvard University, University of North, American Civil Rights, Target Corp, Thomson
Locations:
Manhattan, New York, U.S, Spokane , Washington, America, University of North Carolina, Florida, Wilmington , Delaware