Inclusive Retail Spaces Coalition

Dear Retail Colleagues and Stakeholders,

Twenty-five years after the landmark Supreme Court decision, Olmstead v. L.C., and thirty-four years after the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, we are joining together to advance our shared commitment to create more inclusive communities. Inclusive design enables people with disabilities to truly live independently, engaging more equitably in local services, public spaces and businesses, from grocery and retail stores to coffee shops.

We are on a journey to bring together retail businesses, inclusive design experts, and people with disabilities to inform best practices for design and accessibility in the retail sector for customers and employees alike. We formed the Inclusive Retail Spaces Coalition, founded by Starbucks, Walmart, and AAPD, with an initial objective to expand and open-source the Inclusive Spaces Retail Framework, authored by Starbucks and utilized in the launch of a newly opened Starbucks store in the Union Market District of Washington, D.C.

A group of seven people, six sitting and one standing behind them, posing for a photo at a long wooden table with microphones and Starbucks cups in front of them. The setting appears to be a modern, well-lit room with large windows and a screen on the wall in the background. Everyone is smiling and dressed in casual or business-casual attire.

We can’t do this work alone. To provide the most accessible and inclusive vision for our communities we need more partners to join us and contribute their unique expertise to the coalition.

This coalition represents the beginning of something that we hope will support redefining what is possible–innovating retail experiences through the lens of accessibility.

The Coalition is built on a shared commitment to inclusion and expanding independence, choice, and ease for all people across spaces. We invite you to join us as we work to create more communities centered on belonging.

Sincerely,

Sara Trilling, evp & president of Starbucks North America
Victor Calise, Director Global Accessibility Center of Excellence (ACE), Walmart
Maria Town, President and CEO of the American Association of People with Disabilities

An infographic titled 'Inclusive Retail Spaces for All to Enjoy.' It features three main blue hexagons with the words 'Human Centered Design,' 'Co-Creation,' and 'Systems Approach,' connected with plus signs. Below these, there are five smaller blue boxes labeled 'Accessibility,' 'Community Connections,' 'Belonging,' 'Scale & Open Sourced,' and 'Innovate Digital & Physical,' also connected with plus signs. All these elements point to a dark blue box at the bottom labeled 'Americans with Disabilities Act.'

The above graphic demonstrates how the Coalition is building on the foundation of the Americans with Disabilities Act to create more inclusively designed spaces. By bringing together key elements and focusing on human centered design, co-creating spaces, and taking a systems approach, the Coalition seeks to take a more holistic approach to creating an accessible experience.

Background of the Coalition
Inclusive design is not only good for people – it’s good for business. Research shows that inclusive design is ultimately just good design. It spurs innovation, resulting in products and services in demand by the broadest possible audience, and workplaces that attract and retain a broad base of talent—including the historically underleveraged pool of talent represented by the disability community.

In search of design guidance that centers accessibility and inclusion for built retail environments, founding members Starbucks and Walmart developed and launched the Inclusive Spaces Coalition. The objective of the coalition is to create an open-source framework that builds on the strong foundation of the ADA, centered on three principles: human centered design, co-creation, and a holistic approach to creating an accessible experience.

Our Vision + Mission
Vision: Bringing innovation through inclusive design to include all people in the retail experience.

Mission: Create a coalition to mobilize retail businesses, inclusive design experts, and disabled people to promote inclusion and accessibility in the retail environment by providing a blueprint to scale best practices.

Resources
A group of four people sitting at a long wooden table with microphones and Starbucks cups in front of them. They are smiling and looking towards the camera. The setting is a modern, well-lit room with large windows and a screen on the wall in the background. One person is using a wheelchair, and the room has a professional yet casual atmosphere.
A group of people gathered in a modern room for a discussion or presentation. The photo is taken from behind four panelists sitting at a long table with microphones, facing an audience seated and standing in the background. The room is well-lit with large windows, a wooden ceiling, and a screen on the wall. The atmosphere appears engaged and attentive, with diverse individuals participating.

Interested in More Information?

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