Initializing the basic string of uint16_t

I have a const basic string in my class:

class foo {
   const basic_string<uint16_t> baz;
};

How do I initialize it?

The main goals I want to achieve are those:

• no overhead in creation
• readable for the user so for instance convert from "Potato" rather than from some buffer with numbers (if it is doable)
• cross platform code
• wont generate compiler warning... company policy

I am using c++11.