FDBusiness.com

McDonald’s Corp.has announced its first Corporate Social Responsibility & Sustainability Framework that is designed to position the company for the future, while generating measurable, positive impacts for society. In creating the framework, McDonald’s continued its historically collaborative approach by consulting with suppliers, franchisees, customers and more than a dozen sustainability experts, NGOs and socially responsible investment organizations.

McDonald’s 2020 CSR & Sustainability Framework aspirational goals include:

* Supporting sustainable beef production by collaborating to develop global principles and criteria, and committing to begin purchasing a portion of beef from verified sustainable sources in 2016;

* Sourcing 100 percent of coffee, palm oil and fish that is verified to support sustainable production;

* Procuring 100 percent of fibre-based packaging from certified or recycled sources;

* Serving 100 percent more fruit, vegetables, low-fat dairy or whole grains in nine of its top markets;

* Increasing in-restaurant recycling to 50 percent and minimizing waste in nine of its top markets;

* Increasing energy efficiency in company-owned restaurants by 20 percent in seven of its top markets

“In our new framework, we are focusing on the areas that are core to our business and that can make a real difference,” says JC Gonzalez-Mendez, senior vice president of McDonald’s Global Corporate Social Responsibility, Sustainability and Philanthropy. “For instance, we are breaking new ground with our collaborative effort to source sustainable beef. We will continue to work with multiple stakeholders to develop practical solutions to increase recycling in our restaurants and across the industry. We will continue to meet our customers’ needs for choice and balanced menu options, including fruits and vegetables.”

“McDonald’s is a company with the power to help transform the global food marketplace and to lead its industry towards sustainability,” says Suzanne Apple, SVP, Private Sector Engagement, World Wildlife Fund. “While this is a journey and requires a long-term vision, these sustainability goals are a great step forward in addressing issues that are key to McDonald’s business and value chain.”

“We’re on our way to mainstreaming sustainability,” says Bob Langert, McDonald’s vice president of Corporate Social Responsibility & Sustainability. “Sustainability doesn’t fully happen until the consumer is engaged and connected. In addition to catapulting momentum on key social and environmental issues, the difference McDonald’s can make is bringing sustainability to the masses, making it part of our everyday business life and the lives of our customers.”

McDonald’s is Europe’s leading foodservice retailer with more than 7,600 restaurants in 38 markets serving over 14 million customers per day. 73% of McDonald’s restaurants in Europe are owned and operated by independent local business men and women.