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What does that mean, exactly? If "sustainability" gives you images of a family farm sending their free-range chickens to a McDonald's supplier, think again. What it does mean is that McDonald's sat down with the World Wildlife Fund, and "other stakeholders" (including fellow corporate megaliths such as Walmart, as well as suppliers) and came up with five products to concentrate on making better: beef, poultry, coffee, palm oil, and food packaging. It is also joining various Global Roundtables (on beef, and responsible palm oil production).
See the details on McDonald's Sustainable Land Management Commitment, after the jump:
Beef: Develop a pilot program to trace and certify sustainable beef in the Amazon, and to investigate carbon emissions from farms in the UK.
Note: Previously the Amazon was off-limits because of major sustainability issues.
Poultry: No, it's not about creating new ways of raising chickens that make up those Chicken McNuggets. Or about instituting cage-free systems. It's about soy used for feed. McDonald's will continue a moratorium on soy produced in the Amazon, and that is destroying the rain forest.
Coffee: Seems McDonald's Europe is ahead of the U.S game on this front, buying coffee certified by the Rainforest Alliance. Now, the company turns to the U.S. and its supply chain to "assess a comprehensive approach."
Palm Oil: If you love McDonald's fried foods, you have an intimate knowledge of palm oil. And the burning and clear-cutting required to produce palm oil has created a host of environmental problems in places such as Indonesia. McDonald's says it will use only certified-sustainable palm oil by 2015.
Packaging: Wood fiber makes those nifty paper fry holders (and so much more at McDonald's). The goal is to use more certified sources of wood fiber. In Canada, 15% is now from certified sources. No stats are given for the U.S. Sound familiar?
Sounds like a decent plan, and who can help but applaud McDonald's' attempts to make their operations more environmentally friendly. But here's what consumers also need to know. Among the giant suppliers of McDonald's palm oil and soy for the poultry feed is Cargill, which has been slammed by organizations such as the Rainforest Action Network for its violations of environmental practices, such as clear-cutting and destruction of watersheds.
Let's be honest: You want a burger and fries produced "sustainably"? Then go to the farmers market, buy beef and potatoes produced by farmers you know support best practices. Burgers produced from meat supplied by industrial farms, or chicken sandwiches produced from mega poultry operations are never going to be the most sustainable choice. In fact, the most sustainable choice is probably not to eat beef or chicken at all. But in the meantime, the language of corporate sustainability and responsibility is a step in the right direction, and makes consumers feel a little better as they take a bite of their Big Mac.
- Read about how Subway passed McDonald's to become the country's largest fast-food chain at The Huffington Post.
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3-14-2011 @7:24PM smplme9 said... HOW ABOUT BEING RESPONSIBLE IN SUSTAINABILITY FOR THE ABILITY TO GET THE EMPLOYEES INTO ENGLISH SCHOOL CLASSES SO THEY CAN ARTICULATE BETTER IN THEIR COMUNICATION SKILLS WITH THE CUSTOMERS THAT COME TO MCY DEE'S. IF THE COUNTER SALES PEOPLE CAN'T UNDERSTAND OR CAN'T SPEAK ENGLISH WELL ENOUGH TO SELL OR HELP THE CUSTOMER WHAT GOOD IS SUSTAINABILITY ( SLMC) OR ANY OTHER COMMITEE IF ENGLISH ISNT PERFECTED . I GUESS THIS ISNT IMPORTANT ENOUGH TO MC DONALDS OR OTHER SO CALLED FAST FOOD PLACES JUST GRAND STANDING WITH CREATING MIND GAME COMMITEE'S NOT QUALITY CUSTOMER SERVICE FOR THE CITIZENS OF AMERICA.
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3-15-2011 @9:11PM Kly said... I think you may have missed the point there- were trying to find a cost effective way to problem solving the food quality (and animal quality), plus helping the U.S. Economy. Maybe you should start a farm. REAL. Not the manager who sucks at hiring.
3-14-2011 @7:36PM d said... With all their money they should/can go totally green(whatever that means i don't pretend to know).For one they can leave the Amazon alone completely.Donate the money they use to spend there to protect rain forests completely not just do less damage.
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3-14-2011 @8:59PM Carrie said... 2015!! there Won't be any trees left!!.. theres one Word to really define this and that would be "FAIL"
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3-14-2011 @9:06PM BS McEwen said... As a vegan, I look forward to the day when McDonald's offer the option of soymilk for their fruit smoothies, adds creamy, non-dairy sorbets for their desserts, non-dairy creamers for their coffee, and veggie pattie sandwiches.
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3-14-2011 @7:54PM kramerdad1 said... what a bunch of crap. you fools out there that really think cow farts are destroying ther planet wouldn't eat at mcdonalds anyway. I sick of green this and green that. so sick of it that I make it point NOT to buy anything from these pandering morons.
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3-14-2011 @9:29PM simpleme9 said... Kramerdad PERFECT name for this page. NEXT TIME WHEN YOU FART TAKE GOOD WHIF . THEN MULTIPLY THAT SMELL BY A HUNDRED THUOSAND COWS 50 TIMES A DAY 365 DAYS A YEAR YOU MIGHT TURN YELLOW FROM THE STENCH ANYTHING LONG ENOUGH IN THE AIR PLUS OTHER OMMITING ODORS AND YOU HAVE AIR POLUTION ALL CONTRIBUTING TO IT . THINK ABOUT IT?
3-14-2011 @7:56PM Van said... what a crock of turds. "sustainability" at Mac's Steak House is keeping the lard asses addicted to the super size everything, especially the fries. sustaining the heart attacks, diabetes and strokes as an unintended consequence. POO.
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3-14-2011 @8:19PM Mary Hunt said... Watching this video of Jason Clay from the WWF on bio-diversity provides balance to the story. I'm not a fan of fast food or big box stores, but we would really be out of luck if these economic giants weren't trying to do something. http://www.ted.com/talks/jason_clay_how_big_brands_can_save_biodiversity.html
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3-14-2011 @8:06PM AP said... Wow, all of you seem to think you know what's best for the McDonald's corporation. Why is it that none of you are in charge of the company with all of your brilliance and quick answers in regard to why the company isn't exactly what YOU want them to be. Have any of you got the financial means to accomplish this? And if so, why didn't this happen ages ago? You seem to have plenty to say about what's wrong with the place...and a lot of it is based on things only someone who eats there on a regular basis should know...nice try, folks.
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3-14-2011 @9:12PM bsmcewen9 said... If McDonald's would add a simple Pecan Spinach Salad (using candied pecans) to their menu and add fresh frozen orange juice concentrate as a dressing, they would have me as a customer for life. For the carnivores, they could add chicken to the salad.
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3-15-2011 @6:00PM Iowa Girl said... All you guys supporting McDonald's in these comments needs to actually go to the Midwest and see what is happening. When I was younger (yeah, not that long ago), all my classmates lived on farms that were owned by their own families. Now, the big corporations have taken over. Having your own farm is near impossible without having to bow down to them. And God forbid you say something negative about them...people keep their mouths shut so they don't get sued. Most farms around where I grew up are plowed under now. HUGE HUGE animal lots where animals live in horrific conditions are taking over. Each small town does its best to fight a new one springing up near their town because of all the pollution. A nice house can only be sold for next to nothing after they move in. Who wants to move to a town with that smell without being able to drink your water? And I'd like to see some statistics on cancer, because ALL of my neighbors and many of my teachers died of cancer. Thank you farm chemicals, McDonalds and Monsanto. They killed my town, my family farm and the surrounding environment. Hooray for big business???
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3-17-2011 @12:39PM Marlene said... I am not surprised. McDonalds got a lot of Reviews on their packaging on ConsumerChange.com and has yet to respond to any of those Reviews.
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3-17-2011 @12:39PM Marlene said... I am not surprised. McDonalds got a lot of Reviews on their packaging on ConsumerChange.com and has yet to respond to any of those Reviews.
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