"sustainable land management commitment" news and stories

Sustainability has become the go-to word for every corporation in the U.S.and McDonald's is no exception. The burger giant recently announced what it's calling its Sustainable Land Management Commitment (SLMC). In a press release that sounds a bit like a "Spider-Man" script, the company states that "McDonald's ... accept[s] the responsibility that comes with our global presence," by requiring that over a period of time, all agricultural raw materials will be supplied only from sustainably managed land. (McDonald's also admits that since it "does not actually produce any of the food we ultimately serve our customers, it's essential that we work with suppliers who share our values.")

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: