I have been writing this Open for Discussion CSR blog for five years now. I was starting to wonder whether I should hang it up or not, but my staff and other colleagues encouraged me to continue. So I will. I will be adding a new stream of blogs based on questions from key stakeholders. Of course, all of you are stakeholders, and I encourage you to submit questions to me via this blog. In the meantime, I am reaching out to many different stakeholders to ask them what is on their minds related to important social and environmental issues and how McDonald's is addressing them. I am encouraging them to pose challenging and interesting questions. Here is my response to the first question I received from a stakeholder for whom I have the utmost respect.
Stakeholder Question:
"Sustainability" is the word of interest across the food system. Many groups claim to understand sustainability. What is sustainability to you? What does sustainability mean to McDonald's?
Jeffrey D. Armstrong
Professor and Dean
(Dr. Armstrong has been a member of McDonald's Animal Welfare Council since its inception in 2000)
"Sustainability" to me is a mindset versus an initiative.
Many NGOs press companies to build the "business case" for sustainability, as if sustainability is some separate effort that needs justification and rationalization. The trend towards more and more "Chief Sustainability Officers" accentuates what I think is NOT sustainability - that it is a program to be managed similar to Marketing, Finance and Operations. I do not mean to denigrate such CSOs. I know several and respect them tremendously. Plus, their primary role often is to integrate sustainability into the company, which is a good thing. Our own Corporate Responsibility Committee of McDonald's Board of Directors has asked our own leadership who our CSO is. I really liked the answer that was expressed by a couple of our senior executives. They said we do not have one lead person focused on sustainability. We have multiple leaders on sustainability. It is part of what our head of HR, Supply Chain, Operations and other functions think about.
"Sustainability" is about better outcomes.
Especially when it comes to food, sustainability is too often muddled up with rhetoric, process and emotion. What matters most is not whether the food is local, organic, non-GMO, etc. The important thing is that the end result is better for society—our people, our planet. Often, what is "better" is VERY tough to measure, but in the end, this is what sustainability is all about - achieving better environmental and social outcomes.
"Sustainability" is for everyone.
Sometimes I think sustainability movers and shakers are pushing the movement into a corner, a niche, where it is a high-cost option for people of means. Sustainability should be as mainstream as buckling a seatbelt. It should not be an option for the elite, but rather an imperative for all consumers.
It's all about Values
Jeff asked me what this all means for McDonald's, and I circle back to my opening thought. I would say that my vision for McDonald's and "Sustainability" is putting our company values into practice, everyday, with every decision.
-Bob
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Posted By: Dan Mathews (30/07/2010 4:06:13 PM)
Comment: Chickens who are killed by McDonald's suppliers have their throats cut while they are still conscious, and many suffer broken limbs or are scalded to death in defeathering tanks. As the leading U.S. purchaser of chicken meat, your company has the ability and the market power to end these abuses. When will McDonald's become a leader in animal welfare by requiring your U.S. suppliers to switch to a less cruel slaughter method that's approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and is already used by McDonald's suppliers in Europe?
Response: McDonald's actually has a long history of leadership on animal welfare, and this is an issue that we truly care about. I truly care about it. Through our work with Dr. Temple Grandin and others on the McDonald's Animal Welfare Council (http://www.aboutmcdonalds.com/mcd/csr/report/sustainable_supply_chain/animal_welfare/mcdonald_s_animal.html), we have achieved a lot of progress, especially related to animal handling standards and auditing procedures.
On the gas (CAS) vs. electrical stunning issue, both are viable choices, with pro's and con's, and room for continuous improvement. This is a complex issue, and from a total review of all the science and input we have received from suppliers, experts, and other key stakeholders, there is not clear evidence that CAS is the preferable way to stun. We continue to monitor the issue. We are proponents of supporting improvements in animal welfare standards across the industry. And finally, we are, above all, committed to a holistic approach to sustainability in our supply chain. This includes animal welfare, but it also includes suca areas as environmental impacts, human welfare, and food safety. For more information on all of this, I would refer you to the following areas of our website:
CAS section of CSR Report http://www.aboutmcdonalds.com/mcd/csr/report/sustainable_supply_chain/animal_welfare/specific_animal_welfare_practices.html
US Animal Welfare Practices - video http://www.aboutmcdonalds.com/mcd/csr/video/mcdonald_s_u_s__animal.9999.html
Global Animal Welfare Practices - video http://www.aboutmcdonalds.com/mcd/csr/video/global_animal_welfare.9999.html
(Note: we posted just one of the comments. Others were received but stated a similar viewpoint. Our Open for Discussion forum is a place for a dialogue and exchange of views, not a campaign forum.)
-Bob
