McDonalds Corporate Sustainability

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                ML210 – Group 60


Table of Contents

1.0         Executive Summary                                                                        3

2.0         Introduction                                                                                3

2.1         Why Environmental Sustainability is important                                        4

2.2         Definition of Environmental Sustainability                                        4

2.3         McDonalds Restaurants                                                                5

2.4         Methodology                                                                                5

3.0         Findings                                                                                6

3.1         Obesity                                                                                6

3.2         Nutrition                                                                                7

3.3         Pollution                                                                                8

3.4         Energy                                                                                8

3.5         Waste                                                                                        10

3.6         Environmental Protection Agency                                                        12

4.0         PEST                                                                                        14

5.0         SWOT                                                                                        17

6.0        Conclusion                                                                                19

7.0         Recommendations                                                                        19

8.0         Reference List                                                                        21


McDonalds

  1. Executive Summary

McDonalds is a Multi National Corporation that is currently under a lot of pressure to become more ‘green’. This report looks at the issues facing the company and the opportunities it can take to achieve this goal. The issues researched are those surrounding obesity, nutrition, pollution, energy saving ideas, wastage and what McDonalds is doing to play its part in helping to achieve environmental sustainability and help to fight climate change. Following the research, it is seen that McDonalds are implementing several measures to help, such as reducing their wastage which is seen as their main issue to address by making their packaging thinner and converting their used chip oil into bio-diesel to power their delivery fleet. There are other options that they need to be thinking about though. As a huge worldwide company, they contribute a massive amount of waste and this can be reduced if they take the appropriate action.

2.0 _        Introduction

The aim of this report is to outline the authors’ educated definition of Environmental Sustainability and apply this to evaluate the positive and negative impacts an organisation can have upon the environment. McDonalds will be the organisational focus for this report. (See Appendix 1)

By taking an in-depth look into how the global organisation McDonalds interprets their definition of environmental sustainability, and the positive and negative impacts that this global organisation is having upon the environment will enable the authors of this report to make educated recommendations. A strategy with specific measures which the company could undertake in order to become more sustainable over the next five years will be recommended, thus enabling McDonalds to positively contribute to the sustainment of the environment for future generations.

The objectives of this report will be to introduce why environmental sustainability is important, give an educated definition of environmental sustainability, McDonalds restaurants participation within this matter and conclude with recommendations for McDonalds to raise awareness and contribute to environmental sustainability for future generations, following findings from detailed research.  

2.1 _        Why environmental sustainability is important

If biodiversity continues to decrease; e.g. animals and micro-organisms become extinct as a direct impact from the result of climate change and global trade, and the human species continues to grow, resources will become scarce (www.nhm.ac.uk). The human race has increased in population and developed technical advances. This has led to the increase in CO2 emissions and other toxic chemicals and the decrease in natural resources due to consumption increase; thus having a detrimental effect upon the environment (www.bbc.co.uk, The Guardian, The Hadley Centre and Hall, R (2009)).

This is an important subject area to focus on as it affects many different people from many destinations. The repercussions of one nation will not just remain within that nation but will create a global impact. Climate change is caused by increased levels of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) and other polluting gases within the Earth’s atmosphere. They form a blanket of gas around the atmosphere which raises the Earth’s temperature. The UK has 1% of the world’s population and produces 2.3% of the worlds CO2 emissions (Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Centre, 2008).  Kyoto Protocol sets countries upper level allowances of CO2 emissions which has led to many organisations switching their energy production from natural resources (oil, gas) to renewable forms (wind, solar, tidal). This ensures products are sourced in an environmentally friendly way in a bid to become more environmentally sustainable. This is also now seen as an ethical trait which is attractive to consumers when marketing a product. The government are also considering increasing tax on items which are detrimental to the environment in a bid to become environmentally friendly (www.bbc.co.uk, The Guardian, Friends of the Earth).

2.2 _        Definition of Environmental Sustainability

Environmental sustainability is the process of maintaining our natural and physical environment for future generations. Natural resources are currently being used by humans at a rate faster than they can be replenished. Environmental sustainability looks to reduce this shortfall in resources by looking for eco-friendly alternatives, e.g. if a tree is felled to provide wood for energy or shelter, then for this to be done sustainably another tree of the same specie would be planted in its place. The same can be seen with food as this seems to be the reasoning behind many species extinction (Friends of the Earth Trust/Limited, (2005) Campaigns).

2.3 _        McDonalds Restaurant 

McDonalds is a global chain of fast food restaurants. Due to the size of McDonalds; as a global corporation, and the limited word limit within this report the authors of this report will focus their attention on McDonalds based within the UK

There are several issues facing McDonalds regarding the environment, obesity, nutrition, pollution, climate change and global warming.

2.4 _        Methodology:

This report was mainly based on secondary research using both internal and external sources such as websites, journals, books, government figures on fast-food consumption and litter produced and obesity figures, the company’s annual reports and the company’s Intranet. Newspaper articles from credible newspapers available online, such as The Guardian were also used which are fairly reliable and eliminate bias.

When viewing any information from the company’s website and Intranet, it is possible that there may have been elements of bias which had to be taken into account so the company can portray themselves in a good light, reducing the credibility of the accounts.

Primary research consisted of an interview with one of the managers of the McDonalds restaurant in East Grinstead, West Sussex. This provided a first-hand account and overview of the company and the management, health and safety and waste prevention techniques currently in place, all of which is qualitative data. The interview was a quick and easy method of gaining valuable information which normally would not have been available. Facts and figures were obtained from the company’s Intranet and the website www.makeupyourownmind.co.uk, which provides diverse information on McDonalds.  

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3.0 _        Findings

Research as identified within methodology has led the authors’ of this report to identify the following:

3.1 _        Obesity

Following the film ‘Super Size Me’ in 2004, McDonalds were criticised and partly blamed for the obesity surrounding the globe. The star, Morgan Spurlock, ate only McDonalds food for 30 days, three meals a day, seven days a week. (www.imdb.com,)  He believed that fast food was the main cause of obesity which affects nearly one in every four adults in England, (www.dh.gov,) and affects a third of the US population (www.naturalnews.com) Overweight and obese people are costing the NHS in ...

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