We’ve transitioned away from the former CSR and Sustainability Framework and its associated annual progress reports to the more dynamic environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance reporting website platform that we will use going forward. We will continue to add and streamline metrics on this site over time as our measurement capabilities grow, but we anticipate that it will take a reporting cycle or two to have a more consistent, comprehensive snapshot of our impact. The progress data below reflects the latest information as of December 2017, unless stated otherwise.
On this page:
Global Scale for Good Priorities: Beef Sustainability | Packaging and Recycling | Climate Action | Youth Opportunity | Commitment to Families
Our Food – Sustainable Sourcing Commitments: Chicken | Fish | Coffee | Palm Oil
Our Planet: Conserving Forests
Our People & Communities: Community Investment
As a part of our broader strategy, in 2017 we launched a set of ambitious beef sustainability goals for 2020. These goals apply in each of our top 10 beef sourcing countries (U.S., Australia, Germany, Brazil, Ireland, Canada, France, New Zealand, U.K. and Poland), which collectively represent more than 85% of our global beef volumes.
Goal
Accelerate industry progress: By 2020, source a portion of our beef from suppliers participating in sustainability programs aligned with Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (GRSB) principles and criteria, and that meet McDonald’s requirements for each applicable market.
Progress
We continue to source a portion of our beef from recognized sustainability programs in two of our top 10 beef sourcing countries.
In 2016, we began purchasing a portion of our beef from a fully verified supply chain sustainability pilot program in Canada. This initiative is now being led by the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef. Arcos Dorados – Latin America’s largest restaurant chain and one of the Company’s largest Franchisees – sourced beef through the Novo Campo program during the Rio Olympics. We are actively collaborating with key national stakeholders to develop beef sustainability programs in our remaining eight markets.
Goal
Share knowledge and tools: By 2020, engage with beef producers through outreach projects to help develop and share best practices related to our Priority Impact Areas.
Progress
As of June 2018, five of our top 10 beef sourcing countries are supporting or sponsoring beef producer sustainability groups, tools or programs.
Goal
Promote Flagship Farmers: By 2020, use our Flagship Farmers program to select and showcase our most progressive suppliers.
Progress
As of June 2018, four of our top 10 beef sourcing countries have recognized one or more beef producers as Flagship Farmers to work with peers and share their industry-leading processes and practices. The remaining countries will be recognizing beef Flagship Farmers throughout 2018 and 2019. In addition to adding these sustainability champions to the Flagship Farmer Program, we’re also focused on providing them with resources and tools that better enable and equip them to engage with other farmers and industry influencers.
Goal
Pioneer new practices: By 2020, set up McDonald’s progressive farm partnerships to trial and discover new practices related to our priority impact areas.
Progress
As of June 2018, four of our top 10 beef sourcing countries have one or more pioneering projects underway or have a Progressive Farm Partnership in progress to test the scalability of key research.
Goal
Conserve forests: By 2020, in regions with identified risks relating to the conservation of forests, verify that the beef sourced from those regions comes from farms where primary forests and high conservation value lands are preserved. This is part of our Global Commitment on Forests and includes regions outside of our top 10 beef sourcing countries.
Progress
The first step for the Company was to identify the list of countries that we currently source beef from that have a high deforestation risk, as defined by the World Wildlife Fund Living Forests report. We are working with these countries and our suppliers, alongside expert consultants including Proforest and Agrotools to identify tailored risk mapping and implementation plans for these identified regions.
We’re also engaged in multi-stakeholder groups to address these issues, including:
Goal
Responsible Antibiotics Use: In collaboration with our suppliers, producers and farmer partners, we will reduce the overall use of medically important antibiotics - as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) - in our beef supply chain, focusing on our top 10 beef sourcing markets: Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, New Zealand, Poland, the U.K. and the U.S. Full policy specifics here.
Progress
McDonald’s has established pilots in each of our top 10 beef sourcing markets. Within each of these 10 markets, there are pilot farms selected that represent differing geographies and rearing practices covering beef and dairy beef.
Read more about beef sustainability.
As one of the world’s largest restaurant companies, our goal is to reduce overall use of packaging, drive innovation in sustainable packaging and in the recycling sector, and engage millions of customers in the thousands of communities we call home to adopt recycling behaviors as the norm.
Goal
Progress
50% achieved, including the U.S., U.K., Canada, France, Germany, Russia, Japan and China.
70% of our fiber-based guest packaging comes from recycled or certified fiber sources.
As of 2018, all centrally managed guest packaging is fully out of foam. It is a requirement that markets do not use foam for any local guest packaging items. While the majority of our foam was removed years ago, we are proud of this important step that we’ve taken as we raise the bar for our system and our industry.
Goal
By 2025, our goal is to recycle3 guest packaging in 100% of McDonald’s restaurants. We understand that recycling infrastructure, regulations and consumer behaviors vary from city to city and country to country, but we plan to be part of the solution and help influence powerful change.
Progress
Currently, we recycle guest packaging in an estimated 10% of McDonald’s restaurants around the world. In some markets, we’re recycling at nearly 100% of our locations, and in others we’re just getting started.
12 of our top 16 markets now have recycling and litter programs and partnerships in place.
1. Recycled: Material that has been reprocessed from recovered [reclaimed] material by means of a manufacturing process and made into a final product or into a component for incorporation into a product. [ISO 14021:2016 “renewable” and “recycled” material.] Recycled material applies to plastics and fiber. Fiber-based packaging made from 100% recycled content must be third-party verified, unless certified under a chain of custody forest management standard.
2. Certified: Specifically, all guest packaging items (including hot cups, cold cups, carryout bags, folding cartons, clamshells, wraps, food service bags, napkins, salad bowls, Happy Meal cartons, drink carriers) made from paper/board sold to McDonald’s globally must be certified by FSC or Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC). FSC is required when fiber is sourced from the following high-deforestation risk countries: Russia, China, Malaysia, Indonesia, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and Argentina by 2020.
3. Collection methods for recyclable materials will vary by market. Examples include, but are not limited to, tray collection of waste for back of counter separation, installed bins that allow guests to separate recycling from trash, collecting all waste in one bin and sending to a facility for separation and recycling.
Read more about packaging and customer recycling.
For our latest comprehensive disclosure on climate action, see McDonald’s CDP Climate Change (2018) Report.
McDonald's Company-Owned Restaurants (Top 9 Markets) |
20143 |
20154 |
20165 |
20176 |
Direct energy consumption: kWh/GC2 |
0.268 |
0.233 |
0.210 |
0.298 |
Indirect energy consumption: kWh/GC |
1.197 |
1.121 |
1.120 |
1.053 |
Overall energy consumption: kWh/GC |
1.465 |
1.353 |
1.330 |
1.351 |
Overall energy consumption: GWh |
2,983 |
2,829 |
2,295 |
1,420 |
Franchise Restaurants (Top 9 Markets) |
2014 |
2015 |
20165 |
20176 |
Direct energy consumption: kWh/GC |
0.476 |
0.128 |
0.372 |
0.169 |
Indirect energy consumption: kWh/GC |
1.382 |
1.218 |
1.120 |
1.009 |
Overall energy consumption: kWh/GC |
1.858 |
1.346 |
1.492 |
1.177 |
Overall energy consumption: GWh |
16,472 |
16,646 |
12,315 |
13,025 |
1. These figures represent estimates based on the best available energy data in our top nine markets. Currently we do not have Company-owned restaurants in Brazil or Japan. We worked with Aligned Incentives for the data analysis of our energy consumption data.
2. GC represents total transactions for the calendar year. “Direct” energy data reflects the use of natural gas, propane, fuel oil and liquefied petroleum gas. “Indirect” energy data reflects electricity usage. We categorized it in this fashion to show their relationship to Scope 1 and Scope 2 of our estimated System-wide GHG emissions.
3. 2014 figures reflect primary data from 4,066 out of 4,229 Company-owned restaurants and 5,983 out of 22,234 Franchisee restaurants in our top nine markets, totaling 10,049 out of 26,893 restaurants overall. Primary energy data was extrapolated to estimate energy consumption for all restaurants in the markets and ownership types reported. The top nine markets included approximately 74% of the restaurants worldwide (26,893 out of 36,258 as of December 31, 2014).
4. 2015 figures reflect analysis of primary energy data from at least 4,127 Company-owned restaurants and 5,778 Franchisee restaurants in our top nine markets, totaling 9,905 out of 26,842 restaurants in those markets overall. Primary energy data was extrapolated to estimate energy consumption for all restaurants in the markets and ownership types reported. The top nine markets included approximately 73% of the restaurants worldwide (26,842 out of 36,525 as of December 31, 2015). We have continued to enhance our extrapolation methods over time as additional data has become available.
5. 2016 figures reflect analysis of primary energy data from 3,645 Company-owned restaurants and 7,032 Franchise restaurants in our top nine markets, totaling 10,677 out of 27,453 restaurants in those markets overall. Primary energy data was extrapolated to estimate energy consumption for all restaurants in the markets and ownership types reported. The top nine markets included approximately 73% of the restaurants worldwide (27,453 out of 37,590 as of December 31, 2016). We have continued to enhance our extrapolation methods over time as additional data has become available, leading to more statistically significant results with reduced uncertainty.
6. 2017 figures reflect analysis of primary energy data from 1,544 Company-owned restaurants and 7,379 Franchise restaurants in our top nine markets, totaling 8,923 out of 27,467 restaurants in those markets overall. Primary energy data was extrapolated to estimate energy consumption for all restaurants in the markets and ownership types reported. The top nine markets included approximately 73% of the restaurants worldwide (27,467 out of 37,858 as of December 31, 2017).
GHG Protocol Categories2 |
20152 |
20162 |
20172 |
|
Company-Owned Restaurants, Worldwide |
Total Estimated GHGs (Megatons of CO2 Equivalents) 3 |
|
||
Direct (Scope 1) |
0.178 |
0.193 |
0.182 |
0.151 |
Indirect (Scope 2) |
1.775 |
2.030 |
1.780 |
0.764 |
Franchise Restaurants, Worldwide (Part of McDonald's Scope 3) |
Total Estimated GHGs (Megatons of CO2 Equivalents) 3 |
|
||
Franchise: Direct |
1.114 |
1.142 |
1.043 |
0.859 |
Franchise: Indirect |
7.261 |
7.402 |
5.800 |
6.231 |
1. For our 2014 analysis, we worked with Enviance to launch an updated methodology to estimate GHG emissions from McDonald’s restaurant energy use and refrigerant emissions worldwide. This team, now at Aligned Incentives, continued our methodology improvements and analysis for 2015 and 2016.
2. Best available primary energy data from our top nine markets (see table above) was extrapolated to estimate energy consumption and GHG emissions for all restaurants worldwide as December 31, 2014 (36, 258 restaurants), December 31, 2015 (36,525 restaurants) and December 31, 2016 (27,453 out of 37,590), December 31, 2017 (27,467 out of 37,858). Refrigerant emissions were estimates using input/output analysis of McDonald’s data and U.S. industry average emissions information.
3. Enviance addressed uncertainty in GHG emissions estimates by conducting 1 million Monte Carlo simulations to establish 95% confidence intervals around each data point for 2013–2015. Aligned Incentives addressed uncertainty in GHG emissions estimates by conducting 100,000 Monte Carlo simulations to establish 95% confidence intervals for each data point for 2015–2016.
Read about how we’re addressing climate change and looking at every aspect of our restaurant design.
In 2018 we launched a new initiative called Youth Opportunity, with a global goal to reduce barriers to employment for two-million young people by 2025, through pre-employment job readiness training, employment opportunities and workplace development programs. As part of this goal, McDonald’s also joined the Global Initiative on Decent Jobs for Youth, a United Nations led multi-stakeholder initiative, to help accelerate efforts to tackle the youth employment challenge.
Specific and measurable outcomes for the partnership’s goals will be agreed by ourselves and our partner non-governmental organization (NGO).
Read more here.
In 2018, we announced new, global goals through 2022 together with the Alliance for a Healthier Generation. These Global Happy Meal goals continue our collaboration to focus on Happy Meals, offering more balanced choices that kids and parents love.
By the end of 2022, we aim to achieve these goals in all markets globally in addition to the 20 major markets,1 with measurement and reporting of progress among 20 major markets representing nearly 85% of our global Happy Meal sales.
Read more here.
Goal
Progress
No chicken served in McDonald’s U.S. is treated with antibiotics important to human medicine, since 2016. In 2017, we released our new Global Chicken Antibiotics Policy.
Goal
Purchase 100% sustainable certified soy used in chicken feed for McDonald’s restaurants in Europe by 2020.
Progress
In 2017, approximately 65% of soy used in chicken feed for McDonald’s restaurants in Europe was covered by ProTerra or Roundtable on Responsible Soy certification.
Goal
Animal health and welfare commitments on or before 2024:
Progress
These commitments were announced at the end of 2017.
1. These commitments apply to chicken raised for sale at McDonald’s restaurants in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Ireland, the Netherlands, Poland, Russia, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, U.K. and U.S.
1. 2017: 100% of chicken served in the U.S. is free of antibiotics important to human medicine.
January 2018: HPCIAs eliminated in broiler chicken for Brazil, Canada, Japan, South Korea, the U.S. and Europe, with an exception for Colistin for Europe only; implementation of all other elements of the Global Chicken Antibiotics Policy across all markets, including a prohibition on routing preventative use.
End of 2019: HPCIAs will be eliminated in broiler chicken for Australia and Russia, and Europe plans to have removed Colistin.
January 2027: HPCIAs will be eliminated in all other designated markets around the world. Our goal is to have this policy implemented before this date.
Read more about responsibly sourced chicken.
Goal
By 2020, all the wild-caught fish purchased for use in McDonald’s restaurants will be from verified sustainable sources.
Progress
Globally, all of the whitefish for McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish is sourced from sustainably managed fisheries, and McDonald’s has achieved MSC certification in North America, Europe and Brazil.
We’re working on a strategy to support the development of sustainability standards for aquaculture to guide our future purchases.
Read more about our approach to sustainable fish.
Our first Coffee Sustainability Report (pdf, 3.13MB) shows our journey so far and aligns closely with our Commitment on Forests.
Goal
100% of coffee to be sustainably sourced by 2020.
Progress
In 2017, 54% of our coffee (64% of restaurant coffee globally and 11% of U.S. and Canada retail coffee) was sourced sustainably through Rainforest Alliance, UTZ, Fair Trade International and Fair Trade USA certification, as well as McCafé SIP-approved programs.
Context: Our total global volumes of sustainably sourced coffee increased during this time by 13%, but the overall global percentage of sustainably sourced coffee decreased by 2% between 2016 and 2017, from 56% to 54%. This is because our global coffee volumes as a whole increased by 16% during this period. Even with these volume increases, we are still on track to achieve our 2020 target for 100% of coffee verified as supporting sustainable production and our 2018 forests goal that all coffee from high-deforestation risk regions will be sourced from Rainforest Alliance-Certified farms.
Goal
By 2018, all coffee from high-deforestation risk regions will be sourced from Rainforest Alliance Certified farms.
Progress
In 2017, 47% of coffee grown in high-deforestation risk countries was Rainforest Alliance certified, and we are on target to achieve this goal by 2018. Coffee from high-deforestation risk countries made up <6% of our global supply in 2017.
Goal
By 2020, 100% of the palm oil used in McDonald’s restaurants worldwide and as ingredients in McDonald’s globally managed products will support sustainable production.
Progress
In 2017, 100% of palm oil used globally for restaurant cooking or by our suppliers to par-fry chicken, potato and globally managed bakery and sauce products, was certified as supporting sustainable production. Our volumes of mass balance certified oils increased from 11.6% in 2016 to 36% in 2017.
By Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) chain of custody system:
Goal
All centrally managed suppliers of restaurant and par-fry oil must:
Progress
In 2016, all direct suppliers of restaurant and par-fry oils submitted documentation outlining that they have policies and programs in place to fulfil the requirements outlined in our Sustainable Palm policy.
See also progress toward our goals for eliminating deforestation.
Read more about our approach toward sustainably sourced palm oil and how we’re committed to conserving forests.
For our latest comprehensive disclosure on conserving forests, see McDonald’s CDP Forests (2018) Report.
Goals
Eliminate deforestation in our supply chain for beef, chicken (including soy in feed), palm oil, coffee and the fiber used in consumer packaging by 2020.
Eliminate deforestation from our global supply chain by 2030.
Progress in Beef Sourcing
The first step for the company was to identify the list of countries that the Company currently sources beef from that have a high deforestation risk, as defined based on World Wildlife Fund Living Forests report.1 We are working with these countries and our suppliers, alongside expert consultants including Proforest and AgroTools to identify tailored risk mapping and implementation plans for these identified regions.
We’re also engaged in multi-stakeholder groups to address these issues, including:
Progress in Chicken Sourcing
We are committed to sourcing soy for chicken feed in a sustainable way that does not contribute to deforestation, and have identified the regions that we are sourcing soy from with high deforestation risks. In 2017, 65% of soy used for chicken feed in our European markets was covered by Roundtable on Responsible Soy (RTRS) or Proterra certification. We are developing a strategy for the other identified regions.
In October 2017, we, along with 23 other global companies, launched a statement of support (pdf, 44KB) for the objectives of the Cerrado Manifesto (pdf, 400KB), reaffirming our individual and collective commitment to halting forest loss associated with agricultural commodity production and recognizing the critically important role played by the Cerrado for its role in climate change mitigation, biodiversity, water and agricultural production.
Progress in Palm Oil Sourcing
Our aim is to have all palm oil used in our restaurants and as ingredients in McDonald’s globally managed products be verified as supporting sustainable production through a combination of certification, traceability and risk mapping. In 2017, 100% of palm oil used globally for restaurant cooking or by our suppliers to par-fry chicken, potato and globally managed bakery and sauce products was certified as supporting sustainable production. Our volumes of mass balance certified oils increased from 11.6% in 2016 to 36% in 2017.
By Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) chain of custody system:
We are committed to further shift our palm oil toward RSPO Mass Balance certified and RSPO segregated. Our suppliers are expected to be active members of the RSPO and report through the RSPO Annual Communications of Progress, as well as have a policy in place to conserve forests.
Progress in Fiber Sourcing
By 2020, our goal is for all virgin fiber for our guest packaging sourced from high-deforestation risk regions to be Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified. The FSC standard prohibits deforestation, including conversion of natural forests to plantations. As of 2017, 70% of McDonald’s fiber-based guest packaging comes from third-party verified recycled or certified fiber (FSC, PEFCTM or PEFC-endorsed) sources.
Progress in Coffee Sourcing
In 2017, 47% of coffee grown in high-deforestation risk countries was Rainforest Alliance certified, and we are on target to achieve this goal by 2018. Coffee from high-deforestation risk countries made up <6% of our global supply in 2017.
1. In order to better focus our efforts, we have mapped out and identified a list of countries that have a high deforestation risk, as defined in the WWF Living Forests report, and that we currently are sourcing from: Fiber – Argentina, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Russia and Vietnam. Coffee – Honduras, Indonesia and Vietnam. Palm oil – Indonesia and Malaysia. Soy – Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil and Paraguay. Beef – Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia and Paraguay.
Along with Franchisees and suppliers, McDonald’s generates jobs and makes capital investments that help build stronger communities around the world. In 2017, these amounted to $4.7 billion.
Year |
Capital Expenditure |
Income Taxes Paid |
2014 |
$2.6B |
$2.4B |
2015 |
$1.8B |
$2.0B |
2016 |
$1.8B |
$2.4B |
2017 |
$1.9B |
$2.8B |
The Company also matches funds raised by Company employees up to $5,000 ($10,000 for a Vice President or Board member). Each year, this equates to more than $1 million, doubling the efforts of our people. We also run a payroll giving scheme so that Company employees can donate to charities of their choice in a tax-efficient way.
