Fast food companies such as McDonald’s, KFC, and Burger King are playing a major role in the production, marketing, and consumption of animal-derived food throughout the world. Companies such as McDonald’s are capable of changing how animals can be raised and processed for human consumption. The company has worked closely with its suppliers to educate them on animal safety and improved handling procedures. McDonalds has also developed an Animal Welfare Auditing Program for its suppliers. Nevertheless, Animal rights organizations are attacking fast food companies by forming boycotts and launching billboard advertising that attacks corporate officials. For example, PETA(People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) says on their website that McDonalds' suppliers use an outdated method to kill chickens the result in extreme suffering. Fast food companies have been portrayed by animal activists as callous, profit-seeking entities that are only concerned with the bottom line. The fast food industry has sought to respond to concerns from animal rights groups but their efforts haven't really changed the way customers and the public view the problem of animal welfare and food production. As discussed below, McDonalds has identified animal safety as one of its corporate values, but the public at large view doesn't seem convinced.
McDonalds is a company that has taken corporate social responsibility to heart.
They have launched a multi-prong strategy to ensure that their customers, communities, employees, and suppliers know they mean business:
1)They ensure that their supply chain contributes positively to the safety, quality, and availability of their final products. McDonalds works closely with direct suppliers to improve their communities, environment, their own supplier, and customers. McDonalds is advocating sustainability to their own suppliers and indirect suppliers.
2)McDonalds is committed to improve the nutrition and well being of their customers. McDonalds is one of the first restaurants to provide customers with nutritional information about the products that they offer.
3)McDonalds has also been environmentally responsible. They have established the Global Environmental Commitment, a strategy that has helped to eliminate 300 million pounds of product packaging by redesigning and reducing materials. They believe when we consume less energy, produce less waste, and minimize resources used by our suppliers, we use less and spend less.
4)McDonald’s is committed to its employees. McDonalds complies with employment laws where they operate, and will not employ underage children or forced laborers. McDonalds believes in a talented workforce that will deliver food responsibly and will satisfy their customers.
McDonald’s mission statement consists of seven core values:
1)Customers are our top priority: the customer experience is at the core of what we do. Superior service, high quality food and maintaining a clean and appealing facility at a great value is critical to their success.
2)We are committed to our people. McDonalds believes that developing a team of well-trained employees with a diverse background that respect one another produces a successful working environment.
3)Maintain a "three-legged stool": McDonalds core is maintaining a strong network of suppliers, owner-operators and employees.
4)Operate an Ethical Business: which means they hold their employees to high standards of fairness, honesty, integrity, and responsibility.
5)Support their Communities: Charities like the Ronald McDonald House are trying to make the world a better place.
6)Grow Profitably: Strong and steady profit growth is essential for its shareholders and the success of the business model.
7)Continuous Improvement: McDonalds is always seeking ways to improve. Innovation is critical to confront and profitably respond to changing customer requirements and employee demands.
McDonalds is a company that has taken corporate social responsibility to heart.
They have launched a multi-prong strategy to ensure that their customers, communities, employees, and suppliers know they mean business:
1)They ensure that their supply chain contributes positively to the safety, quality, and availability of their final products. McDonalds works closely with direct suppliers to improve their communities, environment, their own supplier, and customers. McDonalds is advocating sustainability to their own suppliers and indirect suppliers.
2)McDonalds is committed to improve the nutrition and well being of their customers. McDonalds is one of the first restaurants to provide customers with nutritional information about the products that they offer.
3)McDonalds has also been environmentally responsible. They have established the Global Environmental Commitment, a strategy that has helped to eliminate 300 million pounds of product packaging by redesigning and reducing materials. They believe when we consume less energy, produce less waste, and minimize resources used by our suppliers, we use less and spend less.
4)McDonald’s is committed to its employees. McDonalds complies with employment laws where they operate, and will not employ underage children or forced laborers. McDonalds believes in a talented workforce that will deliver food responsibly and will satisfy their customers.
McDonald’s mission statement consists of seven core values:
1)Customers are our top priority: the customer experience is at the core of what we do. Superior service, high quality food and maintaining a clean and appealing facility at a great value is critical to their success.
2)We are committed to our people. McDonalds believes that developing a team of well-trained employees with a diverse background that respect one another produces a successful working environment.
3)Maintain a "three-legged stool": McDonalds core is maintaining a strong network of suppliers, owner-operators and employees.
4)Operate an Ethical Business: which means they hold their employees to high standards of fairness, honesty, integrity, and responsibility.
5)Support their Communities: Charities like the Ronald McDonald House are trying to make the world a better place.
6)Grow Profitably: Strong and steady profit growth is essential for its shareholders and the success of the business model.
7)Continuous Improvement: McDonalds is always seeking ways to improve. Innovation is critical to confront and profitably respond to changing customer requirements and employee demands.
http://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en/home.html
It seems that McDonalds is doing a lot to fulfill its corporate social resposibility. They have done several things to help the environment. A reason that McDonalds has chosen to do this could be what PETA said about it. The statement probably made the workers in McDonalds realize that even though they have a mission statement, they are not doing everything they can to fulfill what it says. They probably felt the need to prove to PETA and other instutions that question their actions, that they do care about the community and the environment.
ReplyDelete~Irma Mendez~
The fast food industry in general has a lot of work to do if they want to counter their image in consumers minds today. As you stated many organizations and talk in general have accused these companies of not doing enough to treat animals well. McDonald's' corporate values along with its mission statement hold this regard very highly but whether they can get to every day consumers on just that is questionable to me. I believe if they want to get their name out as one of the "good guys" they are going to need to maybe go out with a strong advertising campaign focused on this issue don't you think ?
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