The threat of climate change has become more urgent than ever, affecting corporations from every industry. The food industry is no different. This year, however, has seen a major shift in the industry’s response to climate action — seeing a bigger commitment to reducing environmental impact and adopting more sustainable practices.
McDonald’s EVP and global chief impact officer Jon Banner is noting more direct and decisive action not only within the company, but across the industry as a whole.
“The tone [at Climate Week in New York] last week was decidedly more urgent than years’ past, as discussions evolve from ‘What can we do?’ to ‘Here’s what we’re doing – and here’s what’s working’,” he shared in a letter.
How the food industry is responding to climate change
Banner highlighted five takeaways from the event. The first is the industry’s shift from ambitions to proof points, to which he shared initiatives taken by McDonald’s.
“I appreciated the opportunity to share a glimpse into McDonald’s progress and learnings, from our steadfast dedication to sourcing food responsibly to our partnerships with suppliers, farmers, ranchers, growers, and producers to help build a more resilient food system with regenerative agriculture,” he said.
Recently, the company established a new LEED zero-carbon restaurant in Hong Kong, which is expected to save over 848 metric tons of carbon dioxide. This is equivalent to planting more than 36,000 16-foot tall trees.
It is tackling emissions across its supply chain, as well; last month, McDonald’s joined a program to support the sustainability efforts of its suppliers.
Then there’s the need for collective action. “We know that every industry must fundamentally transform to become more sustainable,” Banner wrote. “At McDonald’s, we also understand that no individual entity can substitute for the power of collective action. It’s why we partner so closely with our suppliers, franchisees, governments, and NGOs to move the needle on our climate work.”
The importance of regenerative agriculture
Banner placed particular emphasis on the role regenerative agriculture is set to play in the years to come, naming it a “critical pathway forward”. To this end, McDonald’s itself is partnering with suppliers, farmers, ranchers, producers, and growers within its supply chain network.
“While we’re still in the early stages of this work, I’m optimistic,” he said. “We are learning from projects across categories, ecosystems, and regions – and have seen the impact these initiatives can have, helping increase plant and animal biodiversity, enriching soils, improving watersheds, and optimizing water availability.”
“Farming is the foundation of the food we serve, and the resilience of our farmers — as well as the long-term health of their communities — is crucial to our path forward.”
With this comes the need to secure financing options — ones the agricultural sector is sorely in need of. Large-scale companies must actively advocate for new financing solutions to ensure funding is supplied to farmers, ranchers, growers, and producers to “adapt with confidence”, he said.
Lastly, Banner spoke of including the “doers” — that is, the farmers, ranchers, producers, and growers implementing these practices — in conversations moving forward.
“We must work together to make it as easy as possible to adopt, scale, and measure these initiatives — and provide support and funding as farmers transition to regenerative practices,” he wrote. “Farming is the foundation of the food we serve, and the resilience of our farmers — as well as the long-term health of their communities — is crucial to our path forward.”
Following the talk, Banner expressed feeling “hopeful” about creating a more sustainable future for the industry, and the “collective willingness to drive change”.
“We know we need to continue taking action so that we can responsibly feed and foster the communities we serve and source from for generations to come,” he concluded. “I’m always grateful to attend these events and share a glimpse into McDonald’s progress, our partnerships, and the challenges we face as we strive to work together on behalf of our climate.”
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