McDonald’s Corporation Case Analysis

McDonald’s has made great strides in the sustainability of its supply chain over the past few decades. From a moratorium on soya coming from farms where Amazon rain forests have been destroyed, to developing sustainable fishery guidelines to manage fish quality and quantity, McDonald’s has taken great efforts to “do the right thing” [1]. This commitment to environmental sustainability has impacted how they source from suppliers and manage supply chain management initiatives.
With all that McDonald’s has done, there is still room for improvement. Engagement in sustainability efforts with suppliers has generally resulted from a call for change from activists who were negatively impacting brand trust. Acting in the best interest of society by providing healthy food alternatives to well-informed consumers also play a vital role in how the sustainable supply chain is managed. As such, the core problem facing McDonald’s green supply chain management infrastructure is that it is still reactive in nature and will always require a trade-off between societal benefit and cost minimization.
One alternative to consider is for McDonald’s to become more proactive at anticipating and managing emerging issues prior to a large-scale publicity and exposure. By doing so, McDonald’s can approach NGOs and interest groups with emergent problems, using the collaborative expertise to resolve potential hotspots before they erupt.
This approach simultaneously addresses many concerns. First, by identifying and addressing issues in an anticipatory manner, McDonald’s can be proactive, as opposed to reactive with interest groups. This will appease the groups, as it shows McDonald’s resolve to provide a sustainable supply chain, reducing the likelihood of open hostility and bad publicity. It also communicates that McDonald’s is committed to