OAK BROOK, Ill. — McDonald’s Corp. has announced a goal to begin purchasing “verified sustainable beef” in 2016.
“This sounds simple, but it’s actually a big challenge because there hasn’st been a universal definition of sustainable beef,” reads a statement on the McDonald’s website.
The change will follow a two-year ramp up period made necessary by the sheer size of the undertaking. Another challenge lies in the task of changing its supply. McDonald’s sells around 1-billion pounds of beef in the U.S. each year. “Our vision is to buy verifiable, sustainable beef in the future for all of our beef,” Bob Langert, McDonald’s VP, Global Sustainability told the Oakland, Calif.-based GreenBiz.com.
To achieve its goal, McDonald’s will be supporting the development of global principles and criteria this year while collaborating with stakeholders “to develop sustainable beef solutions.”
This new commitment is just one of the steps the chain is taking towards sustainable practices. The announcement follows the company’s Sustainable Land Management Commitment unveiled in 2011.
