McDonald's announced plans for sustainable business development in Russia at the international forum "Ecology" in St. Petersburg. All new enterprises being built in Russia will, without fail, provide for a system for the separate collection of waste and their subsequent transfer for recycling. McDonald's is expanding a pilot project for separate waste collection in the facility hall and plans to send waste for recycling wherever there is the necessary infrastructure by 2025.
In December 2019, McDonald's became the first catering chain in Russia to implement separate waste collection in the halls of the chain's enterprises. As part of a pilot project, special containers for sorting waste were installed at 14 McDonald's enterprises in Moscow and Tula, from which useful fractions were sent for recycling. Including recycled paper cups with a thin layer of polyethylene coating inside, which were previously considered unrecyclable.
In 2021, the pilot project will be expanded to 30 enterprises, in 2022 their number will reach 90, and by 2025 McDonald's intends to introduce separate waste collection at all network enterprises in Russia and send them for recycling wherever there is the necessary infrastructure.
The company contributes to each of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals, supports the implementation of the national project "Ecology" in Russia and sets itself the task of large-scale educational work among the population, promoting a culture of conscientious consumption and rational environmental management. Understanding the importance of synergy between the efforts of business, government and society for the successful advancement of the sustainable development agenda, McDonald's organized a session “Separate collection and recycling: the first step towards a cyclical economy” at the “Ecology” forum in St. Petersburg. The moderator was the chairman of the public council of ANO "Public forum" Ecology "NS Valuev.
As a result of the forum, a cooperation agreement was signed between McDonald's in Russia, the Administration of St. Petersburg represented by the Committee for Nature Management, Environmental Protection and Environmental Safety and ANO Public Forum Ecology to promote the principles of environmentally responsible behavior among various segments of society, formation and implementation of programs in the field of environmental conservation within the framework of support for the national project "Ecology".
“McDonald's is one of the few companies that in Russia and around the world sets clear and, which is very important, measurable goals in the field of sustainable development. We consistently fulfill them, introduce standards for responsible environmental management and promote them among our visitors, employees, suppliers, logistics partners and franchisee companies. We are convinced that a successful business can only grow with care for the future of our planet, ”said Irina Korshunova, Senior Director for Sustainable Development at McDonald's Russia.
McDonald's global commitment by 2025 is to produce 100% packaging from materials that can be recycled for recycling in other industries (paper, cardboard, plastic, other materials) or from raw materials derived from renewable resources (paper, cardboard).
In Russia, McDonald's annually sends for processing at least 1 tons of cardboard and 500 tons of frying oil, and more than 4% of the used oil is transferred for processing into biodiesel fuel. Energy and resource conservation programs have been introduced throughout the network: touchless hand-washing faucets and refrigeration units that do not use hydrofluorocarbons have been installed. The company plans to reduce its carbon footprint by 500% by 75.