Wendy's Company Making Strides in CSR Goals
The Wendy's Company has published its 2022 Corporate Social Responsibility report (CSR), outlining significant advancements in line with the three core pillars of its Good Done Right ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) strategy: Food, People, and Footprint.
The report highlights notable achievements in Wendy's journey towards creating a positive impact, such as attaining a 10-year target for responsible sourcing of pork in the U.S. and Canada, nearly doubling the number of new franchise candidates approved through the company's franchise recruitment initiative, Own Your Opportunity, aimed at promoting accessibility and diversity among franchisee candidates and establishing fresh goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Chief Corporate Affairs & Sustainability Officer Liliana Esposito stated, "After setting our corporate responsibility objectives and building a solid groundwork in previous years, we are now making significant strides in fulfilling our commitments in the areas of Food, People, and Footprint. I am proud of the collaborative efforts of our team, stakeholders, and franchisees as we position the brand for rapid global expansion while simultaneously working towards a more sustainable future for Wendy's."
The report showcases the company's advancements towards its Good Done Right objectives, with notable highlights in the following areas:
Food - Making progress in responsible sourcing and animal welfare:
- Identified approximately 140 suppliers within the scope of the responsible sourcing programme and established criteria to measure their performance. Also partnered with a technology provider to assess supplier performance.
- Evaluated around 30 suppliers across 90 facilities through the Animal Care Standards Programme to benchmark their performance and identify trends and areas for improvement. This supports Wendy's goal to achieve a comprehensive understanding of animal welfare best practices for beef, pork, chicken, eggs, and dairy by 2024.
- Successfully achieved Wendy's 10-year target of transitioning the company's pork supply chain in the U.S. and Canada from sow gestation stalls to open pen or group housing for confirmed pregnant sows.
People - Fostering inclusive workplaces and communities:
- Nearly doubled the number of new franchise candidates approved to join Wendy's System compared to the previous year through the company's franchise recruitment initiative, Own Your Opportunity. This initiative aims to enhance accessibility and diversity among franchisee candidates, including women and individuals from diverse backgrounds.
- Set a new record for in-restaurant fundraising by collecting over $8.2 million through Boo! Books sales, with proceeds supporting the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption® (DTFA). This milestone was achieved as DTFA marked its 30th year of efforts to find permanent families for children in foster care. To date, the Wendy's System has raised close to $300 million in support of DTFA.
- Established a new Employee Resource Group called GiveCare, which offers support and resources for parents and caregivers and provides a platform for employees to share their experiences.
Footprint - Achieving significant milestones in sustainable packaging and climate impact mitigation:
- Set ambitious science-based targets ahead of schedule, verified by the Science Based Target initiative, to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from Scope 1, 2, and targeted Scope 3 sources by 47% by 2030 across the global System.
- Made substantial progress towards Wendy's goal of sustainably sourcing 100% of customer-facing packaging by 2026, surpassing the halfway mark after introducing clear plastic drink cups that are more widely recyclable.
- Expanded efforts to reduce energy consumption and increase renewable energy procurement, by introducing Global Next Gen, the brand's new restaurant design standard, which is approximately 10% more energy efficient than the company's most efficient existing restaurant design. Also, subscribed to Duke Energy Florida's Clean Energy Connection pilot programme, which supplies select company restaurants with solar energy.
Last year, the company announced that a portion of executives' 2022 incentive compensation would be tied to the progress made towards its Good Done Right goals. This incentive has now been extended to include all bonus-eligible restaurant support employees, highlighting the company's commitment to incentivising and rewarding sustainability efforts across its workforce.
Wendy's acknowledges and adheres to leading reporting industry standards such as the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB), and United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The company strives to integrate the principles and frameworks of these standards throughout its corporate responsibility report, showcasing its dedication to transparency and accountability in its sustainability initiatives.
For more detailed information about Wendy's corporate responsibility work, please visit https://www.wendys.com/whatwevalue.
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Source: CNW
