As a major user of energy for its production process, McCain is seeking to reduce how much
gas and electricity it uses. It has invested in two major projects to set up renewable sources of
energy for its Whittlesey production plant. These alternative energy sources are also more
environmentally-friendly. The company has built a wind turbine system and a new wastewater
treatment system. The wastewater system is a covered lagoon. This is a huge tank where the
water from the production process is stored and treated to produce methane gas which is
trapped beneath the covers. These systems will provide renewable energy to run the plant. This
work also fits with McCain Foods’ corporate social responsibility programme (CSR). This case
study explores how McCain evaluated the benefits of its financial investment in these projects.