Through a process called ‘anticipatory issues management’ the company identified a potential
problem. The batteries included in some Happy Meals contained mercury. The batteries never
became a big public relations problem for McDonald’s because they employed ‘anticipatory
issues management,’ the company proactively indentified the risk and eliminated all mercury
batteries from Happy Meal toys.
Together with Unilever and Coca Cola companies, and the United National Environment
Program and Greenpeace, McDonald’s created a natural refrigerant program that explored
alternatives to using ozone-depleting chemicals. This program called “refrigerants naturally”
won an Environmental Protection Agency award in 2005.
In 2009 the company developed an interactive software program named EcoProgress that
enabled restaurants to reduce energy consumption by up to 11%. McDonald’s also pioneered
improvements in water management through their storm-water retention tank program. The
goals of this program were to save on water use not only in the restaurants, but in communities
as well. Additionally, McDonald’s started programs for transforming their used oil into
biodiesel fuels and built electric vehicle charging stations at restaurants in certain locations.
They also partnered with the Japanese government to offer discounts to citizens who registered
to participate in CO2 emission reduction programs.