Episode Details

For decades, McDonald’s was a symbol of excess—of waste, industrial farming, and fast food’s darker side. Yet behind the scenes, a quiet transformation was underway. Guided by sustainability chief Bob Langert, the company began confronting criticism over deforestation, animal welfare, and public health, from the fallout of the McLibel trial to pressure over its global supply chains. In this episode, we explore how McDonald's used its immense buying power to push industry-wide changes—from paper use to farming standards—despite internal resistance and slow progress. The story asks whether genuine corporate responsibility is possible at such scale, and what it takes to embed environmental reform inside a business once defined by convenience and consumption.

https://www.economist.com/business/2019/02/07/a-25-year-battle-to-improve-the-image-of-mcdonalds