Greener Than Ever

McDonald’s strives to provide eco-friendly workplaces and restaurants that reflect our sustainability goals and demonstrate environmental stewardship in the workplace.

In August 2008, McDonald’s USA opened its first corporate-owned pilot green restaurant and received Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification in April 2009. Some of the green attributes of the Chicago restaurant include energy-efficiency equipment and lighting, high efficiency plumbing fixtures, and permeable pavement and rainwater collection for irrigation. We’re using this “green building lab” to help refine our green building strategy. Our second green restaurant was completed in North Carolina in early 2010.

Green building strategies aren’t limited to McDonald’s restaurants. Using the LEED rating system developed for Existing Buildings (LEED EB), we recently tackled our Global Headquarters in Oak Brook, Illinois. Our 20-year-old Campus Office Building (affectionately known as the COB) was granted Platinum Certification, the highest level possible. The COB is one of the oldest buildings to receive this certification.

The sustainable building enhancements made during the certification process have resulted in clear financial and environmental benefits. Energy use is at its lowest level in five years, helping to offset rising utility costs. Enhanced recycling efforts have diverted over 58% of waste targeted for landfill, helping control disposal costs. And overall, our efforts are reducing McDonald’s environmental impact.  

In addition to our Illinois projects, we’re proud of our green building efforts in France, Germany, Brazil and Canada.