McDonald’s recognised for outstanding contribution to local communities during pandemic

"Here at McDonald’s, our purpose is to feed and foster communities."

McDonald’s has been awarded the first highly coveted ‘Special Impact Award for Continued Service to Local Communities’ during the pandemic at the 2021 Public Sector Excellence in Business Awards. The panel of judges commended McDonald’s, stating that through its longstanding partnerships and new initiatives, McDonald’s is making a real difference to thousands of people in every town in Ireland where each restaurant is firmly rooted in the community in which it operates. Speaking on the award, McDonald’s Vice President of Operations for the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, Sarah Carter said;

“Here at McDonald’s, our purpose is to feed and foster communities. We’ve been proudly serving communities across Ireland since 1977. 2021 was a year of continued uncertainty, with Covid-19 remaining a huge factor in our day-to-day lives. We knew our communities needed us more than ever, and so we continued to focus our efforts to support community groups and play our part in bringing a more sustainable, fairer future within closer reach for everyone.”

In December 2021, McDonald’s launched a new ‘donate at kiosk’ option across its restaurants, making it easier for customers to donate to RMHC Ireland with the “Round Up for RMHC”. As society becomes increasingly ‘cashless’, this new option allows customers to ‘round up’ their purchase to the nearest whole euro or give a set donation. McDonald’s also started a partnership with FoodCloud in 2020 at the start of the pandemic, with McDonald’s providing surplus food donations. Another reason that McDonald’s was given the award is due to them also promoting children’s literacy and reading through its annual Happy Meal book promotions, for World Book Day. Last year, as part of its sustainability strategy, McDonald’s made Happy Meal books a permanent option for children to enjoy all year round.