McDonald's

McDonald's named Presenting Partner of London 2012 Volunteer Programme

Up to 70,000 volunteers will lend their time, energy and expertise to make London 2012 a success and will benefit from an unprecedented level of support, with McDonald's today named Presenting Partner of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games Maker Programme.

This is the first time in the history of the Olympic and Paralympic Games that an organising committee has looked to sponsors to support the volunteers for this once in a lifetime experience. As Presenting Partner, McDonald's will use its expertise in customer service and people development, as well as its nationwide presence, to help attract, select and train the diverse team of volunteers, known as Games Makers, that will be needed for the London 2012 Games. This will include providing training staff, materials and facilities to help attract and train volunteers. McDonald's will also use its 1,200 restaurants in communities across the UK to spread the message and attract volunteers from all walks of life and every corner of the UK.

McDonald's UK and Northern Europe CEO and President Steve Easterbrook said:
'We value our people above everything else in our business, and it is our ambition to ensure that the Olympic and Paralympics volunteers are also highly valued, recognised and celebrated for their efforts and achievements.

'While nothing quite compares to the bustle and excitement of an action-packed 2012 Games, our employees know a fair bit about working in a fast-paced, busy environment - providing quick and consistent customer service to over two million people each day. We are proud to use this experience to help prepare the volunteers for the unique experience of London 2012 - providing them with the skills and confidence to deliver an outstanding Olympic and Paralympics Games that leaves an enduring volunteering legacy for years to come.'

Visit the London 2012 site

McDonald's becomes first employer to provide national qualification for work experience

Young people who complete work experience placements at McDonald's will have the opportunity to gain a GCSE-equivalent qualification that recognises their work skills and achievements. The move comes as young people seek job opportunities in a fiercely competitive jobs market, and a new poll of 2,000 14-19 year olds reveals that quality work experience has become a CV must-have for UK teens.

According to the survey, commissioned by McDonald's, more than eight in ten (86 per cent) of young people said a strong academic record is no longer enough to guarantee a good job, and 81 per cent agreed that high-quality work experience gives young people the employment edge. Those polled also expressed strong support for work experience qualifications: 86 per cent agreed that work experience is more valuable if it leads to a national qualification proving workplace skills.

Announcing the qualification at the Institute for Education Business Excellence (IEBE) conference in Birmingham on 11th March David Fairhurst, Chief People Officer, McDonald's UK & Northern Europe, will said:

'This is the first time a work experience programme has been aligned to a nationally-recognised qualification, and at McDonald's we believe it has the potential to raise the expectations of employers, educators and students alike.

'Whether people join McDonald's for two weeks' work experience or a full-time job, the aim is helping them build their confidence, gain transferable qualifications and fulfil their potential. Now, a placement will give young people on-the-job experience in a fast-paced business environment, a great set of all-round skills for any workplace, and a national qualification to increase their employability.'

The FA Re-signs McDonald's to Support Grassroots Football and Raise Standards in the National Game

The Football Association and McDonald's have agreed an ambitious new four-year partnership to raise standards and increase participation across every aspect of English grassroots football.

Over the next four years the new partnership will see The FA and McDonald's focusing on achieving specific targets to support 200,000 coaches and 400,000 volunteers through the McDonald's and FA networks. The partnership will also work towards the objective of ensuring that 75% of all youth clubs are awarded FA Charter Standard status - which in turn will help to deliver 150 Charter Standard Leagues before the end of 2014.

As The FA's Community Partner for the last eight years, McDonald's has helped drive the training and recruitment of over 10,000 community coaches and one in four of its restaurants supports a local football club through the restaurant and club-twinning programme launched earlier this year. The new partnership will focus on improving standards at grassroots level to help those coaches play an even greater role in their local communities through the FA Charter Standard League programme.

McDonald's will also continue as the presenting partner of The FA Community Shield and will work with The FA to make the weekend into a celebration of grassroots football as the new 2010/11 season kicks-off. McDonald's will continue to reward clubs and volunteers with tickets to the event to thank them for their contribution to the game.

Speaking for McDonald's, Chief Executive Steve Easterbrook said: "We are excited to have committed to another four years in our partnership with The FA. It means we will directly support the clubs at the heart of our communities and the people who volunteer their time and energy to make the clubs safe, supportive and fun places for people to enjoy playing football. In particular, we see great value in investing in The FA's Charter Standard Programme and look forward to playing a part in improving the standard of the game at the grassroots level."

Commenting for The FA, chief executive Ian Watmore said: "We are very proud of the work we have done with McDonald's over the last eight years. Our joint achievement in recruiting and training over 10,000 coaches is tribute to the potent power of the partnership. I am delighted we have secured McDonald's support for another four years and am confident that the investment and focus on driving up standards in English grassroots football will have a positive impact on young players, the coaches, the parents and ultimately the national game as a whole."

The FA Charter Standard League kitemark award recognises quality leagues which deliver The FA's wide-ranging Respect programme and creating more opportunities for more players to play the game.

The FA Charter Standard League programme assesses the ability of leagues to provide a high-quality, safe, and enjoyable experience. It also encourages leagues to continuously improve through ongoing support from County FA staff.

The FA and McDonald's aim to give high-profile recognition for the tens of thousands of volunteers who make the sport happen at the grassroots level every day over the next four years. McDonald's will also partner The FA's education arm, FA Learning, providing education, mentoring and membership schemes across grassroots football.

McDonald's London waste to power Britain

Restaurant chain takes another step towards reaching zero waste to landfill goal

McDonald's UK is helping to power homes and buildings across the UK in a new London initiative that diverts restaurant waste away from landfill sites and converts it into energy.

The scheme has reduced McDonald's carbon emissions in waste management by 48% and enables the company to take another step towards its goal of reaching zero waste to landfill, with 25 London restaurants now implementing the energy from waste programme.

McDonald's restaurant waste is sent to an energy recovery facility in South London where it is converted into energy that is then channelled into the National Grid and used to power homes and businesses across the UK, including those in the capital.

David Fairhurst, Senior Vice President McDonald's UK & Northern Europe, said:
"We are proud to be the first quick service restaurant chain to commit to energy from waste as one solution to reducing the amount we send to landfill. Our energy from waste pilot in Sheffield clearly demonstrated that it is a viable way to reduce our carbon emissions and we are delighted that we are now able to roll out the scheme to 25 restaurants in London. We see this as another significant step on our journey towards zero waste to landfill and we will continue to work to identify other regions of the UK in which the scheme can be replicated".

Mature workers make their mark at McDonald's

New research proves older workers enhance McDonald's business performance

McDonald's has revealed the commercial impact of creating the right blend of youth and experience in its workforce. According to new research conducted by Lancaster University Management School, which examined the performance of more than 400 McDonald's restaurants across the UK, employees aged 60 plus deliver a significant business boost.

The study revealed that levels of customer satisfaction were on average 20 per cent higher in restaurants that employ staff aged 60 and over. Widely recognised as one the largest providers of first time jobs in the UK, McDonald's also has a strong core of older workers, with around two-fifths of restaurants employing staff aged 60 and over.

David Fairhurst, Senior Vice President, Chief People Officer, McDonald's UK & Northern Europe, said: "Changing demographics in the workplace mean that later life workers are now the fastest growing age group in the labour market. Yet despite the growing numbers of mature workers, their contribution to business and the wider economy often goes unsung. It might surprise people to learn that at McDonald's we employ over 1000 people aged 60 and above. These employees play an important role in our business and, as the research shows, they make a huge impact on customer satisfaction."

Spending on eating out falls for first time

New report commissioned by McDonald's reveals UK's changing eating out habits

The amount we spend on eating out of the home has fallen for the first time in 40 years. The findings come in the most extensive ever piece of research into the size of the 'informal eating out' market, which employs 1 in 25 of the UK workforce in the UK and includes pubs, fast food restaurants and coffee shops.

Eating Out in the UK, 2009, produced by industry analysts, Allegra Strategies, and sponsored by McDonald's, tracks the eating habits of thousands of people. It finds a major shift towards healthier eating, quality food and a demand for better service and value.

The report concludes that the 'recession legacy' will be long-lasting and only businesses which can meet these new consumer demands will prosper in the future. Most industry leaders predict growth returning within 12-18 months.

Steve Easterbrook, Chief Executive of McDonald's UK, said: 'For the first time in 40 years, the recession is taking a bite out of a market which is traditionally resilient to downturns. The British public is becoming ever more discerning about the way they spend their money, and this is starting to affect the performance of the sector.

'Encouragingly, all the signs are that the sector will bounce back - helping drive the UK economy out of recession by creating more jobs and playing a role in revitalising the British High Street. But only businesses which can deliver value and a great experience will prosper in the future.'

Internet Security warning

McDonald's UK would like to warn its customers that Phishing or Hoax emails are on the rise. The people behind this type of criminal activity are becoming increasingly sophisticated in the way they try to obtain personal and credit or debit card details. Impersonation of a legitimate and well known brand such as McDonald's is a tactic frequently employed to lure innocent people into parting with this valuable information before either using it to make purchases online or to sell on the black-market.

McDonald's would NEVER ask for someone to provide their credit or debit card details online or over the phone and we would strongly advise anyone not to respond to emails or websites that claim to be McDonald's asking you to do so.

Online Safety advice

• For advice on how to protect your identity online and to spot potential fraudulent websites or emails visit Get Safe Online, a government backed website with advice on what to do what to avoid online fraud. www.getsafeonline.org
• Remember, McDonald's will NEVER ask for credit or debit card details online or over the phone. If you are asked to do so by someone claiming to be McDonald's, it is a scam and you should not provide it.

If you suspect that you have received a Phishing or Hoax email from McDonald's please delete it immediately without responding.

Please be assured that McDonald's is contributing to the fight against online fraud and will be investigating all leads to track down those responsible and report them to the authorities.

McDonald's puts Apprenticeships on the menu for employees

Apprenticeships will be made available to all employees at McDonald's.

In 2009, the restaurant chain aims to provide Apprenticeships to up to 6,000 of its 72,000 UK workforce and then up to 10,000 per year from 2010, providing staff with the opportunity to gain a valuable, nationally recognised qualification that is equivalent to five GCSEs grade A*-C. This move will make McDonald's the UK's largest Apprenticeship provider.

David Fairhurst, Senior VP, Chief People Officer, McDonald's UK, said: In these challenging economic times, it is more important than ever for employers to invest in their staff. With the service and hospitality sector now one of the biggest employers in the UK economy - over 1.9 million people are employed by the hospitality and tourism sector alone - it's vital that we and others in the industry invest in skills and training now to ensure the sector is ready to shine when the UK emerges from the downturn.

Following the completion of a successful 80 restaurant trial, McDonald's will now offer employees across its 1,200 UK restaurants the opportunity to gain a Level 2 Apprenticeship in Multi-Skilled Hospitality. The qualification recognises job-specific skills acquired through workplace training, combined with GCSE-equivalent Maths and English.

McDonald's beats the high street downturn

McDonald's is creating 4,000 new jobs in the UK in response to sustained growth, which is seeing the company serve an extra two million customers a month compared to last year.

The company has unveiled a confident new advertising campaign to support its fast-increasing recruitment needs. The 'My McJob' campaign illustrates the career benefits and high-quality job opportunities available at McDonald's through the voice of its own employees and is part of its campaign to encourage reappraisal of jobs and careers with the company.

McDonald's Chief Executive Steve Easterbrook said: "Creating 4,000 new jobs is great news for our business and our franchisees, particularly in these tougher trading times, and is a clear signal that customers are responding to the restaurant modernisationprogramme and menu changes that we have been rolling out over the last couple of years - customers tell me they really appreciate the difference."

"To maintain the momentum in our business, we need to keep delivering outstanding customer service. The UK may be entering choppy economic waters, but as a company that is more recession resistant than many, we can continue offering people a job with excellent career progression, training and devlopment opportunities and flexibility."

A series of posters highlight the benefits of working at McDonald's. describing why employees love their 'McJob'. The campaign, which is being seen by approximately two million people each day, went live in McDonald's 1,200 restaurants around the UK on 6 August.

Designer uniform another step in the McDonald's makeover

McDonald's staff uniforms have received a designer makeover from Bruce Oldfield.

The uniform redesign gives the company's 72,000 employees a contemporary look that fits with the restaurant refurbishment programme, and further close the gap between the perceptions and reality of work at McDonald's.

Feedback from McDonald's employees indicates that they are popular with staff and customers with just over two thirds preferring the new uniform to the old one and believing it is more modern and more professional.

Bruce Oldfield, who counts celebrities and fashionistas among his clients, including Sienna Miller and Jemima Khan, commented: "I was delighted to be asked to redesign such an iconic and instantly recognisable uniform. It's been great fun to create a new, contemporary look for McDonald's employees that matches the modern style of the company's new restaurants."

The uniform redesign follows a series of moves to modernise McDonald's for UK consumers, including introducing free WiFi in its restaurants, making new menu choices available and launching Rainforest Alliance certified sustainable coffee and tea.