Fast food tries new marketing approach, beef industry takes spotlight

From “McDreamy” swooners to smurf collectibles, McDonald’s has played a key role in pop culture since its 1955 Midwest beginning. Today, the golden-arched fast food mogul continues to follow societal trends through advertisements on traceability and a strong stance on sustainability.

The restaurant’s vice president for strategic sourcing, Francesca DeBiase, indicates that the transition from French fries to apple slices is a result of consumer preference analysis and a mentality switch at the company.

“We know that our customers care about where their food comes from,” she says. “McDonald’s and our suppliers have taken many positive steps in the past 20 years to improve the sustainability of our supply chain

La empresa sostenible, de apagar fuegos a ser conscientes con el medio ambiente

Desde sus inicios, el rol predominante en la creación de una empresa ha sido el de generar valor económico para quienes la sustentan. Quien mueve el verdadero por qué de iniciar un nuevo negocio es definitivamente la riqueza económicaque viene detrás.

Pensar solamente en el bien de una empresa desde el punto de vista capitalista, permite sólo a unos pocos beneficiarse del negocio. Las nuevas empresas y las empresas del futuro deben pensar en que su actividad debe repercutir positivamente en el mercado de la economía, pero también en el beneficio social, ambiental y político de donde se desarrollan.

London transforming itself from industrial polluter to sustainable business center

The Velodrome, designed by Expedition Engineering, is seen here through the window of a bus giving a tour of the Olympic facilities. Track cycling and Paralympic track cycling events will be held inside this facility, made with environmental load reduction as a top priority. (Mainichi)

As the construction taking place in the Olympic Park reaches its final stages, heavy machinery is being used nearby to dig up the surface layer of the earth. Martyn Lass, a technical director at the major general contracting firm Atkins Ltd., explains that work is being done to remedy the severe soil pollution in the area. The contaminants include tar, cyanide and asbestos.

Since spring of 2006, Atkins Ltd. has undertaken the demolition of 220 factories and other structures, and the decontamination of soil in the area.