McDonald's reinforces its commitment to sustainable development in Spain
The leading company in the restaurant sector in Spain has reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by 27% since 2018 and plans to invest 500 million euros by 2028.
McDonald's has presented its new economic, social, and environmental impact report for the 2024-2025 fiscal year, a document that outlines its contribution to the country's sustainable development and the progress made in corporate responsibility. According to the president of McDonald's Spain, Luis Quintiliano, this document "reflects, with concrete actions, the company's firm commitment to generating a positive impact from an economic, social, and environmental perspective." The executive emphasizes that the McDonald's model "demonstrates that it is possible to grow sustainably, hand in hand with employees, franchisees, suppliers, and customers."
Engine of growth and employment
With over 640 restaurants across the country and a workforce of 28,000 direct and 60,000 indirect employees, McDonald's has established itself as one of the leading job creators in the restaurant sector. More than half of its staff—58%—are under 30, making the brand a key player in youth employment. The company plans to invest €500 million by 2028, aiming to reach 800 restaurants and create 10,000 new jobs. This growth is based on a franchise model that currently accounts for 92% of its restaurants, managed by more than 125 local entrepreneurs. At the same time, McDonald's maintains strong ties with the country's production sector: over 70% of its purchasing power comes from Spanish suppliers, strengthening the Spanish economy and fostering a more sustainable supply chain.
Within the framework of the Big Good Project to support Spanish agriculture, McDonald's has launched initiatives such as the "En el Campo x el Campo" project, launched after the 2024 DANA storm in the Valencian Community, which affected more than 49,000 farmers, exemplifying resilience.
Social commitment and equal opportunities
Social impact is another pillar of its sustainability model. The Ronald McDonald House Charities, which provides accommodation for families with hospitalized children far from home, has supported more than 19,000 families and 6,000 children, with a contribution of one million euros from the company and nearly 600,000 euros raised by customers. McDonald's also implements a wide range of equality, diversity, and inclusion policies. The Third Equality Plan contains more than 57 positive action measures covering culture, recruitment, training, promotion, work-life balance, health, and the prevention of gender-based violence, among others. Furthermore, it maintains a gender pay gap of only 1.8%, one of the reasons it was recently awarded the AENOR certification for "Diversity and Inclusion Management System in the Company (SGD&I)." The company also promotes the LGBTIQ+ Plan, campaigns such as Made in Equality and Proud Diversity—which have given visibility to this inclusive commitment—and collaborates with the Red Cross to promote the employment of women victims of gender violence. In the educational and cultural sphere, the Happy Meal Readers program has distributed more than 10 million books in physical and digital formats, with versions in sign language, to encourage reading among young children. On the road to climate neutrality
In environmental matters, McDonald's Spain has reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by 27% since 2018 and has expanded its use of clean energy: 95% of restaurants and 100% of corporate offices and Ronald McDonald Houses operate on 100% renewable energy. The company has already installed more than 150 electric vehicle charging points in 38 provinces, and 90 restaurants have self-consumption solar panels—double the number projected for 2023. Other measures include the gradual replacement of fossil-based plastic in Happy Meal toys with biodiesel. To date, the company has prevented the generation of 800 tons of plastic and has dedicated more than 1,000 hours to environmental training programs for over 6,000 people. Furthermore, McDonald's is committed to environmental responsibility through its Happy Change movement, which focuses on energy and electric mobility, recycling, and packaging. With this environmental sustainability strategy, they contribute to the company's global goal of achieving climate neutrality by 2050.
A model aligned with the SDGs
Since 2022, McDonald's Spain has been part of the United Nations Global Compact and has integrated the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda into its corporate strategy. This commitment has positioned the brand as the company with the best reputation in the restaurant sector in the Merco Companies ranking, while also being recognized as the most responsible company in the sector in the Merco ESG Responsibility ranking. The results achieved by the company are a clear reflection of its commitment to continue growing together with its employees, franchisees, suppliers, and customers. McDonald's aims to combine profitability and responsibility, consolidating an increasingly sustainable business model deeply rooted in the local community.
