OAK BROOK Ill. Fast-food giant McDonald’s Corp. is now a green giant.
The parent company to the 31,000-unit hamburger chain said Monday it has been recognized by the U.S. Green Building Council for its energy saving and environmentally friendly practices at its headquarters in this Chicago suburb.
The company received the council’s highest award, a LEED Platinum certification. LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. Less than 210 building projects worldwide have achieved the LEED Platinum certification, McDonald’s said.
“Sustainability starts at home, in how we think, and how we make decisions everyday that put our values into practice,” said Bob Langert, vice-president of McDonald’s Global Corporate Social Responsibility, “so this recognition is very aligned with our company’s overarching goal to be a socially responsible company.”
McDonald’s corporate offices were built in 1988 on 88 acres, more than half of which remain native woodlands. Original building features such as its open office environment, generous access to daylight, space and land-saving underground parking and landscaping with native plants contributed to the award, the company noted.
Over the years, McDonald’s has taken additional steps that also contributed to the certification, including recycling and waste programs, green vehicle parking designations, used fry oil conversion into bio-diesel fuel, and recapturing of rainwater for irrigation.
Contact Dina Berta at [email protected].