Driving continuous improvement
Amongst suppliers
Each product standard comprises required targets and future targets. This alerts suppliers to the improved standards that we will expect over time and drives improved performance year on year. MAAP standards are reviewed and updated annually
Through assurance schemes
We work to support, promote and improve farm assurance schemes at every opportunity. For any new or updated agricultural assurance scheme that is adopted by one of the farms supplying us, we conduct a gap analysis against MAAP. We (along with our direct suppliers) engage with the owners of the different farm assurance schemes to try and influence greater compliance with MAAP. We also work closely with academics, think-tanks, governmental and non-governmental organisations to understand and address the issues we face throughout our agricultural supply chain. If necessary we incorporate new components within MAAP to help address the issues in relation to our detailed policies.
The agricultural community
McDonald’s recognises that MAAP is a strong and effective tool in driving performance improvement throughout its supply chain. However we want to go a step further by opening a conversation with the agricultural community outside our supply base to promote good practice in areas where we feel our suppliers excel. We are doing this though our new ‘Flagship Farms’ programme. Farms are being selected from within the McDonald’s supplier base, which exemplify forward-looking good practice in the areas of economic, ethical and environmental sustainability. By working with these farms, our MAAP standards continually improve as we incorporate their good practice into our standards. And by communicating about the standards and our relationship with the farms to the external agricultural community we aim to demonstrate how these examples of good practice can be integrated into working methods. The programme will bring benefits to all interested farmers, by sharing sustainable practices that have real economic benefits – a win-win situation for all involved.