Challenges and Best Practices in Food Industry Sustainability

This report delves into the realm of business ethics, responsibility, and sustainability within the food industry. It commences by examining the key challenges, such as working conditions, human rights, corporate governance, environmental ethics, legal compliance, and sustainability itself. The report then analyzes best practices within the food sector, focusing on ethical and moral considerations, with McDonald's as a case study. These practices include employee training, consumer rights, and environmental initiatives. Finally, it concludes with recommendations for businesses in the food sector to enhance their corporate social responsibility, taking into account global considerations like sustainable sourcing and ethical labor practices. The report underscores the importance of balancing economic, social, and environmental activities to ensure long-term sustainability and positive impacts on stakeholders.

Business Ethics, Responsibility
and Sustainability
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Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY ..................................................................................................................................1
1. Examine the key challenges relating to corporate responsibility and sustainability relating to
food industry................................................................................................................................1
2.Analyse and explain what you consider to be 'best practice' within the food sector, making
references to ethical and moral issues. ........................................................................................4
3.Make recommendations for businesses in the food sector to show they are being more
responsible by taking into account global considerations. ..........................................................8
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................10

INTRODUCTION
Business ethics responsibility and sustainability refers to follow all the rules and
regulations related to economy and Maintain the good environment. Sustainability interrelate to
the depletion of environmental impact through reduction of consumption (reduce, recycle,
reuse). Thus, firms maintain the sustainability and taking the right action to create the positive
impact on other such as customer, suppliers, government. Therefore, business taking the right
course of action to behave ethically in the business so they manage their production process,
business processes, and other different manufacturing process that helps to build the relationship
with its customers and the communities in which it operates (E-Vahdati, Zulkifli and Zakaria,
2019). This is approach of balance the economics, social, and environmental activity that helps
to new generation so they can enjoy their same life style people enjoy today.
The present report is based on Business ethics responsibility and sustainability of food
industry. The report will cover the various challenges related to the corporate social possibility.
Moreover, report will describe the 'best practice' within the food sector. Lastly, report will
explained some recommendations for businesses that helps to maintain the social, economy and
environmental issues.
MAIN BODY
1. Examine the key challenges relating to corporate responsibility and sustainability relating to
food industry.
Corporate social responsibility is balanced approach many business follow the proper
rules and regulation to behave ethically in economy and contribute to economic for their future
development. Thus, organization using the best material and equipments and focus on reducing
the waste that helps to improving the quality of life of the future generation and current
workforce and their families as well as of the local community and society at large (Peddada and
Adam, 2019). There are different types of challenges organization faces relating to the corporate
responsibility and sustainability which described below-
The main motive of using the CSR in the business is that maintain the suitability in the business
that means government , customer, employee and other stakeholders are enjoy the life without
any issues. there are few issues the food industry faced in current situation.
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Working conditions and Human Rights
The working condition of food sector is not much good because employee face many
problem related to the work environment because they work in difficult situation which leads
the accidents so this is the issue that firm cannot provide the best environment to the people. For
example, MacDonald is the biggest food industry but they face issues related to the employees
dissatisfaction the issue is that McDonalds treating their employees in illegal and criminal
manner. In new york November 2012. employees of the MacDonald go to strike because they
felt that firm cannot provide the proper wages as fast-food workers are suffering and they not
want to work with this condition (Johari, 2019). Hence, low wages, long hours and unstable
employment affect their life. Thus, the employees are not satisfy with the working condition as
they cannot properly manage their life style so this condition is shows that McDonalds is
underpaying and abusing their workers on an international basis. Thus, based on this aspects is
shows that MacDonald is not behave ethically, so it creates the negative impact on their business
as organization is not follow the rights of their employee and co workers because they give the
poor working condition like high working hours, low wages. therefore this issues is decreasing
their employees health rates significantly, as well as low wages is create the reason of leaving
the company.
Corporate Governance -
Corporate governance is described that the firm are manage their work and process
according to the decided set of activities, procedures and principles. On the other words,
organization take an major decision so this decision is evaluated by some procedure, rules and
regulation. Thus, t many organization face issue related to this aspect because sometimes firm
are not properly follow the rules and regurgitation that may affect the business performance
(Graham, 2019). For example, MacDonald face challenges related to Corporate governance
because firm describe this statement on their official websites that they serve the best service
and earn the trust of employees by serving safe food, and delivering outstanding Quality,
Service with high Cleanliness and Value. Hence Forth, in recent decades the sales and demand
of MacDonald food is decreased in every country because on july 2014, the news is shows that
the employees of the MacDonald serve the waste foods and sale the repacking expired meat so
this is the biggest reason of reducing the demand and sales of the product. it directly impact on
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the market share now McDonald’s is unable to serve much from its menu, including Big macs
and Chicken McNuggets- two of the most famous McDonald specialities. Thus, this action is
described that firm are not follow all the rules and regulation and they not behave ethically while
they serve their services to the customer as this impact on reducing their market share as well as
and they loss their existing and new customer due to this situation.
Environmental Ethics -
Environment is relates to the human and non human world that means organization do
their business without any harm to people and environment. Thus, many business affects the
environment directly or indirectly like they use the high amount of goods and plastics which
affect the environment. For example, McDonald also use the plastic and different things that
may create negative impact on the environment (Aljaffal, Wardle, Daruwallah and Sloan,
2019). Therefore, MacDonald have many factories in different countries to produce their
products but it leading to pollution and affects environment and human body as well. This
factories is affects the environment by include the poison gas in the air that affects most. On the
other side, MacDonald also use the high plastic material that is also affects the environment they
use the paper and plastic for making the effective cutlery and eating utensils, such as paper
plates and plastic forks. Thus, this all plastics material harm the environment and firm are
continuing uses this and affect the environment by cutting the tree for the purpose of make their
eating material and glasses. In addition firm also enhance the waste that affects the animal
because they throwing out their plastic wastes, which is create the negative impact because it
hurts the environment because plastic is hard to destroy. Thus, according to this aspect firm are
not behave ethically and this is the Biggest challenge for firm to reduce the use of plastic and
not harm the environment.
Legal and Regulatory Compliance
Legal and regulatory compliance is the rule and regulation, firms follow guidelines, rules
and regulation to achieve the objective and manage the business process. Thus, food industry
must follow all the rules and regulation relates to the process of making food which not affects
the people (Horng, Hsu and Tsai, 2019). For example, MacDonald criticized and they face
challenges because they cannot use the healthy ingredients in their product so it affects the
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people body and increase the incidents of heart attack. In recent decades it finds that MacDonald
use the expired meals while making the product. On the other side. The journalist said that
McDonald use the unhealthy ingredients in their food also the ingredients for making the French
fires is not real so it creates the negative impact on the customer as customer are not trusted,
the reputation of the firm is decrees due to unhealthy and unethical action.
Sustainability
Suitability means behave ethically in business environment that means while launching
any product in the market firm firstly get approval to the organization and give proper detail
about the new product. Thus, Food industry also follow this rule when they launch the new
product in market and this is the biggest challenge for the firm to make sustainable product. For
example, MacDonald announced that they will acquire and purchase the sustainable and good
beef (Venkataraman, 2019). On the other side, MacDonald has claimed that they do not give the
proper information to the government when they launch the sustainable beef and also
government have no any information that this product really good or not. Although MacDonald
do not give any information in terms of that what the objective and goal of the firm to launch
this product in the market. Therefore, With this little amount of given knowledge, the consumers
are still left to eat unsustainable meat for the next two years, and aren’t given any knowledge of
what to expect in the future.
There are different types of challenges organization face during the operation and
business. Food industry make sure they they follow all the rules and regulation related the
society, economy and environment because this three is the main who helps to organisation for
achieving the goal and objective in competitive market. Hence, food industry make sure that
when they making the foods they ensure they they use the healthy ingredients in their product. it
helps to reduce the challenges and difficulties and also while making the healthy food it enhance
the demand of product and firm get success with huge demand and huge sales.
2.Analyse and explain what you consider to be 'best practice' within the food sector, making
references to ethical and moral issues.
Best practice is refers to use the best strategies and techniques in the business that helps
to make success the business. In addition, food industry use the different types of techniques and
strategies that may helps to organization to behave ethically in the environment. Thus, to
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maintain the sustainability they can use the different activities such as – labour and human
rights, provide training and education the people, follow employees health and safety act,
Environment act etc.
Hence. This all activities and practices apply in the MacDonald to maintain the morale
value and ethics in the environment.
McDonald has use the different practices in the business to maintain the sustainability.
They has implement the different strategy in the business that this strategies explains that firm
follow the rules and procedure like firm use the best ingredients in the foods, employee safety
procedure, packaging related procedure, development the environment friendly procedures,
take charity initiatives that helps to society (Tran, 2019).
Techniques of CSR activities MacDonald performance
Educating and providing training to the
employees
MacDonald provide training facilities to the
different restaurant managers and employees.
The manager of restaurant are highly educated
and they manage all the activities with high
enthusiasm (de Bakker, Rasche, and Ponte,
2019). MacDonald have own university which
is MacDonald hamburger university and they
provide training to the manager and employees
of MacDonald franchisees.
Employee and customer rights McDonald concentrate on providing the
employee rights as they increase the wages as
well as they follow the health and safety acts to
motivate the employees. On the other side,
Mcdonlds follow the consumer acts to protect
the customer related to goods and services it
helps to build the customer trust on the food
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product. Although , company requires to
supplier and marketing department to
identified the actual needs of customer and
make the proper code of conduct. Thus, this
code of conduct helps to organization to
identify the real issue related to the employees
and consumer rights such as work place
management, business integrity, customer
satisfaction etc.
Health and safety procedure of employees McDonald used the health and safety act that
helps to motivate the employees. Although,
they promotes this procedure at all levels
among the work force.
Environment
 Energy consumption
 Recycling
McDonald promotes the policy of maintaining
the good environment they close collaborating
with world wide life funds collaborator such as
business for social responsibility,member and
research partner, and Greenbig groups.
McDonald make sure they they consume the
minimum energy. Thus, they use the efficient
equipment which not consume the high
electricity. Their main aim is to that they save
142 gigwatt hours and USD 14.2 million in
energy cost.
McDonald make sure they they use the best
raw material for making the product and
services also they use the used the LED
lightning that helps to reduce and save the 7 %
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 CO2 emission
of energy.
McDonald aim to reduce the waste and uses
the best ingredients in their product that help to
attrects the customer. The main ficus of
Mcdonld is that they reduce the waste also they
reduce the use of plastic and paper so it helps
to maintain the environment ethics
(Suriyankietkaew, and Kantamara, 2019).
Responsible sourcing This method helps to McDonald to enhance
their food procedure by using the best
ingredient in their production they
collaborating with Global Roundtable for
Sustainable Beef, Global Forest & Trade
Network, Sustainable Agriculture Initiative
Platform. Thus, by collaborating with all this firm
can improve their food preparation method and
production method they can include the fruits,
vegetable and other healthy product in the product
Thus, many members are voted to approval the
McDonald that they use the sustainable beef in
their production. On the other side, this both are
verified in 2014 that this is the sustainable product
such as 100 % of fisheries and 30 % of coffee
Thus, this all strategies and techniques helps to Behave ethically in the environment McDonald
also take the charity initiatives they provide the money to the children who have not enough
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money for their education. Thus, firm open the Roland MacDonald house charity that support the
families and students. MacDonald give the education and medical charity to the people (Hahn,
Gabaldón and Gröschl, 2019).
Hence, In recently, McDonald has focus on reducing the waste by make the new strategies of
production process and also they reduce the use of plastic and paper and serve their food in
plastic less eating utensils.
3.Make recommendations for businesses in the Macdonld to show they are being more
responsible by taking into account global considerations.
This all activities and practices apply in the MacDonald to maintain the moral value and ethics in
the environment. There are few recommendation on the basis of above research which describe
below -
Changing consumer preferences – MacDonald must focus on changing the consumer
preference by offer the fresh and healthy products to the customer. Consumers want best quality
produce and they want fresh and hygiene foods so McDonald promote good health, fuel their
brains and benefit their physical appearance by offering the healthy foods, so MacDonald
include the vegetable, fruits, salads, yogurt etc., to make healthy products
 MacDonald should include the healthy ingredients in the product and more focus on
make the healthy dishes it helps to attracts the large number of customer.
Food safety and transparency and employees opportunities – Mcdonalds should use the best
equipments and technology to improve and make the effective product.
 MacDonald improve their packaging by reducing the use of plastic and work on green
packaging solution that helps to attract the customer.
 MacDonald provide the opportunity to employees, firm hire the employee with high
wages so employee are Work for longer period it helps to reduce the employee turnover
rate.
 MacDonald invest their money in research and development to innovate new and healthy
product (Crane, Matten, Glozer, and Spence, 2019).
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CONCLUSION
From the above project report it can be summarised that Business ethics responsibility
and sustainability is relate to the set of moral values and standards that guide our conduct.
Sustainable business means a green business, is an organization make sure that they cannot harm
the environment , society , and economy in any situation they follow all the rules and regulation
related to behave ethically in society.
This report based on Business ethics responsibility and sustainability of food industry.
The report has described the various challenges food sector face in relation to maintain the
sustainability in the environment. Furthermore, this challenges helps to firm to identify that
which types of tactics and practices include in the business that aids to overcome this challenges.
Moreover, lastly report has describe some recommendation that organization taking into
account global consideration and enhance the reputation of company.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Crane, A., Matten, D., Glozer, S. and Spence, L. 2019. Business ethics: Managing corporate
citizenship and sustainability in the age of globalization. Oxford University Press.
Hahn, T., Gabaldón, P. and Gröschl, S 2019. The Co-evolution of Leaders’ Cognitive
Complexity and Corporate Sustainability: The Case of the CEO of Puma.
Suriyankietkaew, S. and Kantamara, P. 2019. Business ethics and spirituality for corporate
sustainability: a Buddhism perspective.Journal of Management, Spirituality &
Religion, 16(3), pp.264-289.
de Bakker, F.G., Rasche, A. and Ponte, S. 2019. Multi-Stakeholder Initiatives on Sustainability:
A Cross-Disciplinary Review and Research Agenda for Business Ethics. Business Ethics
Quarterly, pp.1-41.
Tran, B., 2019. Corporate social responsibility. InAdvanced Methodologies and Technologies in
Business Operations and Management(pp. 270-281). IGI Global.
Venkataraman, S. 2019. Stakeholder Approach To Corporate Sustainability: A Review (No.
319).
Horng, J.S., Hsu, H. and Tsai, C.Y. 2019. Learning corporate ethics and social responsibility:
Developing an influential curriculum for undergraduate tourism and hospitality
students. Journal of Hospitality, Leisure, Sport & Tourism Education. 24. pp.100-109.
Aljaffal, T., Wardle, K., Daruwallah, P. and Sloan, T. 2019. Investigating environmental
sustainability education in undergraduate hospitality management curricula within New
South Wales (NSW), Australia. In CAUTHE 2019: Sustainability of Tourism, Hospitality
& Events in a Disruptive Digital Age: Proceedings of the 29th Annual Conference (p.
298). Central Queensland University, Australia.
Graham, S. 2019. Sustainability, Management Education, and Professions: A Practitioner
Perspective. In Incorporating Sustainability in Management Education (pp. 195-214).
Palgrave Macmillan, Cham.
Johari, J. 2019. SUSTAINABILITY REPORTING AND FIRM PERFORMANCE: EVIDENCE
IN MALAYSIA.International Journal of Accounting. 4(17). pp.32-45.
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