Arcos Dorados Provided Close to 400 Thousand Training Opportunities to Young People in Latin America and the Caribbean in 2021

May 18, 2022 /3BL Media/ - Arcos Dorados, the franchise that operates the McDonald’s brand in 20 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, released its eighth Social Impact and Sustainable Development Report, highlighting the latest developments related to its ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) initiatives and policies during 2021. The report, the only ESG report in the quick service restaurant industry in the region to include audited content, shows the evolution and strengthening of the Company’s socio-environmental commitments, included in its Recipe for the Future ESG platform. Among the many accomplishments in 2021 are the nearly 400,000 training opportunities for young people, who were disproportionately affected by the socioeconomic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.

As one of the main generators of first formal employment in the region, with 60% of its employees aged 16 to 24, the Company promotes employability, education and training projects through partnerships with more than 30 NGOs in the region. The newest initiative in 2021 was the launch of a free educational platform available to everyone: MCampus Community, which already has more than 40 thousand registered users. The digital courses offered through the online platform of Hamburger University (McDonald’s Corporate University) provide highly relevant content for young people who wish to acquire new skills for their professional future. In addition, through the same university, Arcos Dorados facilitates continuing education for its employees, focusing on leadership, performance and organizational culture. Based on these initiatives, added to the continuous training conducted in its more than 2,250 restaurants throughout the region, it has generated more than 1.6 million professional training opportunities from 2018 to the end of 2021.

“We are committed to being part of the solution to one of the biggest challenges facing young Latin Americans, which, in turn, was accentuated by the pandemic: unemployment and lack of educational opportunities. Against this backdrop, we not only promote inclusion and social mobility through new formal jobs, but we also offer important, free training programs so that anyone, whether or not they work for us, can acquire the necessary tools to expand their professional potential. I am very proud to know that with our efforts and those of our partner NGOs, we are very close to exceeding our public commitment to reduce the barriers to entry into the formal workforce to 2 million young people by the year 2025” - Gabriel Serber, Vice President of Social Commitment and Sustainable Development at Arcos Dorados.

In addition to highlighting the Company’s progress in its commitments related to training and employment opportunities for young people, the Social Impact and Sustainable Development Report summarizes the main facts and figures associated with each of the other pillars of its Recipe for the Future ESG platform. In terms of sustainable sourcing, 98.5% of its coffee comes from certified sources and 100% of its fiber-based packaging is FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified, which guarantees responsible forest management and controlled raw material treatment. In order to promote the circular economy, the Company recovered more than 4.4 million liters of cooking oil in all restaurants, most of which was converted into biodiesel. In matters of diversity and inclusion, in 2021 the Company increased female representation in senior positions, from 6% to 20%, and trained more than 70,000 employees on this topic. Regarding the Commitment to Families pillar, 100% of the Company’s restaurants were audited at least once by an external entity to ensure the highest food safety standards. With a focus on combating climate change, Arcos Dorados is committed to reducing its carbon footprint throughout its value chain, including that of its suppliers, by 31% by 2030, making it the first and only Company in its industry in Latin America to issue a financial bond linked to sustainability. 

These, as well as other important figures, have, once again, been audited by the firm Ernst & Young, which formally guarantees the legitimacy and accuracy of this content. In addition, the document has been prepared in accordance with the best international practices of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and in compliance with the standards of the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB).

To learn more about Arcos Dorados’ ongoing ESG initiatives, visit the Social Impact and Sustainable Development Report: Latin America and the Caribbean 2021 available at www.recipeforthefuture.com.

About Arcos Dorados

Arcos Dorados is the world’s largest independent McDonald’s franchisee, operating the largest quick service restaurant chain in Latin America and the Caribbean. It has the exclusive right to own, operate and grant franchises of McDonald’s restaurants in 20 Latin American and Caribbean countries and territories with more than 2,250 restaurants, operated by the Company or by its sub-franchisees, that together employ over 90 thousand people (as of 03/31/2022). The Company is also committed to the development of the communities in which it operates, to providing young people their first formal job opportunities and to utilize its Recipe for the Future to achieve a positive environmental impact. Arcos Dorados is listed for trading on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: ARCO). To learn more about the Company, please visit the Investors section of our website: www.arcosdorados.com/.