McDonald's, 38 years after the first opening, has cut the ribbon of 700 restaurants in Italy, celebrating itself as a company that seems more "Italian" - in terms of suppliers and as a promoter of many excellent PDO and PGI products - in a Roman event which saw the debut of the new head of the group in Italy.

“The opening of the seven hundredth restaurant is a bit of an excuse to celebrate all the work done in Italy in these thirty-eight years", began Giorgia Favaro , CEO of the company for a few months and the first woman in Italy to hold this role in Mc Donald's. "This company has grown a lot thanks to the 150 entrepreneurs who work throughout the national territory and who, thanks to their everyday commitment, manage to create a positive impact on the communities in which they are present".

"7 times a hundred", seven areas of concrete commitment in which Mc Donald's is 100% committed, hence the name given to the celebration: support for supply chains in difficulty, support for the Ronald Mc Donald foundation, fight against food poverty, fight against violence gender, work inclusion of vulnerable people, career opportunities for young people and women and commitment to the environment and sustainability.

85% of the suppliers are Italian companies that supply the company with 140 thousand tons of products from all over the territory, of which 6,700 tons of DOP and IGP raw materials, 20 products that since 2008 have found expression in 45 different preparations.

With the latest news: Mc Donald's has decided to establish a collaboration with the Emilia Romagna PGI pear consortium. “An important initiative which is not only a sign of attention towards our region from which Mc Donald's draws a lot in terms of suppliers and branded products of origin that it uses in its restaurants" declared Alessio Mammi , councilor for agriculture and agri-food, hunting and fishing from Emilia Romagna. The Pera dell'Emilia Romagna PGI will soon enter menus, in a dish and formulation that is still secret.

Applause also from the owner of Masaf. “It is an expression and a way to implement a synergy that can enhance Italian products, both through classic distribution but also with food education that can also arise with a food re-education of ancient flavors that are, for a thousand reasons, rediscovered in other places ", said Francesco Lollobrigida , Minister of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry. "A boy rarely eats Montasio or other excellent products that have been included in McDonald's menus”.

But the commitment to sustainability goes beyond food.   Ten years ago, in 2014, Mc Donald's was the first Italian restaurant company to collaborate with the CasaClima Agency to create restaurants with low environmental impact in terms of materials, use of resources and energy funds. Furthermore, the company wanted to commit to the environment and towards a circular and sustainable economy: Mc Donald's packaging is more than 90% made of paper, and is recyclable or recycled and comes from sustainable and certified sources. An important result that was possible thanks to the support of Comieco and Altroconsumo, to which is added the commitment towards the environment, the closest one, with information and education campaigns on separate waste collection and days to fight against the uncontrolled dispersion of waste, in collaboration with FISE Assoambiente and Utilitalia.

Another important chapter is social sustainability. For twenty-five years in Italy the Ronald Mc Donald Foundation has supported the families of sick children, and does so through nine reception programmes, five Ronald Houses in the area and four family rooms with which it has helped over 50 thousand children and their families, with more than 300 thousand overnight stays. “Seven hundred, seven times a hundred, are the kilometers that a family from Bari travels to be treated at Meyer - the general director of the Ronald McDonald Foundation, Maria Chiara Roti, wanted to specify as an example - 7000 euros that the family could spend for the health migration. Our homes are not just accommodation, but a place and community where we welcome."

Last, but not the least, the commitment to work and equality. In addition to the leadership of the first female CEO, out of 35,000 employees in Italy 62% are women and 55% are under 29 years old, furthermore 92% are employed with a stable contractual form. There is no hesitation in saying that gender equality is largely outdated and the attention to the protection and safety of women is also evident in the information campaign “You are not alone. Let us help you" in collaboration with Differenza Donna which has brought, first in three cities and from this month, stickers with the number 1522 in the bathrooms of all McDonald's restaurants. “Those who suffer violence and find the number 1522 understand that they have a hope of saving themselves - said Elisa Ercoli , President of Differenza Donna - We have had several situations in which women have called after reading the number in a McDonald's. It is a happy meeting that allows us to facilitate access and knowledge to many women, even to a very young audience because violence concerns them too".