McDonald’s Shareholder Proposal Seeks Report on Policy Response to Obesity Concerns
The Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia, who hold about $2,000 of common
stock in McDonald’s Corp., joined by nuns from orders in other states, have
reportedly submitted a shareholder proposal seeking a report “within
six months of the 2011 annual meeting, assessing the company’s policy
responses to public concerns regarding linkages of fast food to childhood
obesity, diet-related diseases and other impacts on children’s health.” They
also want to know how these public concerns potentially affect “the company’s
finances and operations.”
The “whereas” clause of the proposal contends that “the contribution of the fast food industry to the global epidemic of childhood obesity and to diet-related disease, such as diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular disease, have become a major public issue,” and cites a number of studies about the incidence and costs of obesity, as well as actions taken by policymakers involving fast food marketing to children and menu-labeling. The shareholders also note that the Center for Science in the Public Interest released a report in 2009 showing that 88 percent of the foods the company markets to children “under the industry’s voluntary marketing initiative, the Children’s Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative, met no third-party nutrition standard.” See The Wall Street Journal, March 4, 2011.
