McDonald's VP talks about improved sustainability: They're lovin' it

McDonalds (MCD) has been vilified by a number of movies and books, including Fast Food Nation. The company is a favorite punching bag for environmental and nutritional activists. While Big Mac's are hardly health food, the company has diversified its menu to offer healthier choices. McDonald's has also mounted a steady and sustained effort to improve its environmental practices by reducing energy and water usage and enforcing higher levels of sustainability among its network of suppliers. We spoke with McDonald's VP of Corporate Social Responsibility Bob Langert about efforts underway at "the Golden Arches" to make the company a better global citizen. Here's an edited excerpt.

Daily Finance: McDonald's has made an explicit push to enhance sustainability with its policy and operational changes. Could you talk about this a little?

Langert: We have done a lot already in terms of improving our sustainability. And we would like to have continued progress in our sustainable supply chain efforts. The supply chain represents 80 percent of our footprint.