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McDonald's board chair says Dr. King's words live on in Ronald McDonald House Charities

Photo: Ronald McDonald House Charities in a 2018 photograph from the company.

February 2, 2021 by Enrique Hernandez, Jr.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is only a couple of weeks behind us, and after all that happened in 2020, Dr. King's "Where Do We Go From Here?" address seems especially poignant now, more than 50 years later.

In this particular speech, Dr. King says, "We must walk on in the days ahead with an audacious faith in the future." For all the challenges that 2021 will no doubt bring, I have personally seen countless examples of genuine selflessness in response to the difficulties of the last year that leave me inspired to do better for those around me and for the future we all share.

McDonald's Board Chair Enrique Hernandez, Jr. (Photo provided)

Ronald McDonald House Charities has been flying the flag for altruism for over four decades, quietly giving hope to families around the world by providing comfort, support and resources when they are most needed. Serving on the organization's board of trustees is perhaps my greatest source of professional pride.

This is not only because it is a truly selfless cause that helps families through struggle and heartbreak regardless of what is happening in the outside world, but because it is a reminder that authenticity, integrity and dignity go hand in hand.

We can all learn from this, both in our personal lives and how we conduct ourselves professionally. In a time when many are seeking a true purpose beyond words on a page, we recognize at McDonald's that this must begin with authenticity. Not in spite of being a global corporation, but because we are one — with all the responsibility that comes with serving, together with our franchisees, nearly 65 million customers a day.

Inspired by what RMHC has instilled in us, and after a period of reflection last year, McDonald's redefined what we stand to do in the world — becoming a more holistic brand driven by a purpose to feed and foster communities.

I am especially proud of a new purpose-driven commitment we launched in November 2020 called #HereForRMHC. As part of the campaign, McDonald's committed $100 million to Ronald McDonald House Charities over the next five years.

Now, while the financial commitment is something to celebrate, sustaining meaningful change will require dedicated and concerted action. While it may be less obvious, it is perhaps more reassuring for the future of our communities that the initiative was inspired by the tens of millions of customers who told us that McDonald's legacy of caring for neighbors matters to them.

After a year-long global exercise spent listening to our customers, our franchisees, our suppliers and our employees to better understand what they value most about McDonald's, that was my main lesson. It is imperative for companies to give back, but my challenge for us all is to focus on what we can all do directly to make our communities better places.

Philanthropy is an important means, but altruism is the authentic and impactful way in which we can all make an immediate difference. That is what RMHC lives by. It is what so many McDonald's customers live by. And it is something we can all learn from.

Today, customers' expectations of a modern corporation are shifting. We owe it to them to listen and respond, and I am encouraged heading into the new year by the many examples of businesses already rising to meet the challenge of these new expectations.

I look forward to McDonald's next chapter and how we will continue to deliver on our purpose inspired by the authentic kindness and generosity of our customers and the entire McDonald's system.

I also look forward to seeing more change brought about by those on the front lines of businesses and in communities, whose individual acts of altruism help to make a much bigger difference than they realize. They embody the idea that the future of the modern corporation is about delivering results both for a business and for its communities.

My hope for 2021 and beyond is that — to paraphrase Dr. King — our audacious faith in the future proves to be true.

Social Responsibility LeadershipMcDonald's

About Enrique Hernandez, Jr.

Mr. Hernandez was elected Non-Executive Chairman of McDonald’s Corporation in May 2016. He has served on the Board as an independent Director since 1996 and most recently chaired the Audit Committee. A current member of the Harvard College Visiting and Harvard University Resources Committees and The John Randolph Haynes and Dora Haynes Foundation. Mr. Hernandez earned a bachelor's degree in government and economics from Harvard University and received his law degree from The Harvard Law School.