The event began with coffee and refreshments, followed by welcome remarks from the Chamber’s Manufacturing, Sourcing, Supply Chain and Customs Committee (MSSC) Co-Chair David Song, Director of Supply Chain Strategy & Transformation at Cummins China. Cheng Zhou, Government Affairs Director at McDonald’s, also warmly welcomed the group, highlighting the company’s commitment to sustainability.
Led by the restaurant’s general manager, attendees toured the site beginning on the third floor, where rooftop solar panels power the entire restaurant and even provide surplus electricity to a neighboring building. A group photo was taken with the solar array as a backdrop. The tour continued to the second-floor balcony, offering sweeping views of Shougang Park, and then to the first floor, where the group explored green innovations such as bike-powered phone chargers, app-based drive-thru pickup, and real-time carbon savings displays.
Following the tour, participants engaged in a salon discussion on sustainable supply chains. McDonald’s shared details of its Shenzhen branch—the first in China and potentially the world to achieve all four LEED Net Zero certifications—highlighting features like solar energy, rainwater recycling, composting with black soldier flies, and carbon-sequestering bricks. Attendees also learned about the company’s Global Innovation Lab in Chicago, which designs sustainable elements for McDonald’s stores worldwide. Cohorts contributed insights on their own companies’ ESG strategies, reaffirming the critical role of sustainability in future business growth.
The event concluded with a McDonald’s dinner, where attendees sampled new products including the new cage-free chicken wings, ending the day on a high note