Corporate Responsibility Monday’s seeks to inform you about the corporations from which you consume. I’ll be highlighting a company that seems to be getting the Responsibility part right, and my partner in this Tag Team endeavor, Josh, will be highlighting a company that seems to be slacking on it’s responsibility. The goal always is to inform you, and hopefully to encourage you to make choices with your lifestyle and purchases that are more inline with your ethics then you currently are. This week, we’re talking about fast food. Be sure to check out Josh’s post on an irresponsible company (and no it’s not the golden arches, you already know not to eat there).

Chipotle’s Food With Integrity
Their website explains it well:

“Food With Integrity” isn’t a marketing slogan. It’s not a product line of natural and organic foods. And it’s not a corporate initiative that will ever be finished or set aside to make room for other priorities. It’s a philosophy that we can always do better in terms of the food we buy. And when we say better, we mean better in every sense of the word- better tasting, coming from better sources, better for the environment, better for the animals, and better for the farmers who raise the animals and grow the produce.

Which is why we’re highlighting Chipotle this week as a company that is making an effort to be a business that supports and values the same things that we do. I mean any fast food corporation that is willing to put “Fast Food Nation” on their list for ‘Further Reading’ must be doing something right.

Chipotle’s commitment hasn’t stopped at food either. They’ve been making strides to design their buildings, appliances and consumable goods in more sustainable ways as well. The Austin Energy group took notice of Chipotle’s Four Star energy rating and highlighted them in a case study:

Since the very beginning, Chipotle Mexican Grill has practiced “accidental sustainability” by often re-using existing buildings for their restaurants rather than building from scratch. Also, they tend to open small stores in urban settings near public transportation with easy access from residential, business, and
university areas. In general, Chipotle uses building materials that are local, readily available, and affordable. Typical in-store finishes such as stainless steel, galvanized steel, and corrugated metal are high in recycled content, durable, easy to maintain, and easily recycled. “Chipotle always practiced common sense sustainability measures because we understood the long-term economic benefits to the restaurants, especially in terms of lowering the life-cycle costs of store operations.”

A company with a recognized record like this is not just a PR stunt. Chipotle from what I can see, is truly making strides to be an example of a sustainable business. If you stop in a store you’ll notice the prices aren’t outrageous compared to any other fast food you’ll pick up. I’m not here to encourage rampant fast food consumption (a homemade burrito will definitly keep your wallet more full), but if your going out for lunch, hit up Chipotle. And if you already did this weekend, then I hope your taking advantage of the BurritoEZ.

Be sure to check out Josh’s post on greasy royalty.