TEDxUSFQ - Gina Castagneto | Gina Castagneto | TEDxUSFQ

Youth Empowerment & First Job Opportunities - McDonald's recognizes the power of first opportunities, having provided first jobs to over 25,000 young people in the last 27 years [13] - The company emphasizes the importance of youth as a driver of change and acknowledges the need to address youth unemployment, citing that 24% of young people between 18 and 29 years old in Ecuador are neither working nor studying [14] - McDonald's empowers youth, with 89% of its 2,000+ employees in the country being centennials/Generation Z [13] Leadership & Corporate Values - The company believes that every person is important in an organization, regardless of their role [4] - Leadership is not a title but service, especially during crisis [18] - Leadership requires making difficult decisions and is for the brave, with resilience being a key ingredient [12] Diversity, Inclusion & Sustainability - McDonald's is committed to diversity and inclusion, with 53% of its restaurant managers being women [27] - The company is focused on sustainability through initiatives like circular economy, reintegrating post-consumer cardboard cups into the production of napkins and paper towels for restaurant use [26] Local Sourcing & Economic Impact - McDonald's emphasizes its commitment to local suppliers, with 85% of its suppliers in the country being Ecuadorian [25] - The company highlights successful cases like Pacari and Zamorano, whose products are now part of McDonald's ingredients and are being exported to other Latin American countries [25]