our community

McDonald’s is proud to play an active role in neighbourhoods all over Australia. One of the ways in which we do this is by supporting groups and charities that are important to our customers or that make a difference to the lives of Australians.

At the heart of our commitment to giving back to the community is Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC). RMHC is one of Australia’s major children’s charities and helps thousands of seriously ill children and their families every year.

To raise funds for RMHC, McHappy Day is held annually and everyone in the McDonald’s business – franchisees, crew, managers, head office staff and suppliers – participates in some way. Celebrities and local personalities join in the fun and one dollar from every Big Mac sold is donated to RMHC. Other products and merchandise are also sold to contribute to the fundraising.

Beyond RMHC our focus is on supporting activities, events and groups that help Australians, especially young people, to:


Lead active lifestyles 

Lead active lifestyles

Our focus is on activities that improve the health and well being of Australian children. We contribute to sporting organisations that develop kids’ sports skills and provide opportunities for them to play. Hundreds of sporting clubs across Australia benefit from the support of their local McDonald’s restaurant and in some states restaurants work together to support state wide programs.

  • McDonald’s restaurants are a major supporter of Little Athletics in New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, Tasmania, Western Australia and South Australia. The relationship is designed to encourage more children to participate in this fun, family oriented sport.
  • McDonald’s Hooptime program is part of Basketball Victoria’s junior development program. It includes a series of one day round robin games for primary school basketball teams and ongoing McDonald’s Skill, Fun and Play days designed to introduce kids to basketball.
  • McDonald’s is a major sponsor of Swimming Queensland and this involvement includes sponsorship of selected swimming meets, and support for programs designed to encourage children to compete and have fun.
  • McDonald’s restaurants in South Australia are the major sponsor of the South Australian National Football League junior development program. The sponsorship includes coaching clinics for kids just starting out playing football and covers all levels of the junior sport up to the elite U18 competition. The goal of the junior development program is to increase participation in Aussie Rules and encourage more kids to be active.
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Develop skills and encourage learning 

Develop skills and encourage learning

Whether it is through working collaboratively with the education sector or providing the funds for a young dancer to pursue a performance career, McDonald’s is committed to supporting programs that develop talent, build skills and support the learning of young people.

  • The McDonald’s Virtual Business Program is a business enterprise program that involves collaboration between a secondary school, a local McDonald’s franchisee and Virtual Enterprise Australia. As part of their learning experience students establish and run their own simulated business that trades across Australia with other student run virtual businesses. The unique feature of this initiative is the advice and support provided by a local McDonald’s franchisee who brings business experience and knowledge into the classroom.
  • McDonald’s has sponsored the McDonald’s Sydney Eisteddfod for the past 20 years. The Eisteddfod is believed to be the largest competitive performing arts festival in the world. As well as the overall sponsorship, McDonald’s funds two of the Eisteddfod’s major scholarship events providing young performing artists with the chance to pursue professional careers.
  • The McDonald’s Camp Quality Puppet Program educates primary school aged children throughout Australia about childhood cancers and the effects of treatment. McDonald’s has been supporting the program, which was developed to facilitate a smooth return to school for children who had received cancer treatment, since 1990.
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Care for our environment 

Care for our environment

As part of our environment strategy, we support organisations and initiatives that foster an understanding of environmental issues and provide practical support to building sustainable communities.

  • McDonald’s has been a sponsor of Clean Up Australia and its major annual event, Clean Up Australia Day, since its inception in 1989. Each year, in addition to the national sponsorship, McDonald’s crew and managers join their local communities to help clean up rubbish in the area. Some restaurants are also venues for the collection of mobile phones for recycling.
  • Held for the first time in 2007, Earth Hour is designed to clearly connect energy use with climate change and to show that small actions can make a real difference to global warming. McDonald’s has been a supporter of this initiative run by the World Wildlife Fund since its inception in 2007.
  • McDonald’s supports and assists Fire & Rescue NSW to protect life, property and the environment in the communities where we operate. Fire & Rescue NSW is one of the world’s largest urban fire and rescue services, with more than 338 Fire Stations across the state servicing more than 90 per cent of the state’s population. The Fire & Rescue NSW partnership provides us with an opportunity to really make a difference in the lives of NSW families by assisting to educate children and adults about the dangers of house fires and the steps that they can take to be prepared.

For more information about McDonald’s commitment to the community please download our 2010 Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability Report.

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