Top Ten Enterprise Customers

10. McDonald's

Boo. Hiss. Yes, we hear you, but McDonald's represents one of the few companies on the list whose actions in the future will likely touch upon, and affect, nearly every greentech market: transportation, electricity, buildings and efficiency, food and drink, waste and recycling, and health management. Although McDonald's seems to be prodded more by shareholders than internal momentum, the company is trying to figure out ways to survey pesticide use in potatoes, recycle deep fat fryer drippings into biodiesel, reduce greenhouse gases associated with raising cattle, buy fish more sustainably, get suppliers to reduce water and energy consumption, and taking other actions. Here, take a look at the scorecard. 

The challenges here are: 1.) Cost; and 2.) The indirect control it has over suppliers on one hand and franchises on the other. There are 31,000 outlets after all and the company sources all of its food. A noted report from Claremont McKenna College in 2006 gave the chain high marks but also complained about vagueness on some issues. Still, this is a company that understands PR and the effect of shaving a few cents out of packaging can go a long way so expect progress here.