Better Health for All

Restaurant Brands International (RBI) faces significant challenges regarding the nutritional quality of its core products, reflected in a weak nutrition score of 3.8/30.

There is no evidence of broad sugar or fat reduction or increased fruits and vegetables in its offerings, and the company has not established global targets for nutritional improvement, though Burger King US achieved an 18% sodium reduction. All of RBI's revenue is from food and agriculture, with a high percentage likely from products with negative health outcomes. The company provides nutrition, allergen, and ingredient information, but has an opportunity to make it more visible to consumers. However, RBI demonstrates strong food safety practices, requiring Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) certifications for over 3,000 suppliers and 4,000 farms, conducting annual audits, and implementing rigorous third-party restaurant inspections. The company has committed to eliminating PFAS, chemicals linked to various health problems and identified as global pollutants, from its food packaging globally by 2025. This commitment represents a substantial preventative health measure and a significant effort to mitigate health externalities.

Fair Money & Economic Opportunity

Restaurant Brands International (RBI) is a quick-service restaurant company and does not offer lending or deposit services to consumers, nor does it provide debt products or operate financial service access points. Therefore, KPIs related to consumer financial products, pricing, and customer financial outcomes are not applicable. While RBI provided $70 million USD in cash advances and rebates to North American restaurant owners and offered rent relief during the pandemic, and its Popeyes brand partnered with the National Urban League to onboard diverse franchisees, these activities do not constitute a 'loan/insurance book' or 'community finance reinvestment' as defined by the KPIs.

Similarly, donations to the Red Cross and an employee support fund do not fit the specific criteria for profit reinvestment.

Fair Pay & Worker Respect

Restaurant Brands International (RBI) reported an employee turnover rate of 150%, which is the highest among any industry in the U.S.

The CEO-to-median employee pay ratio for RBI was 919:1 in 2023, with the CEO earning $29 million and the median worker earning $31,525. Employee satisfaction, based on an overall Glassdoor rating, stands at 3.4 out of 5 stars (68%). The company has incurred $1,339,559 in financial penalties across 41 records from 2000-present, with $1,045,415 related to employment offenses, including wage and hour violations and workplace safety violations. RBI requires its vendors to provide wages, benefits, and overtime premiums that meet or exceed minimum legal or local industry standards. The company also maintains a human rights grievance mechanism accessible to all workers and external stakeholders, and an ethics hotline for reporting violations. The U.S. federal minimum wage has been $7.25 per hour since 2009, while the estimated living wage is $16.54 per hour.

Fair Trade & Ethical Sourcing

Supplier compliance audits are conducted at least annually.

In 2018, RBI committed to a pilot verification program at the farm level for coffee, a commodity identified by the US Department of Labor as having child labor risks in certain sourcing jurisdictions.

Honest & Fair Business

Restaurant Brands International (RBI) has a formal Whistle Blowing Policy, last revised in August 2024.

This policy includes a toll-free reporting line and an anonymous ethics hotline (EthicsPoint), and it explicitly prohibits retaliation for good faith reporting. Complaints are investigated by a Responsible Officer or General Counsel who reports to the Audit Committee, which oversees the process and determines action. All employees in global restaurant support centers, field-based roles, or distribution/manufacturing facilities are required to certify annually their adherence to the Code of Business Ethics and Conduct, which encompasses the whistleblowing policy. A quarterly compliance training program is provided for employees, with completion tied to the annual bonus program. Additionally, RBI maintains an anti-bribery policy that prohibits actions violating anti-corruption laws, including the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and the Canada Corruption of Foreign Public Officials Act (CFPOA). Employees who interact with government officials receive regular anti-corruption training.

Kind to Animals

Restaurant Brands International (RBI) sources 39% of its global egg requirements from markets transitioning to 100% cage-free eggs, including Australia, the UK, New Zealand, the US, Western Europe, Latin America, and Canada Burger King/Popeyes.

Specifically, Burger King in Australia, New Zealand, and the UK currently uses 100% cage-free eggs.

No War, No Weapons

No specific, concrete data points related to the 'No War, No Weapons' ethical value were found across the provided articles for QSR.US.

The articles explicitly state that no relevant data is provided for this category, focusing instead on general sustainability initiatives, ethical conduct, and human rights policies without quantifiable metrics or direct applicability to military, defense, or conflict-related activities.

Planet-Friendly Business

Restaurant Brands International has a net-zero emissions target set for 2050.

The company set SBTi science-based targets in 2021, aligned with a 1.5°C pathway, with a target year of 2030. These SBTi targets require revalidation due to the 2021 acquisition of Firehouse Subs, which led to expanded emissions reporting in 2022. The company's reports do not mention any environmental compliance violations.

Respect for Cultures & Communities

Restaurant Brands International (RBI) has established three formal partnerships with indigenous or local community groups. These include a 5-year, C$5 million partnership with the Justice Fund, announced in September 2022, which supports Black, Indigenous, and youth of color from under-resourced communities.

RBI also maintains a partnership with Special Olympics Canada and Burger King has a $10 million, five-year plan with Cargill and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to support cattle ranchers in six southern Great Plains states. No cultural appropriation incidents have been reported for QSR.US or its brands in the provided articles. Furthermore, the company demonstrated a response to cultural incidents by initiating the Orange Sprinkle Donut campaign in 2021, following the discovery of unmarked graves at a former residential school in Kamloops, British Columbia.

Safe & Smart Tech

Restaurant Brands International invested $22 million in cybersecurity, which represents approximately 0.32% of its 2023 revenue of $6.82 billion.

The company experienced a data breach in April 2023, which involved unauthorized access to customer and employee data and led to legal complications. Its privacy policy states that users can manage accounts, modify or delete data, opt-out of targeted advertising, and exercise California privacy rights. The policy also indicates that data is kept only as long as needed for collection purposes and legal and regulatory requirements.