Speaker Profile Thumbnail for Bob Langert

Author of The Battle To Do Good | Senior Sustainability Associate at The Context Network | Speaker on Leadership and Environmental Sustainability

Bob Langert Speaking Fee: $10,000 to $20,000

Author of The Battle To Do Good | Senior Sustainability Associate at The Context Network | Speaker on Leadership and Environmental Sustainability

Speaker Profile Thumbnail for Bob Langert
Speaking Fee:
$10,000 to $20,000

Travels From:
ORD - Chicago (All Airports)

Primary Topic Category:
Leadership and Management

Secondary Topic Category:
Environment

 

Bob Langert Speaker Profile: At A Glance

Bob Langert is a sustainability leader with decades of experience in corporate social responsibility. As the former Vice President of Sustainability at McDonald's, he played a key role in shaping the company's environmental and social impact initiatives. He is the author of The Battle to Do Good, which provides an inside look at McDonald's sustainability journey. Currently, he serves as a Senior Sustainability Associate at The Context Network and Editor at Large for GreenBiz. Langert speaks globally on leadership, business sustainability, and corporate responsibility, offering practical insights from his extensive career.

Bob Langert's journey into corporate sustainability began in the late 1980s when he took on the role of leading environmental affairs at McDonald's. At a time when environmental concerns were gaining prominence, Langert found himself at the forefront of integrating sustainability into a global business model. His early efforts focused on addressing packaging waste and energy consumption, setting the stage for McDonald's long-term commitment to environmental responsibility. Over the next 25 years, Langert expanded his scope to encompass a wide array of social responsibility initiatives. He was instrumental in advancing sustainable sourcing practices for fish, coffee, palm oil, and beef. Collaborating with organizations like the World Wildlife Fund and Conservation International, he worked to ensure that McDonald's supply chain upheld environmental and ethical standards. His leadership also extended to improving animal welfare practices and protecting critical ecosystems, such as the Amazon rainforest. In 2006, Langert was appointed as McDonald's first Vice President of Sustainability. In this role, he developed the company's 2020 Sustainability Vision and Framework, a comprehensive plan addressing issues from nutrition and packaging to climate change and social responsibility. His ability to engage with diverse stakeholders—including NGOs, industry experts, and internal teams—was pivotal in driving meaningful change within the organization. After retiring from McDonald's in 2015, Langert continued to share his expertise as a columnist and editor-at-large for GreenBiz Group. He also serves as a Senior Sustainability Associate at The Context Network, focusing on advancing sustainable practices in agribusiness. In 2019, he authored The Battle To Do Good: Inside McDonald's Sustainability Journey, offering an insider's perspective on the challenges and triumphs of embedding sustainability in a global corporation. Langert's career reflects a steadfast dedication to bridging the gap between business objectives and societal expectations. Through his writing, consulting, and speaking engagements, he continues to inspire organizations to embrace sustainability not just as a responsibility, but as an opportunity for innovation and growth.
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