When thousands of people embrace their responsibility to our neighborhoods, the results can be astounding. Since its beginning, Applebee’s has recognized their responsibility to operate with ethical business practices and to be a force for social good. This makes sense as it resonates with their associates, franchisees, and most importantly their guests, who are looking more and more closely at how all businesses contribute to society. Applebee’s strives to make a positive impact in the neighborhoods they serve because they believe it is their responsibility. In fact, they have seen firsthand that embracing responsibility in the neighborhoods builds value for guests, associates and franchisees. Applebee’s has organized their social responsibility efforts into categories that include: focus on Caring for the Environment, Supporting their Neighborhoods and Valuing their Associates.
Caring for the Environment: From the food sold to the buildings in which Applebee’s is housed, the business affects the environment. In addition to complying with applicable laws and regulations, the Applebee’s team works to promote compliance among their suppliers. As for the concern for animals, Applebee’s believes in and supports efforts within and outside of the industry to improve the welfare of farm animals. They also rely on experts in the field, such as Dr. Jeffrey Armstrong of the Michigan State University College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, to provide scientific guidance on animal welfare issues. Applebee’s accounts for only a small fraction of the animal-based products purchased each year in the U.S., making their ability to impact industry-wide practices somewhat limited. Regardless, they continue to explore opportunities to improve the treatment of farm animals within the context of the business and the industry. As for the environment, they continue to look for new ways to reduce their impact on the environment through improvements in how they supply, design, build and maintain the restaurants. In fact, the Applebee’s Restaurant Support Center, located in Lenexa, KS is a LEED Certified building and is engaged in a variety of recycling efforts. As of July 2009, Applebee’s has recycled nearly 49 tons of paper material since opening the building in late 2007.
Support for the Neighborhoods: Applebee’s values the neighborhoods in which they do business. They recognize that their success depends not only on the skill sets and contributions of their associates and the relationships they foster with their franchisees, but also on the health and prosperity of the communities in which they do business. Applebee’s has seen clear and tangible results through their efforts in supporting programs that care for children and improve education. Their franchisees are a significant source of inspiration and commitment to the neighborhoods. Last year, Applebee’s franchisees’ employees donated 54,000 hours of community service with an average of 30 employees per restaurant donating their time. They hope to make a difference by giving back in the communities where they operate. Every year Applebee’s Services and its franchisees host hundreds of fundraisers and events across the country. Results from various fundraisers include: Alex’s Lemonade Stand (since 2005 raised $1.2 million), Make-A-Wish Foundation (raised $300,000 in 2008) and The V Foundation for Cancer Research (more than $120,000 donated in 2008).
Valuing their Associates: Applebee’s believes their corporate responsibility begins with their associates. They have programs designed to attract, retain and engage a diverse and talented workforce – programs like the tuition reimbursement programs or the benefits package. Applebee’s values, encourages and recognizes the diversity of their workforce. They embrace personal differences—whether it be race, gender, age, religion, culture, ethnicity, sexual orientation, veteran status, national origin or physical ability—and the benefits that an array of backgrounds, cultures and thinking styles bring to theirorganization. After all, the heart and soul of their brand is the people who take pride in their job and help those around them. Their associates are integral to their success. While the world and the business change rapidly, respecting individual differences will continue to be essential to Applebee’s long-term success.
