SHANGHAI, China – Yum China Holdings, Inc. has published its 2024 Sustainability Report. This report outlines the achievements and ongoing progress towards Yum China’s sustainability goals in three focus areas: People, Environment and Food. Key highlights from the report include:
- Yum China is dedicated to the “People First” philosophy, focusing on effectively supporting the frontline staff and maintaining a strong connection with them. The Company continued to empower Restaurant General Managers (RGMs) through operational improvements and digital tools to help them manage routine tasks more efficiently, allowing them to focus more on customer service. Examples include centralized recruitment and the use of AI technology in initial resume screening and interview scheduling.
- Yum China strives to make sure high-performing RGMs have a stake in their collective accomplishments. By the end of 2024, the Company awarded Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) to over 14,700 RGMs. The Company is dedicated to preparing all employees to be “future-ready”. This includes offering a range of new courses on using AI tools and providing sponsorships to more than 6,800 employees for obtaining higher educational diplomas, degrees and professional accreditations.
- Yum China is vigorously driving its low-carbon transition by pursuing energy savings and adopting cost-effective, scalable renewable energy solutions where possible. In 2024, the Company increased its renewable energy usage by 370% year-over-year, while achieving an ~8% average carbon footprint reduction per restaurant compared with the previous year. In addition, the Company continued to share experience and resources on green energy transformation with key suppliers through the Yum China DPV & VPPA Alliance (the “Alliance”). Collectively, the Alliance achieved 270,000 MWh of renewable energy usage in 2024.
- Yum China is constantly innovating to reduce food waste, re-use and recycle waste materials, as well as replace the existing materials with more sustainable options when appropriate. For example, in 2024, the Company expanded its coffee grounds collection network to approximately 8,700 restaurants, recycling approximately 2,000 tons of grounds, and proactively explored the usage of recycled coffee grounds in various products.
- In 2024, Yum China responded to China’s Outline of the ‘Healthy China 2030 Plan’ and National Nutrition Plan (2017-2030), leveraging its leading food innovation capabilities and extensive supplier resources to develop a range of delicious menu items with reduced sugar and salt content. Examples include KFC’s Reduced-Salt Original Recipe Chicken Sandwich, Pizza Hut’s reduced calorie Energy Bowl, and Taco Bell’s Beef Power Bowl.
- Yum China focuses on three high-impact areas for its philanthropic initiatives – rural revitalization, health advocacy and community care. The Company’s flagship “One Yuan Donation” program, now in its 17th year, has cumulatively raised over RMB 270 million by the end of 2024, funding more than 58 million nutritious meals for children in underdeveloped regions, and modernizing kitchen facilities at over 1,500 rural schools.
“Navigating the complexities of sustainability requires innovative solutions that balance the needs of all stakeholders – employees, customers, partners, shareholders, and others.” said Joey Wat, CEO of Yum China. “In 2025 and beyond, Yum China will continue collaborating closely with stakeholders to achieve our sustainability goals. As we pursue opportunities and deliver shareholder value, we remain anchored in ethical, responsible practices – driven by our vision to build a more sustainable future for all.”
Yum China continued to receive external recognition for its sustainability initiatives in 2024.
The Company was ranked industry No.1 in S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment (CSA) and was included in the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (DJSI World) and the Dow Jones Sustainability Emerging Market Index (DJSI Emerging Markets) for the fifth consecutive year. Yum China is the only company in the consumer services industry from Mainland China to be included as a member of DJSI World.
The Company also attained the industry highest ranking (“AA”) in MSCI ESG rating.
The Company was named as a “China Top Employer” by the Top Employers Institute for the seventh consecutive year, ranked as No. 2 overall in China.
To learn more about Yum China’s ESG efforts, visit: https://www.yumchina.com/sustainability/en/home/Index
Read the full 2024 Sustainability Report here
