Rokiah Mahmud
We have just passed the month of Ramadhan, a time that sees people from all walks of life share the spirit of generosity and compassion by helping those in need. Some communities not only contribute cash, but also food.
Among those to lend a helping hand was McDonald’s Brunei.
During Ramadhan, McDonald’s Brunei made food donations to mosques as part of its corporate social responsibility (CSR).
According to Marketing Associate of Makan Ceria Sdn Bhd (McDonald’s Brunei) Ikhwan bin Ibrahim, “At McDonald’s Brunei, we believe in giving back to the community we serve. The donation project carried out at several mosques in the country was part of our CSR platform dubbed Indahnya Bersedekah.
“It was inspired by the holy month of Ramadhan that emphasises generosity and compassion,” he added. “We wanted to find a way to support those who are in need, particularly in the month of Ramadhan… food donation seems to be the best way in doing that. Over time, the project has evolved into a major initiative that involves our employees, suppliers as well as our customers”.
“For this, we are happy and proud to see the impact it had not only among us, the employees, and suppliers but also our community.”
Ikhwan noted that the project has been held since 2014.
“We have been able to provide thousands of meals to mosques nationwide, including to those in need and the underprivileged to help them to celebrate Ramadhan with joy and happiness.”
He added that the process in selecting and collaborating with mosques and other organisations in distributing the food is critical.
For distribution, McDonald’s Brunei partnered with reputable organisations that have a track record of serving the community, such as Brunei Darussalam Red Crescent Society (BRC) and Malam Minggu Pusat Belia (MMPB).
“We work closely with them to coordinate logistics for the food distribution, ensuring that the food is being distributed well, safely, efficiently and in an equitable manner. In ensuring that all foods are safe for consumption, McDonald’s adheres to strict food safety and quality standards.
“For the Indahnya Bersedekah project, McDonald’s Brunei has been contributing a significant sum, which varies from year to year, depending on the need. For this year, McDonald’s distributed food to a total of 34 mosques, with an estimated 1,700 meals to the community.”
The impact of Indahnya Bersedekah can be seen among the beneficiaries as they often struggle to make ends meet during Ramadhan.
“We also see the impact from our employees; we can see and track our progress in meeting our own internal goals and objectives, looking at the number of meals donated, satisfaction of our partners and beneficiaries, as well as the overall effectiveness of the project,” said Ikhwan.
He highlighted that such a CSR project has become part of the annual activity for McDonald’s Brunei. “We believe that it is an integral part of our values and goals.
“With a brand purpose to feed and foster closer ties with the Bruneian community, and making feel-good moments easy for everyone, serving the community is part of our DNA,” he said.
He added, “Our mission is to make a positive impact on the communities we serve, and our CSR initiatives, including the Indahnya Bersedekah project, are an important way for us to achieve this goal. “We are committed to being responsible corporate citizens, and our CSR efforts align with one of our core values – that is community connection.”
