The company on its website acknowledged that the industry lacks “a universal definition of sustainable beef” and has collaborated with World Wildlife Fund, Cargill, Walmart and JBS, among others, on its Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef. That project started in 2011 and is now drafting “guiding principles and best practices” for sustainable beef.

The company outlined its aspirations as threefold: Support development of global principles and criteria in 2014; develop targets for purchasing verified sustainable beef; and begin purchasing verified sustainable beef during 2016.

Outlined as its visions: the company wants to optimize cattle’s impact with ecosystems and nutrient cycles; positively impact the lives of their employees and the communities in which they operate; and care for the welfare of cattle throughout their lives.

Bob Langert, McDonald’s vice president for global sustainability, told greenbiz.com the company hasn’t set a specific quantity it will purchase in 2016, and acknowledged that the all-sustainable beef goal may require more years of effort.

“We’ve upped our game related to how we’re approaching corporate social responsibility and sustainability at McDonald’s,” said Langert. The sustainable beef goal, “fits into a big picture where senior leadership says we need to do more, take a bigger stake, be a bigger leader and connect with consumers more. Beef is one of the lead things coming out of that effort. We have internal alignment, support, budget, supplier support and the tactical plan to achieve that aspiration to start buying sustainable beef in 2016.”

The company’s website also notes that it is collaborating with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, among other groups, to build the sustainable concepts it will apply. In three workshops held in 2013, the company created expert panels and discussions focusing on the topic and educating supply-chain participants. It also aims to “create an understanding of the challenges facing farmers and ranchers and the importance of involving them in broader sustainability discussions.”