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Blog | Wendy’s Reflects on 2022 Corporate Responsibility Achievements

shane.ramsay@ketchum.com — Thu, 17 Nov 2022 14:33:37 +0000

Blog | Wendy’s Reflects on 2022 Corporate Responsibility Achievements shane.ramsay@k… Thu, 11/17/2022 - 08:33

Blog | Wendy’s Reflects on 2022 Corporate Responsibility Achievements

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Thu, 11/17/2022 - 12:00

Summary

Chief Corporate Affairs and Sustainability Officer, Liliana Esposito, shares progress across “Good Done Right” CSR strategy

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Liliana Esposito Headshot Image

Liliana M. Esposito

Chief Corporate Affairs & Sustainability Officer

Liliana joined the Company in June 2014 and has served as our Chief Corporate Affairs & Sustainability Officer since February 2021 to reflect her range of responsibilities across Communications, Quality Assurance, Customer Care, Public Affairs and Corporate Responsibility. She previously served as our Chief Communications Officer from June 2014 to February 2021.

Liliana sets the vision and strategy for all communications with franchisees and employees, public relations, government relations and corporate responsibility. Her work with the Quality Assurance function involves developing quality and safety procedures throughout our supply chain and restaurants to provide a safe and quality dining experience for all Wendy’s customers.

Liliana prides herself on building diverse teams and empowering them to find solutions – a leadership style that has produced notable results. Her team recently restructured Wendy’s corporate responsibility efforts under one united banner, Good Done Right, and created our Supplier Code of Conduct. Under her direction, Wendy’s also launched The Square Deal, Wendy’s blog to provide a point of view on issues that are important to our Company and our customers.

Prior to Wendy’s, Liliana served as Vice President of Corporate Communications and Public Affairs at Dean Foods in Dallas, TX. Her previous experience includes tenure as Public Affairs Manager with Mars, Incorporated in New Jersey, and as a public relations consultant for eight years in New York City.

Liliana has happy memories of Wendy’s from her childhood where it was a special place to go out to eat. These days, her go-to order is a Double Stack with ketchup and pickles.

Liliana serves as a trustee of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. She is also a member of the board of directors of Quality Supply Chain Co-op, Inc., the independent purchasing cooperative for Wendy’s restaurants; and she is the executive sponsor of WeQual, the Company’s employee resource group focused on LGBTQ+ employees and allies.

She holds a B.A. in Government and Foreign Affairs (with Distinction) from the University of Virginia, and a J.D. (Summa Cum Laude) from Seton Hall Law School.

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Wendy’s Reflects on 2022 Corporate Responsibility Achievements

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CSR Update

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A year of achievement — and we’re far from finished

Delivering high quality, great tasting food in a responsible way, helping our people prosper in an inclusive environment and reducing our environmental footprint – these are the elements that make up Wendy’s approach to corporate responsibility, what we call Good Done Right.

Thanks to the continuous efforts of our restaurant team members, restaurant support employees, franchisees, suppliers and industry partners, we’ve made great progress across each of our Good Done Right focus areas since our latest Corporate Responsibility report published earlier this year. We wanted to take this opportunity to provide an update before our next report is issued in early 2023.

Food: Responsible Food Sourcing

Guided by our founding value of Quality is Our Recipe^®, Wendy’s remains committed to providing fresh food that is high quality, safe, transparent and sourced responsibly.

In 2021, Wendy’s announced a goal to responsibly source our top 10 priority food categories by 2030. As we work toward achieving this goal, we recently began important work with EcoVadis, the world’s largest provider of business sustainability ratings, to conduct individual sustainability performance assessments of our supply chain partners. This tool will help us continue to evaluate our suppliers, recognize where each of them are on their own sustainability journey and benchmark against peers’ progress, while also helping Wendy’s demonstrate accountability and progress toward our responsible sourcing goal.

A central component of our commitment to responsible sourcing is animal care, and the Wendy’s Animal Care Standards Program is the cornerstone of that effort. The program uses a detailed assessment tool to evaluate standards and practices in our protein supply chain and will inform the process for driving continuous improvement. This tool allows us to better track farm conditions and animal care, quantify the results and identify best practices, as well as better recognize progressive suppliers for their efforts. Since our last update, we have tailored and tested the assessment tool for our U.S. and Canadian beef, pork, chicken and egg supply chains, and are on track to evaluate 100% of our finished product suppliers in the U.S. and Canada within these supply chains by the end of this year. We continue to expect to have a comprehensive accounting of U.S. and Canadian animal care best practices for all these categories by the end of 2024. Additionally, we recently began testing the assessment tool within our U.K. beef, pork and chicken supply chains – further extending the reach of our Animal Care Standards Program.

We also continue to make progress on our sow housing commitment. In 2012, Wendy’s announced a 10-year goal to transition our pork supply chain in the U.S. and Canada away from sow gestation stalls (individual enclosures), in favor of open pen or group housing. This shift allows confirmed pregnant sows to socialize and exhibit natural behaviors. We are on track to complete this transition away from sow gestation stalls for confirmed pregnant sows in our U.S. and Canadian supply chain by the end of this year. More information about our gestation stall policy and progress can be found on our website.

This year we recognized our partner, Ecolab^® for their commitment to supporting quality and food safety at Wendy’s. Through its EcoSure^® program, the company has completed more than 10,000 food safety assessments at Wendy’s restaurants across the globe so far in 2022. This award recognizes suppliers who exemplify a commitment to enhancing Wendy’s corporate responsibility pillars of Food, People and Footprint. In addition to helping to support Wendy’s commitments to food safety, Ecolab has also helped remove more than 630,000 plastic gallon bottles through proactive packaging changes, representing approximately 187,000 pounds of plastic and 70,000 pounds of corrugate, from our System annually – directly reducing Wendy’s waste footprint. They are also a generous supporter of Wendy’s signature charity partner, the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption^®, a national, nonprofit public charity dedicated to finding forever families for the more than 140,000 children waiting to be adopted from foster care in the U.S. and Canada. From inside our restaurants to the broader environmental impact, this is a partnership we’re proud to celebrate. These are some of the reasons why Ecolab is the latest recipient of our annual Good Done Right Award.

People: Inclusivity and Philanthropy

Being a part of Wendy’s — as a franchisee, employee or business partner — should be a rewarding, supportive and positive experience.

We are committed to paving a path for more entrepreneurs to join the Wendy’s family. This year, we opened doors to franchise ownership with the launch of Own Your Opportunity, a program created to help increase both accessibility and diversity across franchisee candidates, including among women and people of color. Own Your Opportunity is designed to help remove some common barriers to entry for franchisee candidates with new liquidity and net worth requirements, expanded economic opportunities with preferred lenders, more locations in underserved areas, and new restaurant formats that require a lower initial financial commitment. We are excited about the Own Your Opportunity initiative and its potential to support positive change in the franchising industry.

Within our walls, we are focused on creating a welcoming, supportive environment for all employees. Earlier this year, Wendy’s was recognized as a Human Rights Campaign Best Places to Work for LGBTQ+ Equality for the third year in a row. Additionally, Wendy’s corporate employees lead several Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) which are open to all corporate employees and help promote learning, inclusion and support among people with shared life experiences. Our newest ERG, GiveCare, launched this year to provide support and resources for parents and caregivers and to offer a safe space for employees to share these experiences. It’s important that all employees feel supported so they can care for others, and themselves, at work and at home.

This year, through our philanthropy and Community Giving Program, Wendy’s committed nearly $200,000 to organizations in the U.S. and Canada in support of our giving pillars, which include foster care adoption, hunger and food integrity, youth and families, and vibrant communities. In addition to supporting our continued partnership with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, the program also made grants of up to $10,000 each to other charitable organizations and causes including food pantries, crisis centers and family support groups across the country.

During our 2022 annual Franchise Convention, we recognized 200 Top General Managers as the System’s best of the best for their strong leadership and dedication to creating great restaurant experiences. We also welcomed franchisees Raul Dominguez and Jorge Colon Gerena into the Wendy’s Hall of Fame, in honor of their many achievements and contributions to the Wendy’s family over the past few decades. Jorge is a second-generation Wendy’s franchisee and owns and operates more than 80 Wendy’s restaurants in Puerto Rico and has made major investments in communities across the island — even doubling down on his commitment after Hurricane Maria devastated many of his restaurants in 2017. Raul is also well-respected across the System having served as the first-ever Hispanic President of Wendy’s National Advertising Program (WNAP) in 2015. He has been an early adopter of our energy and water savings programs and has met efficiency standards in these categories in record time, even receiving recognition from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Better Buildings^® Challenge. Not only was he the first Wendy’s franchisee to become a Better Buildings Challenge Goal Achiever, but he was also the first of any quick service restaurant franchisee nationally to do so.

Footprint: Environmental Sustainability

We also made notable progress this year on our way to reducing emissions and water usage across the System.

One of the ways we are cutting emissions within our operations is by procuring clean energy. Through a collaboration with Duke Energy Florida’s Clean Energy Connection program, seven of our Company-operated restaurants in Central Florida will power their operations with solar energy by the end of this year. Our participation in this program will also support 10 solar generating sites, which will supply participating Duke Energy customers, including small businesses and area residences, with renewable energy.

For the second year, Wendy’s reported climate data to CDP, a leading framework for climate reporting. By disclosing and sharing context regarding our Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions, and partially reporting our Scope 3 emissions, we are preparing to report and measure progress against the science-based target. We have submitted our proposed science-based target to the SBTi for validation and approval and look forward to disclosing in 2023.

Wendy’s and two of our franchise organizations are members of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Better Buildings^® Water Challenge, which holds us accountable to decrease water use within our operations. This year, Carlisle, LLC, a Wendy’s franchisee that operates more than 150 restaurants in the southeastern U.S., surpassed its own Better Buildings Water Challenge goal by achieving a 28% reduction in water use intensity – seven years ahead of schedule. Carlisle took several actions to meet its goal, including adding new taps to monitor irrigation usage, replacing water-cooled ice machines with condenser-cooled ones, and tightening leak detection at high-use locations.

More work to come

It’s exciting to see and celebrate our progress on our way to achieving our corporate responsibility goals. It’s a testament to the hard work and ingenuity of many people inside and outside our organization, and we are not slowing down.

As we look ahead to 2023, we are committed to collaborating internally across our system and externally with key stakeholders to champion Good Done Right. We will continue to keep you informed of our progress.

New program to develop next generation of leaders | Wendy's

shane.ramsay@ketchum.com — Thu, 01 Sep 2022 18:57:05 +0000

New program to develop next generation of leaders | Wendy's shane.ramsay@k… Thu, 09/01/2022 - 13:57

New program to develop next generation of leaders | Wendy's

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Thu, 09/01/2022 - 12:00

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WeLEAD leadership program arms participants with tangible tools to apply on the job

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How Wendy's is developing its next generation of leaders

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WeLEAD, a new comprehensive leadership program at Wendy's based on the Company’s five Leadership Success Factors, arms participants with tangible tools to apply on the job.

Our people are the key to Wendy’s success – and one of our greatest points of differentiation. We are focused on building a performance-driven culture and developing talent at all levels throughout our organization.

That’s why we’ve established WeLEAD, an intensive small-group training focused on essential leadership skills. WeLEAD is rooted in Wendy’s five Leadership Success Factors: Inclusive Mindset, Develops Self and Others, People Effectiveness, Business Focused and Results Driven. The curriculum is designed to emphasize Wendy’s “people first” approach to business so that participants graduate ready to make a difference. Each WeLEAD semester kicks off with a cohort of no more than 30 participants. These participants include a wide array of corporate and restaurant leadership and are nominated by their functional leadership teams.

“WeLEAD was developed to kickstart individual leadership journeys through customized learning experiences,” says Jamie Weeks, Vice President of Training. “Over the course of the six-month program, participants complete a set of core learning experiences that are central to the curriculum, as well as ones that reflect individual interests and career direction.”

The inaugural WeLEAD cohort started in January 2022 and graduated in June. Wendy’s second WeLEAD cohort began their journey in July 2022 and will complete the course in December. Following graduation, participants enjoy access to continued learning opportunities.

To understand how WeLEAD is developing Wendy’s next generation of leaders, we caught up with two members from our first cohort and one of our WeLEAD program sponsors, John Li, Vice President, Culinary Innovation:

What is the most valuable thing you have learned through WeLEAD?
P.J. Cheripka, Franchise Operations Coach: “To be vulnerable about your opportunities. We all like to think the best of ourselves, but being able to say, ‘Am I really great at this, or can I stand to improve, and what impact does that have to the business?’ opens up the opportunity to truly learn at the highest level.”

How can future WeLEAD participants best benefit from this unique experience?
Lindsey Smith, Manager, Merchandising: “Put the effort into it. Take the time. Do a lot of self-reflection after each module and guest speaker. Take notes while they're there. Reflect on those notes and figure out how you can start applying the skills and experiences they've shared to your everyday world now.”

What do you hope participants take away from the program?
John Li, Vice President, Culinary Innovation, and a WeLEAD sponsor: “I hope they apply what they’ve learned daily. After six months, I’ve seen participants immediately applying their learnings to their businesses and the projects they’re working on. I love seeing that. You can’t do it all at once – it’s like drinking from a firehose – but if they start applying tools, little by little they’ll see it truly works. Next thing you know, they’ve built a repertoire of skills and experiences that will make them the well-rounded leaders we’re hoping they’ll become.”

Blog | Message from Wendy's President & CEO on Dining Room Closures

gene.smith@ketchum.com — Tue, 05 Apr 2022 15:36:41 +0000

Blog | Message from Wendy's President & CEO on Dining Room Closures gene.smith@ket… Tue, 04/05/2022 - 10:36

Blog | Message from Wendy's President & CEO on Dining Room Closures

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Publish Date

Sun, 03/22/2020 - 12:00

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Todd Penegor Headshot Image

Todd A. Penegor

President & Chief Executive Officer, Director

Todd has served as Wendy’s President and Chief Executive Officer since May 2016.

His vision is to create a company culture where Wendy’s people feel empowered, valued and appreciated to be their very best – a leadership style that has generated predictable, sustainable growth as an efficient growth company. He has also built a strong, collaborative partnership with the franchise community and helped attract new franchisees to join the Wendy’s family to build an even stronger Wendy’s brand.

Prior to his employment with the Company, Todd worked at Kellogg Company, a global leader in food products, from 2000 to 2013 where he held several key leadership positions, including Vice President of Kellogg Company and President of U.S. Snacks from 2009 to 2013, Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Kellogg Europe from 2007 to 2009 and Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Kellogg USA and Kellogg Snacks from 2002 to 2007. Prior to joining Kellogg, Todd worked for 12 years at Ford Motor Company in various positions, including strategy, mergers and acquisitions, the controller’s office and treasury.

Todd joined Wendy’s as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer in 2013. He was appointed Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer in 2014, then promoted to President and Chief Financial Officer in early 2016.

His connection to Wendy’s runs deep.

Todd’s father was a Wendy’s franchisee in the family’s hometown of Iron Mountain, Michigan, so he connected to the business from a young age and today places great emphasis on creating value for franchisees, as well as customers. It was also during this time in Upper Michigan that he developed his love for the Dave’s Single combo. Today he orders it with a Coke Zero.

Todd has served as a director of Ball Corporation since October 2019 and he’s actively involved with the community by serving as Vice Chair of the board of trustees of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption.

Todd was also awarded with the 2018 Gold Stevie Award for Executive of the Year, Food & Beverage. In 2017, he was named the Michigan State University Eli Broad College of Business Outstanding Alumni Achievement award winner.

He earned his Bachelor of Science in Accounting and his MBA in Finance from Michigan State University, where he also serves as President of the school’s Eli Broad College of Business advisory board.

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Message from Wendy's President & CEO on Dining Room Closures

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Wendy’s Fans:

With the rapid pace at which things are changing around us, we are continually adapting to best support the Wendy’s Family, including our team members, franchisees, customers and all of our Company employees who have been providing unwavering support to our franchisees and restaurant teams during these difficult times. While there is much uncertainty right now, we do know that our restaurants are essential to feeding our communities, and we are doing everything possible to keep our restaurants open, while following public health guidance and the evolving guidelines from national, state and local governments.

At Wendy’s, the health, safety and well-being of our teams and customers has always been our top priority. And after thoughtful conversations with our franchisees, my senior leadership team and other advisors, we believe the best way we can serve our communities is to focus on delivery and drive-thru services in our restaurants throughout the United States and Canada and close dining rooms for carryout service, except in limited circumstances. We are making similar adjustments to our operations in other International markets as well.

What does that mean?

We will continue to offer…

- Drive-thru service through our pick-up window, in those locations that have them. If a restaurant does not offer drive-thru service, we anticipate that carryout should remain available unless otherwise instructed by law.

- Delivery service with DoorDash, Grubhub and Postmates in the U.S., Skip the Dishes in Canada, and other partners in International locations, where available and permitted.

We will temporarily discontinue…

- Carryout service in our dining rooms. Carryout service will no longer be offered in most Wendy’s restaurants as of March 22 in the U.S., Canada and other International markets as appropriate. This means most of our dining rooms will now be completely closed to the public, including for carryout orders. Select restaurants may continue to offer the convenience of carryout service in communities around the globe where there are specific needs or where a drive-thru or pick-up window option is not available, such as an airport, travel center or in an urban area. Decisions to continue to offer carryout services at select restaurants will be made on a case-by-case basis and in compliance with any state or local requirements.

We do not make these decisions lightly, but as we assessed the current situation, we felt this was an important move to make. As a Company, we are adopting these practices in our own operations and strongly encourage our franchisees to do the same, which many are already doing.

As I shared previously, we have taken additional measures to keep our restaurants safe and to ensure that our team members are supported.

- We’ve engaged internal experts who are informed by and act on science-based information and have been following the guidance of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), World Health Organization (WHO) and local public health authorities.

- We’ve increased deep cleaning procedures. Throughout the day, restaurant teams have been putting an emphasis on cleaning high-touch areas, in many cases every 15 minutes.

- We are continuing to reinforce our strict food safety procedures, personal hygiene standards, handwashing requirements and sanitation protocols through training and communications.

- We are taking enhanced safety precautions to further protect our team members and customers, including utilizing no-contact and limited-contact ordering options and focusing on social distancing practices at our restaurants. If you have not already, customers can also download the Wendy’s app to create an even more contactless experience.

- Due to the current circumstances, there may be instances in which our distribution centers have a surplus of fresh, wholesome food, and we do not want that to go to waste. We are working with our Distribution Centers and suppliers to find ways to divert this food to other channels or to make donations to local food banks, shelters and other charitable organizations where appropriate.

- All Company employees—whether enrolled in a company medical plan or not—have access to our Employee Assistance Program (EAP), which provides free, confidential 24/7 counseling. Further, we have a program in place where all U.S. Company employees have access to telehealth and can see a board-certified doctor through a video consultation from a smartphone, tablet or computer for a low cost, making it easier for employees to get the care they may need.

- It is our policy that employees should not come to work while sick, and we encourage our employees to put their health before their work. If an employee feels that he/she/they may have been exposed to COVID-19, we encourage them to get the testing and potential treatment needed. For Company employees, we have recently implemented emergency paid sick leave to help support our restaurant teams and other hourly employees impacted by certain COVID-19 situations.

We will continue to work diligently to serve our communities in the safest ways possible, and our teams look forward to seeing you at a Wendy’s restaurant soon.

Stay safe and healthy.

Take care,

Todd

Blog | Message from Wendy’s President & CEO on Social Distancing

gene.smith@ketchum.com — Tue, 05 Apr 2022 15:34:13 +0000

Blog | Message from Wendy’s President & CEO on Social Distancing gene.smith@ket… Tue, 04/05/2022 - 10:34

Blog | Message from Wendy’s President & CEO on Social Distancing

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Publish Date

Mon, 03/16/2020 - 12:00

Authors

Todd Penegor Headshot Image

Todd A. Penegor

President & Chief Executive Officer, Director

Todd has served as Wendy’s President and Chief Executive Officer since May 2016.

His connection to Wendy’s runs deep.

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Message from Wendy’s President & CEO on Social Distancing

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Blog, Todd Penegor

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Wendy’s Fans:

Since my last post, there has been a flurry of activity around the world. Much of that activity has focused on increasing social distancing and restricting access to public spaces, including restaurant dining rooms.

COVID-19 is impacting communities in different ways, but the guidance from public health experts has been clear that social distancing is an important and necessary step to take to help minimize spread of the virus. To assist with this goal, we want to be proactive, recognizing much is quickly evolving at the country, state/provincial and local levels.

Effective immediately, Wendy’s is implementing a restricted service policy across all restaurants in areas that have declared a national emergency due to COVID-19. Wendy’s restaurants will remain open for carryout, pickup, drive-thru and delivery service unless otherwise prohibited by local authorities.

What does this mean?

Wendy’s restaurants will remain open, but out an abundance of caution, we will not permit customers to sit in our dining rooms. All orders placed in the dining room at the counter will be bagged for carryout.

We will continue to offer…

- Carryout or pickup service, where that is permitted.

- Drive-thru service through our pick-up window, in those locations that have them.

- Delivery service with DoorDash, Grubhub and Postmates in the U.S., Skip the Dishes in Canada, and other partners in International locations, where available and permitted.

As a Company, we will adopt these practices in our owned operations and strongly urge our franchise locations to do the same, which many are already doing. We also recognize that governments in some locations are requiring more strict measures, and as a System, we will of course adhere to those restrictions as well. We will continue to evaluate the landscape, understanding it’s changing rapidly, and will adapt as needed.

We applaud the determination shown by our civic leaders and public health officials to identify and contain the virus, and remain in awe of the selfless service provided by legions of health care professionals who are on the front lines diagnosing and treating our neighbors who have become ill. The global experience with COVID-19 has shown collective community commitment, and a willingness to make short-term sacrifices in service of long-term public health creates the best outcomes. We are earnest in our commitment to partner with communities and operate in a way that advances public health goals while maintaining essential access to food.

We look forward to serving you, your family and friends for many years to come.

Take care,

Todd

Blog | Message from Wendy's President & CEO on COVID-19 Precautions

gene.smith@ketchum.com — Tue, 05 Apr 2022 15:30:49 +0000

Blog | Message from Wendy's President & CEO on COVID-19 Precautions gene.smith@ket… Tue, 04/05/2022 - 10:30

Blog | Message from Wendy's President & CEO on COVID-19 Precautions

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Publish Date

Sun, 03/15/2020 - 12:00

Updated Publish Date

(Updated Thu, 03/19/2020 - 12:00)

Authors

Todd Penegor Headshot Image

Todd A. Penegor

President & Chief Executive Officer, Director

Todd has served as Wendy’s President and Chief Executive Officer since May 2016.

His connection to Wendy’s runs deep.

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Message from Wendy's President & CEO on COVID-19 Precautions

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Blog, Todd Penegor

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Wendy’s Fans:

For more than 50 years, Wendy’s® has been committed to providing a high-quality restaurant experience, and nothing is more important to us than the health, safety and well-being of our Wendy’s family members and customers.

This is certainly an unusual and unprecedented time, and we are focused on the actions where we can make a difference. To that end, the Wendy’s system has taken a number of precautionary steps to advance public health goals, maintain essential access to high quality food, and safeguard our team members and customers from the spread of COVID-19.

- Engaging Experts. Several weeks ago, we engaged an internal team of subject matter experts who are informed by and act on science-based information, and are guided by our core values. Like the rest of the world, we are monitoring the situation closely and are following the guidance of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), World Health Organization (WHO) and local public health authorities.

- Increasing Deep Cleaning Procedures. Public health authorities recommend regular cleaning and handwashing as some of the most preventative actions, which have always been part of our restaurant training and procedures. We have guided all restaurant teams to take additional safeguards like conducting daily deep cleanings of the entire restaurant. Throughout the day, the teams are also putting an emphasis on cleaning high-touch areas, in many cases every 15 minutes.

- Reinforcing Proper Handwashing. We are continuously reinforcing our strict food safety procedures, personal hygiene standards, handwashing requirements and sanitation protocols through additional retraining and communications.

- Offering Drive Thru & Delivery Options. Our focus remains on continuing to serve food to our customers. All of our restaurants offer a carryout option, and the majority of our restaurants have drive-thru pick up windows where contact is also limited, and we are prepared to expand our ability to serve customers that way if needed. You can also order Wendy’s through delivery with our third-party providers—DoorDash, GrubHub and Postmates in the U.S., Skip the Dishes in Canada and a variety of other partners across the globe.

- Supporting Employee Wellness. The health and well-being of our employees is a top priority. All Company employees—whether enrolled in a company medical plan or not—have access to our Employee Assistance Program (EAP), which provides free, confidential 24/7 counseling support for a wide variety of topics, including help with childcare, elder care, financial issues, life events, and mental health and emotional wellbeing support. Further, we have a program in place where all U.S. Company employees have access to telehealth and can see a board-certified doctor through a video consultation from a smartphone, tablet or computer for a low cost. This makes it easier for employees to get the care they may need.

- New Emergency Paid Sick Leave Policy. It is our policy that employees should not come to work while sick, and we encourage our employees to put their health before their work. If an employee feels that he/she/they may have been exposed to COVID-19, we encourage them to get the testing and potential treatment needed. In response to this global pandemic, the Company is implementing new emergency paid sick leave to help support our restaurant teams and other hourly employees not currently covered by an existing company policy. We will be providing up to 14 days paid leave related to COVID-19 challenges.

No matter how you order your food at Wendy’s, I hope you know that you can count on us and that we’ve always got your back.

This situation is rapidly evolving, but our commitments to doing the right thing and treating people with respect remain. As we navigate any challenges we face, we’ll do it the Wendy’s Way, and with a focus on taking care of our people and our customers.

Take care,

Todd

Blog | Lessons from a Female Business Executive

gene.smith@ketchum.com — Tue, 05 Apr 2022 14:53:55 +0000

Blog | Lessons from a Female Business Executive gene.smith@ket… Tue, 04/05/2022 - 09:53

Blog | Lessons from a Female Business Executive

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Publish Date

Fri, 03/06/2020 - 12:00

Summary

International Women’s Day Words of Wisdom from Wendy’s Abigail Pringle

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Blaire Luciano

Director, Public Affairs

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Lessons from a Female Business Executive

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Blog, International Women’s Day 2020

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Last month, I had the pleasure of joining members of the Women of Wendy’s (WOW) employee network to support the group’s executive sponsor, Abigail Pringle, as she participated in a panel discussion titled “Leading the Way: Accelerate Women's Advancement & Reap the Rewards of Gender Diversity” at the Ohio Restaurant Association Mid-America Restaurant Expo. Abigail joined Jane Grote Abell (Donatos® Pizza), Lisa Ingram (White Castle®), Britney Ruby Miller (Jeff Ruby Culinary Entertainment®) and moderator Libby Saylor Wright (Women’s Foodservice Forum®) to discuss their experiences as women leaders in the foodservice industry. We found the panel so inspiring and full of helpful advice that we asked Abigail to revisit some of the questions in celebration of International Women’s Day.

You’ve been able to build and grow your career at Wendy’s. How would you describe your career path?

I have now been at Wendy’s for just shy of 18 years, and I thought when I started that it would be maybe two or three. I started as a Manager in IT in 2002, after a career in management consulting. I then navigated my way through a few different business functions like Operations, Engineering/Design, Strategic Planning and Development. Now, I am the President of International and lead Global Development. All these different roles gave me more insight on how the brand and business operates, helped me build friendships and a network across the organization, and allowed me to make a positive impact along the way, thus developing sponsors and advocates for my career and for me personally. I am so grateful for the people who took time to invest in me, gave me challenging problems to solve, asked me to participate, coached me on my development areas, encouraged me to lean into my strengths and pushed me to the next level.

What can others learn from your career success?

When you are flexible, open to new ideas and willing to take some calculated risks in your career, it will pay off. I remember when the head of Operations came to me when I was a Director in IT and said I should join Operations. At first, I thought it was a bad idea. But I got curious and spent time with him to learn more to better understand the potential experience I could have. Then, I took the leap. It was the best decision I made, because it got me into the core business of supporting our restaurants.

Risk-taking is key. That move to Operations opened doors for me that would not have opened otherwise.

What advice do you have for women seeking roles with direct business responsibility?

Go for it! If you get energy by leading and growing people, then it may be a wonderful fit for you. I have three pieces of advice for those who want to do more:

Tell someone. Talk to your supervisor and another leader in the organization and let them know that you are interested, or may be interested, in building your general management knowledge and skills. You need to drive your own development, but we all need others to pull us up, too. Making your interest known may provide you with the opportunity for a new role, a special project or a cool opportunity to lead.

Raise your hand. Ask to get involved in projects or roles that will build your people management skills, build your understanding of how key areas of the business work, and go solve some problems facing the business. Get involved in an employee network where you can meet folks from all over the company, build relationships, tell people about your interests. You never know where it may lead.

Learn the economics. Partner up with your finance team, take someone to lunch to talk about key costs of the business, spend time with someone who has the reputation of being a great business general manager and ask them lots of questions. They will love your interest and will share their ideas.

What are the leadership skills you feel have contributed most to your success?

The three C’s - curiosity, collaboration, and courage.

Curiosity because as a life-long learner you are open to new ideas, you are interested in how things work or why things happen the way they do, or you show interest in others and their work. Curiosity has allowed me to learn and adapt through various roles, functions and companies.

Collaboration is critical because no one can do life or work alone. It provides better outcomes – and, frankly, it is more fun and rewarding. Collaboration also improves your network and support system as you take on some other challenges where you can rely on experience, support and trust from those you worked with before.

Courage has served me well. I have had the courage to voice my perspective, to have confidence in my recommendation and my vision for how to move something forward, and courage to make mistakes but learn, to be myself, or be comfortable in my own skin.

Learn more about diversity and inclusion at Wendy’s, or learn more about Wendy’s employee networks.

Interested in joining the Wendy’s team? Check out our career site!

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CELEBRATE INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY BY LEARNING FROM WENDY’S PRESIDENT OF INTERNATIONAL AND CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER, ABIGAIL PRINGLE.

Blog | Inspirational Stories from Successful Women Restaurant Franchisees

Erica.Erwine@wendys.com — Mon, 04 Apr 2022 20:55:21 +0000

Blog | Inspirational Stories from Successful Women Restaurant Franchisees Erica.Erwine@w… Mon, 04/04/2022 - 15:55

Blog | Inspirational Stories from Successful Women Restaurant Franchisees

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Publish Date

Thu, 03/31/2022 - 12:00

Summary

Get Inspired from These Successful Women in Business and See How Wendy's Is Creating Opportunities for The Next Generation of QSR Entrepreneurs

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Wendy's

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Women Franchise Owners Share Their Stories and Lessons

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Earlier this month, we celebrated International Women’s Day and honored members of the Wendy’s® family who we are proud to call colleagues, partners, and friends. Today, we shine the spotlight on Wendy’s strong women franchise owners. Their ongoing engagement is a great example of the many successful and inspiring women who are part of the Wendy’s family.

We recently announced Own Your Opportunity, a new franchise recruitment initiative that creates expanded restaurant ownership opportunities for all – including women and people of color. In celebration of Women’s History Month, we’re sharing stories from a few of our successful women franchisees that we hope will inspire more women to become Wendy’s franchise owners. Check out the video to hear more from these Wendy’s System leaders!

Wendy's "Own Your Opportunity" Campaign from Wendys Post on Vimeo.

When you become a Wendy’s franchisee, you own more than a great restaurant – you Own Your Opportunity, with a path to prosper and the prospect to lead. Want to learn more? Visit wendys.com/franchising, and let’s talk today!

Notice and Disclaimer: The information contained on this blog, including within the video, is provided for informational and illustrative purposes only, and not in connection with the offer or sale of a franchise. This information is not intended to be, and should not be relied upon or construed, as a representation by Wendy’s that any franchisee can expect to attain any specific level or range of profitability or success.

Blog | Celebrating International Women’s Day

gene.smith@ketchum.com — Mon, 04 Apr 2022 18:45:25 +0000

Blog | Celebrating International Women’s Day gene.smith@ket… Mon, 04/04/2022 - 13:45

Blog | Celebrating International Women’s Day

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Publish Date

Fri, 03/08/2019 - 12:00

Summary

Women are Doing Great Things at Wendy’s

Authors

Abigail Pringle Headshot Image

Abigail E. Pringle

President, International & Chief Development Officer

Abigail has served as our President, International and Chief Development Officer since June 2019. She has held a host of leadership roles at Wendy’s since joining the company in 2002, including Chief Global Development Officer and International, Chief Development Officer, Senior Vice President of Restaurant Development and Growth Initiatives, and Senior Vice President of Strategic Initiatives and Planning.

A high-energy leader, she thrives on big challenges and effectively leads her teams through significant transitions – evidenced by the central role she’s played in Wendy’s return to growth since 2013.

Abigail’s fingerprints are all over our restaurants, so to speak. She’s been responsible for restaurant design, real estate, construction and franchise development, and she led an initiative to redesign crew member uniforms, packaging and the logo that helped reinvigorate our brand. In her current role, Abigail leads all aspects of our International business outside of the United States and is responsible for all restaurant and franchise development across the globe.

Further, Abigail is the executive sponsor of Women of Wendy’s, our employee resource group focused on developing and empowering female leaders at Wendy’s.

Although Abigail’s favorite menu item is the Spicy Chicken Sandwich, she fully appreciates fresh beef. She grew up on a cattle farm in Maine, and her family dined at the only Wendy’s in town because her father loved the brand.

Prior to Wendy’s, Abigail spent six years at the global professional services company Accenture, where she led various clients in the areas of systems implementations, organizational design and change management.

She serves on the board of directors and the executive committee of the Columbus, Ohio, Chamber of Commerce, for which she previously chaired the strategy committee. Abigail also serves on the advisory boards of Dupler Office, a privately held company, and Denison University, her alma mater.

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Celebrating International Women’s Day

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March 8th is International Women’s day, which encourages the study, observance and celebration of the vital role women have played in history.

Wendy’s® and women go way back.

You may have heard that this year, we’re celebrating our 50th anniversary as an iconic brand where a female is the face of the Company. You know her as Wendy – the spirited, red headed daughter of our founder, Dave Thomas. Dave chose to name his restaurant after Wendy in 1969 and her likeness has since become a cherished part of our brand identity.

Wendy’s and Canada go way back, too.

In 1975, we opened our first restaurant north of the American border.

In 1976, Wendy was on hand at the NASDAQ exchange to announce our Company’s initial public stock offering. Later that year, we celebrated the opening of our 500th location with the debut of another restaurant in Toronto.

Fast forward a decade… we introduced our "Where's the Beef®?" slogan in a commercial starring actresses Clara Peller and her sidekicks Elizabeth Shaw and Mildred Lane. The commercial turned out to be the year’s most popular and a longstanding fan favorite.

Since then, women have continued to play prominent roles throughout the Wendy’s system, from being named Top General Managers to owning their own restaurants across the United States and Canada.

Which brings us back to our friendly northern neighbor and, in particular, franchisee Angelee Medeiros.

Angelee owns and operates a Wendy’s restaurant in Ajax, Ontario, just east of downtown Toronto, and what’s particularly inspiring about Angelee is the story of how she got here.

We sat down with Angelee to hear her story and learn more about how she became a part of the Wendy’s family. Get her story below:

So, when did the idea of owning a Wendy’s franchise pop into your head?

I always wanted to be in business for myself, and I’ve always worked in food and hospitality. I was a General Manager (GM) for another QSR brand in the 90s, prior to being hired as a GM at my current Wendy’s.

I’d been a GM at my current restaurant for several years and learned all about Wendy’s and business through that experience. Suddenly, I was turning 40 and felt that if I didn’t jump into franchising then, I would never fulfill my personal dream of becoming a business owner.

So, I took the leap.

How did the opportunity to take that leap finally present itself?

I actually communicated my dream of becoming a business owner during my GM interview, so when the previous owners were ready to sell, they came to me first.

Has it been everything you imagined?

Wendy’s is a great franchisor and provides a strong support system. If you utilize the opportunities provided by Wendy’s, you can certainly run a successful restaurant.

What makes a great female leader?

Over everything else, you have to convince yourself that you have the qualifications and capability to lead. A great leader is organized, can prioritize their time well, and never blames others for their own blunders. She learns from her mistakes and rises to the occasion when necessary. To run a successful team, leaders have to admit when they’re wrong, and gain trust and respect among their peers and staff.

Is it important that more women get involved in franchising?

In today’s society, franchising is a man’s world, so it’s important for more women to get involved with franchising to make it more representative of the population. Women look at things differently. When I sit in on council meetings, I’m usually the only woman. We need more women to use their voice and talk about their perspective of running a business and being a franchisee.

What are you most proud of as a woman who owns a business?

I’m most proud to be a role model for other women, in general, and young employees who are women. I’m also proud to be a strong role model to my own two daughters. I’m proud to show them what a strong woman can accomplish.

Maybe a woman who has thought about owning a franchise is reading this – what advice do you have for her?

My advice is to do your homework, obtain all the information that you can about the business, and get involved with a franchise that shares your values. Remember, it’s your personal wealth, time, sweat, and tears you’re investing, so ensure you’ve done your research and enjoy the type of business you’re considering. Believe in yourself and start as early in your life as possible.

Wendy’s has opportunities for new franchisees and new unit growth worldwide. Wondering how to become a Wendy’s franchise? Click here to learn more, visit our FAQ page, or contact us directly at Wendys.Franchising@wendys.com

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WE’RE CELEBRATING INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY BY SHINING A LIGHT ON ONE OF OUR WOMEN OWNED AND OPERATED FRANCHISES.

Blog | 5 Ways to Gift Frosty Key Tags

gene.smith@ketchum.com — Mon, 04 Apr 2022 17:42:32 +0000

Blog | 5 Ways to Gift Frosty Key Tags gene.smith@ket… Mon, 04/04/2022 - 12:42

Blog | 5 Ways to Gift Frosty Key Tags

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Publish Date

Mon, 11/05/2018 - 12:00

Summary

Treat the Special People In Your Life with a Present from Wendy’s

Authors

Elizabeth Drake

Manager, Business Communications & Corporate Reputation

Elizabeth is a member of our Corporate Communications team and it’s her job to tell stories about the Wendy’s family, share how we give back to our communities, and strategize about our charitable giving initiatives and community engagement plans. She likes her Chocolate Frosty® with a side of vanilla, and when it comes to her fries, she holds the ketchup and asks for BBQ sauce instead.

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5 Ways to Gift Frosty Key Tags

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Wendy’s® Frosty® Key Tags may seem like a cool treat, but they’re so much more than a quick pick-me-up. Much like our Halloween-themed Boo! Books™, Frosty Key Tags are an essential part of our brand fundraising efforts for our charity of choice, the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption®. We started selling Frosty Key Tags in 2010, but these special tags are just one way we support foster care adoption. And while Frosty Key Tag sales raised more than $6 million for the DTFA last year, we’re looking to up the ante and raise $10 million in 2018.

You might be asking, “What exactly is a Frosty Key Tag?”. Frosty Key Tags are little tags with BIG rewards. For just $2, Wendy’s fans can enjoy a FREE Jr. Frosty with any purchase for an entire year*. So, whether you’re picking up a $1 any size fry or a meal for the entire family, you can treat yourself to a free Frosty. Plus, proceeds from each Frosty Key Tag purchase will be donated to help find adoptive families for children in foster care.

As if that isn’t cool enough, you can even purchase Frosty Key Tags in bulk at participating Wendy’s restaurants. That said, we know the holidays can be hectic, so we’ve made it easy to purchase Frosty Key Tags in bulk through the DTFA’s website.

Check out some ways you can gift a Wendy’s Frosty Key Tag to friends and family this holiday season and help Wendy’s raise $10 million to help find forever families for children in foster care.

Make a holiday gift extra special with a Frosty Key Tag

Struggling to find a gift for that person in your life who has everything? The Frosty Key Tag is a great standalone gift or a little extra something special to add in.

Gift a Frosty Key Tag to a stranger as a random act of kindness

You never know how a small gesture of kindness may impact someone’s day – surprise and delight a stranger with a Frosty Key Tag! After all, paying it forward can go a long way.

Donate a pack of Frosty Key Tags to a group in need

If you’d like to give back to your community but just don’t know how, look no further than a bulk order of Frosty Key Tags. They make the perfect gift for those in the community who may need a little brightness during this time of year.

Add a Frosty Key Tag to a holiday card

Spruce up the typical holiday card and slip in a Frosty Key Tag for the gift that keeps on giving throughout the year!

Bring Frosty Key Tags to a holiday party or give them as a gift to a valued co-worker

Treat the special people who have had your back all year with Frosty Key Tags. Instead of bringing a coffee mug to the holiday party, give your co-workers something they will actually use!

* One free Jr. Frosty per visit, per key tag with any purchase. Valid only at participating locations. 85% of every $2 key tag sold 11/5/2018 to 1/31/2019 will benefit the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. Key tags valid from 1/1/2019-12/31/2019.

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HOW DO YOU HELP MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND GIVE A GIFT FOR $2? ENTER THE FROSTY® KEY TAG: LITTLE TAGS WITH BIG REWARDS, PERFECT FOR GIFTING THIS HOLIDAY SEASON.

Blog | Boo! Books are Back For A Sweet, Spooky 2022 Season

gene.smith@ketchum.com — Mon, 04 Apr 2022 17:29:26 +0000

Blog | Boo! Books are Back For A Sweet, Spooky 2022 Season gene.smith@ket… Mon, 04/04/2022 - 12:29

Blog | Boo! Books are Back For A Sweet, Spooky 2022 Season

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Publish Date

Mon, 09/12/2022 - 12:00

Summary

Boo! Books for free Frosty treats that support foster care adoption. That’s scary good.

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Wendy’s Boo! Books Are a Halloween Deal That Gives Back

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This HalloWEENDY’S, we’ve got all the tricks and treats to help you avoid the candy shortage AND feel good doing it!

Wendy’s^® Boo! Books™ are back for another #SpookySeason, ensuring no ghouls or goblins will leave your doorstep empty-handed. For just $1 each, you’ll bag FIVE coupons for free Jr. Frosty^® treats—no tricks here!

Move over full-sized candy bars, Boo! Books are here to win the hearts of your trick-or-treaters. In addition to being an easy way to enjoy five free Jr. Frosty treats*, these special coupon books raise critical funds for Wendy’s charity of choice, the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption^®. Last year, the Wendy’s system raised nearly $6 million for the Foundation just from selling these coupon books in our restaurants. Funds raised from the sale of Wendy’s Boo! Books benefit the Foundation’s signature programs including, Wendy’s Wonderful Kids^®, which helps to find permanent, loving families for children who have been waiting in foster care the longest.

Whether you’re searching for a Halloween candy alternative or just want to enjoy a couple free Frosty treats in your life, Boo! Books are super easy to purchase. Simply head to any Wendy’s restaurant from now through October 31, 2022 and request one at the counter or in the drive-thru. You can also order via the mobile app or through Wendy’s self-order kiosks—just add your Boo! Books to your order from the “Give Something Back” category. The free Jr. Frosty coupons are good to use until the end of the year!

If you’d like to order a bulk supply of Boo! Books for your neighborhood trick-or-treaters, or any other reason, you can order via the Foundation’s order form.

Now that you’re all set for the spookiest time of year, feel free to tweet us @Wendys and share how you enjoy your Boo! Books this Halloween!

*At participating U.S. Wendy’s restaurants while supplies last. 85¢ of every $1 coupon book sold from 9.5.2022 – 10.31.2022 will benefit the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. Coupons valid from 9.5.2022 – 12.31.2022.