In 2016, Wendy’s set a long-term goal to phase out the routine use of medically important antibiotics within our protein supply chain, and we have mapped out key milestones as part of our 2030 goal to eliminate the routine use of medically important antibiotics.

Key progress to date within our beef supply chain includes:

• As part of our commitment to gauge the use of antibiotics within our beef supply chain and to reduce it meaningfully over time, Wendy’s has engaged with a consortium of beef producers since 2017 on this topic.
• Since 2020, nearly a third of Wendy’s beef supply came from producers who made a science-based commitment to at least a 20% reduction in the use of the most common medically important antibiotic used in fed cattle.
• Trials are also underway through the International Consortium for Antimicrobial Stewardship in Agriculture.

Wendy’s partners with the U.S. and Canadian Roundtables for Sustainable Beef and shares a commitment to advancing sustainability efforts throughout the U.S. and Canadian beef value chains. By joining the Roundtable, Wendy's has ensured it will have an active voice in discussions about the environmental, social and economic sustainability of the beef industry.

In 2022, the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (USRSB) announced a set of voluntary industry goals and sector-level targets designed to provide clear priorities for action, with a notable goal of working to achieve climate neutrality for the U.S. beef supply chain by 2040. As a member of the Foodservice & Retail sector of the USRSB, Wendy's has aligned to their sector-specific targets and added the USRSB or Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (CRSB) framework to our beef category expectation for suppliers in scope of our responsible sourcing program. We will report on progress annually in the Corporate Responsibility report.

About the initiatives:

• The U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef is a multi-stakeholder initiative developed to advance, support and communicate continuous improvement in sustainability of the U.S. beef value chain. The U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef achieves this through leadership, innovation, multi-stakeholder engagement and collaboration.
• The Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef is a collaborative multi-stakeholder community devoted to advancing sustainability in the Canadian beef industry. It achieves this through sustainability benchmarking and a sustainability strategy, a voluntary operation-level certification program and projects that demonstrate, pilot and promote continuous improvement in Canadian beef production.

We are investing in programs that help beef producers adopt improved land and livestock management practices and increase operational resilience. Through these efforts, we are working to strengthen the resiliency of the beef supply chain while advancing our responsible sourcing and climate goals.

About these programs:

• Legacy Landscapes: Wendy’s joined the Legacy Landscapes Program, a rancher‑focused initiative operating across key beef‑producing regions in Texas, Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska. The program provides ranchers with financial and technical assistance to implement adaptive grazing plans that seek to improve rangeland management and ecosystem practices. By supporting better grazing and land‑stewardship approaches, Legacy Landscapes helps protect soil health, water resources and biodiversity in landscapes that are critical to the beef supply chain.
• AgSpire Fresh Resilience: We partnered with AgSpire to launch the Fresh Resilience Beef Cattle Program, focused on small‑ and medium‑sized cattle producers in the Central Plains and Midwest. Producers who participate receive technical guidance, tools and financial incentives to improve nutrient optimization, feed efficiency and overall operational resilience while reducing greenhouse gas emissions across the beef value chain.

Since 2018, Wendy’s has sourced 100% of its beef from Beef Quality Assurance certified sources.

The beef community has a long-standing commitment to caring for their animals and providing families with the safest, highest-quality beef possible. Beef Quality Assurance is a program that trains farmers and ranchers on best practice cattle management techniques to ensure their animals and the environment are cared for within a standard set of guidelines and regulations across the U.S. beef industry.

About the program:

• Beef Quality Assurance principles are based on good management practices that are standard operating procedures designed to meet the United States food production system's needs.
• Beef Quality Assurance programming focuses on educating and training cattle producers, farm advisors, and veterinarians on the issues in cattle food safety and quality. It also provides tools for verifying and documenting animal husbandry practices.