Dine Brands 2021 ESG Report Highlights People, Planet and Governance Initiatives
Dine Brands Global, Inc. (NYSE: DIN), the parent company of Applebee's Neighborhood Grill & Bar® and IHOP® restaurants, released its annual Dine Together report for 2021, highlighting key programs and progress in the areas of Environment, Social and Governance (ESG). The report features Dine Brands’ first materiality assessment, which identifies the topics most critical to the company’s ESG efforts, including caring for the environment by minimizing food and packaging waste, responding to guests and working toward a more sustainable supply chain, empowering people and ensuring communities thrive, and being a good corporate citizen.
“The past two years have been both challenging and an opportunity to lean into our resilience and reinvention, especially when it comes to sustainability,” said John Peyton, CEO of Dine Brands. “I am immensely proud of our IHOP and Applebee’s franchisees, the team at Dine Brands, our guests and supplier partners—all of whom demonstrate their commitment to the planet and local communities every single day.”
The majority of Dine Brands’ restaurants are owned and operated by franchisees, a model that provides the opportunity for people around the world to own their own businesses. IHOP and Applebee’s franchisees are deeply committed to their communities and to operating diverse, equitable and inclusive restaurants.
The 2021 Dine Together report highlights include:
- Donated 30 metric tons of food to local communities; provided 467,000 free meals to Applebee’s guests and 101,000 free pancakes to IHOP guests on Veterans Day
- Increased total donations to organizations dedicated to children’s well-being to $12M (Applebee’s) and $34M (IHOP)
- Reduced carbon emissions by 17.5% against a 2019 baseline across 69 company-owned restaurants; established baseline water usage at company-owned and select franchisee restaurants
- Reduced expanded polystyrene (EPS) packaging by 680 metric tons, advancing a goal of being 100% EPS-free by the end of 2024; diverted 27% of waste produced at company-owned restaurants (5,756 metric tons) from landfill
- Convened an Animal Health and Welfare Advisory Council to guide policy development and achieve goals specific to protein sourcing
- Adhered to the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) restaurant industry disclosure topics
- Expanded efforts to attract, engage, and retain a diverse workforce including investment in six new Team Member Resource Groups, diverse applicant interview panels and candidate slates, and commitment to the CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion pledge
“We recognize that we are at an early stage of our ESG journey, and while we’ve made significant progress, we’re most excited about what’s to come,” Peyton said. “Applebee’s and IHOP are two of the most iconic restaurant brands in the world, and we have a unique opportunity to make a meaningful impact towards a healthier planet and build stronger communities. We intend to seize that opportunity.”
About Dine Brands Global, Inc.
Based in Glendale, California, Dine Brands Global, Inc. (NYSE: DIN), through its subsidiaries, franchises restaurants under both the Applebee's Neighborhood Grill + Bar and IHOP brands. With over 3,400 restaurants combined in 16 countries and approximately 340 franchisees, Dine Brands is one of the largest full-service restaurant companies in the world. For more information on Dine Brands, visit the Company’s website located at www.dinebrands.com.
Media Contact:
Susan Nelson, Vice President, Global Communications and Public Affairs, Dine Brands Global, Inc.
