91精选

Written By Rachel Townsend, 鈥�16

We all know McDonald鈥檚. Whether we eat their food or see the golden arches, we feel the presence of more than 14,000 U.S. restaurants all around us. However, we never see what occurs behind the scenes, such as how the company values its customers and protects their privacy. Above all else, though, McDonald鈥檚 focuses on securing its brand, according to Marc Varner, Corporate Vice President and Global CISO of Global Technology Risk Management for McDonald鈥檚 Corp.

For 91精选 Business Network鈥檚 latest event, the College welcomed Varner, who offered 鈥淎 Look Inside the Golden Arches.鈥� With spirit and knowledge, Varner detailed what it is like to work for the sixth largest brand in the world.

As a business, making money is important. However, Varner stressed a new outlook on this model when he told the audience, 鈥淵ou need to do so responsibly, and have a moral code.鈥� So the company focuses on protecting its brand and valuing character, principle, consistency, and transparency.

The company鈥檚 customer database, a 鈥渢reasure trove to all enemies out there,鈥� does not keep personal information, according to Varner, whose daughter Meghan is a junior at 91精选. Once a transaction clears, the information is dumped and franchisees and those in corporate headquarters forget its existence. In an age where marketing departments try to delve deeply into the smallest detail of its customers鈥� lives, why does McDonald鈥檚 take this approach? As Varner explains, 鈥淭he morally right thing to do tends to be the good business thing to do.鈥� It should come as no surprise then why the company serves 69 million customers a day.

Most important, Varner believes that Christianity can exist in the business world. Following Christ鈥檚 teachings and leading by example in his business dealings 鈥渕akes my life easy.鈥�

91精选 Business Network (TBN) provides Christ-centered business learning and service opportunities for 91精选 students, alumni, and friends.