Day 067 - 15 Dec 94 - Page 37
1 you mean; is that what you are saying?
2 A. That is correct. We do have extensive communication
3 with our suppliers, not only in the US but around the
4 world. Prior to approval of any supplier, we go over all
5 of the applicable laws and regulations; we go over our
6 policies; we go over our procedures; we go over our agreed
7 upon levels of performance, so they do understand -- if you
8 let me finish, sir -- so there is an agreement. They do
9 sign the specifications. By signing these specifications,
10 we are verifying that they understand the intent and the
11 content of the specifications which include our products
12 specifications, our policies and procedures as well as all
13 applicable laws and regulations.
14
15 Q. But you do not put it in the specifications? Obviously,
16 you put the things in the specifications that you feel are
17 important, do you not?
18 A. Yes, you ask me two questions. Let me answer the first
19 one. There is not possible to write everything in detail,
20 all of the laws and regulations that McDonald's Corporation
21 is subjected to, in one single document. You have seen in
22 this courtroom a lot of the documents that we have
23 provided. It is not practical to include every single
24 detail in a product specification in our requirements.
25 Therefore, we go after the intents of the specifications
26 where are explained in our product specifications.
27
28 Q. You emphasise the things that you consider important; is
29 that correct?
30 A. Let me answer your second question. The things that we
31 imply and describe in the specifications is to ensure the
32 quality of our products, the consistency of our quality,
33 the safety of our products as well as to everything that we
34 need to comply with, it will be included in the
35 specifications.
36
37 Q. The ones that we have here?
38 A. The product specification, that is correct.
39
40 Q. OK. Everything that the suppliers need to comply with are
41 specified; there is nothing in the specifications about
42 animal welfare, is there?
43 A. As I said it before -----
44
45 Q. Not in the text, not in the text?
46 A. In the text?
47
48 Q. Nothing is there.
49
50 MR. JUSTICE BELL: There is actually nothing in the footnote
51 either, is there, about animal welfare? It is, surely,
52 directed at Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, but it is directed
53 at food legislation in the USA and at, I would have
54 assumed, comparable -- in fact, it says "food, laws and
55 regulations in countries outside the States". I have to
56 say it does not appear to me to refer to animal welfare
57 legislation at all, either directly or by inference. If
58 that be a proper reaction, where that takes us, we will
59 have to see, but it does not look as if there is any
60 reference to animal welfare legislation or regulation, does
