Day 068 - 16 Dec 94 - Page 47
1 take the allegations when they came out in the 1980s?
2 A. Oh, very seriously. We did a lot of research. We have
3 to explore every possibility to make sure that we get the
4 facts. It is our intention (it has always been) to go
5 after the facts, and then manage the situation. Whatever
6 the result, we are going to take action, when those
7 accusations have been made, when our reputation is at
8 stake, when our specifications could be, or potentially, or
9 have been violated. We took it very, very seriously.
10
11 MR. MORRIS: Was there some kind of special research done
12 immediately after the "Jungle Burger" film was made or the
13 allegations were made in the mid-80s, when you made public
14 statements at the time -----
15
16 MR. JUSTICE BELL: I really think, you know, for someone who
17 started in 1991 ---
18
19 MR. MORRIS: I understand that.
20
21 MR. JUSTICE BELL: -- you have really to ask yourself how
22 productive it is going to be to ask him about it.
23
24 MR. MORRIS: All right then.
25
26 (To the witness): What evidence have you seen that in the
27 1980s, the mid-1980's, or something, the company did do
28 research that meant that they could say the things that
29 they have said since? Do you see what I am saying? What
30 have you seen, apart from statements from the supplier
31 saying, "We do not do it", or whatever? What research did
32 the company do, itself, to check?
33 A. Let me start by saying I have talked about this issue
34 extensively. I heard about it when I was not even with
35 McDonald's. It was an immediate curiosity, when I was
36 going to be involved in that company, to look for what had
37 happened. I had found a lot of evidence from video tapes
38 where they show our facilities. I have seen evidence where
39 I had contacted and I have talked to people who were
40 involved, or who were very closely associated with them.
41 I have seen signed documents saying that we do not; in
42 particular in the case of Coope Montecillos, they have
43 never done that.
44
45 I have talked to Arturo Wolf, whose father was involved and
46 is shown in the video. Arturo Wolf went to the same school
47 that I went to at Texas, A & M. He was currently, at that
48 time, and I know that he was at that particular facility in
49 Fort Worth, where he was working there. I have seen
50 evidence that that particular facility only supplies to
51 hospitals and special institutions, and that kind of thing.
52
53 Q. But in terms of the company taking it seriously in
54 Costa Rica, McDonald's taking it seriously, have you seen,
55 for example, independent research done by the company to
56 verify the sources? Just say "no" if you have not?
57 A. I am thinking. If you let me think for a minute, I
58 will give you a better answer. I have not seen documents.
59 I do recall conversations where we know we have worked with
60 people that are ecologists, with people that were in the
