Bloomin’ Brands — a company that owns popular, casual dining chains including Outback Steakhouse, Carrabba’s Italian Grill, and Bonefish Grill — has agreed to strengthen its forest protection policies.
For the first time, the company has agreed to disclose how much of its beef it sources from Brazil and to ensure that it sources 60% of all products including beef from verified deforestation-free suppliers. Bloomin’ Brands aims to increase this commitment to 100% in the future thanks to efforts from Environment America’s affiliated mutual fund partner Green Century Capital Management.
The expansion of pasture land for beef cattle contributes to 41% of total tropical forest deforestation.
Tropical deforestation hurts the environment because rainforests absorb and store vast amounts of carbon in their trees, affect global rainfall patterns, and house an immense diversity of species.
Green Century has pushed Bloomin’ Brands to improve its forest protection policies for years. While these policy changes are good first steps by Bloomin’ Brands, the company still needs to do more to ensure that no companies in its supply chain are contributing to the deforestation of our rainforests.
