40 Under 40 2024: Meryl Adiel Hernandez, McDonald’s

Meryl Adiel Hernandez

Assistant VP, corporate relations & impact
McDonald’s
Philippines

Since joining McDonald’s Philippines in 2011 as the head of PR and communications, Meryl Hernandez has been promoted three times. Now, as vice president of corporate relations and impact, she is mainly responsible for building brand trust among stakeholders.

This has largely involved advancing McDonald's commitment to DEI and sustainability through impactful initiatives. Last year, Hernandez spearheaded an employer branding platform that led to the recruitment of over 40,000 crew members and 1,500 manager trainees. With a genuine commitment to inclusive hiring practices and creating a diverse workforce, she pledged to recruit 500 senior citizens and individuals with disabilities.

Under her leadership, McDonald's has doubled its support for the LGBTQ+ community by sponsoring two Pride marches. Hernandez also led McDonald's Philippines' Lovin’ All platform, including the groundbreaking ‘Woman Love Woman’ film during Pride Month 2023. As the first campaign of its kind in a devout Catholic country, it challenged norms and normalised queer love, achieving 123 million views.

Sustainability is also a key focus of Hernandez's leadership. To that end, she has mapped out the environmental sustainability strategic plan for McDonald's 750+ store network by testing and implementing green solutions for sustainable operations. These include green building solutions, utility-efficient solutions, packaging and waste disposal, and sustainable active mobility.

She also spearheaded the Ride the Arches initiative, promoting sustainable transportation. Since introducing McDonald's first bike rack, cycling infrastructure has expanded by 110%, with cyclists covering over 51,000km on McDonald's routes. This initiative boosted ride-thru sales by 25% and improved McDonald's 'Favourite Brand' rating by 6.6%.

Local communities have benefited and DEI has advanced significantly under Hernandez's leadership at McDonald's Philippines. She oversees initiatives such as Kindness Kitchen, which provides nearly a million meals annually to underprivileged families and disaster-affected communities. Under Ronald McDonald House Charities (RHMC), her work also includes the Bahay Bulilit programme, which builds daycare centres that support about 100 kids annually.

Beyond McDonald's, Hernadez has served two terms as President of the Philippine Association of National Advertisers (PANA).