Panera Bread

Panera Bread has a written safer chemicals policy that includes a restricted substances list (RSL) for to-go food packaging that goes beyond regulatory compliance and serves to prevent the introduction of chemicals into the food. Panera Bread’s policy also applies to its operations: it restricts chemicals used in cleaning products and replaced PVC disposable gloves for food handling with gloves made from polyethylene that are free of phthalates.

This policy applies only to US locations, which are 88% of all Panera cafes.

Panera Bread’s 2015-2016 Responsibility Report, the most recent report available online, describes the company’s Restricted Substance List (RSL) for packaging but does not provide details about the chemicals on it. While this RSL is not public at this time, a Panera employee verified that it includes flourinated chemicals, phthalates, and bisphenols. The RSL serves as a BRSL for certain chemicals. Staff noted in September 2019 that “All new packages are assessed against our RSL. In addition, we are reviewing our legacy portfolio against the RSL. We aim to have this review completed by mid-2020.”

In October 2019, staff stated: “This Fall, we are switching over our first package, our baguette bag, over to PFC-free paper. Cafes will be fully transitioned by June 2020.” Partial credit is awarded for Panera Bread setting limited public quantifiable goals. Staff later clarified that PFC, in this context, means per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

Panera Bread has also established a “Food Policy” and a “No No List” for chemicals that it does not allow in its food.

The company has not established public quantifiable goals for reducing other chemicals of concern and does not have a publicly available manufacturing restricted substance list (MRSL).

Panera Bread has assigned a member of senior management, the senior manager of corporate social responsibility, with responsibility for chemicals and packaging. Panera’s 2015-2016 Responsibility Report states: “We have a dedicated corporate responsibility team that is charged with managing our overall responsibility strategy, responsibility reporting and stakeholder engagement. This same team drives cross-functional initiatives on key environmental, animal welfare and philanthropy programs. In addition, subject matter experts across the company share accountability for driving other responsibility initiatives, such as our focus on health and wellness, clean ingredients and sustainable packaging, among others.”

Panera notes that “senior leaders are held accountable for responsibility metrics in the same way they are for general business performance.” However, it is not clear if these metrics are tied to financial incentives.

Panera notes: “There is no specific Board committee to oversee corporate responsibility and sustainability, but the Board is regularly briefed on relevant social and environmental issues as well as any stockholder resolutions that may arise.”

Panera Bread noted that “Suppliers must sign that they are in compliance with our [B]RSL,” so credit is awarded for the contract component.

Although the company stated that it assesses packaging materials for compliance with its BRSL, Panera Bread has not specifically disclosed that it trains suppliers on the company’s safer chemicals policy or reporting requirements, that it requires suppliers to conduct testing in third-party laboratories and provide results to the retailer, or that it conducts its own testing to ensure suppliers comply with its safer chemicals policy

In October 2019, Panera Bread staff noted to us: “For to-go packaging, we review all intentionally added substances including generic ingredients. Suppliers must sign that they are in compliance with our RSL and submit a list of all ingredients.” The company also works with an external consultant whose staff “review all intentionally added ingredients as well as evaluate reactions between chemicals in their review for packaging safety.”

The company does not require known impurities in packaging to be reported, and it does not seem as though they review the specific components of generic ingredients. Panera Bread’s disclosure requirements only apply to “all of our to-go packaging” (e.g., own-brand) and not “packaged foods from other vendors.”

Panera Bread has documented that it has completely eliminated PVC gloves and moved to polyethylene gloves (that are free of phthalates) within the last year.

The company also disclosed upcoming progress on PFAS in noting that it is starting to switch over its baguette bag to PFC-free paper this Fall and cafes will be fully transitioned to this paper by June 2020.

Panera Bread is aware of the emerging issue of short-chain perfluorinated chemicals in packaging and expresses a clear preference for safer alternatives to PFAS chemicals in food packaging through its work with external stakeholders. Staff noted in September 2019: “All new packages entering the system must meet the requirements outlined in our RSL” and “We also continue to find alternatives for existing packages that contain PFCs.”

Panera Bread indicates that it has a BRSL related to food packaging, but has not publicly disclosed the contents of the BRSL itself. Panera Bread has disclosed its “No No List” of prohibited direct food additives, but that is not relevant for the purposes of this report card.

Panera Bread does not appear to encourage or require suppliers to publicly disclose all indirect food additives in food contact materials and does not publicly disclose the identity of food contact materials that are currently free of CHCs that are indirect food additives going beyond regulatory compliance.

Panera Bread has not made any discernible progress on measuring its chemical footprint via the Chemical Footprint Project.

Panera Bread has not shown discernible progress on credible third-party safer chemicals standards going beyond regulatory compliance.

Panera Bread has not made a discernible public commitment through a joint announcement or other coordination effort in advance of a major announcement within the time periods specified in the scoring rubric.

Panera Bread significantly improved its management of chemicals by fully replacing PVC gloves for food handling with polyethylene gloves that are free of phthalates. The company has also set a timeline for moving to PFC-free baguette bags, and partial credit above 5 points is awarded for this small but important additional improvement in Panera’s chemical management.

Panera Bread has no discernible program to feature and market safer food contact materials used at its restaurants.

There is no indication that the retailer actively participates in a collaborative process or retains an independent expert body to promote safer chemicals or that it has created an external advisory board to provide input on implementation of the policy.