IRVINE, Calif. – Taco Bell, a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, announced new 2020 sustainability commitments on Jan. 9 including making all consumer-facing packaging recyclable, compostable or reusable by 2025 worldwide.

The quick-service restaurant also said it would be testing a $100,000 annual salary for restaurant general managers of company-owned restaurants in select locations. The company also plans to offer at least 24 hours of paid sick time per calendar year to any eligible company employees nationwide.

“It’s no secret that Taco Bell marches to the beat of its own drum, and we provide our fans with unexpected experiences year after year. From the Doritos Locos Taco to the Taco Bell Hotel, we want to continue to lead in creativity on our menus, in our restaurants and beyond,” said Mark King, Taco Bell CEO. “As Taco Bell expands its footprint, our responsibility to drive positive impact increases. Our business growth in the last decade has positioned us to create change for good and implement creative solutions for our planet, our people and our food. We’re excited to shake things up and make 2020 even more about what matters most: our purpose.”

Another commitment Taco Bell plans to continue to push is its vegetarian items after rolling out the dedicated vegetarian menu in 2019. The chain also wants to make meat-free items easier to order in mobile apps and drive-thrus.  

Finally, the company plans to award $6 million in Live Mas Scholarships in 2020 to help fans and team members pursue their unique passions. 

Taco Bell most recently committed to simpler, higher quality ingredients and more US jobs, and worked throughout 2019 to reduce antibiotics important to human health in its beef. The brand has also released new recruitment initiatives with its Hiring Parties campaign, which resulted in a 66 percent increase in new hires for participating restaurants.