McDonald’s ends some DEI programs, cites Supreme Court ruling

Jan 6

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Lauren Taylor Anchor

By Lauren Taylor (Anchor), Kalé Carey (Reporter), Harry Fogle (Video Editor)

McDonald’s is scaling back its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts, pointing to a U.S. Supreme Court decision as the catalyst for the shift. The fast-food giant had previously set goals to improve racial and gender diversity across its workforce, from entry-level positions to top executives.

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McDonald’s announced that many of its initiatives will end, including diversity training and external surveys measuring workplace inclusion.

The current diversity team is also being renamed the Global Inclusion Team.

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In a statement on Monday, Jan. 6, the company said, “This name change is more fitting for McDonald’s in light of our inclusion value and better aligns with this team’s work.”

The move follows a 2023 Supreme Court ruling that deemed race-based admissions and other tactics at universities unconstitutional. The ruling prompted numerous companies to reconsider or halt their DEI programs.

In a statement, McDonald’s Chairman and CEO Chris Kempczinski said that inclusion remains part of the company’s core.

“We will continue to lead with empathy, treat people with dignity and respect, and seek out diverse points of view to drive better decision-making,” Kempczinski said.

The company rolled out its diversity initiatives in 2021 after multiple lawsuits, including claims of sexual harassment and racial discrimination against Black franchise owners.

According to McDonald’s, 30% of its leadership now comes from minority groups. The company also reported achieving pay equity between male and female employees in 2021.

McDonald’s joins a growing list of companies, including Walmart, Toyota, Harley-Davidson and John Deere, that are reducing their participation in DEI programs.

Meanwhile, Costco remains committed to its DEI initiatives, with public statements reaffirming its dedication to diversity practices.

Tags: Costco, DEI, Diversity and inclusion programs, Fast food, Harley-Davidson, restaurants, Supreme Court, United States, Walmart

[Lauren Taylor]

THE RESTAURANT WITH THE GOLDEN ARCHES IS HITTING THE BRAKES ON SOME OF ITS DIVERSITY EFFORTS.

MCDONALDS SAYS A SUPREME COURT DECISION IS BEHIND SCALING BACK ITS DEI PROGRAMS.

THE COMPANY PREVIOUSLY COMMITTED TO BOOST RACIAL AND GENDER DIVERSITY WITHIN ITS WORKFORCE.

ORIGINAL GOALS TO INCREASE REPRESENTATION FROM ENTRY LEVEL WORKERS TO MCDONALD’S TOP EXECUTIVES.

ON MONDAY, THE COMPANY SAYS MANY OF THOSE SPECIFIC GOALS ARE COMING TO AN END INCLUDING DIVERSITY TRAINING AND EXTERNAL SURVEYS TO MEASURE WORKPLACE INCLUSION.

2023’S LANDMARK RULING FOUND RACE BASED ADMISSIONS AND TACTICS AT UNIVERSITIES TO BE UNCONSTIUTIONAL…LEADING MANY INDUSTRIES TO END THEIR DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION PROGRAMMING.

MCDONALD’S CEO SAYS THE FAST FOOD GIANT CONSIDERS INCLUSION TO BE AT THE CORE AND THEY WILL QUOTE “lead with empathy, treat people with dignity and respect, and seek out diverse points of view to drive better decision-making.”

THE FIRST SET OF DIVERSITY INITIATIVES LAUNCHED BACK IN 2021 FOLLOWING MULTIPLE LAWSUITS DETAILING SEXUAL HARASSMENT CLAIMS AND DISCRIMINATION OF BLACK FRANCHISE OWNERS.

MCDONALDS SENT A LETTER TO EMPLOYEES, DETAILING 30 PERCENT OF THE COMPANY’S LEADERS ARE FROM UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS AND REASSURING THEIR COMMITMENT TO INCLUSION.

THAT SAME YEAR…MCDONALDS SAYS IT MADE PAY BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN EQUAL.

THE COMPANY ALSO POINTS TO 2024, WHERE MILLIONS OF CUSTOMERS AND EMPLOYEES WERE ACCEPTED FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE AND THAT COMMUNITY IS WHAT SHAPES THE RESTAURANT.

MCDONALD’S JOINS WALMART, HARLEY DAVIDSON, TOYOTA AND JOHN DEERE IN ROLLING BACK DEI POLICIES.

ON THE OTHER END OF DEI…COSTCO IS HOLDING STEADFAST TO THEIR DEI PROGRAM AND POLICIES.

MAKING PUBLIC DECLARATIONS THAT THEY ARE COMMITTED TO DIVERSITY PRACTICES.

FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS, I’M LAUREN TAYLOR