By Redaccion
[email protected]
Four years after launching an initiative to promote diversity within its organization, McDonald’s announced it would be rolling back some of its diversity practices.
The fast-food giant cited the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2023 decision to strike down affirmative action in college admissions as a key factor behind the changes.
McDonald’s joins a growing list of major corporations, including Walmart, John Deere, and Harley-Davidson, that have reevaluated or reduced their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs in response to the ruling and a broader conservative pushback against such initiatives.
As part of the changes, McDonald’s announced Monday that it would eliminate specific diversity goals for senior leadership roles. The company also plans to discontinue a program encouraging its suppliers to implement diversity training and increase minority representation in their leadership teams. Additionally, McDonald’s said it would pause participation in “external surveys” but did not elaborate. Other companies, such as Lowe’s and Ford Motor Co., have similarly suspended participation in the Human Rights Campaign’s annual LGBTQ+ workplace inclusion survey.
In 2021, McDonald’s introduced several diversity initiatives following lawsuits alleging sexual harassment by employees and a separate lawsuit from a group of Black former franchise owners claiming racial discrimination. At the time, McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski emphasized the company’s commitment to inclusion, stating on LinkedIn, “As a world-leading brand that considers inclusion one of our core values, we will accept nothing less than real, measurable progress in our efforts to lead with empathy, treat people with dignity and respect, and seek out diverse points of view to drive better decision-making.”
However, the company said Monday that the “shifting legal landscape” after the Supreme Court decision prompted a thorough review of its policies.
Political factors may have also influenced the decision. President-elect Donald Trump, a vocal critic of DEI programs, has appointed Stephen Miller—known for aggressively challenging corporate DEI policies—as his incoming deputy chief of policy. In addition, Vice President-elect JD Vance introduced legislation last summer to eliminate such programs within federal agencies.
Conservative commentator Robby Starbuck, who has called for consumer boycotts of brands supporting diversity initiatives, recently criticized McDonald’s on social media. He claimed to have informed the company of an upcoming story on its “woke policies.” McDonald’s stated that its policy updates had been under consideration for months and were scheduled to coincide with the start of 2025.
Maintaining a Commitment to Inclusion
In an open letter to employees and franchisees, McDonald’s leadership reaffirmed its commitment to fostering an inclusive environment and acknowledged the competitive advantage of a diverse workforce. The company noted that 30% of its U.S. leadership positions are held by individuals from underrepresented groups, up from 29% in 2021. McDonald’s had previously aimed to reach 35% by the end of 2025.
The company highlighted its achievements since 2021, including achieving gender pay equity across all levels and surpassing its goal to allocate 25% of supplier spending to diverse-owned businesses three years ahead of schedule.
McDonald’s stated that while it will continue to support efforts to ensure a diverse workforce, supplier base, and franchisee network, its diversity team will now operate under the name “Global Inclusion Team.” The company will also continue publishing demographic data as part of its transparency efforts.
The McDonald’s Hispanic Owner-Operators Association declined to comment on the changes. A request for comment from the National Black McDonald’s Operators Association was not immediately returned.
