McDonald's Ends Diversity Goals, Rebrands DEI Team Amid Legal Shifts

Jan 6, 2025, 09:57 PM

McDonald's has announced a significant revamp of its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, becoming the latest major company to roll back its diversity goals ahead of the incoming Trump administration in 2025. The fast-food giant, the world's fourth-largest employer, will no longer set representation goals in hiring or require its suppliers to commit to DEI policies. This includes ending DEI goals for senior leadership levels and discontinuing a program that encourages suppliers to develop DEI training and increase minority representation in their leadership ranks. McDonald's is also rebranding its diversity team as a 'global inclusion team' and withdrawing from the Human Rights Campaign's Corporate Equality Index. Instead, the company is focusing on embedding inclusion practices through its 'golden rule,' which emphasizes treating everyone with dignity, fairness, and respect. The decision comes amid a shifting legal landscape, particularly the Supreme Court's affirmative action ruling, and pressure from conservative advocates. Notably, McDonald's had introduced a series of diversity initiatives in 2021 following lawsuits alleging sexual harassment and discrimination brought by employees and Black former franchise owners.