McDonald’s Joins Companies Scaling Back Diversity Goals

McDonald’s has decided to end some of its diversity practices, including retiring specific goals for achieving diversity at senior leadership levels and ending a program that encourages suppliers to increase the number of minorities in their leadership ranks. This decision comes in the wake of a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that outlawed affirmative action in college admissions, as well as a conservative backlash against diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. Other companies like Walmart, John Deere, and Harley-Davidson have also rolled back their DEI initiatives in response to the changing legal landscape.

Despite these changes, McDonald’s remains committed to inclusion and believes that a diverse workforce is a competitive advantage. The company reports that 30% of its U.S. leaders are members of underrepresented groups, and it has achieved gender pay equity at all levels of the company. McDonald’s also expects to reach a goal of having 25% of total supplier spending go to diverse-owned businesses by the end of the year.

While McDonald’s will no longer have specific diversity goals, it will continue to support efforts to ensure diversity among its employees, suppliers, and franchisees. The company’s diversity team will now be referred to as the Global Inclusion Team, and it will continue to report demographic information to track progress in this area.

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