Staffing

McDonald's speaks on diversity, equity, inclusion efforts

Photo: iStock

February 18, 2021

In the same week that one of McDonald's largest Black franchisees filed a civil rights suit againstit alleging that the company has shown systemic racial bias that puts Black owners at a disadvantage, the Chicago-based company said it was continuing efforts around diversity, equity and inclusion.

According to an email from a McDonald's spokeswoman, the company is:

• Increasing leadership diversity by growing the women in senior director and above roles from 37% to 45% by the end of 2025.
• working toward gender parity by the end of 2030.
• Increasing "representation of historically underrepresented groups" in senior director and above position in the U.S. from 29% to 35% by the end of 2025.

The company said by "underrepresented groups" it means those who self-identify as American Indigenous, Asian, Black, Latinx, or Multi-Racial.

McDonald's said it was also adding measures to its annual compensation incentive metrics for executive vice presidents and was making all senior leadership team members "owners" of their own strategies to act to create diverse candidate slates for all open officer roles, engage with diversity groups and mentor and sponsor more women and underrepresented groups.

This year's company-wide Target Incentive Program for top brass at the company will be measured on improving diversity representation for women and underrepresented groups as well as creating a strong culture of inclusion among employees. Jointly these goals will add up to 15% of the incentive pay metrics for these upper-level executives.

McDonald's also reemphasized the work it has done toward making it a more inclusive workplace, including:

• Establishing a "global advisory council" on diversity, equity and inclusion.
• Listening tour and sessions with diverse experts throughout business.
• July 2020 announcement of McDonald's "global ambition on diversity, equity and inclusion."
• Re-imagination of global chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer role.