McDonald’s has signed a legal agreement with the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) after concerns about how it has handled sexual harassment complaints from its UK staff.
The agreement - known as a Section 23 agreement - commits McDonald’s to implementing a number of measures to protect workers. They include a zero tolerance to sexual harassment, improving managers’ responses to complaints, increasing training, implementing policies and carrying out anonymous surveys on staff. The agreement covers all franchised restaurants but does not include chains in Ireland or overseas, such as in the USA.
CEO of McDonald’s UKI - Alistair Macrow - said:
“We will partner with the EHRC to bolster our best practice training and reporting approaches across our business to ensure that our values are understood, lived and acted upon across our organisation. Harassment and abuse have no place in our society or at McDonald’s.”
Chairperson of the EHRC - Lady Falkner - said:
“We are pleased that McDonald’s has signed this agreement to signal their intent to make their restaurants safe places to work. The improvements they put in place can set an example for others to follow, whether in the hospitality industry or elsewhere.”
The chain has been at the centre of allegations of failing its workers regarding sexual harassment claims, for several years now. In 2018, employees in several US cities went on strike to protest against the fast-food giant’s alleged failure to prevent or deal with harassment in the workplace. Subsequently, it emerged that at least 50 employees globally had filed legal claims against them in just five years, leading to the company announcing in 2021 they would require staff around the world to undergo anti-harassment training.
Whilst it is not clear exactly how many complaints have been made in the UK, in 2019 The Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union (BFAWU) claimed that more than 1,000 cases had been reported in the UK and cited the “toxic culture” in restaurants.
Ian Hodson - President of the BFAWU - stated:
“It’s shameful that one of the richest corporations on the planet doesn’t take sexual harassment seriously until we raise it.
I pay tribute to all our members who have spoken out on this issue and encourage McDonald’s to work with us in ending sexual harassment.”
CEO of McDonald’s UKI - Alistair Macrow - added:
“As one of the UK’s leading employers, the safety and wellbeing of our people is our absolute priority. It is hugely important to me that everyone in our organisation feels safe and respected at all times - this is core to the values of our business.”
