McDonald's joins growing list of companies rolling back DEI initiatives

McDonald's on Monday became the latest major American corporation to reverse some of its diversity policies in the wake of a Supreme Court ruling on affirmative action, and pushback from Republican voters.

Multiple colleges and businesses have rescinded their DEI policies over the past, amid scrutiny over the Supreme Court ruling which banned affirmative action from being considered in college admissions. Other companies that have made recent changes to their Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies are Walmart, DoorDash, Harley-Davidson, and Lyft.

McDonald’s said it would end its goals for achieving diversity at senior leadership levels, end a program that encourages suppliers to seek diversity in its leadership and establish diversity training methods, and pause “external surveys," the Associated Press reported.

Although the company said it was rolling back some of its policies based on the current "legal landscape," it was still steadfast to its commitment of inclusion and embracing the communities it serves.

"Our success is a direct result of the work our collective system has done to become the world's community restaurant. We are shaped by the communities we serve and open our doors to everyone," the company said in a statement.

"Whether it’s recruiting restaurant team members directly from the communities in which we operate or creating more opportunities for entrepreneurs and growing a robust and innovative supply chain, our system leverages inclusion to operate successfully and grow our businesses," it added.  

The company said it would also keep some of its policies, such as continuing to support efforts that ensure a diverse base of employees, suppliers, and franchisees. It also still hoped to achieve its goal of having 25% of total supplier spending go to minority businesses by the end of the year.

McDonald's will also continue to provide transparency in its demographic information, and refine its language to capture the company's "commitment to inclusion," by introducing its "Golden Rule" which emphasizes treating all customers with "dignity, fairness and respect."

The company's diversity team will additionally be renamed the Global Inclusion Team.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.