McDonald’s has announced plans to implement new sexual harassment training for managers in collaboration with the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) aimed at enhancing staff protection measures. This initiative comes in response to serious allegations of abuse raised in previous investigations, prompting the EHRC to intervene.
A BBC investigation from two years ago revealed that employees, including individuals as young as 17, faced incidents of groping and harassment. Despite previous commitments from McDonald’s to address sexual abuse and harassment, recent reports indicate that staff continue to experience such issues. The EHRC has expanded its action plan, originally set in 2023, to bolster protections for McDonald’s employees against sexual harassment, focusing on the grooming of young workers and the role of social media.
As part of the new measures, McDonald’s will engage an external body to assess its handling of harassment claims. The changes apply to restaurants across England, Scotland, and Wales, with expectations for franchises to adopt similar protocols. A legally binding agreement between the EHRC and McDonald’s was signed in February 2023, following which over 100 current and former employees reported ongoing harassment, racism, and bullying.
The EHRC chair, Baroness Kishwer Falkner, stressed the importance of updated actions tailored to McDonald’s operations. McDonald’s has committed to several new strategies, including increased risk assessments and encouragement for staff to report inappropriate behavior. The national president of the Bakers Union emphasized the need for significant change in creating a safe working environment.
Previous allegations reported by the BBC include managers inappropriately touching staff and dismissive attitudes toward complaints. The EHRC has warned McDonald’s that failure to improve could lead to legal action, highlighting the ongoing concern regarding employee safety within the company’s operations.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cpwv01r2wj5o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss