McDonald’s has landed themselves in hot water as the fast-food chain is currently facing charges of racism and harassment.
In an effort to absolve these accusations, the company has appointed a new chief of diversity and inclusion.
According to a statement from McDonald’s, Reginald J. Miller — VF Corporation’s former Vice President of Global Inclusion & Diversity — has now joined the chain as its newly appointed Vice President and Global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer.
According to USA Today, McDonald’s has acknowledged that it needs improvement when it comes to representing the communities it serves and has since publicly committed to better its corporate inclusion practices with its franchised locations and suppliers.
“Reggie and I share the same goal: that in order to move forward, we must move away from the notion that the responsibility of diversity lies with one person, one department or one group,” said McDonald’s human resources chief, Heidi Capozzi, in a letter to employees reviewed by The Associated Press.
Miller’s new role, which replaces the now-retired Wendy Lewis, is set to begin immediately on Nov. 9.
“I’m proud to be joining McDonald’s at a time where diverse voices and perspectives are not just celebrated, but engaged in accelerating meaningful change,” Mr. Miller said in a statement. “As a global brand, McDonald’s has a strong foundation of creating opportunity throughout its value chain. I’m proud to be joining at this pivotal moment where the energy, resources and commitment to values-driven leadership is shared by all.”
This news arrives as McDonald’s is navigating multiple accusations from former workers who have filed law suits on racial discrimination and sexual harassment.
In November of 2019, a Chicago-based McDonald’s fired its former CEO Steve Easterbrook after he admittedly sent explicit text messages to an employee, CNBC reports.
The company’s former human resources chief, David Fairhurst, was also fired and replaced with Capozzi in March.
Additionally, USA Today shares that last month, three current and former McDonald’s workers came forward to file a civil rights suit against managers at a local McDonald’s who were accused of subjecting Black workers to racially derogatory terms and unfair treatment that resulted in them receiving harsher consequences and fewer hours than their white counterparts.
This lawsuit followed after 50+ Black former franchisees filed suit in September — in federal court — alleging the fast-food chain committed racial discrimination against them and denied them the same opportunities offered to its white franchisees.
