McDonald’s managers in the UK to get sexual abuse training

McDonald’s will bring new training on sexual harassment for managers to strong measures agreed by the equality watchdog to protect its staff.

The move was “in response to serious allegations raised”, the watchdog said, after it initially intervened in the company.

A BBC investigation two years ago revealed that workers, some as young as 17, were harassed and harassed. Last year, McDonald’s staff told us they still face sexual abuse and intimidation.

McDonald’s said it welcomed the new measures, adding that they would “build on the significant progress we have already made in this space”. But one former worker said the announcement won’t make a difference.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has now expanded its original plan agreed to 2023 to protect workers in the fast chain from sexual harassment from sexual harassment from sexual harassment from sexual harassment from sexual harassment from sexual harassment from sexual harassment from sexual harassment from sexual harassment from sexual harassment from sexual harassment from sexual harassment from sexual harassment sexual harassment from sexual harassment from sexual harassment from sexual harassment.

The new training will focus on the grooming of young workers and the use of social media.

McDonald agreed to bring in an external body to review whether the handling of sexual harassment claims was appropriate, the EHRC said.

The new measures will apply to McDonald’s restaurants in England, Scotland and Wales.

Although franchisees are not directly party to the agreement they are expected to use certain action points.

The fasting chain signed the legal mix agreement with the EHRC in February 2023.

The BBC first began to investigate working conditions at McDonald’s after the agreement was signed. In July 2023, the BBC heard from more than 100 current and recent workers at the fast food chain who claimed they had faced sexual assault, intimidation, racism and bullying.

At the time, McDonald’s apologized and set up a new unit to handle complaints.

But since then, more than 160 people have come forward to the BBC with allegations, while the EHRC has heard 300 reported incidents of intimidation.

In January, McDonald’s workers told us still facing sexual harassment More than a year after its chief executive promised to clean up the chain’s behavior in the fast.

A former McDonald’s employee, who previously spoke as part of the BBC’s initial investigation, said he did not think the changes made any difference.

“They’re looking at what they can, in terms of what’s reasonably promising, but not really what’s going to bring change,” he said.

“I really don’t think they have any personal desire to make the change, I don’t think they care,” he added.

“It’s a check box for them to tick, like training, it’s something on a to-do list and they think it’s going to get done, but it’s not going to happen.”

Last year, law firm Leat Leigh said legal action was initiated against hundreds of McDonald’s employees and former restaurant owners of 450 restaurants in the claims.

“I think we can assume that the equality watchdog will not take this action if things are okay with McDonald’s,” Leigh Day Formation’s Kihan Daurka said.

“They have already made their first agreement with McDonald’s in 2023. That is why the EHRC appears to be concerned that progress is not enough.”

Ms Daurka said the company would like to see “more interrogation” of the relationship between the business corporation and the franchisees, “as we see how the issues of sexual harassment can be between the gaps”.

Baroness Kishwer Falkner, Chairwoman of the EHRC, said: “After the serious allegations were raised, we need to update the action plan which is more specific to the way McDonald’s operates.

“We are pleased with the important steps McDonald’s has taken to create a safe work environment for its staff and recognize the hard work they have put in to this end.”

Other steps McDonald’s is currently taking include strengthening risk assessments and continuing to encourage staff to speak up when something is wrong.

It will work with external experts to design and implement a new protection plan to protect vulnerable workers, which has been rolled out in McDonald’s restaurants and Franchise.

“Once completed, the actions contained in this legal agreement will ensure that there is tolerance for bullying at McDonalds and that there are replumes who report when it happens,” said Baroness Falkner.

Ian Hodson, National President of the Buters Union which represents food workers, that there must be “real change” at McDonald’s.

“This is a huge problem. Workers should have the right to work without sex, and employers should have a duty to act.

• A 19-year-old worker said managers would “touch” other staff members and some colleagues were afraid to go to work. He quit the midlands branch last year.
• A 21-year-old worker said managers inappropriately touched her and customers harassed her. When she held it up, she said she was told “it sucks”. He stops his work in the West Midlands at the end of 2023.
• A 16-year-old employee based in the West Midlands said she was insulted, shouted at and sworn at by managers.
• A 20-year-old said a male manager sent her topless photos. He left the McDonald’s branch in the east of England in August last year.

Last year, the guardian wrote every McDonald’s in Britain Be warned that their employers may face legal action if they fail to take steps to protect staff from sexual abuse.

The UK McDonald’s boss has been summoned twice to Parliament to answer questions before MPs since the BBC’s initial investigation.

In January, Alistair Macrow said 29 people have been fired over sexual harassment allegations in the past 12 months. Mr Macrow left McDonald’s in September.

A McDonald’s spokesperson said: “Over the past three years, along with our franchises, we have entered into a broad set of strong set of a safe commitment in McDonald’s restaurants in McDonald’s restaurants.

“We welcome the fact that these steps have been formalized within the EHRC’s latest agreement. This will build on the significant progress we have already made in this space.

“The agreement includes many of our previous steps developed in consultation with leading experts to launch a new digital, for our workers to launch our crew to our workers

“We are confident that the measures we have implemented are working and making a difference to the 148,000 people employed by McDonald’s in the UK today.

“We look forward to continuing our work with EHRC and believe it will help us stay at the forefront of the industry in creating a safe and respectful culture that is securely embedded in each of our restaurants.”

If you are affected by any of the issues in this story, information and support is available through BBC action line.