'Shouldn't get involved' | Ex-McDonald's CEO wages war on firms with 'woke' HR policies

The former CEO of McDonald's has launched a campaign to combat what he considers to be “woke” corporate policies.

Ed Rensi, who ran the fast-food giant from 1991 to 1997, has partnered with conservative advocacy groups to form The Boardroom Initiative, with a goal to “defend shareholders and employees of public companies from "woke" policies and ensure corporate accountability”, according to Fox Business.

The Boardroom Initiative is aiming to counter the actions of predominantly left-wing activist investors, who buy up shares in a company until they garner enough power to lobby the board to adopt policies on issues including gender, race and the environment.

The campaigners, led by Rensi who has been installed as chairman of the group, have joined forces with existing conservative advocacy groups The Free Enterprise Project and Second Vote and have drawn up plans to counteract such activist investors.