Culture | McDonald's must go further than sackings after new harassment scandal

Recent allegations of bullying and sexual harassment within McDonald's UK have cast a spotlight on the company's persistent struggle to safeguard its employees. 

Despite pledges from leadership to address these issues, reports suggest that vile misconduct remains prevalent, indicating that previous measures, including the dismissal of offending staff, haven’t worked.

Earlier this week, more than 700 current and former McDonald's workers initiated legal action against the fast food giant, alleging a range of abuses from sexual harassment to discrimination across more than 450 UK restaurants.

These claims emerged despite earlier commitments from McDonald's UK leadership to eradicate such behaviour. Notably, in November 2023, CEO Alistair Macrow acknowledged the company was receiving up to two sexual harassment allegations a week, underscoring the ongoing nature of the problem.