McDonald's Shifts DEI Strategy Post Court Ruling

McDonald's is rolling back its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling against affirmative action, citing a 'shifting legal landscape'. The company will retire its specific diversity goals, stop requiring suppliers to commit to DEI pledges, and suspend participation in external diversity surveys. This decision aligns with similar moves by other major U.S. companies like Walmart and Ford, as businesses face legal challenges and political backlash against DEI programs. Despite these changes, McDonald's emphasizes its ongoing commitment to inclusion by embedding inclusive practices directly into its operations and has renamed its diversity team to the 'Global Inclusion Team'. The shift in strategy highlights a trend among corporations to integrate inclusion more directly into core business strategies rather than maintaining separate aspirational diversity targets.