McDonald’s

Illinois
Food Beverage and Tobacco

Risk Level:

Rating - Danger
High Risk

Summary:

McDonald's vets suppliers according to pro-LGBTQ policies and has canceled partnerships with a conservative nonprofit, American Legislative Exchange Commission (ALEC), due to pressure from progressive groups. McDonald's has donated to the National Urban League (NUL) while supporting the Equality Act and opposing state-level election security laws. McDonald's does not have viewpoint protections for its employees. For these reasons, McDonald's receives a "High Risk" rating.

Criteria
Risk Level
Rationale
Corporate Weaponization
Criteria

Has denied service to customers, suppliers, or vendors due to their political views or religious beliefs OR corporately boycotts, divests, or sanctions regions, people groups, or industries.

Risk Level
Rationale

McDonald’s received a score of 100 on the Corporate Equality Index from the Human Rights Campaign (1). Among other requirements, this means McDonald’s vets suppliers according to LGBTQ policies. In 2012, McDonald’s canceled its partnership with the conservative nonprofit ALEC after coming under pressure from progressive groups (2).

Criteria

Charitable giving (including employee matching programs) policies or practices discriminate against charitable organizations based on views or religious beliefs.

Risk Level
Rationale

McDonald’s is a corporate partner of the Ronald McDonald House Charities, and also operates its own scholarship funds (1)(2). These programs do not have any rules prohibiting collaboration with religious organizations (3).

Criteria

Employment policies fail to protect against discrimination based on political affiliation/views and/or religion.

Risk Level
Rationale

McDonald’s does not protect employees from viewpoint discrimination (1)(2).

Corporate Governance and Public Policy
Criteria

Uses corporate reputation to support ideological causes and/or organizations hostile to freedom of expression.

Risk Level
Rationale

McDonald’s has tied executive bonuses to workplace diversity, withholding some bonuses if diversity quotas are not met (1). McDonald’s supports the Equality Act (2). McDonald’s is a member of the Civic Alliance, which opposes state election reform laws (3).

Criteria

Uses corporate funds to advance ideological causes, organizations, or policies hostile to freedom of expression.

Risk Level
Rationale

McDonald’s has donated to the National Urban League (1). McDonald’s is a Bronze sponsor of Out and Equal (2).

Criteria

Uses corporate political contributions for ideological, non-business purposes.

Risk Level
Rationale

McDonald’s announced that it would indefinitely halt PAC funding of all federal candidates (1). The McDonald’s Corporation Political Action Committee has since resumed spending without withholding funds from the election-objecting candidates (2). However, McDonald’s made a $5,000 donation to the Equality PAC in 2022 (3).

All links were last accessed and all information was updated on:
March 28, 2023

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