Speaking of New Year’s resolutions, McDonald’s, the world’s largest restaurant chain, announced company resolutions regarding its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion policies. In a worldwide company email, the corporation announced some modifications, which marked some clear changes but in other areas — not much at all. 

The company promised to stop hiring based on percentage diversity goals and to pause “external surveys.” This implies it will no longer participate in the Human Rights Campaign’s annual DEI report, the Corporate Equality Index. 

According to its website, the HRC is “the national benchmarking tool on corporate policies, practices, and benefits pertinent to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer employees.”

The HRC often drives DEI practices in companies based on this “benchmark.” 

McDonald’s third promise was to retire its commitment to the supply chain DEI pledge and instead focus more on business performance. The company is returning to what should have always been its focus: quality.

The final alteration McDonald’s announced, however, is superfluous and reveals the company’s continuing commitments to DEI standards. McDonald’s changed the name of its diversity team to the “Global Inclusion Team.” 

“This name change is more fitting for McDonald’s in light of our inclusion value and better aligns with this team’s work,” the email read. 

But why does a fast-food restaurant even need a “Global Inclusion Team”? Yes, the staff needs to be courteous and respectful to each other and to customers, but an outside inclusion team is unnecessary, especially given the existence of Human Resources in every major company. 

This name change indicates the larger issue of the McDonald’s statement — it’s hesitant and hidden. Even its retreat from the HRC was only vaguely implied. 

The email itself contained roughly 75% of self-praise for the company’s inclusion before addressing the main point: the modifications. In journalism, that’s called burying the lede. Delaying the main changes to the final quarter of a statement is cowardly. 

After clearly promoting its stance on inclusion, McDonald’s explained it had comprehensively analyzed its inclusion practices over the past year, including consideration from shareholders and political and legal relevance. 

“Following the Supreme Court ruling in Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College, we also assessed the shifting legal landscape to anticipate how this ruling may impact corporations such as McDonald’s,” the email read.

The Supreme Court case in June 2023 abolished affirmative action for college admissions. This decision culturally impacted not only education diversity practices but corporate and business practices. Last year saw several businesses backtrack their DEI policies because of this political and cultural shift. 

“And finally, we benchmarked our approach to other companies who are also re-evaluating their own programs,” the email read.

McDonald’s sensed the DEI backtrack in 2024, realizing the policies that once earned them high scores from the HRC now earns them high critique from customers. Again, McDonald’s hid specific details but its reference to these other companies implies the reality of a retreat from DEI policies.

According to AP News, Lowe’s and Ford Motor Co. stopped participating in the HRC’s annual survey in 2024. Other companies that altered or abandoned their DEI policies in 2024 include Tractor Supply Co., John Deere, and Walmart. And, like McDonald’s, both Amazon and Meta announced DEI changes to begin the year. 

Companies are finally recognizing consumers fuel their growth and success. If the consumer is unhappy, something should change. Most McDonald’s customers just want to enjoy their burgers — without political propaganda. 

The hesitancy and vague language that McDonald’s recently presented, however, needs clarifying. 

McDonald’s and many other companies are attempting to please both sides: consumers and the stakeholders who fund the company, often pushing leftist stances such as transgender policies. This explains the McDonald’s hesitancy. That very hesitancy, however, reveals a weakness: political appeasement. Companies should not shoot in political wars. 

McDonald’s hesitancy gives opportunity for left-leaning activists and organizations such as HRC to backlash. Hopefully, McDonald’s won’t cave to this pressure.The DEI changes McDonald’s announced is a start. But sometimes a car still dies after a jump.

Consumers can strengthen McDonald’s and other companies by supporting their DEI changes. Share your appreciation and support of such changes. Public affirmation will encourage McDonald’s to defend its new policies. Let McDonald’s know you’re “lovin’ it.”

Michaela Estruth is a senior studying history.