McDonald’s has issued a response to a call by an activist group, The People’s Union USA, for customers to boycott the restaurant over its rollback of previous DEI initiatives, among other criticisms.
The boycott, or “economic blackout” as it’s being called by organizers, is intended to run June 24-30. The People’s Union USA said it’s targeting McDonald’s in part over “false DEI promises,” founder John Schwarz alleges on social media.
“They practice performative DEI with no meaningful change,” he wrote.
Schwarz also accused McDonald’s of exploiting tax loopholes and supporting politicians who “threaten democracy,” among other allegations.
On Tuesday, a McDonald’s spokesperson responded to calls for an “economic blackout” from The People’s Union USA.
“As a brand that serves millions of people every day, McDonald’s opens our doors to everyone, and our commitment to inclusion remains steadfast,” the company said.
McDonald’s also said its company “generates billions in federal, state and local taxes annually, and we’ll continue to pay our fair share.”
“We welcome honest dialogue with the communities we serve, but we’re disappointed to see these misleading claims that distort our values and misrepresent our actions,” McDonald’s wrote. “Our focus remains on serving our customers and communities. We’re here and ready to serve.”
Schwarz, in a video posted Tuesday, appeared to dismiss those notions.
“This is not about fast food. This is about the power of the people,” Schwarz said. “This is about sending a message to corporations who think they can get away with price gouging, tax dodging, inequality, corporations that pretend to support the people while doing absolutely nothing that truly benefits the people.”
McDonald’s had rolled back some of its commitments to its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in January, ending programs that set goals for diversity among leadership, or encouraged suppliers to begin diversity training, the Associated Press reported.
At the time, McDonald’s had pointed to a “shifting legal landscape” after the Supreme Court’s 2023 ruling that universities could not consider race during the admissions processes.
McDonald’s executive Jourdan Nunn, meanwhile, claimed just this month at a human resources conference in Chicago that inclusion efforts at McDonald’s remain unchanged “at the core” despite the company stepping back from DEI initiatives, Bloomberg reported.
In addition to McDonald’s, the People’s Union USA has also attempted to organize economic blackouts against companies and brands such as Amazon, Walmart, Nestle and General Mills.
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