In 2021, McDonald’s promised sweeping action to tackle sexual harassment across its global empire. The company unveiled new Global Brand Standards requiring all locations, including franchises, to uphold anti-harassment policies and deliver mandatory training. It sounded like a step in the right direction. But as The Nation and Type Investigations have revealed, that promise has rung hollow. https://www.thenation.com/article/society/mcdonalds-sexual-harassment-brand-standards/
Despite the press releases, harassment remains widespread in McDonald’s restaurants. Workers who report abuse still face retaliation. Perpetrators are kept on. Training is vague and superficial. Franchisees—who comprise the bulk of McDonald’s employers—face little pressure to comply. McDonald’s gets to maintain its public image, but very little has changed for frontline workers.
This is precisely what the End Not Defend campaign is working to change.
The campaign doesn’t just call for better policies—it demands legal change, mandatory risk assessments, and real enforcement. It recognises what McDonald’s and countless other corporations won’t admit: voluntary standards don’t protect workers; they protect brands.
A Different Approach: Start with Risk, Not Reputation
One of the campaign’s central demands is that employers treat workplace sexual harassment like any other health and safety risk. That means assessing the risks before harm happens, not waiting for another victim to come forward. It also means involving those who know the workplace best: the workers themselves.
Imagine if McDonald’s had been required by law to carry out a sexual harassment risk assessment for every franchise. Imagine if union reps were involved, if workers had proper training on their rights, and if employers faced consequences for failing to act. That’s not a fantasy. That’s what we’re fighting for.
Stop Letting Employers Defend the Indefensible
Too often, when harassment is reported, employers go straight into defence mode. They downplay, delay, and blame the victim. Under the current system, companies can spend more energy protecting their legal liability than protecting their staff. That’s why End Not Defend demands a legal duty to prevent sexual harassment, not simply to react to it.
If McDonald’s had been legally obliged to prevent harassment across its franchises, it would have had no choice but to confront the systemic risks and unsafe conditions exposed by The Nation. Without that duty, workers are left with broken promises and PR spin.
Unions Are Key to Ending Harassment
The campaign also recognises the vital role of unions and workplace representatives in shaping effective anti-harassment policies. When workers are organised, informed, and protected from retaliation, they’re far more likely to come forward and hold employers to account.
McDonald’s didn’t solve the problem. They rebranded it.
It’s time for something real.
The End Not Defend campaign offers model policies, risk assessment templates, and legal strategies to make workplaces safer for all. But we need your voice. Whether you’re a union rep, a health and safety officer, or someone who believes in dignity at work, you can help.
Join the campaign. Demand stronger laws. End the cycle. Don’t defend it.