The move is part of a larger trend of corporations rolling back DEI commitments made during the Black Lives Matter riots of 2020 and their aftermath. McDonald’s cited a “shifting legal landscape,” referring to last year’s Supreme Court decision outlawing affirmative action in college admissions, for its reasoning.
Specifically, the company will end diversity quotas at senior levels and end a program that pushes suppliers to develop DEI training. McDonald’s also said that it would end “external surveys,” likely referring to a program measuring the percentage of LGBT employees at companies.
Anti-DEI activist Robby Starbuck took credit for the decision, saying in a post on X that he had reached out to the corporate giant just three days before asking about their “woke” policies.
“As our first corporate flip of 2025 I just want to say, HAPPY NEW YEAR!” he said.
“We’ve now changed policy at companies worth well over $2.3 Trillion dollars, with many millions of employees who have better workplace environments as a result,” he added.
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Among the other companies he said he has “flipped” are Toyota, Walmart, John Deere, and Nissan.
In addition to the Supreme Court ruling, corporations have also eliminated many of their DEI policies amid a wider cultural and political backlash, culminating in President-elect Donald Trump’s electoral victory in November. He has repeatedly bashed DEI practices, promising to take action against them once he enters office.
