Lauren Schultz, who assumed leadership of McDonald’s UK and Ireland in September 2024, is spearheading efforts to address and reform a workplace culture that has faced serious allegations of harassment and abuse. The fast-food chain, which employs 156,000 people across 1,608 locations in the UK, has been under scrutiny for multiple reports of sexual harassment, racism, bullying, and other forms of misconduct.
Schultz, originally from Pennsylvania, took over the UK business from Alistair Macrow, who served as CEO starting in 2021 and publicly acknowledged dismissals related to misconduct. Macrow informed UK lawmakers in early 2025 that at least 29 employees had been fired over a 12-month period linked to such issues, with some incidents dating back decades.
The situation escalated in 2023 when McDonald’s entered into a legally binding agreement with the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) following concerns about how sexual harassment complaints were handled. The agreement mandated all staff undergo compulsory anti-harassment training, with added managerial instruction aimed at identifying and mitigating risk areas. McDonald’s also introduced a confidential digital reporting system to assist employees in raising concerns safely.
Despite these measures, a subsequent investigation in early 2024 revealed that over 100 employees, including some as young as 17, reported ongoing issues such as sexual assault, harassment, racism, and homophobia. This prompted the EHRC to extend its agreement with McDonald’s in November 2025, incorporating a new action plan that included collaboration with external experts to develop a safeguarding framework. This framework aims to better protect vulnerable workers and ensure complaints against restaurant managers are investigated independently of the company.
Schultz acknowledges the challenges the chain has faced but emphasizes the company’s response as decisive and comprehensive. Speaking from a McDonald’s location in northwest London, she described the incidents as breaches of the company’s values but stressed rapid and robust action in training and safeguarding. She characterized McDonald’s restaurants as reflecting broader societal issues, sometimes appearing more acute within the workforce, which is predominantly young — about two-thirds are under the age of 25.
The company’s UK operation largely consists of franchised restaurants, with approximately 90 percent run by franchisees. Questions have arisen regarding whether this model may have contributed to inconsistent oversight and enabling poor behaviour. Schultz highlighted that franchisees now increasingly recognize their role as custodians of the desired workplace culture.
Meanwhile, legal challenges continue, with law firm Leigh Day representing over 700 current and former employees pursuing claims of workplace misconduct. Some allegations reportedly stem from as recently as late 2025. Schultz reiterated McDonald’s commitment to a zero-tolerance stance on abuse and stated there is a willingness to take swift disciplinary action when necessary.
Despite the controversy, McDonald’s remains popular among young job seekers. In April, the company launched a programme offering 2,500 paid five-day work placements for individuals aged 16 to 25, aiming to help address youth unemployment. The scheme quickly attracted more than 3,700 applications from young people and their representatives.
The ongoing collaboration between McDonald’s and the EHRC will persist until regulators are confident that all corrective measures are fully implemented. The future of the chain’s workplace environment rests largely on the effectiveness of initiatives under Schultz’s leadership to make McDonald’s a safer and more supportive employer.