McDonald's Corp has grappled with over 400 complaints of sex abuse in its UK operations since July, chief executive Alistair Macrow revealed to the Business and Trade Select Committee on Tuesday.
Macrow was summoned to parliament today following a BBC report that uncovered a toxic culture of sexual assault, racism and bullying among staff, some as young as 17.
The report, which included testimonies from over 100 current and former employees, painted a disturbing picture of the work environment at McDonald's franchises.
In response to the allegations, Macrow expressed deep regret and acknowledged that McDonald's had "clearly fallen short" in several areas.
Despite these assurances, a follow-up investigation by the BBC suggests that issues of sexual misconduct, bullying and racist language persist within the chain.
Speaking before the select committee today, Macrow said "we typically would see between 20 to 25 contacts per week, of which one or two would be sexual harassment".
Liam Byrne, chair of the Business and Trade Committee, asked the McDonald's boss if "profit was more important than protecting workers".
“Absolutely not,” Macrow replied. "The most important thing in our business is our people. We do everything we can to look after our people," he added.
MPs also head from Ian Hodson, national president of the Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union, who said the claims were "absolutely horrific".
"Whether it was the way they were spoken to or the way they were treated, there was acceptance that they were touched in the workplace," he stated.
Most McDonald’s outlets in the UK operate as franchises, which has raised questions about the enforcement of company policies at these locations.
The committee's chair, in response to the July report, recommended terminating certain franchise agreements to enforce better control.
McDonald’s has initiated investigations into all claims brought to its attention and introduced an additional reporting mechanism.
The company has also engaged PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP to evaluate its procedures, aiming to improve oversight and accountability.