McDonald’s rolls out People Brand Standards, revamped training in 50+ markets

McDonald’s has unveiled People Brand Standards and a reimagined Safe, Respectful and Inclusive Workplace training that the company says now reaches more than 50 markets and is available in over 40 languages. The move sets a corporate baseline for behavior, safety and inclusion that applies across Company-owned and franchised restaurants, though some resources are optional for Franchisees.

“The purpose of McDonald’s People Brand Standards is to promote safe, respectful and inclusive workplaces that help protect the physical and psychological safety of all restaurant employees,” Corporate McDonald’s said, framing the policy as focused on both physical and psychological protections. Corporate McDonald’s also noted that “All McDonald’s restaurants – whether Company-owned and operated or franchised – are subject to the same standards,” and that restaurants “must implement these standards and are assessed on each criterion in accordance with the applicable local evaluation processes.”

Training is central to the rollout. Corporate McDonald’s said, “We reimagined our Safe, Respectful and Inclusive Workplace training to focus on the behaviors needed to drive a place of work where everyone feels included, launching it in over 50 markets.” The company added, “This training is available in more than 40 languages and offered optionally to Franchisees to help them meet People Brand Standards requirements.” McDonald’s also provides workplace violence prevention trainings to Company-owned and operated restaurants, the company stated.

Implementation and accountability rest on different actors. McDonald’s is responsible for ensuring Company-owned restaurants implement the standards, while it “supports Franchisees with a suite of optional tools, resources, policies and training” to help them meet the same expectations. The company’s statement that restaurants will be “assessed on each criterion in accordance with the applicable local evaluation processes” leaves open how assessments are conducted, who scores them and what corrective actions follow.

Internal policy references reinforce the corporate framework. McDonald’s points employees to the Golden Arches Code, Standards of Business Conduct and Human Resource Operating Guidelines on the AccessMCD intranet. The Supplier Code of Conduct is likewise highlighted as part of a broader effort to ensure suppliers “share our support of fundamental rights for all people: to treat their employees with fairness, respect and dignity and to follow practices that promote health and safety.”

The guidance also covers data and reporting. “Personal Data We respect and value the privacy of our employees, customers and franchisees, and maintain confidentiality when handling their personal information,” one internal excerpt reads. For ethics concerns, employees are urged to “Raise your concerns with your supervisor or Human Resources. If you wish to report anonymously, call the Business Integrity Line at 1.800.261.9827.”

For crew members and managers, the standards could mean clearer expectations around harassment, safety and data handling, but the optional nature of franchise resources and the lack of public enforcement metrics suggest uneven adoption is possible. Journalists and workers will be looking for the missing details the company did not publish in these excerpts - notably the four specific focus areas the People Brand Standards cover, the markets included in the 50+ rollout, training formats and adoption rates, and how assessments translate into action. In the meantime, employees have formal channels to raise concerns and a named corporate framework that McDonald’s says is meant to bring safer, more respectful workplaces across the Golden Arches.