*Mickey Dees has gotten itself a new diversity chief, just in time to deal with the company’s allegations of racism and harassment.
Reginald J. Miller — VF Corporation’s former Vice President of Global Inclusion & Diversity — has now joined McDonald’s as its newly appointed Vice President and Global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer. He replaces the now-retired Wendy Lewis and is set to begin on Nov. 9.
“I’m proud to be joining McDonald’s at a time where diverse voices and perspectives are not just celebrated, but engaged in accelerating meaningful change,” Miller said in a statement. “As a global brand, McDonald’s has a strong foundation of creating opportunity throughout its value chain. I’m proud to be joining at this pivotal moment where the energy, resources and commitment to values-driven leadership is shared by all.”
Miller arrives as McDonald’s is navigating a multitude of racial discrimination and sexual harassment suits. In November of 2019, a Chicago-based McDonald’s fired its former CEO Steve Easterbrook after he admittedly sent explicit text messages to an employee, CNBC reports. The company’s former human resources chief, David Fairhurst, was also fired and replaced with Heidi Capozzi in March.
Additionally, three current and former McDonald’s workers filed a lawsuit last month against managers at a local McDonald’s who were accused of subjecting Black workers to racially derogatory terms and unfair treatment that resulted in them receiving harsher consequences and fewer hours than their white counterparts.
That lawsuit followed one from September in which more than 50 Black former franchisees alleged in federal court that the fast-food chain committed racial discrimination against them and denied them the same opportunities offered to its white franchisees.
Below, watch a news report about the last lawsuit against McDonalds filed in July:
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