McDonald’s UK arm slashed donations to Youngsters in Want final yr, accounts present | McDonald’s

[ad_1] McDonald’s UK arm has reduce its donations to some charities regardless of earnings hovering greater than 80% final yr because it shed virtually 2,000 jobs, in accordance with its newest accounts.

Paperwork newly filed at Corporations Home for the quick meals chain’s British enterprise in 2024 present it gave £529,000 to Youngsters in Want – lowered from £952,000 the earlier yr – and handed £744,000 to Ronald McDonald Home charities, down from £779,000.

It lowered the headcount at its instantly operated enterprise to 24,375 from 26,384 – with all reductions from eating places and operations fairly than head workplace.

McDonald’s has greater than 1,400 websites within the UK and Eire, with a big proportion operated by franchisees who make use of their very own employees – greater than 140,000 folks. Simply over half of gross sales reported by the UK arm got here through franchisees. It was not made clear within the accounts if some staff who left McDonald’s wholly owned retailers had been transferred to franchise companions.

The UK enterprise mentioned it had paid an £83m dividend to its guardian group in 2024, up from zero a yr earlier than, as pre-tax earnings rose to £120m regardless of a slight fall in gross sales to £1.82bn.

The main points of lowered staffing at McDonald’s come after the group mentioned its excessive road property “continues to be impacted by difficult retail footfall”.

An announcement from the board included within the accounts mentioned an enchancment in working earnings had been “predominantly pushed by financial savings in administrative bills”, however that enchancment had been slowed “by continued inflationary pressures impacting meals, paper and utility prices on the company-operated property”.

The enterprise, which has been criticised for its heavy use of zero-hours contracts, that are to be restricted below new authorities measures, mentioned it provided employees “the selection between assured hours and versatile contracts”.

After stories of harassment of UK employees on zero-hours contracts, McDonald’s mentioned in its accounts it was recruiting a “head of safeguarding” and had arrange an investigations dealing with unit to comply with up claims of abuse.

In January, the chief govt of McDonald’s informed MPs that 29 folks had been dismissed up to now yr after allegations of sexual harassment. The UK boss of the quick meals chain, Alistair Macrow, mentioned the corporate had been alerted to 75 allegations of sexual harassment during the last 12 months, 47 of which had been upheld with disciplinary motion taken and 29 of which resulted in folks being dismissed.

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On the time a spokesperson for the group mentioned: “Any incident of misconduct and harassment is unacceptable and topic to speedy and thorough investigation and motion.”