Living Our Values

Heidi C. | Global Chief People Officer | Chicago, Illinois, USA

I joined McDonald’s in April - just before the attention on COVID19 and systemic racism – would change the world and the expectations we have of one another.

Despite these extraordinary times, these last few months have been truly inspiring. What’s amazed me most has been our People. I’ve been so proud of their resilience, the care they show for one in another and their commitment to do the right thing – even when the right thing is difficult to do.

This sense of belonging and conviction is in part a result of a strong connection to McDonald’s core values. And we rely on those values today, more than we ever have before. 

That’s why we felt it was necessary to reinvigorate them against the backdrop of today’s challenges. We started by looking at the history of our values, the stories around the System of people showing up for each other and their communities. We then undertook a listening tour to hear directly from employees, franchisees and suppliers around the world to better understand what values – beyond the words – really meant to them and what makes them proud to be part of the McFamily. 

Though this process we have refined and recommitted to five key values I believe will continue to inspire and direct our System for years to come. I’m proud to share them with you here: 

• Serve: We Put Our Customers and People First. Every decision we make as an organization considers, “What does this mean for all of our customers and people?"

• Inclusion: We Open Our Doors to Everyone. We want people to feel welcomed and supported in bringing their authentic selves to our restaurants and offices.

• Integrity: We Do the Right Thing. We consider the impact of every decision we make as a company so we can stand by them with confidence.

• Community: We Are Good Neighbors. In addition to many global initiatives, the majority of our restaurants are run by independent franchisees who influence and serve their local communities.

• Family: We Get Better Together. With the three-legged stool - company staff, franchisees and supplier - we know none of us is as good as all of us.

We know actions are louder than words. It’s one thing to recite these values, to write them on posters and display them in our restaurants and offices. It’s much more meaningful to intentionally live these values every day, to the best of our abilities. That is why we will continue to support programs and policies that are actionable and encourage accountability - from our recently announced global diversity, equity and inclusion ambition to our approach to safety through a partnership with the Mayo Clinic. In addition, our McFamily site is dedicated to highlighting the true essence of our values through the different voices in our System:

• In Israel McDonald’s franchisees turned the Drive Thru lanes at their restaurants into convenient and safe COVID-19 testing sites. 
  

• In the U.S. franchisees collectively gave out more than 15 million “Thank You Meals” to first responders and health care workers. 
  

• In Brazil, our restaurant training team supported local businesses by passing on McDonald’s knowledge of food safety and hygiene. 
  

• In the UK, a team member served up joy through dancing – in the Drive Thru.

All of these examples demonstrate a common understanding of the collective impact the McDonald’s brand can have when we all start from the same foundation. I look forward to spotlighting more voices in our System and sharing the meaningful ways we will bring our values to life.


-Heidi