Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell fined the Brewster Company, which operates eight McDonald’s franchises, nearly $64,000 for alleged child labor law violations between 2021 and 2024. The enforcement action highlights serious concerns over the exploitation of minors and failure to adhere to labor regulations.

Following Guardian findings of labour exploitation at its Saudi Arabia franchises, McDonald’s issued a statement reaffirming its commitment to human rights. The company highlighted its Responsible and Ethical Recruitment Principles, aimed at protecting migrant workers by eliminating recruitment fees and ensuring fair treatment at its franchises.

A McDonald's franchise in Pennsylvania temporarily closed its doors to host a photo op where former President Donald Trump worked fries, a stunt that was part of a broader political campaign strategy. The move, which was intended to connect with middle-class consumers and further controversial claims about Vice President Kamala Harris, attracted significant criticism. In response, McDonald's released an internal message on social media clarifying that the company does not endorse any political candidates, aiming to maintain a non-partisan stance despite the politically charged event.

On May 9, 2024, influential shareholders, including major investment managers and public treasurers, sent letters urging McDonald’s to adopt a zero-tolerance policy for child labor at its franchised restaurants and to conduct third-party human rights risk assessments.

McDonald's Corp. announced it will no longer participate in lobbying efforts against minimum wage increases at federal, state, or local levels, marking a shift supportive of progressive labor policies and worker rights.

McDonald’s corporate website outlines its philosophy on public policy engagement, emphasizing collaboration with policy makers, advocacy for policies that support a well-balanced franchise business model, small business ownership, and minority entrepreneurship. The company positions its policy engagement as a means to create positive community impacts and sustainable operations.

On June 23, 2023, a coalition of McDonald’s shareholder groups, including Illinois state treasurer and New York City comptroller, demanded that the company conduct an independent third‐party human rights assessment after allegations of child labor violations at U.S. franchises. The demand highlights growing concerns over labor rights and potential reputational risks.

Investors, led by SOC Investment Group, are pressuring McDonald's and other fast-food chains to disclose details about their lobbying expenditures on issues such as labor, nutrition, and immigration, following previous civil-rights audits.

An investigation by Reporter Brasil alleges that several farms supplying McDonald’s with meat, orange juice, coffee, and soy in Brazil are linked to labor abuses and environmental crimes, including deforestation in the Amazon and Pantanal wetlands. The report has prompted French unions, notably the CGT, to plan an official warning under the Duty of Vigilance law.

French unions issued a formal notice to McDonald's France demanding a vigilance plan over alleged human rights abuses and environmental violations in its Brazilian supply chain, with additional accusations of workplace sexual harassment and unethical advertising practices.

A report by Repórter Brasil alleges that McDonald’s supply chain is connected to deforestation in the Amazon and labor abuses at supplier facilities in Brazil. The report also highlights demands from European unions for the company to annually disclose risks related to human rights and environmental abuses under French vigilance laws.

A BBC investigation uncovered that modern slavery indicators were missed at a McDonald’s branch in Caxton, Cambridgeshire, where workers were subjected to extreme exploitation including wage confiscation and excessive working hours, leading to conditions akin to modern slavery until 2019. In response to the revelations and subsequent criticism, McDonald’s commissioned an independent review into modern slavery risks in 2023.