McDonald’s is proudly supporting International Women’s Day on Thursday, March 8, by flipping its iconic golden arches upside down and turning them into a “W.”
For the first time in the brand’s history, the arches were flipped to honor women everywhere, especially those who are part of the McDonald’s family, according to Wendy Lewis, Global Chief Diversity Officer and Vice President of Global Community Engagement for McDonald’s Corporation. The eatery has partnered with International Women’s Day to support gender parity and to celebrate the accomplishments and contributions of women around the world.
Lewis wrote about the tribute on Medium and the steps the company is taking to support women. “I know firsthand there is pride in our passion, commitment and responsibility to advance gender equality and that is evident throughout our organization, owner operators, and supply chain,” Lewis penned. “So today we say thank you and celebrate the achievements of many and tomorrow we continue our collective journey to gender equality and diversity.”
“We recognize the extraordinary contribution of women. From employees and franchisees to suppliers and community partners, to our customers, we are inspired by your strength and leadership,” a message on the company’s website reads. “In the U.S., we’re proud to share that 6 out of 10 restaurant managers are women. They run the McDonald’s business each and every day.”
The company’s official Twitter account also shared a video of Patricia Williams’ story. She invested all she had to open her first restaurant in 1987, and now owns a total of 18 McDonald’s locations with her two daughters. “The opportunity for a mother to show her kids what it’s like to be her own boss, that was invaluable,” Williams says in the clip. “I was set on changing everyone’s mind. Not just for my family, but for the community around us that we worked so hard to build up.”
Today, we flip our Golden Arches to celebrate the women who have chosen McDonald’s to be a part of their story, like the Williams family. In the U.S. we’re proud to share that 6 out of 10 restaurant managers are women. https://t.co/6z88OhjXpO pic.twitter.com/hXfOi3wWQf
— McDonald’s (@McDonalds) March 8, 2018
“To the millions of women who choose us to be part of their story,” the video says at the end, showing the inverted golden arches. “Today, we celebrate you.”
