The quick-service restaurant franchise raised awareness about equity in the workplace, updated its policies and hosted a Women Leadership Network event.

In line with its strategy to promote, diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace, McDonald’s Qatar, 100% fully owned and operated by Al Mana Restaurants & Food Company W.L.L., marked International Women’s Day by inaugurating the first official all-female restaurant in Wadi Al Banat.

The initiative was supported by a range of activities and a dedicated campaign highlighted via their social media platforms (McDonald’s Qatar) under the hashtag ‘We #EmbraceEquity.’ 

The all-female restaurant located in Wadi Al Banat comes in line with the leading quick-service restaurant’s commitment towards providing an equitable workplace for all employees.

The restaurant is supported by 28 highly capable female employees, which consist of managers, baristas, and crew members.

The innovative brand introduced updated ground-breaking policies adhering to the importance of family, whereby they will be providing extended paid maternity leave for female employees and paid paternity leave for male employees. 

Commenting on the cornerstone, Mr Mithqual Abu Nasser, General Manager of McDonald’s Qatar said: “Today, females play a vital role in our business, as they create a healthy and productive environment. Hence, it’s our duty to support and encourage them to achieve their true potential.”

“As an organisation, females represent 43% of our workforce, from a total of 2,100 employees from 26 diverse backgrounds, underlining our commitment towards empowering women. This year, we are proud on dedicating a 100% all-female branch. Additionally, we will continue to assess our policies and update them as we aim to push the boundaries and raise awareness about the significance of female leadership and equity in the workplace,” he added.

The general manager further went on to say: “We are working on the right path to achieve workplace excellence. Hence, we will continue embracing our diversity, working on maximising opportunities offered to employees, and implementing industry best practices for anyone willing to reach their true potential as well as to achieve their dreams.” 

To raise awareness about equity in the workplace, McDonald’s Qatar embarked on a social media campaign, taking a bold step in pushing the boundaries and archiving all their posts on their Instagram page which raised the flag to their followers and built curiosity.

They wanted to deliver a strong message that empowerment is at the heart and soul of what they do. They opted first to educate their audience firsthand on three important terminologies: Women, Equity, and Commitment.

Later on, under one unified voice, they launched the International Women’s Day campaign using various females’ photos from leadership, mid-management, and crew members, by turning their photos into collages signifying they are one unified team; in addition, they crafted a testimonial video whereby males and females alike vowed to continue supporting the elevation of the workplace.

To solidify their efforts, they invited members of the public to use the social hashtag, ‘We #EmbraceEquity’ and join in the conversation. 

To keep the momentum going, McDonald’s Qatar hosted an internal event for their Women Leadership Network. The event included the roadmap they have drawn for 2023 for various touchpoints and initiatives they have across the year planned to promote the excellence which women can provide in the workplace. 

McDonald’s Qatar has previously dedicated initiatives when it comes to its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion strategy, having implemented their Women’s Leadership Network which aims to elevate the workplace for females and create an equitable environment. In addition, they launched their Women to Watch programme which honours and supports female talents and their achievements.