McDonald’s has officially reaffirmed its commitment to staying out of Russia in a letter to the B4Ukraine Coalition.
“When McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski announced our exit from Russia, he asked himself five fundamental questions: Are we legally allowed to operate in the country? Do we have the freedom to operate the business and meet the needs of our customers and crew unimpeded? Is our presence in the market brand-enhancing to our global operations? Does it make good business sense? And does it align with our values? The answer to each of those questions was no,” the letter stated on behalf of Jon Banner, Executive Vice President and Global Chief Impact Officer.
He added, “The principles behind these questions, which guided our decision to ‘de-Arch’ a major market and sell our portfolio of McDonald’s restaurants, still apply today.”
Russian media recently reported that McDonald’s had registered trademarks in Russia related to food, beverages, and delivery services, while some commentators speculated that the company was planning to resume operations in the country.
McDonald’s explained that re-registering trademarks in Russia was necessary to protect its brand and prevent third-party businesses or individuals, particularly in Russia, from using its trademarks for their own benefit.
On March 8, 2022, McDonald’s officially announced the temporary closure of all its restaurants in Russia, and by May 16 of the same year, it had declared the full sale of its business and exit from the market. This helped McDonald’s to improve the operating margin of the company overall.
The B4Ukraine Coalition commends McDonald’s for its early decision to exit the Russian market following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The company’s swift and decisive departure has set an important precedent, proving that a responsible and orderly exit from Russia is not only possible but necessary.
We welcome McDonald’s recent reaffirmation of its commitment to staying out of the Russian market. Their position reveals the falsehood of a desperate Russian government trying to lure businesses back in an effort to revive its struggling economy.
In its response to B4Ukraine, the company made it clear that continuing operations in Russia would be inconsistent with its core values — a stance we believe others should follow.
If more companies in the industry prioritised values over profit, Russia’s criminal government would have significantly fewer resources to fund its war.