The company is also investigating allegations of possible misconduct within its human resources department, the spokesman said.
The Wall Street Journal first reported on the news on Tuesday.
“The board will follow the facts wherever they may lead,” the company said in a statement statement by Wednesday by email to CNN Business. “We will continue to make changes, where necessary, to support all parts of our organization.”
Fairhurst did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
This spring, McDonald’s hired Heidi Capozzi as its global chief officer.
When it launched in April, it began reviewing the human resources department, according to the company’s spokesman. The review includes research into how people are hired and evaluated, how concerns about employees are investigated, and gathering feedback from employees about the blind spots of the company.
CEO Chris Kempczinski, who replaced Easterbrook, “installed a new Chief People Officer, announced renewed values with input from employees around the world, and is committed to making those values part of everything we do,” it said. company.
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