The BBC first began investigating working conditions at McDonald’s in February 2023, after the company signed a legally binding agreement with the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), in which it pledged to protect its staff from sexual harassment.

After our investigation was published in July 2023, McDonald’s apologised and set up a new unit to deal with complaints.

The EHRC also set up a dedicated hotline for abuse claims.

More than 160 people approached the BBC with allegations after our initial investigation, while 300 incidents were reported to the EHRC.

Now, the watchdog says it is taking stronger action against the fast-food chain.

In a new statement provided exclusively to the BBC, the EHRC said: “We are actively working with McDonalds to update our ongoing legal agreement in light of serious allegations raised by our work with the company, and the BBC investigation.”

Its action plan will involve strengthening the existing measures – which included providing more training and conducting a survey of workers – as well as announcing new steps, the BBC understands.

McDonald’s said the agreement with the EHRC was signed “with the intention that it continues to evolve to ensure the robust measures we have in place are aligned with any updated guidance”.

Separately, law firm Leigh Day said it had been instructed to start legal action against McDonald’s by hundreds of staff and former staff, with more than 450 restaurants implicated in the claims.

A McDonald’s spokesperson said: “Ensuring the 168,000 people that work in McDonald’s restaurants are safe is the most important responsibility for both us and our franchisees, and we have undertaken extensive work over the last year to ensure we have industry-leading practices in place to support this priority.

“Any incident of misconduct and harassment is unacceptable and subject to rapid and thorough investigation and action.”

The company said: “Our relentless focus on eliminating all forms of harassment at McDonald’s is led by a newly created team and informed by the experience and guidance of external experts.”

It said it had rolled out company-wide programmes to improve safeguarding, drive awareness and enhance training, and in addition to the four existing channels, it had introduced an additional way for employees to speak up, confidentially, at any time, allowing employees to “instantly raise issues digitally”, and which was “specifically designed to ensure they feel empowered to speak up”.

It also said its new investigations unit was “dedicated to rooting out any behaviour that falls below the high standards” it demands of its workers.

“We are confident that we are taking significant and important steps to tackle the unacceptable behaviours facing every organisation,” the spokesperson added.

It said its latest anonymous employee survey showed that 92% of its franchisees’ people are now comfortable speaking up, and 93% believe management will act.

“However, we know that we must be constantly vigilant, and we will challenge and confront any behaviour that falls below those standards,” it said.