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☆ Arctic puffins evolved into a new species six generations ago, but they might be less fit to survive, a new study shows
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-09 | by ( Maiya Focht | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Scientists analyzed Atlantic puffin genes and found they had been interbreeding in recent history. The hybrid group formed when two of three subspecies of Atlantic puffins began mating six generations ago, around 1910, according to a study published in the journal Science Advances. It's important to study the genetic changes happening in puffins right now so we can best plan for how to protect, "such an iconic species," Kersten said. That likely corresponds to the breakup of an ancient glacier over the Arctic, Kersten told Insider. Kersten and his colleagues hypothesize that this happened because climate change made the northern habitat unsuitable for puffins.

Persons: Annemarie Loof, Oliver Kersten, Kersten, Evie Easterbrook, they're Organizations: Service, puffin, University of Oslo Locations: Atlantic, puffins, Farne, Northumberland, UK, United Kingdom, Norway

☆ Hey, CEOs: Stop dating your employees and trying to cover it up
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-27 | by ( Madeline Berg | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Workplace relationships can be problematic, creating power imbalances that can blur lines of consent and the appearance of fairness. AdvertisementAdvertisementIf you're a CEO looking to keep your job, we've got some advice for you: Stop dating your employees. The men join a long list of execs whose workplace relationships have upended their careers. But only about one in five workers reported disclosing their workplace relationship to their employer. Some companies have even relaxed their policies over the last decade surrounding workplace relationships, Taylor said.

Persons: Edward Tilly, —, we've, He's, Johnny C, Taylor Jr, Bernard Looney, Jeff Zucker, Zucker, McDonald's, Steve Easterbrook, Easterbrook, Brian Krzanich, Lincoln Center's, Jed Bernstein, Taylor Organizations: Service, HR Management, BP, CNN, SEC, Society, Companies

☆ BP boss who resigned over undisclosed relationships with colleagues ended his marriage by text message, says ex-wife
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-16 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Bernard Looney resigned as CEO of BP on Tuesday over undisclosed relationships with colleagues. His ex-wife, Jacqueline Hurst, wrote in her 2021 book he ended their marriage in a text message. The author and life coach, who married Looney in 2017, said that the way he ended their marriage was "unbelievable". Looney resigned as CEO of BP after less than four years in the role. AdvertisementAdvertisementIt's not the first sudden resignation by a BP CEO.

Persons: Bernard Looney, Jacqueline Hurst, Looney, hadn't, Hurst, he'd, it's, John Browne, Steve Easterbrook, McDonald's, Looney didn't Organizations: BP, Service, Evening, Financial Times, Reuters Locations: Wall, Silicon, Mexico

The logo for McDonald's restaurant is seen as McDonald's Corp. reports fourth quarter earnings, in Arlington, Virginia, U.S., January 27, 2022. Circuit Judge Frank Easterbrook wrote that those questions "can’t be answered by observing that any given franchise contract, viewed by itself, expands the output of food." Two former McDonald's workers were appealing a 2022 ruling by U.S. District Judge Jorge Alonso in Chicago dismissing claims the agreements stifled competition and depressed their wages. McDonald's in court filings has said it stopped requiring franchisees to sign no-poach agreements in 2017. The 7th Circuit on Friday also said the district court judge should rethink his ruling declining to certify a nationwide class in the lawsuit.

Persons: Joshua Roberts, Frank Easterbrook, can’t, McDonald's, Jorge Alonso, Biden, Daniel Wiessner, Mark Potter Organizations: McDonald's Corp, REUTERS, U.S, Circuit, Appeals, District, Democratic, D.C, Thomson Locations: Arlington , Virginia, U.S, Chicago, United States, Washington, Albany , New York

April 4 (Reuters) - Federal appeals court judges on Tuesday appeared skeptical of 3M's (MMM.N) bid to use the bankruptcy of its subsidiary Aearo Technologies to shield itself from nearly 260,000 lawsuits over allegedly defective military-issue earplugs. Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago to reverse a bankruptcy court order allowing the lawsuits to move forward against 3M, even though Aearo is bankrupt. Aearo and 3M said the bankruptcy process would facilitate a fair and comprehensive settlement with the plaintiffs. David Frederick, representing the plaintiffs, told the panel that 3M "contrived this bankruptcy to help itself, not Aearo or its creditors." The next-largest MDL, the Johnson & Johnson talc litigation, has 38,000 cases.

☆ McDonald’s Directors Beat Sexual Misconduct Oversight Lawsuit
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Richard Vanderford | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +5 min

The decision throws out shareholders’ claims against nine individuals who sat on McDonald’s board during a period in which sexual misconduct claims at the company drew widespread public scrutiny. After his termination, Mr. Easterbrook was accused of having undisclosed sexual relationships with other employees. McDonald’s ultimately settled a lawsuit against Mr. Easterbrook, clawing back some of his compensation. The shareholders alleged in their lawsuit that Mr. Fairhurst failed to appropriately respond to systemic issues of sexual misconduct at the company, a problem in which he was implicated. But Vice Chancellor Laster said McDonald’s directors “engaged with the problem” and can’t be held liable.

☆ McDonald’s Ruling Shifts Oversight Liability Focus to Corporate Officers
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( Dylan Tokar | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +9 min

Photo: McDonald’sThe ruling by Vice Chancellor Laster focuses on the claims against Mr. Fairhurst specifically. At the time of his termination, Mr. Fairhurst had been the subject of multiple reports of sexual harassment during his tenure, according to the Delaware ruling. Emerging oversight liabilityThe legal doctrine driving the McDonald’s shareholder lawsuit extends back to a 1996 Delaware Court of Chancery decision. The ultimate impact of Judge Laster’s ruling vis-à-vis McDonald’s shareholders is as of yet unclear. If the judge approves the McDonald’s directors’ motion to dismiss, the claims against Mr. Fairhurst would be moot.

WILMINGTON, Del., Jan 25 (Reuters) - Shareholders can sue McDonald Corp's (MCD.N) former global chief people officer for the damage they claim he caused to the restaurant chain by allegedly allowing a culture of sexual harassment to flourish, according to a groundbreaking legal ruling. An attorney for shareholders declined to comment and McDonald's did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Shareholders are suing Fairhurst on behalf of McDonald's in what is known as a derivative lawsuit. Fairhurst became the global chief people officer soon after Stephen Easterbrook was named chief executive officer. Reporting by Tom Hals in Wilmington, Delaware; Editing by Bradley PerrettOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ McDonald’s ex-CEO fine: not a nothing burger
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

NEW YORK, Jan 10 (Reuters Breakingviews) - McDonald’s (MCD.N) ex-boss is in the frying pan. The $196 billion Big Mac purveyor sued and successfully clawed back Easterbrook’s bounty of over $100 million in compensation. The SEC’s order also dings McDonald’s for not better clarifying why he was dismissed without cause. The slap against McDonald’s suggests the company also was not being forthcoming. Still, Easterbrook’s $400,000 fine adds to his pain, and he is also barred from serving as a public officer or director for five years.

☆ SEC Charges Ex-McDonald’s CEO With Misleading Statements Over His Firing
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( Will Feuer | Heather Haddon | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The Securities and Exchange Commission said it has charged former McDonald’s Corp. Chief Executive Steve Easterbrook with making false statements to investors about the circumstances leading to his firing in 2019. The SEC also charged McDonald’s with shortcomings in its public disclosures related to Mr. Easterbrook’s separation agreement with the company.

☆ SEC fines McDonald's ex-CEO Easterbrook $400,000 for allegedly misleading investors about his firing
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( Parija Kavilanz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —Disgraced former McDonald’s CEO Steve Easterbrook will pay $400,000 to settle charges that he allegedly misled investors about the circumstances of his 2019 firing following a relationship with an employee. McDonald’s later filed a lawsuit against Easterbrook that ended with the ex-CEO paying back his $105 million severance payment, but the SEC charged both the executive and the company for making such a deal in the first place. In addition to the $400,000 civil penalty, Easterbrook is also banned from serving as a director or officer at any company that reports to the SEC. In August 2020, McDonald’s filed a lawsuit claiming Easterbrook lied to the board about the extent of his relationships with employees. Steve Easterbrook, former CEO of McDonald's Corp. Brendan McDermid/ReutersMcDonald’s settled the lawsuit with Easterbrook in 2021, forcing him to repay his severance package of $105 million.

☆ U.S. SEC charges McDonald's ex-CEO for misrepresentations to investors
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( Chris Prentice | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Steve Easterbrook, CEO of McDonald's Corp., attends the annual Allen and Co. Sun Valley media conference in Sun Valley, Idaho, U.S., July 10, 2019. REUTERS/Brendan McDermidNEW YORK, Jan 9 (Reuters) - The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Monday charged former McDonald's Corp Chief Executive Stephen Easterbrook with making false and misleading statements to investors about the circumstances of his 2019 termination. The SEC hit Easterbrook with a five-year officer and director bar and a $400,000 civil penalty. McDonald's fired Easterbrook in November 2019 for exercising "poor judgment" by engaging in a relationship with a McDonald's employee, the SEC said. McDonald's said in a statement that the settlement reinforced the fact it held Easterbrook "accountable for his misconduct."

☆ McDonald's former CEO lied about 'improper' employee relationships before his firing in 2019, SEC alleges
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( Sindhu Sundar | Nancy Luna | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The SEC accused the former McDonald's CEO of being untruthful in the chain's internal investigation. McDonald's fired Stephen Easterbrook in 2019 over an employee relationship, then discovered more. During that investigation, Easterbook told lawyers brought in by McDonald's board that he hadn't had any other sexual relationships with McDonald's employees besides the one he was being questioned over at the time. "In July 2020, McDonald's learned that Easterbrook had in fact engaged in other relationships with McDonald's employees in violation of the company's Standards of Business Conduct." In August 2020, McDonald's sued Easterbrook "to recover compensation and severance benefits," alleging he concealed evidence and lied about having other relationships with subordinates.

Former McDonald's CEO Stephen Easterbrook unveiling the company's new corporate headquarters during a grand opening ceremony on June 4, 2018, in ChicagoThe Securities and Exchange Commission charged former McDonald's CEO Steve Easterbrook on Monday with misrepresenting his November 2019 firing. McDonald's board fired Easterbrook in 2019 for a consensual relationship with an employee, which violated the company's fraternization policy. In December 2021, the two parties settled the lawsuit, and McDonald's successfully clawed back Easterbrook's severance, valued at $105 million. McDonald's has not admitted or denied the SEC's findings. In a statement, the company said that the SEC's actions reinforce what it has previously said about its handling of Easterbrook's misconduct.

☆ A top McDonald's security exec said the CEO repeatedly undermined him — and even barred him from riding with him on the corporate jet — in a new racial-discrimination lawsuit
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( Nancy Luna | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Michael Peaster, a Black McDonald's security executive, is suing the chain and its CEO. Yet according to a racial-discrimination lawsuit that Peaster filed this month, the CEO ignored the 35-year McDonald's veteran for the better part of a year. "It was retaliatory against Michael Peaster based on his respectful but legitimate contradiction of Kempczinski on the subject of race." A representative for Peaster told Insider via email: "Michael Peaster had the same job since 2010. In January 2020, two Black McDonald's executives, Vicki Guster-Hines and Domineca Neal, filed a discrimination lawsuit against McDonald's.

☆ I visited McDonald's Global Menu Restaurant in Chicago — and tried delicious international fare like the Chinese Kung Pao Chicken Sandwich and Malaysian mango sundae
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-20 | by ( Bethany Biron | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: 1 min

McDonald's first opened its hugely popular Global Menu Restaurant in 2018. It's located on the lower level of the company's global headquarters in Chicago's West Loop neighborhood. Bethany Biron/Insider"As part of our new headquarters, we wanted to provide our customers with an exciting way to experience our global menu right here in Chicago," Steve Easterbrook, then-McDonald's president and CEO said in 2018. "We are delighted to showcase a taste of McDonald's from all over the world making this location a one-of-a-kind experience that Chicagoans will enjoy with friends and family."

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