Amazon hires outside investigators after employee petition alleges discrimination and harassment

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The petition, viewed by CNN Business, specifically addresses concerns from staff members of an Amazon Web Services (AWS) unit known as ProServe, which helps corporate customers adopt its cloud computing products.

It alleges that “many staff members have expressed concerns that the internal processes upon which AWS’s investigation and defense of these matters are based are not fair, objective or transparent.” The petition claims that “the system is in place to protect the company and the status quo, rather than the employees who file the complaints.”

This is just the latest example of a Big Tech company grappling with the reaction of its own employees to the culture of the workplace. In recent years, employees of Google, Facebook and Apple have come together to voice concerns about internal issues in an attempt to push for change.

In an email to the petitioners on July 16, AWS CEO Adam Selipsky said he shares “the passion to ensure that our workplace is inclusive and free from bias and unfair treatment “. He also confirmed that the company had “retained the services of an outside company to investigate and understand any inappropriate conduct that you or others may have experienced or witnessed.”

“This company is experienced and objective, and I will personally review their independent findings, which will help guide any future action,” said Selipsky, in an email sent on his own behalf and on behalf of Amazon’s new CEO, Andy Jassy, ​​the 24-year-old Amazon. veteran who previously helped create and lead AWS.

Amazon said the outside firm it hired is a female-owned and run investigative firm, but declined to share the company name.

He also said he’s taking other actions internally, including having team leaders work on an overall assessment of the ProServe culture.

The petition – which The Post reports sent to Selipsky and Jassy on July 15 – called for an external investigation into employee concerns about “a non-inclusive culture of bullying, fear of retaliation for whistleblowers and a a leadership culture that only protects, but employs and advances those who intimidate and discriminate. ”

He cites two recent “public events” involving employees within the AWS ProServe unit. The first was a lawsuit filed in May 2021 by Cindy Warner alleging gender discrimination and retaliation in the unit. The second was an August 2020 LinkedIn post from Laudon Williams about leaving the company.

Williams said he “personally heard” a leader “use homophobic language”.

“People have told me they wanted to file human resources complaints but feared for their jobs because they had seen other people fired after raising issues,” Williams wrote. Amazon declined to comment on Williams’ post.
In an article published Friday on Medium, Warner, who was fired in June, wrote: “The petition circulating in ProServe shows that my experience at Amazon is not unique and is emblematic of much bigger issues in the business. … The fear and pain of women and other under-represented groups in ProServe is real. These employees are crying out for help, and solving this problem only helps the company in the long run. “

In response to the lawsuit, the Amazon spokesperson said the company had conducted a “full investigation” into Warner’s allegations at the time and found the allegations to be “unfounded.” (Amazon said Warner left her role with AWS ProServe and was encouraged to find another opportunity with the company. Amazon declined to comment on Warner’s Medium post.)

“Amazon does not tolerate discrimination or harassment in any form or in any situation, and employees are encouraged to raise concerns with any member of management or through an anonymous, risk-free ethics hotline. retaliation. When an incident is reported, we will investigate and take proportionate action. until terminated, “the spokesperson said in the statement regarding the Warner trial.

The petition also called on AWS management to establish a formal employee council or advisory group to hold the organization accountable. Additionally, the petition proposed a timeline for the company to commit to completing reviews and action by July 30 and providing the results of the investigation and next steps by October 30.

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