The internal investigation of the world’s economic forum (WEF) revealed the worrying pattern of misconduct in the workplace by the founder Klaus Schwab in the last decade. As the Wall Street Journal first states, a probe – in April after the complaints of the notifiers – acts bullying, inappropriate behavior towards employees and unauthorized personal expenses.
In one case, Schwab allegedly sent an e-mail by e-mail a senior female managers and asked, “Do you feel like I think of you?” According to the intelligence outlet, investigators quoted the message as a potentially inappropriate and testifies to the wider culture of protectionism and fear under Schwab’s leadership.
Rich travel, gifts marked
Schwab and his wife, Hilde Schwab, were reportedly submitted to travel expenses of over $ 1.1 million, most of which were described as questionable. These included first-class flights for Hilde-kasté on the forum did not hold any formal role-and personal trips to Venice, Miami, Seychelles and Morocco in the total amount of around $ 63,000, with minimal evidence of business activities, WSJ reported.
Investigators also noted 14 hotel massages charged at the World Economic Forum through corporate cards or junior employees, although Schwab said he had paid about half and ordered the helpers to personally charge him.
“During this journey, Hilde and I never used a personal enrichment forum,” Schwab said in his statement through a spokesman. He argued that any mistakes were unintentional and committed that after the final report of the probe they were repaying any incorrect allocated resources.
Culture of intimidation and discrimination
Interviews with more than 50 current and former employees painted a picture of the organization dominated by fear. Schwab reportedly pushed pregnant women and older employees affecting their career and mental well -being. One source described Schwab’s leadership style as the operation of the forum as its “fiefdom” by intimidation to maintain control.
Heritage under threat
Schwab, 87, withdrew and ended his 55 -year term as a Chief of WEF. The Swiss law firm Homburger, which conducts an investigation, is expected to complete its findings until the end of August and present them to the forum administrators and potentially Swiss prosecutors, WSJ reported.
Schwab, who advocates his inheritance, said he saw himself as the character of his father to many young employees.
(Tagstotranslate) Klaus Schwab
