Tata Steel has fired 35 workers for violating its code of conduct, just days after TCS (Tata Consultancy Services) fired six employees over the bribes-for-jobs controversy.
“We have taken action against 38 people who have been dismissed by the company,” said Tata Steel chairman N Chandrasekaran. He added that 35 were fired for “unacceptable practices bordering on ethical issues” and three for sexual misconduct.
The steel major looked into and responded to whistleblower concerns regarding a number of matters, including abuse of authority, conflicts of interest, and contract management agreements.
Addressing shareholders at Tata Steel’s annual general meeting, Chandrasekaran said the company has made significant acquisitions in the last few years and initiated a drive for an open culture. “. . . Employee can express his or her concerns. It could be on sexual harassment or a practice they noticed at the company. We are encouraging people to record their grievances. A combination of these factors led to a higher number of complaints. We received 875 complaints last fiscal, and 158 were related to whistleblowers, 48 were regarding safety and 669 on HR and other behavioural issues. ”
“As a company, we are a global benchmark, so we will continue to push the culture where we uphold highest values and have a zero tolerance policy,” he said.