Campbell’s fired Martin Bally (a vice president) after a recording of his disparaging remarks (calling Campbell’s “highly process[ed] food for ‘poor people’”) circulated online. Robert Garza, another former employee, indicated he wanted to report the executive to HR, but was fired (allegedly for retaliation and a hostile work environment). Meanwhile, Campbell’s in now on the defensive with regard to the quality of its products (claiming the comments were “false and completely inaccurate”), and for the firing of Garza, who they claim was a short-term employee terminated for good reason.
In the same vein, a video captured an aggressive employee at a Cinnabon in Ashwaubenon making offensive, racist remarks toward a customer. The video spread quickly online, prompting a response from corporate and franchise representatives. The franchise owner reportedly terminated the employee, and the video quickly spread online. Cinnabon issued statements condemning the conduct and emphasizing a commitment to treating guests with dignity and respect.
Business Takeaway: For the companies, this goes beyond bad optics, with legal and reputational exposure in each instance. The off-script statements in the situation at Campbell’s may be considered a governance issue, whereas the Cinnabon situation indicates a massive breach in protocol vis-à-vis employee conduct toward customers. While these stories have a viral element, necessitating serious damage control, some of the underlying internal processes are firmly within employer control. Contact us if you have questions regarding an investigation into—or public relations aspects of—such circumstances within your own company.