3. • US Environmental Protection Agency ranked Ford’s car, trucks
and SUV’s as worst overall fuel economy.
• Last in vehicle greenhouse gas emission.
• Green washing PR Campaign worsened.
4. Sexual Harassment Charges -
Again!!!
• Stamping facility, Chicago factory, Ford Motor Co.
• US EEOC led investigation – evidences of sexual harassment
and racial discrimination.
• Sexual harassment, discrimination and retaliation.
• Accusations – sexual assault, attempted rape, request for
sexual favors, groping.
• 4 women along with 30 more women filled the lawsuit which
alleges ongoing patterns and practices of sexual harassment
and discrimination.
5. • Zero tolerance policy.
• Thorough investigation – taken appropriate steps.
• Disciplinary actions were warranted.
• Fired plant manager, Human resource and labor relation
manager.
6. Timeline
• In 1994/98
• Happened twice in 1994/95 and 1998.
• Investigation led by EEOC, sexual harassment by managers and
non managers.
• Physical touch, grab and grope, sexually explicit graffiti,
pornographic references.
• In 1997
• 14 female workers at Torrence Avenue plant complained.
• Filled the law suit against Ford in US Cousrt for the Northern
District of Illinois
• Alleged as Verbal assault.
7. • In 2000
• Settled for $9 million ($7.5mill first + $ 1.5 mill later)
• Three years of oversight
• Invest $10 millions to introduce sexual harassment prevention
training.
• In 2003
• Oversight ended.
• Immediate control => No guarantee of control in future.
• Potential weaknesses
• Poor labor relations investigation
• No formal policy on love affairs between supervisor and the workers they
supervise.
• Inadequate refresher training.
8. Where did it go wrong?Where! Where!
• After spending $19 million, No true changes in culture.
• Steps
• i) Stop the harassment immediately
• ii) Conduct a thorough investigation.
• iii) Take action to ensure if such behavior is not repeated.
9. • Global Policy Vs Local corporate policy
• Known for its effort to support women and workforce diversity.
• Issues of Mental health.
• Increasing cost.
• Sexual harassment claims => $6.7 millions per year
