Sony Music’s global HR boss Andrew Davis has written to staff at the major’s Australian division following a recent newspaper report which claimed that formal complaints had been made internally against Sony Music Australia CEO Vanessa Picken, who is accused of fostering a toxic workplace culture.
According to Australian newspaper The Daily Telegraph, Sony hired an external law firm to investigate employee complaints against Picken, but that investigation cleared her of any wrongdoing. However, new complaints have been submitted through formal channels since that investigation concluded
Responding to the Telegraph’s report, Davis sent an all-staff memo acknowledging that the “press article over the weekend regarding our company” might be “unsettling” for employees, before sign-posting support resources that are available “should you need them”.
He then added that the company’s “commitment to an inclusive and respectful workplace for our employees is unwavering”. Which, he elaborated, means, “we take all concerns very seriously. In everything we do, we always strive to foster a safe environment for everyone”.
Picken was hired by Sony in 2022 following a previous media scandal involving the major's Australian division, in which long-time boss Denis Handlin was accused of overseeing a workplace culture that was not fit for purpose.
At the time numerous former employees came forward describing their experiences of the company, making allegations of sexual harassment at work events, intimidating behaviour, alcohol abuse and the unfair treatment of women within the business.
The scandal resulted in a number of senior executives - including Handlin himself - leaving the major. While Handlin was not personally accused of harassment, many of the ex-employees interviewed by the media were critical of the former CEO for allowing such a toxic working environment to persist.
According to the Telegraph, complaints about Picken first started to be formally lodged by staff about a year after she took over as boss of the major’s Australian division. Those complaints included allegations that the new CEO “undermined senior staff, made inappropriate statements about people on maternity leave, and said rude and demeaning remarks about employees - both to their face and to others”.
Although the external investigation cleared Picken of any wrongdoing, the Telegraph reports that “a second tranche of complaints by staff has been made, including some to an anonymous whistleblower hotline set up in the wake of the Handlin scandal”.
Both Sony Music Australia and Picken herself have issued statements to the Telegraph. Both note that there have been significant changes to the corporate culture at Sony’s Australian division since the departure of Handlin, who had headed up the division for more than 35 years. The implication is that those changes may have caused at least some of the grievances.
The major’s official statement says, “During this chapter of significant transition for our Australian company, it is inevitable that there will be hurdles to overcome in the workplace. We continue to take any concerns within this environment seriously and look into them thoroughly and fairly”.
Meanwhile Picken states, “Since my appointment in 2022, my mandate as CEO and Chair of Sony Music Australia is to lead the cultural transformation of the company. That task was urgent, complex and central to Sony Music’s future in this region”.
“With the support of an executive team", she continues, “I have sought to implement a programme of cultural reform focused on transparency, respect and accountability and I am proud of our achievements to date. Meaningful cultural change is challenging, but as we strive for continuous improvement across the business we are also invested in staff engagement, diversity and inclusion”.
However, she concludes, “I acknowledge that there is always more to do”.
