Two early investors in Uber are “disappointed” and “frustrated” with the the ride-sharing tech conglomerate, not only due to the sexual harassment claims, but because of the response to such allegations.
Susan J. Fowler, who worked as an Uber engineer for roughly a year, wrote an incredibly creepy account of a manager’s salacious behavior and the subsequent unfair treatment after her reporting the alleged misconduct.
Just days later, The New York Times spoke to more than 30 current and former employees and reported that Uber has been involved in a number of lewd and dangerous escapades, including booze-filled ragers, bosom-grabbing, consumption of illicit drugs and a joy-ride in a temporarily hijacked shuttle bus.
Uber CEO Travis Kalanick announced that he hired former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to conduct an investigation into the original sexual harassment and systemic sexism allegations. Arianna Huffington, the co-founder of the eponymous media outlet Huffington Post, who is now part of Uber’s board of directors, and two other internal employees, are also contributing to the review. (RELATED: There’s A Quantifiable Reason Why Uber’s CEO Quit Trump’s Econ Team)
“We are disappointed to see that Uber has selected a team of insiders to investigate its destructive culture and make recommendations for change,” said Freada Kapor Klein and Mitch Kapor, the two investors, according to TechCrunch. “To us, this decision is yet another example of Uber’s continued unwillingness to be open, transparent, and direct.”
They believe that bringing on people who either have a direct interest in Uber’s success, or have past relationships with the company, does not constitute an “independent investigation,” like Kalanick originally purported. Uber reportedly hired Holder last year to review background checks involving fingerprints.
“This group is not set up to come up with an accurate analysis of the culture and a tough set of recommendations,” Klein and Kapor wrote, adding that while they respect the people involved in the investigation, it is not nearly impartial enough for a completely accurate assessment. (RELATED: Tech Bigwigs Find It Really Unacceptable Trump Doesn’t Want Men In Women’s Bathrooms)
“We intend to be thorough, impartial and objective, and we are conducting this review with the highest degree of integrity and professionalism,” Uber told TechCrunch.
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