They described conditions the place they obtained offended messages from Edwards, or have been compelled by him to apologize, after criticizing range efforts on the firm.
“For those who don’t apologize,” he wrote to at least one former worker who mentioned he ought to resign, “we’re going to battle.”
Two former staff described an incident that occurred previous to Edwards becoming a member of the corporate by which images taken of a Black household modeling a best-selling set of pajamas for the 2018 vacation catalog have been reshot with a white household as a consequence of issues from administration that the Black household “wasn’t ‘Hanna’ sufficient.”
Others objected to the “tone deaf” Instagram post the corporate had shared on Could 31 amid riots within the wake of the demise of George Floyd. The put up featured a white father and daughter and preached the significance of kindness and “instructing our youngsters to be mushy in a world that may be very arduous.”
Within the weeks since BuzzFeed Information reported on the corporate’s range points, mother and father constantly flooded its Instagram posts with feedback saying they might not purchase from them once more except the CEO was eliminated.
Edwards didn’t instantly reply to a request for touch upon Friday, however instructed BuzzFeed Information in July that each he and Hanna Andersson strongly valued range and have been taking steps to enhance firm tradition. He additionally insisted he had by no means “lashed out” at any worker who had raised issues about range.
“I do know you’ve talked to 9 individuals however we’ve got 200 and a few individuals now left within the firm and I’d say they beg to vary,” he mentioned.
