The shareholders of social network Pinterest have filed a case calling on the company to put an end to racist and sexist work culture.
A group of shareholders is suing Pinterest and its board of directors for what it calls a systematic culture of discrimination against women and minorities.
The group says Pinterest is not fulfilling its duties because that culture repelled female directors, and because, in short, it is bad for the site’s image.
Pinterest is a visual social network where people keep photos and share things they like. It is particularly popular with women, and if such a company is publicly known as sexist and racist, it could damage the brand and, consequently, the value of the company to shareholders.
In the lawsuit, shareholders refer to previous allegations of discrimination in the company, as well as new testimonials.
In May of this year, testimonies came out from two black women who had left the company because of racist behaviour towards them. Investigation of various newspapers and news sites in the following weeks revealed the stories of some twenty former employees.
They painted the picture of a company where women are quickly dismissed, while executives are allowed to stay put even after several complaints about their behaviour.
