Didier Lombard, former CEO of France Telecom, arrives to attend the trial of French group France Telecom, which became Orange in 2013, and its former bosses for"moral harassment" at the Paris criminal court, France, May 6, 2019
The traumatic episode of workers' deaths at the company, then known as France Telecom, in the late 2000s, led to deep soul-searching over corporate culture in France.The guilty verdict against Lombard and the company will reverberate in French and European boardrooms as it sets a precedent for big business and could pave the way for other similar collective procedures in France.
Orange has said it acknowledges the suffering expressed by victims and recognises there may have been management errors in implementing the restructuring plan but denies there was any systemic plan or intention to harass employees.Three other former Orange executives also accused of "moral harassment" have also denied responsibility. The executives said the restructuring plan was an economic necessity.