In Ms L C-P v Ethical Social Group Limited Ms C P – who had a successful career for over 35 years in the IT and digital services industry – was appointed to be CEO of digital company Wndr Social Ltd in August 2021.

Wndr was a subsidiary of newly formed firm the Ethical Social Group (ESG) which had another subsidiary, Fluttr, headed by Ms A.

However, the tribunal heard that just six months previously Ms A’s behaviour at the company had led to a series of complaints to Ms C P which she flagged to Mr P in a WhatsApp message.

‘She wrote about people contacting her in tears, talking about the bullying and rudeness they experienced and the way they had been treated, having eggs thrown at their efforts or suggestions and becoming silenced, deep professional experience being talked down by louder inexperienced and rude voices, confidence being eroded,’ the hearing was told.

‘She wrote that poor choices were being made and people being damaged.’

She later rang and emailed Mr P to expand on the bullying and harassment being experienced by her and others.

‘She wrote that she experienced much of Ms A’s behaviour as passive aggressive and manipulative and at other times downright rude,’ the tribunal heard.

‘(Incidents) included calling out and trying to embarrass/humiliate colleagues in open settings, such as online meetings and adopting inappropriate and purposefully aggressive facial expressions and gestures on team/group video calls when someone she chose to be in confrontation with spoke, making it uncomfortable for others and for her target.’

One colleague had been reduced to tears and resigned as a result of their treatment, the hearing was told.

However, Ms C P’s messages were ignored, the tribunal was told. Rather than try to tackle Ms A’s behaviour, Mr P took the decision to remove Ms C P from meetings where she would encounter Ms A.

‘[She] felt isolated and vulnerable,’ the hearing was told. ‘She felt compromised in her ability to fulfil her roles and responsibilities. [She] had always looked forward to going to work but started to feel scared of going to work.’

In addition, the tribunal heard Mr P began ‘belittling’ her in public, reducing her to tears, while speaking in a ‘condescending and derogatory manner’ along with Ms A.

In October 2021, Ms C P – who had also raised a number of concerns with Mr P about the company’s business practices – was suspended and nine days later, resigned.

In her resignation letter she accused Mr P of ‘degrading and detrimental treatment’.

Employment Judge Hilary Slater concluded that Mr P had targeted her after she became an ‘irritant in his side’ as the matters she was raising were ‘threatening his way of carrying on business’.

The tribunal heard ESG ceased trading in late 2022.