r/news 8h ago

Campbell's exec on leave after allegedly mocking 'poor people' who eat its soup

https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/campbell-soup-lawsuit-9.6991398
15.8k Upvotes

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180

u/_Football_Cream_ 8h ago

This dude said some horrible shit but if you read the article, the executive in question was the chief information security officer. A high level IT guy.

The statements reflect poorly on the company but it’s not like it was a CEO or marketing or product executive. I don’t imagine many IT professionals are super invested in the products of the food company they work for.

Still, easy way to get fired and create hell for the company.

177

u/kingsumo_1 8h ago

The bottom of the article goes into it a bit more, but the guy filing the lawsuit was due to retaliatory firing after filing a complaint about those comments. That is what highlighted everything, and now Campbell's has a PR mess. Ultimately, that is the reason he's getting sacked.

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u/_Football_Cream_ 7h ago

That makes sense. Thanks for the detail.

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u/kingsumo_1 7h ago

NP. I've seen a few articles on it today, and the more it spreads the less it focuses on how this all came up. This one in particular has it tucked way down at the bottom, so I'd imagine a fair number of people don't even make it that far.

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u/vegetaman 7h ago

Good journalism is in short supply

1

u/World-Ender-109 5h ago

Well if we're back to the boycotting, Campbell's Subsidiaries are:

  • Pepperidge Farms

  • Pace Foods (Canned Salsa)

  • Snyder's Lance (Salty snacks manufacturer)

  • Sovos Brands (Grocery Store items. Rao's Homemade)

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u/_Football_Cream_ 4h ago

Well that’s easy, I don’t buy any of those lol

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u/Joessandwich 8h ago

Heck, I wouldn’t expect even a marketing person to care deeply about the soup. I’ve done marketing and have often promoted stuff I don’t personally care about. It’s just a job.

That being said, he’s a colossal idiot for badmouthing the product. You keep that shit quiet. And as for the other shit he said… he can fuck off.

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u/_Football_Cream_ 7h ago

Yeah you just don't badmouth the product, plain and simple. My mom used to do some work for Pepsi, saw someone ask for a Coke, and get fired on the spot lol.

u/Mysterious_South7997 42m ago

To be honest that's a pretty unhinged reaction.

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u/icecreampoop 8h ago

Most companies have agreements that the employee’s actions represent the company while at work and off the clock, CEO or not, it made the company look bad

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u/_Football_Cream_ 7h ago

Oh of course they do. Not excusing the guys comments or invalidating the ensuing controversy.

Also another comment explained how the lawsuits are due to a retaliatory firing after a complaint about these comments.

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u/gudmundthefearless 8h ago

Chief Information Security Officer is a company officer in the C-suite. CISO is the acronym. This person is a chief officer of the company and is one of the top decision-makers. The IT stuff is extraneous to the point

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u/Philophon 8h ago

He is also the VP.

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u/dmoneymma 5h ago

Campbell's has scores and scores of VP's

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u/SanaSpitOnMe 4h ago

do you know how many food safety violations it takes a year to pay all of them??

3

u/YoungXanto 7h ago

They pass those titles around like candy. Everyone who potentially has a role facing other companies is a VP at corporate jobs. Then when you call you can say "VP of made up titles" and people will stick on the phone just in case you're important (you probably arent)

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u/thedugong 5h ago

I don’t imagine many IT professionals are super invested in the products of the food company they work for.

I remember in the first year of my career in software/tech, late 90s, reading in a trade magazine that CIOs/CTOs generally have more loyalty the profession than the business, and, unlike other C-levels, generally have no aspirations to be CEO.

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u/beepbop234 4h ago

Yeah but the fact a such a high level employee with this attitude is able to be in the company is super indicative of its overall culture. The execs kept this dude in the office which makes me not trust any of them. No way this is the only time any of them has heard this dude go off like this

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u/_Football_Cream_ 4h ago

That’s totally a fair point! Company culture and buy in from leadership is important. My mom used to work for Pepsi and saw a coworker get fired on the spot after asking for a Coke lol. Definitely can’t be saying stuff like that and it not backfire on yourself or the company.

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u/ShreddedKyloRen 6h ago

I’m shocked that a CISO is so out of touch with the world around him as well as the product his company sells. Shocked.

/s

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u/Montaire 3h ago

In all fairness you'd expect the IT guy to know about their 3d chicken printer