21st Century Fox Establishes the Fox News Workplace Professionalism and Inclusion Council
November 20 2017 - 1:54PM
Business Wire
21st Century Fox (“21CF”) announced today it has established the
Fox News Workplace Professionalism and Inclusion Council (“the
Council”), a committee comprising experts in workplace and
inclusion matters, with a majority serving from outside the
company. The Council will advise Fox News and its senior management
in its ongoing efforts to ensure a proper workplace environment for
all employees and guests, strengthen reporting practices for
wrongdoing, enhance HR training on workplace behavior, and further
recruitment and advancement of women and minorities. Authorized by
and reporting to the 21CF Board, through its Nominating and
Corporate Governance Committee, the Council will provide written
reports to the 21CF Board, which will be posted on 21CF’s
website.
“The Workplace Council gives our management team access to a
brain trust of experts with deep and diverse experiences in
workplace issues,” said Jack Abernethy, Co-President of Fox News
Channel. “We look forward to benefiting from their collective
guidance.”
The Council was created through more than a year of engagement
by 21CF with its shareholder, the City of Monroe Employees’
Retirement System, to address a complaint filed today by the
shareholder in the State of Delaware. The matter has now been
resolved by the parties, reflecting 21CF and Fox News’ affirmative
commitment to a business practice and corporate value of zero
tolerance for sexual harassment, race discrimination, and all other
forms of discrimination prohibited by law, and a corporate policy
that creates a safe, productive and welcoming workplace for all
employees. The settlement also includes payment of $90 million,
less any court awarded attorneys’ fees and expenses, from third
party insurers to 21CF.
“We are pleased to have resolved this matter with 21CF in a
constructive way that will drive meaningful benefits for
shareholders of 21CF and Fox News employees,” said Max Berger,
Founding Partner, Bernstein Litowitz Berger & Grossmann LLP.
“The establishment of a majority independent council with the
participation of senior HR executives from the company is a
positive result that reflects a shared commitment from both sides
to strengthen the workplace at Fox News.”
Over the last year, 21CF has taken steps to strengthen its Human
Resources team and practices, including the appointment of a new
21CF global Chief Human Resources Officer, Thomas
Gaissmaier, as well as a new head of Human Resources at Fox
News, Kevin Lord. Both Messrs. Gaissmaier and Lord will be
members of the Council, with Mr. Gaissmaier serving as its
Chair.
The Council’s four independent members are:
Honorable Barbara Jones, former judge in the U.S.
District Court for the Southern District of New York, she runs a
practice on corporate monitorships, compliance issues, internal
investigations and arbitrations and mediations. Judge Jones chaired
the Response Systems to Adult Sexual Assault Crimes Panel, created
by Congress in the National Defense Authorization Act for 2013,
aimed at assessing the investigation, prosecution, and adjudication
of sexual assaults in the military.
Brande Stellings, who leads Catalyst’s consulting
services and corporate board services groups, guides organizations
to accelerate the advancement of women through the pipeline to
leadership.
Virgil Smith, who served as Vice President of Talent
Acquisition and Diversity at the Gannett Company, is currently
Principal Consultant of the Smith Edwards Group, LLC, and
consultant for the Asian American Journalists Association.
Sylvia Ann Hewlett, PhD economist, Kennedy Scholar,
Founder and CEO of the Center for Talent Innovation, and member of
the Council on Foreign Relations, she has published 12 books and 14
Harvard Business Review articles.
About 21st Century Fox
21st Century Fox is the world's premier portfolio of cable,
broadcast, film, pay TV and satellite assets spanning six
continents across the globe. Reaching more than 1.8 billion
subscribers in approximately 50 local languages every day, 21st
Century Fox is home to a global portfolio of cable and broadcasting
networks and properties, including FOX, FX, FXX, FXM, FS1, Fox News
Channel, Fox Business Network, FOX Sports, Fox Sports Network,
National Geographic Channels, STAR India, 28 local television
stations in the U.S. and more than 300 international channels; film
studio Twentieth Century Fox Film; and television production
studios Twentieth Century Fox Television and a 50% ownership
interest in Endemol Shine Group. The Company also holds a 39.1%
ownership interest in Sky, Europe’s leading entertainment company,
which serves 22 million customers across five countries. For more
information about 21st Century Fox, please
visit www.21CF.com.
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21st Century FoxNathaniel Brown, 212-852-7746nbrown@21cf.com
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