Tata Steel has suspended 35 employees for ‘unacceptable practices bordering on ethical issues’ and another three for sexual misconduct.

N Chandrasekaran, Chairman, Tata Steel said the company has taken the action against the complaints registered by the several whistleblowers on issues such as misuse of authority, conflict of interest and contract management agreements.

Answering shareholders questions at the company’s 116th annual general meeting, he said, in all, Tata Steel had received 875 complaints last fiscal and of this 669 were related to HR and other behavioural issues.

Of the remaining, 158 were from whistleblowers and 48 were regarding safety issues, he said.

Tata Steel, he said follows an open culture and employees are encouraged to record their grievances, said Chandrasekaran.

TCS scam

“We uphold the highest values and have a zero-tolerance policy. As a company, we are a global benchmark and will continue to push the open culture,” he added.

Sacking of employees at Tata Steel comes close on the heels of another Tata Group flagship Tata Consultancy Services got embroiled in ‘bribe for job’ scam leading to suspension of six employees.

Estimated at ₹100 crore, the scam at TCS involved accepting favours from certain staffing firms in appointment of workers on contract.

Investors also raised questions on the recent mishap at Tata Steel Odisha plant that left 18 people injured. Chandrasekaran called the blast a human error and added that they are trying to achieve zero fatality across the group.

On the UK operations, he said the company is in discussions with the UK government and other stakeholders as one of the two blast furnaces at UK plant is coming to the end of its life. It has to be replaced with an electric arc furnace and a decision has to be taken on this now, he added.

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