[Translation prepared by Business & Human Rights Resource Centre]

"Filtering measures": Leroy Merlin Ukraine fires employees who ask questions about chain's operation in Russia, 23 September 2022

Interviews are being conducted with the employees of Leroy Merlin Ukraine. Only those who do not publicly ask management questions about the continuation of network in Russia remain in the company. If the employee asks too many questions, he is put on the "black list" and is no longer allowed to work.

Several employees of the company, some of whom have already been "asked to resign", told RAU about this. "Almost everyone who helped the military, volunteers, and employees has now been fired. Leroy is an absolutely pro-Russian company and I am very sorry for the years I gave them," said one of them on condition of anonymity.

Since October, the company has promised massive layoffs for those who have not passed the "filtering" process. Another top manager of the company says that they continue to have no official communication with the head office or any information about the company's plans for store employees: “The personnel and external communications department has been completely eliminated and disbanded. The offer department has been reduced by 85%. The e-commerce department works partially. All our functions are now performed by loyal store employees, I'm not even mentioning that they have neither the professional education nor the experience for this." Despite the pressure, part of the team continues to work and tries to influence the situation...