Australia & New Zealand Banking Group Ltd. said it dismissed a "small" group of bankers for consuming illegal drugs at a work-related event, The Sydney Morning Herald reported Nov. 28, citing an email sent to staff by the lender's group executive for talent and culture, Kathryn van der Merwe.
The company also fired another employee for making "unwelcomed sexual comments and advances towards a female from another bank" at a separate event. Both incidents occurred outside of work hours, the email noted. Van der Merwe described the behavior as "unacceptable" and encouraged staff to speak up, adding that other employees have been dismissed for acts that fell beyond the bank's policies.
The moves occur as the federal government comes under pressure to establish an inquiry into the entire financial services sector, the report added. The industry has come under increasing scrutiny following a spate of misconduct that has triggered renewed debate over whether the country's banking regulator needs to get tougher on its wards.
Further, the email revealed that whistleblower cases against ANZ surged 80% over the past 12 months.
An ANZ spokesperson attributed the rise to the bank making its whistleblower process more transparent to ensure staff awareness of safeguards.
