PwC sacks staff over ‘bat from Wuhan’ skit

TWO PwC executives have been shown the door after internal investigations into a “bat from Wuhan” skit that mocked Chinese accents.

The accounting firm investigated the two staff members from the human resources division in the wake of the skit that took place in a Friday night trivia event.

PwC chief executive Tom Seymour said the company’s People and Ethical Conduct Panel had made findings against the two executives, which sees “people leaving their roles” and is investigating “financial penalties” for partners who attended and organised the trivia but did not speak up. The event was run by the company as a moraleboosting activity, but many PwC staff on social media questioned the commitment of the company to diversity in the wake of the event.

“The behaviour at a recent trivia event was unacceptable and should not have occurred,” Mr Seymour said. “This event, and the response across our PwC communities and the community more broadly, has sparked the need for deep reflections for us as a firm.”