Global consultancy firm KPMG has conceded to fresh ethical failures involving the misuse of confidential client data. Staff members reportedly leaked sensitive information belonging to Optus to colleagues who were simultaneously preparing a bid for an audit contract with rival telecommunications giant Telstra.
Surveillance and Dismissal
In testimony delivered before a parliamentary inquiry on Friday, the company’s executives further admitted to accessing a whistleblower’s laptop. The firm characterized the individual’s complaints merely as workplace grievances rather than addressing the serious concerns raised.
These admissions add to the mounting scrutiny regarding the professional standards and internal culture maintained by one of the world’s largest accounting and professional services firms.
Source: The Guardian