Ukrainian company ELEKS employs a Russian among its top managers – Ukrainian employees were forced to sign a “non-discrimination” policy
In August, the Ukrainian software company ELEKS forced its employees to sign a document requiring them to avoid “generalizations” about their colleagues based on, among other things, their nationality. In other words, they are forbidden to speak ill of Russians (in particular). This was reported by AIN.UA with reference to informed sources.
The changes occurred after a conflict that arose in the team in the spring of 2023 during one of the Q&A sessions. Then the question was raised as to why, during a full-scale war with Russia, a person with current Russian citizenship was working in a management position in the company. At the same time, AIN.UA does not name the person in question.
However, the publication describes that this person is also a member of the company’s Advisory Board, has been living and working in the IT industry in Ukraine for many years, has active Russian citizenship, and has visited Russia, including Moscow, on several occasions since 2014. Shortly after the full-scale invasion, this person left for Poland.
The information about the Russian citizenship of the company’s top manager was not concealed, but it was not publicized either. However, a large part of the team did not know this. For most of the session participants, this was a revelation or an unpleasant shock.
Soon after, the employees received the document in the mail, which they were asked to sign. Although this practice is considered the norm, particularly in the IT industry, many employees perceived the mailing as an attempt to protect Russians and silence Ukrainian specialists.
“The management did not comment on this (why Russians work in the company’s management – ed.) – not a single argument in favor of this person’s stay in the company. And then suddenly they asked us to sign a new anti-discrimination policy, according to which we cannot openly write in chats or even on our own social networks that we hate Russians. Why?” says one of the sources.
The company confirmed the existence of a non-discrimination policy. It has been in effect since 2017 and, as noted by ELEKS, there have been no updates to it this spring.
Meanwhile, according to informed sources, an informal ban on hiring Russians has been in place at ELEKS since 2013. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the company has also avoided hiring Belarusians. In addition, since 2013, there has been an unofficial order not to hire Ukrainians from the temporarily occupied territories.
“That is, Ukrainians who have lost everything, fled the occupation, cannot get a job. And a Russian woman who regularly travels to Moscow is working in a managerial position? It’s a cognitive dissonance that doesn’t fit in my head,” one of the sources commented to the publication.
Some ELEKS employees are outraged by the presence of Russian citizens in the company’s management. Others are worried that the mention of cooperation with the Russians could negatively affect their reputation. There are also those who are worried about the possible leakage of corporate information to the Russian special services, in particular, on national security issues.
About the company
ELEKS is a global software developer. The company was founded in Ukraine, and although it currently has offices abroad, the vast majority of employees (about 1500 people) are concentrated in Ukraine.
Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, ELEKS has been donating heavily and supporting various volunteer initiatives. According to the website, the company has already supported the Ukrainian Armed Forces for more than $1.8 million. Also, almost $1 million was transferred to the Come Back Alive fund, more than $2 million was raised for the direct purchase of equipment through the Help Ukraine initiative, and more than 800 direct requests from the military were closed.
ELEKS’s work in the defense sector is worth noting. As previously reported by Forbes Ukraine, ELEKS has been systematically working with the Ministry of Defense for many years: the company developed the Oberig recruiting system for the Ministry, helped with IT infrastructure, provided the Doctor ELEKS system for use by military hospitals, and developed a GPS-free drone navigation system. In 2021, the company’s founder, Oleksiy Skrypnyk, became an advisor to Ukroboronprom CEO Yuriy Husyev.
According to AIN.UA sources, the company’s top management has access to information on such projects. And the presence of Russian citizens among the C-level ELEKS is why employees are concerned.
In response to AIN.UA’s question about defense projects, ELEKS said that the company is not involved in any such projects.
