Meta launches probe against Sheryl Sandberg's use of company resources: Report

In a development, Meta is now probing the conduct of its outgoing chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg. According to the owners of Facebook, Sandberg, who announced her step down from the company’s COO post earlier this month used company resources for her own personal projects, the Wall Street Journal reported. The company’s lawyers are now looking into Facebook employees’ involvement with Sandberg and her foundation.

The owner of Facebook opened an investigation last fall into the conduct of Sheryl Sandberg. Now, Meta is further examining whether Sandberg had the company’s staff work on her own personal projects, as per the Wall Street Journal. The claims come after the newspaper reported that Meta was probing reports of Sandberg using company resources to organize her upcoming wedding.

However, a spokesperson for Sandberg dismissed the claims and told the Journal that she did not "inappropriately use company resources” in any such personal endeavours. Meanwhile, the report claims that the company is now inquiring into the outgoing COO’s conduct over the past many years. The lawyers looking into the matter are questioning Facebook employees regarding the issue.  

Facebook employees' role in Sandberg's personal ventures under scrutiny

Apart from staff involvement in her wedding, Meta is also examining if the company’s staff was linked with Sandberg's Lean In foundation and books. The broad use of Meta resources for personal use by the former COO is now under scrutiny. It is pertinent to note that Sandberg co-authored two books, 'Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead' in 2013 and 'Option B’ in 2017.

The billionaire COO had set up the Sheryl Sandberg & Dave Goldberg Family Foundation in 2015, following her husband’s sudden demise. It incorporated the Lean In foundation, aimed at supporting women achieve their ambitions and helping organizations create inclusive workplaces, as per the foundation’s website. It is noteworthy that the foundation had come under scrutiny after former employees criticised it for a ‘stressful culture’ and alleged that it was focused around Sandberg.

This came only days after Sandberg, announced her step down from the COO post in early June, after working for 14 years as Mark Zuckerberg's second-in-command.

Image: AP