French telecom Orange and ex-CEO found guilty over workers’ suicides

PARIS: French telecoms group Orange and its former CEO Didier Lombard were guilty of “moral harassment” that prompted a spate of suicides during a restructuring at the company in the late 2000s, a court ruled on Friday.

The court sentenced Lombard to a year in jail, of which eight months was suspended, and a 15,000 euros ($16,680.00) fine in a landmark ruling.

The traumatic episode of workers’ deaths at the company, then known as France Telecom, in the late 2000s, led to deeep soul-searching over corporate culture in France.

The court also found Orange guilty of the same charge, and fined it 75,000 euros.