The author of a report alleging institutional racism inside HSBC (HSBA.L) has resigned, citing frustration at its response to some of his criticism and a lack of support from white colleagues, two internal emails seen by Reuters show.
Ian Clarke, who was a salesman in the U.S. Global Liquidity and Cash Management division in New York, resigned on August 3 in an email sent to around 1,000 staff and senior managers in HSBC’s U.S. and British businesses, and seen by Reuters.
HSBC’s newly-appointed global head of inclusion attempted to reassure staff over his exit, the other shows.
HSBC said in response to Clarke’s resignation that it was committed to improving diversity and inclusion.
“When colleagues raise concerns we take them seriously and are looking into the issues raised,” the bank said in a statement issued to Reuters on Friday.
Clarke had sent a 48-page report which he called Project Speak Up to HSBC’s senior management in June. This was launched on his own initiative and aimed at quantifying and combating the alleged discrimination he said he had experienced at the bank and heard about from colleagues.
