Has BrewDogs toxic culture pierced the craft-beer balloon?
However, for every stunt that BrewDog has got right it has got at least an equivalent number badly wrong, not least its short-lived beer porn site that featured frankly excruciating adult references and objectified staff. And despite the companys continued claims of independence, theres no doubt that the ramping up of aggression in the marketplace has been driven by the investment of TSG Consumer Partners, which took a 23 per cent stake in the company in 2017, prompting speculation of a public offering within five years. Its a well-trodden path to success and I dont for one minute believe that selling up always means selling out - but the price of doing business should never come at the cost of employees health and wellbeing, and most certainly not at the levels that are being alleged in the case of BrewDog. I am not sure that, outside of Amazon, I have ever seen such a public calling to account of a business by over 300 current and former employees as the Punks with Purpose open letter, which demands that the very highest people in the company need to be held accountable for years of alleged employee abuse and harassment, for highly questionable business tactics and an overall climate of pervasive fear. And since its publication, others have come forward to tell their stories, including those from the creative community alleging that their ideas or artwork have been used by the company after pitches they made and never heard back from (which Watt denied on air on Jeremy Vines BBC Radio 2 show), to those documenting a rank disregard for safe working practices, and yet more witnessing a failure to protect staff who had found themselves in physical danger or the subject of harassment. In response, after two attempts at contrition (a draft letter that came with the demand it was signed by 10.30am the day after the allegations broke was reworded after being leaked on social media, and blamed on the people team), Watt has said, we arent going to make excuses... Most of all, right now, we are sorry.  A tell that the company is slow in learning its lessons, however, came via the announcement over the weekend that Blythe Jack is being installed as the first chairperson at the business to tackle the avalanche of allegations, conveniently ignoring that her appointment to the role had already been announced to the business via an internal email on June 1. It also has to be said that its an announcement that looks a lot less like change culture and a lot more about investment protection, given she is managing director of TSG Equity Partners, and questions have to be asked about why change hasnt already happened in the four years she has been on the board. So even if, as hes stated publicly, Watt has found this whole issue painful, it clearly isnt as painful as it has been for his current and former staff, who seem to have their sights firmly on removing him from his position as captain. Its also excruciating to watch from outside; BrewDog has spawned a lot of puppies in the beer industry, in particular young men who have decided that aping BrewDogs behaviour is the quickest path to success, factoring in dubious practices and staff exploitation as part of the formula. So, while BrewDog might just survive its flotation - and Watt and Dickie will undoubtedly benefit hugely from the windfall  their legacy could well be to destroy the very thing they claim to have embodied, and take a lot of good people with them. All of which makes the beer a bit of a drain pour.