Fujitsu has made a big change in its UK charitable activities by letting go of Craig Hall, its head of charitable partnerships. This comes at a time when victims of the Post Office scandal, linked to Fujitsu’s Horizon software, are still waiting for the support they were promised nearly a year ago.
The company is shifting how it engages with charities. Instead of deciding on donations at a corporate level, it will now put that responsibility on individual employees. Some insiders worry this will lead to reduced support for charities. Hall’s recent LinkedIn post mentioned a new program called the Impact in the Community Charity Support Funding Programme. It allows employees to apply for funds to help with community initiatives like sponsoring sports teams or working with local charities.
Fujitsu claims it has a responsibility to address social issues and that its connection to the community is essential for long-term sustainability. However, some critics see this change as a PR tactic. They argue Fujitsu is simply shifting the burden of corporate responsibility onto employees while cutting back on meaningful charitable efforts.
In his farewell post, Hall highlighted Fujitsu’s awards for charity work with organizations like Autistica and Macmillan Cancer Support. Computer Weekly reached out to Fujitsu about Hall’s departure and its impact on charity work, but they declined to comment on individual employees.
All this is happening while victims of the Horizon scandal await financial and other support from Fujitsu following a scandal that devastated lives. In January, Fujitsu’s European head, Paul Patterson, appeared before a parliamentary committee, affirming that Fujitsu felt a “moral obligation” to support victims. However, no concrete commitments have come from the company.
During inquiries, authorities pressed Patterson on what else Fujitsu might do to assist victims and their families beyond financial reparations. Patterson seemed open to discussing support for skills development and entrepreneurial efforts for families affected by the scandal.
After Patterson’s statements, a campaign group called Lost Chances for Subpostmaster Children (LCSC) formed to advocate for the children of victims. Their meeting with Patterson in August was described as hopeful, but since then, no substantial help has materialized. A representative for the LCSC mentioned Fujitsu had been in touch but offered no commitments.
The Horizon software’s flaws led to wrongful accusations against subpostmasters, with Fujitsu inadvertently supporting the Post Office’s efforts to prosecute them. During the inquiry, Patterson admitted, “We were involved from the start; we did have bugs and errors in the system, and we did help the Post Office in their prosecutions of subpostmasters. For that, we are truly sorry.”
Patterson’s recent testimony showed a shift in tone, as he revealed a standstill agreement regarding potential litigation between Fujitsu and the Post Office. He indicated that while they expressed moral obligation back in January, they’ve learned much from the inquiry about the actions of various parties involved.
Fujitsu’s reputation has taken a hit; its public sector business is down significantly since it paused bidding for new government contracts. Recent figures show a drastic drop in public sector contracts awarded to Fujitsu compared to the previous year.
The fallout from the scandal extends beyond the public sector. Companies like British Gas owner Centrica have turned away from Fujitsu, opting not to award it a large contract despite being the preferred bidder.
Computer Weekly first brought attention to the issues with the Horizon software back in 2009, highlighting the systemic failures that led to one of the most significant miscarriages of justice in British history.