Renault is distancing itself from claims of industrial espionage following the suspension of three employees this week.
The automaker has taken swift action to suspend three employees, who it claims have “deliberately endangered the company’s assets.”
Go deeper with GlobalData
Discover B2B Marketing That Performs
Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.
The affair remains shrouded in mystery, but speculation is rife in France that industrial espionage is at the heart of the matter that has risen to the top of the political agenda.
However, Renault says it is not discussing the espionage issue, preferring to move itself away from such language. “Industrial espionage, we don’t mention,” a Renault spokeswoman in Paris told just-auto.
“Although you read about espionage, it is not something that Renault ever mentions. We talk about serious effects, serious enough to lead to a suspension, but we never give the nature of these facts.”
Renault is pulling no punches in its language surrounding the matter however, noting the three employees “have committed misconduct that infringes Renault’s ethics, consciously and deliberately endangering the company’s assets.”
The automaker is keeping the identity of the executives hidden, but does say they are staff “with extremely strategic positions at the group.” Renault added there was a body of converging evidence showing misconduct.
“Renault decided to take action because these are serious acts concerning people with extremely strategic positions at the group,” said the manufacturer in a statement sent to just-auto. “Their acts justify this suspension, the first aim of which is to immediately protect the strategic, intellectual and technological assets of our company.
“The suspension of three group executives was decided following an investigation launched by the Renault group’s compliance committee. The procedure is fully standardised, highly rigorous and entirely in line with the ethical principles of our group.”
French industry minister Eric Besson has also waded into the debate, with a statement expected shortly. French media are attributing the phrase “economic war” to him.
