Steve Van den Kerkhof has to leave as CEO of Plopsa. De Tijd reports this based on various sources. Last month, the CEO came under fire after an article about the toxic work culture at the amusement park group. The resignation has not yet been officially confirmed.
LOOK. VTM NEWS also received various messages from people who testify that it was horror at Plopsa.
Last month, lawyer Christine Mussche conducted an investigation into the corporate culture at amusement park group Plopsa, and in particular that of CEO Steve Van den Kerkhof and his two directors. They would have been guilty of insults, verbal abuse and ‘punishment meetings’. The lawyer was commissioned by Studio 100, the parent company above Plopsa, after 45 anonymous witnesses told the story in ‘De Tijd’. Evil incarnate according to many of those testimonies: CEO Steve Van den Kerkhof. He responded that he indeed demands and expects a lot from his employees. But Van den Kerkhof also emphasized that he does not recognize himself in the dozens of testimonies about bullying and a culture of fear.
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Mussche’s investigation was done on a voluntary basis, which means that anyone from current and former Plopsa staff who wanted to testify about good or bad work experiences was welcome to the lawyer. Mussche’s ultimate assignment: to make a report to see where a wheel ended. Whether she could find a common thread in the complaints, in other words whether there was a pattern in them. It is said that Mussche made it clear to the bosses of Studio 100 in advance that her report was to be taken or not – whether they liked to read what it contained or not.
According to well-placed sources within Plopsa, the report would confirm what was already stated in ‘De Tijd’. “No more, but no less. That would mean that there was a hard corporate culture at Plopsa, but that no crimes were committed,” says one of the sources.
Now that Mussche has completed her research, she is looking forward to the conclusions. Within the amusement park group itself, the lips remain tight for the time being. “It has been agreed that we will inform the staff first,” can be heard. Tomorrow another meeting is planned with the management team and Studio Plopsa, which are the employees who work for the group as an umbrella organisation. The staff would then be informed tomorrow afternoon at 12 o’clock.
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