Netflix’s Chief Communications Officer Jonathon Friedland has been fired following two instances in which he used the n-word, CNN Money reports.
Friedland issued an apology on Twitter on Friday and announced he would be leaving the company after seven years.
“Leaders have to be beyond reproach in the example we set and unfortunately I fell short of that standard when I was insensitive in speaking to my team about words that offend in comedy,” Friedland wrote. “I feel awful about the distress this lapse caused to people at a company I love and where I want everyone to feel included and appreciated.”
I’m leaving Netflix after seven years. Leaders have to be beyond reproach in the example we set and unfortunately I fell short of that standard when I was insensitive in speaking to my team about words that offend in comedy.
— jonathan friedland (@jsf33) June 22, 2018
I feel awful about the distress this lapse caused to people at a company I love and where I want everyone to feel included and appreciated. I feel honored to have built a brilliant and diverse global team and to have been part of our collective adventure.
— jonathan friedland (@jsf33) June 22, 2018
According to The Huffington Post, the first incident when Friedland used the n-word occured during a meeting about offensive words about comedy. Friedland reportedly used the word a second time in a meeting with two black employees in the human resources department when they discussing the prior incident.
Netflix CEO Reed Hastings sent a memo to employees to explain the situation leading up to Friedland’s termination. The memo notes that several employees told Friedland they were offended by his use of the full word.
“Jonathan contributed greatly in many areas, but his descriptive use of the N-word on at least two occasions at work showed unacceptably low racial awareness and sensitivity and is not in line with our values as a company,” Hastings wrote in the memo.
“Going forward, we are going to find ways to educate and help our employees broadly understand the many difficult ways that race, nationality, gender identity and privilege play out in society and our organization,” he added. “We seek to be great at inclusion, across many dimensions, and these incidents show we are uneven at best. We have already started to engage outside experts to help us learn faster.”
Friedland had joined Netflix in 2011 after working at Disney.