Country Road store targeted by protesters after scandal revealed

Protesters have plastered a Melbourne Country Road store with signs, accusing the company of trying to cover up the sexual harassment and bullying scandal now engulfing the retailer.

Country Road’s Chapel street store was hit with protest posters over the head office’s handling of harassment and bullying claims. Picture: David Caird

A flagship Country Road store in the heart of Melbourne’s luxury retail strip in South Yarra has been targeted by protesters, who have plastered the store’s windows with signs saying “stop the cover ups!”, “let women speak” and “listen to women” in the wake of the sexual harassment scandal that has engulfed the retailer.

Police were called to the store on Chapel Street, one of Country Road’s largest and most famous, with the doors and windows to the shop covered in protest signs that accused the fashion house of trying to cover up the sexual harassment issue and muzzle women at the retailer from speaking publicly about their experiences.

The unprecedented protest aimed at the Country Road store represents an incredibly rare occurrence, with other retailers or organisations recently plunged into workplace behaviour scandals not suffering the same fate.

Country Road protest posters at its South Yarra store. Picture: David Caird

Country Road Group, which owns brands such as Country Road, Witchery and Mimco, is owned by South Africa’s Woolworths Holdings and was revealed this week to be mired in a sexual harassment and workplace bullying scandal involving former executives, with the company also launching an externally led investigation into the handling of the matters.

The smearing of the protest signs across the main doors of the Country Road store on Wednesday comes after the South African boss of Woolworths Holdings, Roy Bagattini, on Tuesday directed his local Country Road Group staff in Australia to refrain from commenting to the press about the sexual harassment and bullying allegations that have engulfed the retailer, arguing the media storm around the retailer is “unsettling”.

In a staff email Mr Bagattini implored his local staff not to approach the press.

“Separately, you are no doubt aware that some of our team members have pre-emptively engaged with the media and this has resulted in various speculative news reports,” he said in the staff email.

“The external attention on our company, through these news articles, can be unsettling and comes at a difficult time for yourselves but also for us as a company.

“I would again urge everyone to allow the process to conclude and allow for the facts to inform the outcome.”

This has been seen by some, and likely the protesters, as an attempt to cover up the growing scandal at the retailer.

Country Road executives Rachid Maliki and Mehmed Mustafic.

On Tuesday The Australian revealed that Country Road Group executives were given formal details of horrific workplace behaviour from angry and upset staff as early as December in an employee survey, which detailed some of the allegations of sexual harassment and bullying.

The specially constructed employee pulse survey was handed to select staff who were subject to a restructure of Country Road Group’s sourcing and supply division, run then by Rachid Maliki and who since exited the business in February after allegations of sexual harassment and improper workplace behaviour.

Those allegations and the handling of allegation complaints against former Country Road Group executives are now part of an external investigation commissioned by the retailer’s parent company, Woolworths Holdings, with that report fast tracked and due out soon.

On Monday the Australian revealed a sexual harassment and workplace scandal had erupted within fashion house Country Road Group, seeing two highly placed executives suddenly depart and the global boss flying to Australia to address staff to announce an external investigation into the handling of complaints at the retailer’s Melbourne headquarters.

One of those executives was Mr Maliki, who was brought in from outback outfitter RM Williams as Country Road Group’s chief supply chain officer. Following allegations of sexual harassment and bullying it is believed that Mr Maliki was given two weeks leave as an investigation was mounted. He later exited the business suddenly on February 19 after only 19 months in the role.

There were also allegations of workplace bullying against a second RM Williams executive brought into Country Road Group, Mehmed Mustafic, around his alleged treatment of some staff at the fashion house’s Burnley head office. These allegations did not include sexual harassment or sexually inappropriate conduct. Mr Mustafic exited the business on March 21 after serving for only 10 months in the role as general manager of sourcing and product development.

There have been no official findings against Mr Maliki or Mr Mustafic. Both were contacted for comment by The Australian. It is not known whether Mr Maliki or Mr Mustafic will be given the opportunity to defend themselves in response to the allegations in the review commissioned by Country Road.