Country Road store in Melbourne targeted amid sexual harassment and bullying scandal

Protesters have plastered hundreds of signs outside a Country Road store in Melbourne after the lid was lifted on a sexual harassment and workplace scandal within the fashion house.

Country Road’s Chapel street store in Melbourne was plastered with protest posters. Picture: David Caird

Protesters have plastered hundreds of signs outside a Country Road store in Melbourne after the lid was lifted on a sexual harassment and workplace scandal within the fashion house.

Signs that read “listen to women”, “stop the cover ups” and “end NDAs” were stuck up on the fashion retailer’s Chapel Street store.

Police attended the shop at 1.50pm on Wednesday after employees called them in.

Shoppers and pedestrians appeared to be confused by the protesters, as security guided customers in and out of the store through the side door.

The Australian has revealed staff at the Country Road Group have complained about feeling unsafe. In a staff email, Country Road Group chief people officer Adele Preston conceded there had been recent experiences “where some team members have felt unsafe at work due to allegations of sexual harassment”. “We are confident this is no longer ongoing however we are disappointed that it has happened,” she wrote.

Some staff members have told The Australian of sexual allegations by one former executive including sexually laced comments, some staff given unwanted kisses and touching, as well as workplace bullying levelled against another executive.

Roy Bagattini, the CEO of South Africa’s Woolworths Holdings, Country Road’s parent company, has asked staff to refrain from approaching media outlets.

The allegations are now subject to an external investigation.