Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • Maternity & Paternity
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
    • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • Maternity & Paternity
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
    • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

RetailLatest NewsEthicsLeadershipDiscipline

Clarks boss gets the boot after behaviour ‘fell short’

by Rob Moss 26 Jun 2018
by Rob Moss 26 Jun 2018 360b/Shutterstock
360b/Shutterstock

The boss of iconic shoemaker Clarks has resigned after the British company said his behaviour had fallen short of the standards expected of its staff.

Mike Shearwood, who became chief executive of the retailer in 2016 after leaving Karen Millen, leaves with immediate effect.

In a statement, the Somerset-headquartered firm with Quaker origins said: “Clarks recently learned that aspects of Shearwood’s conduct, conversations and expressions fell short of the behaviours expected of all its employees on a number of occasions.

Misconduct and ethics

How to handle gross misconduct dismissals 

Consultation on corporate governance for private firms launched

“In these circumstances the board has accepted Shearwood’s resignation.”

The 193-year-old business, which is 80% owned by hundreds of family members and 20% owned by employees and former employees, declined to comment on the specifics of the allegations.

Last year, the company sparked a sexism row after naming a girls’ shoe range “Dolly Babe” and a boys’ range “Leader”. The Dolly Babe range, featuring a heart print detail, was withdrawn from its website and Clarks said it was removing the name from products in its stores. It apologised for any offence caused.

In the year to the end of January, profits at Clarks fell 29% to £45.2m. Shearwood had recently said his turnaround plan was working. Clarks said that Stella David, the company’s senior independent director, had been appointed interim chief executive with immediate effect.

The company’s 2017 code of business ethics is published on its website and features a quote from Daniel Clark, chairman of the footwear firm in the 1970s: “The Quaker upbringing and tradition of the founders of the company continue to inform the way we think about the business and its problems, and the sort of business we want to be; the conditions under which we employ people; our products and services and their integrity and usefulness to the community.”

Earlier this month, the Financial Reporting Council published a consultation on corporate governance for large private companies, which aims to address the need for improved transparency and accountability identified in the wake of the 2016 collapse of the retailer BHS.

Rob Moss
Rob Moss

Rob Moss is a business journalist with more than 25 years' experience. He has been editor of Personnel Today since 2010. He joined the publication in 2006 as online editor of the award-winning website. He specialises in labour market economics, gender diversity and family-friendly working. He has hosted hundreds of webinar and podcasts, most recently on the challenges created by the coronavirus pandemic. Before writing about HR and employment he ran news and feature desks on publications serving the global optical and eyewear market, the UK electrical industry, and electrical markets in Asia and the Middle East.

previous post
How to engage employees with pensions
next post
Car industry seeks greater clarity over Brexit as investment falls

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

You may also like

How hybrid working boosts recruitment but not retention

18 Mar 2022

Porter who lost pay while awaiting result of...

5 Jan 2022

Top 10 HR questions September 2021: Vaccinations and...

1 Oct 2021

Deloitte D&I champion resigns over bullying allegations

5 Mar 2021

How technology can help as businesses face the...

22 Feb 2021

Cap on public sector exit payments revoked

12 Feb 2021

Senior Amazon employee resigns after virus protesters sacked

5 May 2020

Secretary who resigned because of discrimination was constructively...

18 Feb 2020

Director who resigned in ‘heat of the moment’...

10 Feb 2020

Top 10 HR questions March 2019: Anonymous witness...

2 Apr 2019
  • What it really means to be mentally fit PROMOTED | What is mental fitness...Read more
  • How music can help to ease anxiety at work PROMOTED | A lot has happened since March 2020, hasn’t it?...Read more
  • Why now is the time to plug the unhealthy gap PROMOTED | We’ve all heard the term ‘health is wealth’...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2022

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2022 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • Maternity & Paternity
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
    • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+