CBS said on Friday that it has retained the firm Rally, an issue-driven expert advisory and communications organization, to consult on the disbursement of a pledged $20 million to organizations dedicated to fostering safe and equitable work environments and eliminating sexual harassment in the workplace.
“While we continue to focus on strengthening our own Company’s culture, it’s also important that we support the organizations that are helping to ensure safety and equity in our industry, as well as providing both prevention and assistance for victims of sexual assault, abuse and harassment in all workplaces,” said Joe Ianniello, president and acting CEO, CBS Corporation. “Rally’s expertise will help make sure we are being as effective and impactful with these funds as we can be. Today’s announcement is part of a much larger undertaking by the Company, and I look forward to announcing more about our plans in that regard in the coming weeks.”
The $20 million pledge is part of its separation agreement with former CEO Leslie Moonves, who resigned last month following multiple sexual misconduct accusations.
In a joint release with National Amusements, which controls roughly 80 percent of the voting power in CBS, the company said that Moonves will not receive a severance package “at this time,” and that he and CBS would donate $20 million to one or more organizations that support the #MeToo movement and equality for women in the workplace.
CBS plans to announce the recipients of the grant funds by Dec. 14.
“This is a critical time in our country and in all industries and we are glad to see that preventing sexual assault and increasing equity in the workplace are becoming national priorities. Powerful companies have a responsibility to be leaders in changing workplace culture, and we are happy to bring Rally’s expertise to this conversation,” said Rally principal Lara Bergthold. “Rally has a longtime commitment to supporting women and diversity in the workplace, both in our own firm and in the work that we do. This is a difficult and important conversation, not just in the industry but in the country, and we are pleased to be supporting CBS in taking this critical step.”