DWP contractor where founder quit says depiction of lavish trips is subjective but 'takes seriously' claims over expensesA4e, the welfare-to-work company, has a culture of lavish trips abroad and big-spending hospitality, several former managers at the company have told the Guardian.
One person who worked there has also made allegations of expenses irregularities, claiming there was a laissez-faire attitude to claims particularly from senior staff.
The allegations against the company, which holds up to £180m worth of public contracts and depends for all its UK income on government money, cover an eight-year period, and follow the resignation of its chairman and founder, Emma Harrison, two weeks ago.
One former manager said that some in the company enjoyed a "champagne culture".
"If the marketing director wanted to take out a team of 10 marketing people for a night out you wouldn't get change out of £2,000," the former manager said.
Management conferences, another former member of staff said, have taken place in such locations as Monaco and the Spanish resort of La Manga, and each event included about 100 staff. Another former manager claimed that at the company's expense, about 25 A4e managers were taken to Paris in spring 2011, to celebrate the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) awarding the company contracts for the Work Programme.
Read more here:http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/mar/06/champagne-culture-claims-emma-harrison-a4e
