Salesforce Shares Benioff’s Keynote; ICE Jokes Missing
Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff found himself at the center of controversy following his keynote address at the company’s annual employee event. During his speech, he made light of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), a move that has sparked significant backlash from both employees and executives within the organization.
Keynote Remarks and Internal Reactions
This week, Salesforce uploaded a recording of Benioff’s address to its internal platform. However, the segment containing his ICE jokes was conspicuously absent. Employees took to the company’s Slack channels to voice their concerns, with one stating: “Anyone going to watch it to see the ICE ‘jokes’ will discover they have been edited out of the recording.”
Details of the Incident
Witnesses reported that during his speech, Benioff asked attendees to stand if they had come from outside the United States. He then made a jest about ICE agents being present at the event. In addition to the ICE remarks, he also expressed dissatisfaction with Bad Bunny’s performance at the Super Bowl.
Critical Feedback from Executives
The fallout prompted responses from Salesforce executives. Rob Seaman, the new general manager of Slack, commented on the situation in an internal message. He stated, “I cannot defend or explain them. They do not align with my personal values, and I know this to be the case for many of you as well.”
Employee Follow-Up
In light of the controversy, some employees received emails requesting explanations for their absence from the keynote event. This has added another layer to the growing dissatisfaction among staff regarding Benioff’s comments.
As the situation unfolds, Salesforce has yet to issue a formal response or comment on the matter. The absence of Benioff’s remarks from the recorded keynote raises questions about transparency and corporate culture at the company.
