Meta scrutinizing Sheryl Sandberg’s use of Facebook resources over several years
Lawyers investigating Facebook Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg’s use of company resources are examining behavior dating back years, people familiar with the matter said, focusing on the extent to which staff members worked on his personal projects.
A number of employees were interviewed as part of the investigation by Facebook parent company Meta Platforms META,
the people said, adding that the review has been ongoing since at least last fall.
It includes a review of the work done by Facebook employees to support his foundation, Lean In, which champions women in the workplace, as well as the writing and promotion of his second book “Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience, and Finding Joy”. which focused on her grieving process after the sudden death of her husbandDave Goldberg, in 2015, people said.
The Wall Street Journal previously said the investigation included a review of Ms. Sandberg’s use of company resources to help plan her next wedding. This is a small part of the investigation, according to people familiar with the matter, who said it was a broader review of Ms. Sandberg’s personal use of Facebook resources over many years. many years.
Ms. Sandberg, 52, announced last week that she was resigning of her day-to-day role after 14 years, although she said she would continue to serve on the board. Ms Sandberg was a longtime lieutenant to the chief executive Mark Zuckerberg, and in that role – and as author of the leadership book “Lean In” – became one of the most prominent women in business. Ms Sandberg said she was looking forward to devoting more time to her foundation and women’s issues.
Ms. Sandberg has told friends and colleagues that she decided to quit because she was exhausted and tired of continuing her role as a “punching bag” for Meta critics. She also sees Mr. Zuckerberg’s pivot to the so-called metaverse as a multi-year project that she wasn’t looking forward to taking on, not least because it doesn’t directly involve using her core strengths in building ad ventures.
People close to Ms Sandberg say that while the review has irritated her in recent months, it played no part in her decision to leave the company later this year. “Sheryl did not inappropriately use company resources in connection with her wedding planning,” a spokeswoman for Ms Sandberg said last week. A spokeswoman for Meta declined to comment for this article.
In 2021, Facebook paid nearly $9 million for Ms. Sandberg’s security at her home and during personal travel and $2.3 million for costs related to her personal use of private aircraft, according to the latest. company proxy. Facebook spent $15.2 million on Mr Zuckerberg’s security and $1.6 million on private plane costs.
Facebook employees have also worked on Mr. Zuckerberg’s projects, including his 2017 tour of 30 US states, according to public records. A Stop in Montana’s Glacier National Park, Mr. Zuckerberg was joined by at least three full-time Facebook employeesaccording to public records.