When women speak, they shouldn’t be shrill. Clothing must flatter, but short skirts are a no-no. After all, “sexuality scrambles the mind.” Women should look healthy and fit, with a “good haircut” and “manicured nails.” These were just a few pieces of advice that around 30 female executives at Ernst & Young received at a training held in the accounting giant’s gleaming new office in Hoboken, New Jersey, in June 2018.
Here is Emily Peck on how she got the story.
Tell us about the seed of this story. It was a scoop. How'd you get it?
Back in February, I wrote a story about a former partner at EY. Karen Ward said that not only was she sexually harassed by her boss, but that when she spoke up about it, she faced devastating retaliation.
After the piece ran, I heard from some women and men inside the company and a few former EY workers. One of them was “Jane.” We met up eventually, and she showed me the 55-page presentation. I was just blown away by its contents. I got back to the office and immediately showed my editor.
What was the most challenging aspect of reporting it out?
I didn’t just want to publish quotes from the presentation without the context. Yes, they’re outrageous but I think it’s important to explain why. Readers would have an emotional reaction that I wanted to bolster with research and expertise.
So figuring out how to frame the piece was key -- and finding really smart experts in this small field (executive education for women leaders) was important, too. Then there was the issue of telling Jane’s story. She didn’t want us to use her name, so we couldn’t include much detail about her time at EY. She says she was discriminated against by her male bosses, who basically excluded her from meetings and important work.
What was most surprising?
I was surprised by the reaction to the piece, actually. EY is a huge company with a lot of employees, but it’s not exactly a household name. I figured it would get a niche readership. But it went viral. A lot of other outlets picked up the story. My Twitter mentions are a mass of people who are just outraged that a training like this took place so recently.
Anything you'd like to add?
I wish that the woman who created the training had spoken to me for the piece. I think that would’ve deepened the story. Maybe next time! | 
