EY addresses work stress concerns after Anna Sebastian’s tragic death

Ernst & Young (EY) has issued a formal response to the death of 26-year-old Chartered Accountant Anna Sebastian, which has raised concerns about work-related stress at the firm. Anna's death in July 2024 drew significant attention after social media allegations about excessive work pressure at EY.

In their statement, EY expressed profound sorrow over Anna Sebastian’s "tragic and untimely passing in July 2024," acknowledging the incident. The company confirmed ongoing contact with Anna’s family and support offers, but noted that a formal complaint alleging "excessive workload" as a factor was only recently submitted by the family.

Anna Sebastian, who became a Chartered Accountant in 2023, had been with EY’s Pune office for just four months before her death. Her mother had previously criticized the company's alleged "glorification" of overwork in a letter to Rajiv Memani, EY India Chairman.

"Anna was a part of the Audit team at S R Batliboi, a member firm of EY Global, in Pune for a brief period of four months, joining the firm on 18 March 2024. That her promising career was cut short in this tragic manner is an irreparable loss for all of us," said EY in its statement.

EY expressed its condolences and emphasized that the family's concerns are being taken seriously. The firm committed to improving employee well-being, stating, "We are taking the family's correspondence with the utmost seriousness and humility. We place the highest importance on the well-being of all employees and will continue to find ways to improve and provide a healthy workplace for our 100,000 people across EY member firms in India."

The incident has revived discussions on workplace culture and stress, particularly in high-pressure fields like auditing and consulting. EY has pledged to review its practices to foster a healthier working environment.

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