EY India Chairman Memani’s response to Anna’s death, Denies Work Pressure as Cause

Ernst and Young (EY) India faced intense social media backlash following the death of Anna Sebastian Perayil, a Chartered Accountant employed at S R Batliboi, a member firm of EY Global.EY India Chairman Rajiv Memani stated that “the company did not believe work pressure was the cause” 

He said, “We have around one lakh employees. There is no doubt each one has to work hard. Anna worked with us only for four months. She was allotted work like any other employee. We don’t believe that work pressure could have claimed her life.”

Memani also acknowledged the gravity of the loss, describing Anna’s passing as an “irreparable loss” for the company. “While no measure can compensate for the loss experienced by the family, we have provided all the assistance as we always do in such times of distress and will continue to do so,” he added.

The EY India Chairman also addressed the letter from Anna’s mother, assuring her of his full support. He emphasized that, in addition to providing immediate assistance to the family, the company is committed to implementing further measures to improve working conditions and ensure employee well-being.

Anna passed away on July 20, leading her mother to write an emotional letter to EY India Chairman Rajiv Memani, appealing for improved working conditions for employees.

In a letter, Anna’s mother expressed that her daughter had worked tirelessly at the company, and the heavy workload, combined with long hours and the challenges of adjusting to a new environment, had severely impacted her physical, emotional, and mental well-being.