London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Aug 04, 2025

Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin accused of fostering 'toxic' workplace by current, former employees

Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin accused of fostering 'toxic' workplace by current, former employees

Employees accuse Blue Origin leadership of creating sexist work environment for female employees, ignoring safety and environmental concerns
A group of 21 former and current Blue Origin employees have penned an essay arguing Jeff Bezos' aerospace company is "stuck in a toxic past."

The group, led by former Blue Origin head of employee communications Alexandra Abrams, accuses the company's leadership of creating a sexist work environment for female employees, stifling internal feedback and ignoring safety and environmental concerns.

They argue the workplace culture has "taken a toll on the mental health of many of the people who make Blue Origin’s operations possible," citing some employees who are "terrified of the potential consequences for speaking out against the wealthiest man on the planet" and others who " have experienced periods of suicidal thoughts after having their passion for space manipulated in such a toxic environment."

"You cannot create a culture of safety and a culture of fear at the same time," Abrams told "CBS Mornings" in an interview. "I’ve gotten far enough away from it that I’m not afraid enough to let them silence me anymore."

The essay, published on Lioness, notes that while workforce gender gaps are common in the space industry, they "manifest in a particular brand of sexism" at Blue Origin.

The employees allege that one senior executive in Blue Origin CEO Bob Smith's "loyal inner circle" was reported to human resources multiple times for sexual harassment. Rather than taking action against him, Smith "personally made him a member of the hiring committee for filling a senior HR role in 2019," the essay claims.

Another former executive in charge of recruiting employees is accused in the essay of frequently treating women in a condescending and demeaning manner, calling them "baby girl," "baby doll," or "sweetheart" and inquiring about their dating lives. The employee, who allegedly had a "close personal relationship with Bezos", was let go after physically groping a female subordinate.

In addition, the group alleges that when employees, including some of Blue Origin's engineers, spoke out about safety concerns, they were either forced out or offered payment in exchange for signing more restrictive nondisclosure agreements.

According to the essay, Blue Origin leadership "demonstrated increasing impatience" last year with New Shepard’s low flight schedule and routinely communicated the company's goal to scale from a few flights per year to more than 40.

"When Jeff Bezos flew to space this July, we did not share his elation. Instead, many of us watched with an overwhelming sense of unease. Some of us couldn’t bear to watch at all," employees wrote. "Competing with other billionaires — and ‘making progress for Jeff’ — seemed to take precedence over safety concerns that would have slowed down the schedule."

On top of the safety and sexism claims, employees said that, despite Bezos touting environmentally-friendly initiatives, Blue Origin has detailed no concrete plans on how it will become carbon neutral or significantly reduce its environmental footprint. Instead, the essay says the company ordered machinery without considering its environmental impact and built a headquarters that "is not a LEED-certified building and was built on wetlands that were drained for construction."

"We did not see sustainability, climate change, or climate justice influencing Blue Origin’s decision-making process or company culture," employees said.

A spokesperson for Blue Origin told FOX Business that Abrams was "dismissed for cause" in 2019 after "repeated warnings for issues involving federal export control regulations." In addition, they emphasized that the company has "no tolerance for discrimination or harassment of any kind."

"We provide numerous avenues for employees, including a 24/7 anonymous hotline, and will promptly investigate any new claims of misconduct," the spokesperson said. The statement did not address the safety and environmental concerns.

The allegations come as Blue Origin is preparing for its next suborbital spaceflight on Oct. 12.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
UK's Online Safety Law: A Front for Censorship
Nationwide Protests Erupt in Brazil Demanding Presidential Resignation
Parents Abandon Child at Barcelona Airport Over Passport Issue
Mystery Surrounds Death of Brazilian Woman with iPhones Glued to Her Body
Bus Driver Discovers Toddler Hidden in Suitcase in New Zealand
Switzerland Celebrates 734 Years of Independence Amid Global Changes
U.S. Opens Official Investigation into Former Trump Prosecutor Jack Smith
Leaked audio of Canada's new PM Mark Carney admitting the truth about the Net Zero agenda: "We're gonna make a lot of money off of this."
China Enforces Comprehensive Ban on Cryptocurrency Activities
Absolutely 100% Realistic EVO Series Doll by EXDOLL (Chinese Company) used mainly for carnal purposes
World Economic Forum founder Klaus Schwab: "In this new world, we must accept... total transparency. You have to get used to it. You have to behave accordingly. But if you have nothing to hide, you shouldn't be afraid."
Meet Mufti Hamid Patel, head of Office for Standards in Education in Pakistan
George Soros tells the World Economic Forum: "President Trump is a con man and the ultimate narcissist, who wants the world to revolve around him."
Hamas are STARVING the hostages.
Decline in Tourism in Majorca Amidst Ongoing Anti-Tourism Protests
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
Poland Begins Excavation at Dziemiany After New Clue to World War II‑Era Nazi Treasure
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Threatens Canada with Tariffs Over Palestinian State Recognition
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Trump Sues Murdoch in “Heavyweight Bout”: Lawsuit Over Alleged Epstein Letter Sets Stage for Courtroom Showdown
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
Trump Administration Finalizes Broad Tariff Increases on Global Trade Partners
J.K. Rowling Limits Public Engagements Citing Safety Fears
JD.com Launches €2.2 Billion Bid for German Electronics Retailer Ceconomy
Azerbaijan Proceeds with Plan to Legalise Casinos on Artificial Islands
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
Trump Administration Proposes Repeal of Obama‑Era Endangerment Finding, Dismantling Regulatory Basis for CO₂ Emissions Limits
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
The British propaganda channel BBC News lies again.
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
×