ACCOUNTANCY FIRM KPMG has sent an email to staff warning them to be “vigilant around the pervasiveness of social media” and the risk that inappropriate use of it can have on an “individual’s personal and professional reputation”.

The email also asks staff to notify management of any “inappropriate coverage of KPMG” on the internet or other social networks.

The email, seen by the TheJournal.ie, was sent to staff in the company’s Irish office this week.

It comes just a few weeks after there was controversy surrounding the posting of a video on YouTube of a young girl who repeatedly referred to her father being a partner in KPMG.

The clip has since been removed from the video-sharing website.

The email, from a partner in the firm’s Irish office – which employs around 1,800 people in offices Dublin, Belfast, Cork and Galway – is a follow-up to a voice message to staff sent on 7 January.

It says: “We all need to be vigilant around the pervasiveness of social media today and the serious risk that inappropriate use of social media can pose to a business brand and/or the potential impact to an individual’s personal and professional reputation.

“This means that we need to be more aware of the growing power and popularity of social media and the potential impact on ourselves and others.”

Appropriate Use Policy

It goes on to say that in order for the firm to “promptly and appropriately” deal with situations where its name or brand is “treated inappropriately” staff are asked to notify management if they become aware of “inappropriate coverage of KPMG” on the internet or other social networks.

It also reminds staff of the company’s IT Appropriate Use Policy and in particular a section on the use of social media. The email quotes the section of the document which says:

Any information that may cause damage to KPMG’s reputation or may be considered confidential or commercially sensitive, including information (commercial or personal) about clients, colleagues, contractors and other third parties associated with KPMG, must not be posted to an online/internet network under any circumstances.

The policy document, also seen by TheJournal.ie, warns employees that they must not do anything to compromise the KPMG brand or reputation, or its relationship with clients, or embarrass KPMG or its clients.

It also warns personnel against accessing pornographic or gambling websites or sites containing details of or encouraging illegal activities.

The document also contains an image classification table which details content which is deemed inappropriate, highly inappropriate, and illegal ranging from images displaying partial nudity to full nudity to sexual intercourse.

Several messages, asking for comment on the email to staff, were not returned by KPMG at the time of publication.