Cairngorm Mountain staff rally to defence of bosses after toxic environment and bullying claims
A majority of staff have rallied to defend senior management past and present at Cairngorm Mountain amid claims of bullying and a toxic environment at the resort.
The statement was issued to the Strathy and has been signed by 34 staff from across the company excluding management team members.
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Employees said they were acting in response to recent allegations about a toxic and bullying culture at Cairngorm Mountain with former CEO Susan Smith and senior management being singled out.
A significant number of full-time and part-time Cairngorm Mountain (Scotland) Ltd staff said they felt the need to respond to the claims also made in The Times.
The statement reads: “During Susan Smith’s five-year term, we in no way found her management style and leadership toxic.
“To the contrary, she engaged well with staff and always offered an open-door policy should staff have needed to communicate with her.
“She was instrumental in encouraging local people to work on the mountain. She encouraged training and modern apprenticeship programmes to help secure the company's future.
“Susan drove forward the vision of Cairngorm becoming an all-year-round attraction with the karting, mountain biking, tubing, adventure play park, ball run, mountain garden and summer campervan park.
“Susan set the highest standards of customer service for our customers who visit the site.
“This all while the company was going through some of the most challenging periods including the closure of the funicular and the Covid pandemic.
“In the lean winters since the closure of the funicular, she continually encouraged the team to utilise the SnowFactory which enabled the business to employ seasonal workers and support local ski schools and businesses throughout the valley.
“What is more upsetting to the staff is the anti-CMSL (people) who have used these media statements to push forward their own agendas without facts or evidence.
“This is what is damaging and toxic to the company and its staff.
“CMSL and Susan have been the target of unfair criticism, speculation, and misinformation. This, in fact, is the toxicity that surrounds the Cairngorm Mountain ski area.
“The staff at Cairngorm Mountain work hard to deliver snowsports whenever possible, and this has always been the case.”
There are currently around 50 workers this winter excluding top management.
Supporters said 12 of these are new starts this season so were not in a position to give an opinion and a signature.
Strathspey MSP Fergus Ewing praised Ms Smith for leading from the front: “She worked hard for us and cared deeply for her team.
“I know because I worked alongside her and visited the team at a time when they were somewhat beleaguered.
“This support is evident from the warm terms of the open letter from the team.”
He said the resort had constantly faced obstacles not of their own making including the judicial review of the funicular.
“Ever since then operations at the hill have been hindered by endless tinkering and delay by various quangos including much by the Cairngorms National Park Authority,” said the MSP.
“Whilst the staff and management cannot speak out about this - I can.
“Nor have HIE been given credit for successful pursuit of remedies in cost recovery and far less for sticking by the staff at times of pressure.
“The demands for inquiries and the like won’t achieve anything but would cost huge amounts of money.
“No wonder many who have worked at the hill for years and have become fed up with a constant stream of criticism
“Susan was a strong leader wholly committed to the team and taking them through tough times. Let her efforts be recognised.”
Ms Smith retired as CMSL chief executive officer in September, last year, having been initially seconded to the post by HIE in 2019 and then appointed full-time to the role in 2021.
Whistle-blowers say grievances were based on facts not misinformation
Allegations over the running of the business - which relies heavily on public funding - have come to the surface in recent weeks from the operators of a former ski school business and some ex-staff.
Three of those who spoke out to the Strathy recently are ex-resort human resources manager John Swinden, and Tim Davey and Debbie Williams, who ran Ski Norwest.
Asked for a response to the staff statement, they said: “We have always been clear that we are passionate about Cairngorm Mountain and voiced repeatedly that there are wonderful staff working there.
The main drive behind speaking out was a hope for positive change going forward.
It is therefore extremely sad to read that by voicing genuine concerns we are now being described as the ‘toxicity’ that surrounds Cairngorm Mountain and that we are using the media for a personal agenda.
“Our grievances were based on facts not misinformation. Investigations into some of our concerns found that there were ‘company-wide cultural and leadership legacy issues that need to be addressed.
“We are not alone in our experiences, many who share similar views have been afraid to speak out for fear of this sort of backlash.
“This is a vibrant area, full of energetic, talented people who have a genuine passion for Cairngorm Mountain.
“Of course there may sometimes be differing perspectives but we would hope different voices in the fantastic community on the doorstep of CMSL could always be listened to with respect.”
An HIE spokesperson said: “It would not be appropriate for HIE to comment on a staffing matter, all the more so when it concerns a subsidiary company.”
