In a recent internal meeting, Salesforce co-founder and Chief Technical Officer Parker Harris addressed the internal backlash surrounding CEO Marc Benioff’s controversial jokes about ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement). According to a transcript shared by an employee in a Slack channel, Harris stated, “Marc made a very bad joke.” While expressing his disapproval of Benioff’s comments, Harris emphasized that he would not publicly criticize his colleague.
Harris initiated the discussion by responding to questions about the apparent silence from company leaders regarding Benioff’s remarks made during a company kickoff event in Las Vegas. He referenced a Business Insider article that covered a different executive’s criticism of Benioff and urged employees to keep such discussions contained within the company rather than discussing them externally. “It’s a violation of the Code of Conduct, and it’s a fireable offense. And if we do catch you, we will fire you,” Harris affirmed.
The controversy erupted after Benioff made multiple jokes about ICE, including a comment suggesting agents were surveilling Salesforce employees during their travels. This provoked strong reactions on Slack, which is also owned by Salesforce. Rob Seaman, the General Manager of Slack, acknowledged the disconnect between the comments and the values held by many employees. He stated in a post that he could not “defend or explain” Benioff’s remarks, noting that they contradicted his personal values.
Another executive, Craig Broscow, expressed “deep disappointment” in a Slack message following the kickoff, calling for Benioff to publicly acknowledge the hurt his jokes caused among employees. In his remarks during the meeting, Harris underscored the challenges faced due to societal issues in the U.S., highlighting that Salesforce’s business and software were not directly involved.
Harris further pointed out that Salesforce does not operate as a political organization, encouraging employees to voice their opinions through voting. He concluded his statement by inviting continued dialogue on the matter while asking for confidentiality.
So far, Salesforce has not issued a public comment regarding the event, and Benioff has not addressed the backlash stemming from his remarks.
