A White CEO was dismissed due to his racist language against a Black Uber driver. On Feb. 5, AgroPlasma, an organic fertilizer company, decided to cut ties with its founder and CEO, Hans Berglund, according to ABC 15.
On Jan. 31, Berglund got into an Uber driven by Randy Clarke in Tempe, Arizona. Before the ride started, Berglund sat in the front passenger seat. However, Clarke asked Berglund to sit in the back of his vehicle during their ride and offered a refund if he did not want to comply. Clarke has a policy that riders use the backseat after he was assaulted during a ride in 2018. Instead of moving to the back, Berglund became belligerent and yelled racial slurs at Clarke. The incident was captured on a camera that Clarke placed in his car for protection.
“Are you f—g serious with me,” Berglund yelled. “Is it because I’m White? And you’re a f—g n—-? You are a f—g idiot.”
On Feb. 5, AgroPlasma released a statement that announced that Berglund was no longer with the company.
“In light of the events of this past Friday, Agroplasma CEO Hans Berglund has been relieved of his duties while the company performs a full internal investigation. The incident is not at all reflective of Agroplasma’s values and ethics. Our relationships with our employees, customers, and the community are the cornerstones of our success, and we are doing everything in our power to rebuild their trust and repair the harm that has resulted from this incident.”
Uber is currently investigating the incident.
