An internal investigation is underway at audit, tax and advisory giant KPMG after two suspected drink-spiking incidents at separate work functions.
Stuff obtained an internal email from KPMG's New Zealand executive chair Matt Prichard calling it "despicable and cowardly".
According to the email, the first incident happened last month, which was of "serious concern". While the location wasn't certain, it was likely to have been at KPMG premises, Prichard wrote.
After this first incident, the company hired a security guard for the drinks in addition to its responsible host policies.
Unfortunately, he wrote, this wasn't enough and the drink-spiking incident was repeated.
"Distressingly, last Friday at our monthly Auckland Partners' shout, one of our people was a victim of drink-spiking," he emailed staff, according to Stuff. Fortunately, the person affected was able to be driven home safely.
Pritchard said KPMG would install more cameras where the events are held and was considering whether it would continue hosting these events.
An internal investigation is also underway as it's believed the person responsible is a member of the KPMG workforce.
"It is shocking to us a member of the KPMG family would do something so despicable and cowardly to another member of our family and, while we are currently focused on our affected team members, we want to minimise the risk of this ever happening again," his email read.
He told the NZ Herald the actions of the "grubby little coward" responsible have left him angry and shocked.
"I didn't grow up with drink spiking being a thing in my earlier years. I recognise that many of the young people that work for us deal with it as a possibility in public places where they go out," Prichard told the NZ Herald.
"But neither them nor us, myself as the leader, thought this would be something that could happen in a workplace."
In a statement to Newshub, Prichard said KPMG had "three priorities" in the aftermath.
"Firstly looking after the people who were affected and making sure they have all the support they need," he said.
"Secondly undertaking a thorough investigation to try to identify the person responsible, and thirdly to review how and whether we can run these large events to still be able to bring our people together but in a way that keeps them safe."
Police have been informed of the incidents.
