In July, the Union of Workers in Commerce, Offices, and Services of Portugal (CESP) issued a statement accusing the multinational of hiding “a brutal exploitation model” that leaves workers “without protection, without adequate psychological support, and with miserable wages” while Accenture promotes itself as the “best company to work for.”
CESP clarified that it received multiple reports from employees about repeated exposure to violent and disturbing content without proper psychological support, along with reports of labor repression, poor management practices, and productivity pressure, causing “continuous intimidation by supervisors.”
The union accuses the company and its management of restricting bathroom breaks, citing the impact on production time, allegations that two employees confirmed to the agency.
Accenture Portugal did not respond to the agency’s questions, stating in writing that “employee well-being is a top priority” and that they provide support and well-being resources every day.
“We offer competitive salaries, career progression opportunities, and respect employees’ rights in Portugal to union membership and activities,” added the consultancy firm.
Joana (a pseudonym) has worked for four years in content moderation at Accenture and explains that employees have a 30-minute break per day, during which they must “do everything they need without being in front of the computer.”
Manuel (a pseudonym), a content moderator at Accenture since 2022, frequently encounters “traumatizing content, such as rape, executions, prostitution, child exploitation, or serious accidents.”
“These are images that linger, appear in dreams, and randomly during the day,” Manuel stated.
CESP warns that “work rhythms and productivity targets are very demanding, impacting mental health” and that support measures for workers are insufficient.
Faced with regular exposure to violent content, Manuel notes that “people suffer psychological scars,” and although the company offers well-being promotion mechanisms, it is not the equivalent of psychological support.
“Often, time spent in well-being sessions is perceived by most workers as a waste of time,” Manuel added.
The union highlights that online content moderators only receive 30 minutes of “coaching” per month without accredited clinical training.
Joana admits she once needed medical leave because she “became very depressed being stuck in this job and seeing no possibility of progression. It’s like shouting into the void,” she concluded.
The company refuses to recognize CESP as the workers’ representative in Portugal and prohibits union representatives from entering several buildings.
In 2024, Accenture reported worldwide profits of $64.9 billion (approximately €59.7 billion).
