World Economic Forum (WEF) founder Klaus Schwab has been accused of sexual harassment, according to a report from the Wall Street Journal.

Former WEF staffers revealed to the outlet that the organization has been “allowed to fester an atmosphere” of sexual harassment and discrimination under Schwab’s leadership.

Employees over the age of 50 were “singled out” in order to “lower the average age of the workforce,” the report explained. After the HR chief said there must be reason behind firing employees, Schwab removed him as well.

Staffers explained that “women received warnings about Schwab: If you find yourself alone with him, he may make uncomfortable comments about your appearance,” WSJ noted. “They describe his behavior as more awkward than menacing, but inappropriate for a leader.”

One individual told the outlet, “I knew he liked me and I knew he found me pretty,” adding, “Every man with a lot of power, they think that they can get any woman and they are not ashamed.”

Another woman said of her time working for the WEF, “There was a lot of pressure to be good-looking and wear tight dresses. Never in my career have I experienced looks being such an important topic as in the Forum.”

Former U.S. media executive who worked at the WEF, Farid Ben Amor, said, “It was distressing to witness colleagues visibly withdraw from themselves with the onslaught of harassment at the hands of high-level staff, going from social and cheerful to self-isolating, avoiding eye contact, sharing nightmares for years after.”

When employees attempted to confront the harassment or bring it to the attention of others, they were let go from the Forum. The organization, however, claimed the firings were due to employees failing to fulfill their responsibilities.

The report described other alleged harassment incidents by WEF leaders, such as unwanted advancements and suggestive comments. The WSJ added that black employees were also allegedly discriminated against, having been passed over for promotions, belittled, and excluded from events.

A WEF spokesman denied the allegations against Schwab, saying, “Mr. Schwab does not and has never engaged in the vulgar behaviors you describe.”

Schwab recently announced that he will be transitioning to a non-executive role within the WEF.

“Since 2015, the World Economic Forum has been transforming from a convening platform to the leading global institution for public-private cooperation,” the WEF said in a statement. “As part of that transformation, the organization has also been undergoing a planned governance evolution from a founder-managed organization to one where a President and Managing Board assume full executive responsibility.”

“By January 2025, Klaus Schwab will transition from Executive Chairman to Chairman of the Board of Trustees. In addition, the Forum’s prominent Board of Trustees will be organized around four strategic committees to further reinforce the impact of our work. These shifts underscore our institutional continuity in providing an independent and impartial platform to address the complex challenges of an interconnected world.”