VC lobbying group encourages improved workplace misconduct policies

The initiative is the culmination of eight months of work by the industry group, member firms and experts in legal, HR and employment issues. (Photo: Shutterstock)

Despite investing some $80 billion a year and helping coach the world’s fastest-growing companies, the venture capital business is oddly unsophisticated. Most firms lack basic corporate functions, such as human-resources departments or employee codes of conduct. The consequences of this weren’t readily apparent until last year, when more than a dozen women came forward with allegations of harassment against VCs.

The industry is now getting some long-overdue help, and it’s coming from a Washington lobbying group. The National Venture Capital Association, the trade group representing American VCs, published a trove of HR documents on Thursday encouraging firms to adopt new policies to define unacceptable workplace behavior. The paperwork describes what constitutes sexual harassment and discrimination, and outlines a procedure for handling complaints. HR best practices, diversity and inclusion policies, paid parental and family leave, and a code of conduct are also covered in the documents.