With this Match Group has joined over 1,000 companies across the globe that have curtailed their operations in Russia.
Match Group, the parent of popular online dating services like Tinder, OkCupid, etc., announced its plans to quit Russia by the end of next month. The company cited the need to protect “human rights” as the reason for its decision.
“We are committed to protecting human rights. Our brands are taking steps to restrict access to their services in Russia and will complete their withdrawal from the Russian market by June 30, 2023,” the company said in its annual impact report published on Monday.
With this Match Group has joined several other companies, especially from the West, that have cut ties with Russia after it invaded Ukraine in late February last year. According to a report by Yale School of Management, over 1,000 companies across the globe have curtailed their operations in Russia, including Tinder rival Bumble.
Some of the countries named in the report that have completely quit Russia or have reduced their investments and exports include Accenture, Acer, Adidas, Adobe, Alphabet, Airbnb, Amazon, Apple, Asus, Audi, Bentley, BMW, BNY Mellon, Burberry, Canon, Canva, Capgemini, Carrier, Chanel, Conde Nast, Coca Cola, Coinbase, Dell, Disney, eBay, Epic Games, FedEx, FIFA, Goldman Sachs, Honda, Hyundai, Intel, JPMorgan, Kotak Mahindra, L’Oréal, Loyalty Ventures, Mango, Marks & Spencer, Marriott, Mastercard, Meta, Microsoft, Moody’s, Nikon, Oracle, Panasonic, PayPal, PepsiCo, Porsche, Puma, Qualcomm, Ralph Lauren, Rolex, Rolls Royce, Samsung, Sony, Swarovski, Tata Motors, TikTok, UBS, Valentino, Visa, Volvo Group, Whirlpool, WWE, and more. According to a report by BBC, Netflix has also paused its operations in Russia in 2022 and McDonald’s confirmed it would leave the country and sell its restaurants in May.
Back to Match Group, the American company has made few public statements about its Russian operations. But it flagged negative impacts on its European business in March 2022, Reuters reported.
Meanwhile, Match Group’s timing and reason for withdrawal from Russia have been questioned as the move comes over a year after the Ukraine war started. A U.S.-based non-profit organization highlighted that the continued presence of the Match Group, which is also a parent to Hinge and PlentyOfFish, in Russia did not reflect well on the company.
“It’s not a good look for a trusted brand to be continuing operations in a nation where the head of state has been indicted by the International Criminal Court,” Jeff Perkins, executive director at Friends Fiduciary, told Reuters. In March this year, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin alleging him responsible for the war crime of unlawful deportation and transfer of children.
