Mozilla Foundation cuts 30% of its staff and discontinues its advocacy division

The Mozilla Foundation, a non -profit division of the browser of Firefox Mozilla, dismissed 30% of its employees, because the organization declares that it is confronted with a "ruthless change of change". After reaching the fact that the head of the Mozilla Foundation, Brandon  confirmed the dismissal in an electronic letter.

“The Mozilla Foundation reorganizes orders to increase flexibility and influence, because we accelerate our work in order to ensure a more open and equitable technical future for all of us. Unfortunately, this means the suspension of specific works that we have performed historically, and have excluded roles related to new attention, "said Press.

According to annual tax requests, the Mozilla Foundation said in 2022. According to a person familiar with the matter, the number of employees at the time of the layoffs was close to 120. When asked, a Mozilla representative did not dispute that figure. The layoffs are the second at Mozilla this year, with the first affecting dozens of employees who work on the organizational side of the company that develops the popular Firefox browser.

Mozilla is made up of several organizations, including the Mozilla Corporation, which develops Firefox and other technologies, and the Mozilla Makers, a nonprofit, tax-exempt foundation that oversees Mozilla's corporate governance structure and sets browser policy. Many of Mozilla's efforts focus on privacy, inclusivity and decentralization of technology, as well as "creating safer and more transparent online experiences for everyone," which ultimately benefits browser makers and their users.

Announcing the cuts in an email to all employees on October 30, Mozilla Foundation executive director Nabiha Syed acknowledged that the foundation's two main divisions, advocacy and global programs, "are no longer part of our organization."

After the release, Borman said, without elaborating, that "advocacy will remain a core tenet of the Mozilla Foundation's work and will be integrated into all other functional areas." The move is partly aimed at creating a “single and powerful narrative for the Foundation,” including by updating the Foundation’s strategic communications  said.

“Our mission at Mozilla is more important than ever,” Said wrote in an email to employees, a copy of which was provided. "We find ourselves in a time of relentless change in the tech world (and more broadly), where the idea of ​​putting people over profits seems increasingly radical. 

"Getting through this hectic and distracting time requires extreme focus, and sometimes we have to say goodbye to the great work that got us here because it won't take us to the next peak. Ambitious goals require hard choices," Said wrote. Said, who joined the Mozilla Foundation in February, was previously CEO of data journalism and investigative news site The Markup.