France Telecom said it “vigorously denies” implementing a policy aimed at deliberately creating stress and causing employees to resign.

The operator was indicted on Friday for psychological harassment relating to a number of staff suicides that took place in 2008 and 2009.

FT was implementing a restructuring programme at the time that ultimately led to the departure of CEO Didier Lombard in 2011.

In a statement, the company said it did not deny that its actions in recent years “may have been misinterpreted, causing a collective disorder that may have contributed to stressful work conditions”.

But it added that it formally denies being the source of a deliberate strategy of destabilising its staff. 

The ruling is the result of a two-year judicial investigation by French magistrates.

Last week it was revealed that Lombard is the subject of a separate investigation into the suicides.