Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick has one public comment addressed to all employees regarding the harassment lawsuit against his company.
The full statement is as follows:
This has been a difficult and troubling week.
I would like to acknowledge and thank all those who have contacted us in the past and in the last few days. I really appreciate your courage. Every voice counts – and we will listen better now and in the future.
Our initial responses to the problems we share together and your concerns were, frankly, deaf.
It is imperative that we acknowledge all perspectives and experiences and respect the feelings of those who have been abused in any way. I’m sorry we didn’t impart the right empathy and understanding.
Many of you have told us that active contact cultivation results from such intensive care for the company. The fact that so many people have turned and shared thoughts, suggestions and opportunities for improvement is impressive evidence of how you care for our communities of colleagues and players – and for each other. Ensuring a safe and welcoming work environment is my top priority. The management team heard you loud and clear.
We’re taking quick action to be the compassionate, caring company you came for, ensuring a safe environment. There is no place in our company for discrimination, harassment or unequal treatment of any kind.
We will do everything we can to ensure that together we improve and build an inclusive workplace that is essential for fostering creativity and inspiration.
I asked the WilmerHale law firm to conduct a review of our policies and procedures to ensure that we have and maintain best practices for promoting a respectful and inclusive workplace. This work will begin immediately. The WilmerHale team is led by Stephanie Avakian, who is a member of the WilmerHale management team and most recently was director of the enforcement department of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
We encourage anyone who has an experience that you believe violates our policies or is in any way uncomfortable at work to use one of our many existing reporting channels or to contact Stephanie. You and your WilmerHale team are available for confidential discussions and can be reached at [email protected] or 202-247-2725. Your contact will be treated confidentially. Of course, retaliation will NOT be tolerated.
We are committed to sustainable change. From now on we will take the following measures.
- Support the employees. We will continue to investigate every single claim and will not hesitate to take decisive action. In order to strengthen our skills in this area, we are expanding both the compliance team and the employee relations team to include additional managers and other resources.
- Listening sessions. We know many of you have ideas for improving our culture. We will create safe rooms that are moderated by third parties so that you can express yourself and share potential for improvement.
- Personnel changes. We immediately evaluate managers and executives across the company. Anyone found to have compromised the integrity of our claims assessment and appropriate consequences processes will be discontinued.
- Hiring Practices. Earlier this year I sent an email asking all hiring managers to make sure they had different lists of candidates for each open position. We’ll be adding compliance resources to make sure our hiring managers actually adhere to this policy.
- Changes in the game. We have heard from staff and player communities that some of our in-game content is inappropriate. We are removing this content.
Your well-being remains my priority and I will not spare any company resources to ensure that our company has a corporate culture that is as welcoming, comfortable and safe as possible.
You have my unwavering commitment that together we will improve our business and be the most inspiring, inclusive entertainment company in the world.
Your,
Bobby
Blizzards Promise today to Remove “inappropriate” content the end World of Warcraft reflects the steps mentioned in Kotick’s statement. While details have been scarce, many assume that it means References in the game
This happens amid a quick series of events over the course of the year latest Week that began on July 21st if News broke that the state of California is suing Activision Blizzard for allowing an environment of harassment within its ranks that primarily targets the giant company’s female employees.
“Female employees are subject to constant sexual harassment,” the lawsuit states, “including constantly warding off unwanted sexual comments and advances from their male colleagues and supervisors and fondling at the cube crawls and other corporate events. High-ranking executives and creative people have participated in blatant sexual harassment without any consequences. “
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Kotick’s message is in stark contrast to that public reaction Activision Blizzard on display in the early days of this controversy when a spokesman referred to the lawsuit as “irresponsible behavior by unaccountable state bureaucrats. “In confidence, Torture apologist from the Bush era and Activision Blizzard Chief Compliance Officer Frances F. Townsend issued an internal memo describing the lawsuit as “no earnings.”
Meanwhile, Activision Blizzard employees speak out against what they consider to be inadequate and even insulting reactions from their employers to the serious allegations of the lawsuit. Have over 2,000 Activision Blizzard employees Signed a letter condemn the response of their company condemn to the allegations while some are plan to take part in a strike tomorrow, July 28th.
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