Posted Jan 17, 2022, 6:49 PMUpdated on Jan 17, 2022 at 7:05 PM
Activision Blizzard is trying to “clean house”. Nearly 40 employees of the American video game giant have been fired and around 40 others have been disciplined since July for inappropriate sexual behavior, says the Wall Street Journal.
According to the daily, which spoke to sources familiar with the matter, around 700 reports have also been recorded by the publisher of “Call of Duty”, “World of Warcraft” and “Candy Crush” in the last seven months. for cases of assault, harassment or sexual abuse, some incidents having been the subject of several reports.
The list of measures taken by Activision was to be published before the end of the year holidays, specifies the “Wall Street Journal”, but its boss, Bobby Kotick, would have opposed it for fear that it would amplify the setbacks of the group, already in the crosshairs of the American authorities.
At the end of July 2021, an agency in the state of California, where Activision is headquartered, filed a complaint in a civil court in Los Angeles, accusing the game publisher of having promoted the development of a ‘sexist’ culture and doing nothing regarding it.
In September, the American stock market policeman, the SEC, launched an investigation to determine whether the group had communicated sufficiently regarding the accusations of harassment and discrimination once morest it.
Petition to demand the departure of the boss
Two months later, the “Wall Street Journal” revealed that Bobby Kotick, accused by employees of having sought to cover up several cases, including accusations of rape, was considering resigning if he failed to resolve the problems with which Activision faces.
A petition, signed by nearly 20% of the company’s 9,500 employees, calls for the departure of Bobby Kotick, in charge since 1991.
In the face of the allegations, the publisher parted ways with one of its executives, mentioned in the California lawsuit, and reached an agreement in September to end other lawsuits from a US federal agency for sexual harassment, discrimination sexual and retaliation.
Activision also confirmed in October more than 20 departures and more than 20 disciplinary actions following complaints and reports.
Shareholder pressure
According to the “Wall Street Journal”, the company is under pressure from shareholders and business partners demanding that it be more transparent in the handling of sexual harassment and abuse cases.
At the end of last year, the group’s chief operating officer, Daniel Alegre, pledged to increase the share of female employees by 50% in the next five years in order to reach a representation of more than a third. workforce.
(with AFP)
