- Activision Blizzard announces new plan to deal with harassment at the workplace
- The committee will be led by former CW Television Network president and will hear reports directly from CEO Bobby Kotick
- This is met with skepticism by the public
Activision Blizzard commits to eliminate harassment and discrimination in the workplace by revealing a new plan, following many lawsuits.
The Company Tries to Fix Its Reputation
By this point, any player of Activision Blizzard games has learned about the company’s many controversies and lawsuits that have been plaguing the company since the summer of this year. Everything ranging from discrimination to sexual misconduct at the workplace has been brought up in allegations.
The most recent scandal came up because according to an article by the Wall Street Journal, the company’s CEO not only knew about the acts but even participated in some. This has led to a massive public outrage with many Activision Blizzard employees signing a petition to remove Bobby Kotick, the company’s CEO, from his current position.
With so many controversies and allegations, Activision Blizzard is naturally searching for a way to “clean up its act”. This has led to the company recently announcing new plans to address the situation and improve “workplace culture.”
Activision Blizzard’s New Culture Committee
In an attempt to reconstruct its damaged reputation and root out toxic workplace behavior, Activision Blizzard has decided to launch a Workplace Responsibility Committee. It is headed by Dawn Ostroff, former CW Television Network president, and Reveta Bowers, an organizational consultant. The company also promises a “new, diverse director” in the future.
“Formation of the Committee and additional future changes will help facilitate additional direct oversight and transparency,” said Activision Blizzard in the address, “and ensure that the Company’s commitments to Activision Blizzard’s workforce are carried out with urgency and impact.”
The committee will hear reports directly from CEO Bobby Kotick, as well as the Chief People Officer and Chief Compliance Officer. This has led to criticism, with people not being happy about Kotick’s involvement. It seems that Kotick will have a hard time fixing his reputation, as more and more people, including popular streamers like Asmongold, seem to put more blame for the company’s troubles on him.
It is still unknown how useful this new committee will be in rooting out workplace toxicity. It will be an uphill battle for Kotick and his employees, as even competitor gaming companies like Nintendo are taking stances regarding Blizzard’s controversies.
