Activision Blizzard has been embattled in several lawsuits that have been mired in harassment and toxic culture but took the time to be interviewed by the Financial Times to reveal that more than a dozen employees have “exited,” and some “disciplined,” surrounding the subject.
Speaking with Financial Times, chief compliance officer Fran Townsend did not reveal who was impacted by these decisions but said “It doesn’t matter what your rank is, what your job is. If you’ve committed some sort of misconduct or you’re a leader who has tolerated a culture that is not consistent with our values, we’re going to take action.”
Pressing on, and because the suits have been made public, “more than 20 individuals have exited Activision Blizzard,” and “more than 20 individuals faced other types of disciplinary action.”
Townsend goes on to say Activision Blizzard has heard from staff and has acted on the reports. “People are bringing to light concerns, ranging from years ago to the present,” Townsend wrote. “We welcome these reports, and our team has been working to investigate them, using a combination of internal and external resources. Based on the information received in the initial report, they are assigned into different categories, and resources are allocated to prioritize the most serious reports first. In connection with various resolved reports, more than 20 individuals have exited Activision Blizzard and more than 20 individuals faced other types of disciplinary action.”
Fran Townsend’s sent out an email to all Activision Employees, which I’ve summarized below:
- Activision adds 22 full-time roles to its Ethics & Compliance team, three people have been hired with an additional 19 full-time roles joining to take calls, look at data analytics and comms, and get a sense of how the company is doing
- Adding more ‘Way to Play Heroes’ — volunteer employees who help other staff to report incidents – and giving them four extra holiday days a year(one day each quarter)
- Combining Activision’s investigations groups into one centralized unit within a central ABK Ethics & Compliance Department, which is separate from Human Resources or Employee Relations
- Improvements to the Employee Relations Team —improving the way investigations happen and how communications occur, bridging the new process to actions and making sure they “handle complaints and concerns with the care and attention they deserve”
- Working on new materials that document the investigative process and provide staff with the right information on what happens during the investigative process, to be transparent and time-sensitive for team members involved
- Tripling investment in training resources
“We are committed to making meaningful and positive change, and this is just the start,” Townsend says to staff. “We will be sharing additional updates in the coming weeks and months. We know there is always more work to do. We are committed to continuing that work.”
“Please continue to share your ideas and suggestions, in whatever ways you want to send them. We will work hard every day to earn your trust and confidence. Together, let’s ensure that we always have a safe, inclusive, and ethical workplace that makes us all proud.”
