The complaint against Activision Blizzard, accused by the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing of not adequately representing its employees, alleged victims of sexist jokes and misconduct, is generating a great uproar on the net.
In these hours, the upper echelons of the company have reacted to the accusations by contacting their employees through internal emails or by entrusting their thoughts to social networks, but an in-depth analysis is not needed to realize that their positions are very conflicting.
For Blizzard president J. Allen Brack, who reached his employees via an internal email (later leaked online thanks to Jason Schreier), the behaviors described in the complaint are “completely unacceptable”. The executive said Blizzard does not tolerate harassment of any kind, and that the company is committed to ensuring safety and the right to speak without fear of retaliation. Brack encouraged all employees to contact him directly to raise their concerns, pledging to get the company back on track. Rob Kostich, the president of Activision, said instead that the allegations are “extremely disturbing”, adding that the behavior described “does not reflect the values ​​of Activision”.
The tones of the internal email sent by another executive, the CCO Fran Townsend (formerly the Bush administration’s Homeland Security Advisor), are completely different. Townsend has infuriated many Activision Blizzard employees by downplaying what goes on in the company’s aisles and heavily attacking the complaint, which would present “a distorted and untrue portrait, including incorrect, old and out of context stories – some of them older than ten years”. The executive described a company that is respectful, full of values ​​and capable of providing the same opportunities for both sexes. Townsend, who has been with Activision Blizzard for only 4 months, added: “We cannot allow the shameful actions of others and an unnecessary and irresponsible denunciation to damage our culture.”
The choir was also joined by Mike Morhaime, founder of Blizzard and former CEO of the company, who publicly apologized to all the women: “To all the women at Blizzard who have had to put up with this, I’m sorry to have disappointed you. I listen to you. , I believe you and I deeply regret “.
Activision president Rob Kostich emailed employees yesterday calling the DFEH allegations “deeply disturbing,” claiming that the “behaviors described are not reflective of our Activison company values.” https://t.co/bVioTSOM5y pic.twitter.com/dCqQ7PSSYV
– Nicole Carpenter (@sweetpotatoes) July 23, 2021
Blizzard president J. Allen Brack sent out an email to staff last night addressing the allegations from this week’s explosive lawsuit, calling them “extremely troubling” and saying that he’d be “meeting with many of you to answer questions and discuss how we can move forward. ” pic.twitter.com/NsMV6CNdTE
– Jason Schreier (@jasonschreier) July 23, 2021
Blizzard president J. Allen Brack sent out an email to staff last night addressing the allegations from this week’s explosive lawsuit, calling them “extremely troubling” and saying that he’d be “meeting with many of you to answer questions and discuss how we can move forward. ” pic.twitter.com/NsMV6CNdTE
– Jason Schreier (@jasonschreier) July 23, 2021