After multiple lawsuits were filed against Activision Blizzard earlier this month, the gaming giant has finally broken its' silence. In response to the storm of allegations, Activision committed to an $18 million agreement with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission that granted eligible employees and claimants compensation for the workplace harassment lawsuit.
In addition to the compensation, Activision plans to create new initiatives to provide more support for women in the gaming industry as well as better oversight with reporting measures regarding workplace harassment.
According to the company’s press release, the remaining funds that weren’t directly allocated to claimants will be contributed to non-profit organizations that assist women’s advancement in tech industries along with creating a “Diversity and Inclusion Fund” within the company.
Activision will also work on upgrading “policies, practices, and training to prevent and eliminate harassment and discrimination in the workplace.”
All of this is a seemingly giant step in the direction to reverse the allegations that Activision cultivated a toxic ‘frat culture.’ However, if one looks deeper into the press release from the company, it becomes apparent that the company continues to deny complete responsibility.
The press release does not acknowledge the allegations to be the product of their workplace culture but rather places the blame on individuals occupying leadership positions at the company.
Activision’s actions pose a question that continues to ring true for many of the latest toxic workplace stories: Is the company enacting these changes to genuinely reform its’ culture, or is it merely a press release to save face regarding public perception?