Activision Blizzard has introduced the appointment of Kristen Hines as its chief variety, fairness, and inclusion officer, beginning Monday, April 25. Hines beforehand labored at Accenture, a consulting firm the place she helped numerous firms increase their DEI initiatives. She’ll be a part of the senior management group, and can report back to chief folks officer Julie Hodges.
“I’m excited to hitch an organization that’s prioritising its dedication to DEI and making progress on the formidable objectives it has set for itself,” Hines says in a press launch. “In an business with historic underrepresentation, I’m wanting ahead to main the corporate’s efforts to additional construct a office that values transparency, fairness, and inclusivity.”
Hines’ position will see her engaged on Activision Blizzard ongoing variety initiatives, together with the corporate’s promise to extend the share of girls and non-binary folks within the work drive by 50% over the subsequent 5 years. Because the press launch explains, she “can even associate throughout all gaming groups to make sure various and inclusive views are included in sport design, together with storylines, character growth, gameplay and neighborhood interplay.”
“Activision Blizzard has formidable objectives to turn into essentially the most welcoming and inclusive firm within the gaming business,” CEO Bobby Kotick says within the press launch. “We now have already made vital progress guaranteeing the security and well-being of our staff, and we’re excited to have Kristen be a part of our management group to assist drive even larger enchancment.”
Final yr, a report alleged that Kotick knew about and suppressed studies of sexual misconduct at Activision Blizzard. Kotick known as the report “inaccurate and deceptive”. Following the information of Microsoft’s deliberate buyout of Activision Blizzard, one other report claims that Kotick is prone to go away following the completion of the deal.
In July 2021, the state of California filed a lawsuit towards Activision Blizzard alleging years of office discrimination and harassment. The story has since embroiled CEO Bobby Kotick and prompted the US federal authorities to open an investigation. It continues to unfold and to be of immense significance to the sport business. You may compensate for all of the developments up to now on this frequently up to date explainer article.
Activision Blizzard introduced final week that 1,100 short-term QA employees could be made full-time alongside raises for the position, as strain from worker teams continues. Nonetheless, the corporate shortly revealed that QA employees at Raven Software program, lots of who’re working to unionise, won’t obtain the identical raises.
