2022.01.19 11:23World eye

米ゲームソフト大手アクティビジョン、セクハラ問題で37人解雇

【ニューヨークAFP=時事】米ゲームソフト会社アクティビジョン・ブリザードは17日、セクハラなど不適切行為疑惑への対応で、昨年7月以降約40人を解雇した他、約40人を処分したと発表した。(写真はアクティビジョン・ブリザードのボビー・コティック最高経営責任者<CEO>)
 アクティビジョンは、「コールオブデューティ」などの人気作品を手掛けている。
 米紙ウォールストリート・ジャーナル(WSJ)によると、アクティビジョンは、過去7か月にわたり約700件の性的暴行やセクハラ、不適切行為の報告を従業員から受けていた。この中には同じ出来事に関する報告も含まれているという。
 アクティビジョンは、ボビー・コティック最高経営責任者(CEO)が上がってきた報告書を止めていたとする報道については「単純に不正確」だと否定している。
 同社は、昨年7月以降に受けた報告のうち9割の処理が終わり、37人の従業員が退職し、44人が戒告や警告などの処分を受けたとしている。
 米カリフォルニア州当局は昨年7月、ハラスメント文化や不健全な労働環境、不平等を容認しているとして、アクティビジョンを提訴していた。
 米証券取引委員会(SEC)も昨年9月、アクティビジョンの「雇用問題とそれに関連する問題をめぐる開示」について調査を開始している。
 コティック氏は30年以上同社の代表を務めているが、アクティビジョンの従業員9500人のうち、20%近くがコティック氏の辞任を求める嘆願書に署名している。【翻訳編集AFPBBNews】

〔AFP=時事〕(2022/01/19-11:23)
2022.01.19 11:23World eye

Activision says it fired dozens over harassment allegations


The video game giant Activision Blizzard said Monday it has fired nearly 40 employees and disciplined more than 40 others since July as it deals with allegations of sexual harassment and other misconduct.
Over the past seven months the company has received about 700 reports of employee concerns over sexual assault or harassment or other misconduct, in some cases separate reports about the same incident, The Wall Street Journal reported.
A summary of the personnel action that the maker of Call of Duty, World of Warcraft and other blockbuster games has taken was scheduled to be released before the winter holidays, the Journal said.
But CEO Bobby Kotick delayed the release, arguing that it would make the company's workplace problems look even bigger than they were known to be, the paper added.
Activision denied as simply inaccurate the allegation that Kotick held up the report, in a statement prompted by the Journal story.
An interim update to our employees is still being worked on, and the company remains committed to continuing to provide periodic updates on its progress, the statement said.
It said the company has completed reviews of 90 percent of the complaints it has received since July -- it did not say how many there were -- and that 37 employees have exited the company and another 44 received written reprimands, formal warnings or other discipline.
In July, California state regulators accused the company of condoning a culture of harassment, a toxic work environment, and inequality.
In September the Securities and Exchange Commission launched a probe into the company over disclosures regarding employment matters and related issues.
And two months later the Journal reported that Kotick, accused of mishandling the harassment complaints, had signaled he would consider stepping down if he failed to quicky fix the company culture. He has led the company for more than three decades.
Nearly 20 percent of Activision Blizzard's 9,500 employees have signed a petition calling for Kotick to resign.
The Journal said the company is under pressure from shareholders and business partners for more accountability over its handling of misconduct issues.
Late last year chief operating officer Daniel Alegre pledged a 50 percent increase in female and non-binary staff over the next five years so that they will account for more than a third of Activision's workers.

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