French video game giant Ubisoft said detailed how it will address toxic behavior and sexual misconduct in the workplace after multiple complaints.<\/b>
\nFrench video game giant Ubisoft detailed today how it will address toxic behavior and sexual misconduct in the workplace following multiple reports of incidences at the company.
In a blog post, Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot announced the changes the company\u2019s taking so that it will be better at discovering and dealing with complaints.
The new letter shows game companies appear to be taking serious steps to respond to a wave of sexual harassment complaints that were made public in the past week on social media. While more than 350 complaints have been logged on social media chronicling the incidents of harassment and abuse in the game industry, Ubisoft stood out among big game companies in terms of the volume of complaints.
Separately, on Thursday, Capcom pulled out of Evo Online (a fighting game event) after tournament organizer Joey Cuellar was placed on administrative leave following misconduct allegations.
On June 24 Ashraf Ismail, the creative director of Assassin\u2019s Creed: Valhalla, stepped down from his role in Ubisoft\u2019s next major game following allegations. Bloomberg also reported that Ubisoft placed Tommy Fran\u00e7ois and Maxime B\u00e9land, two high-ranking game executives, on administrative leave pending investigations into their behavior. Other employees have been named in individual harassment complaints as well. Ubisoft declined to comment on ongoing investigations.
Guillemot said Ubisoft will change the way it handles human resources, revise its editorial department, and make all managers accountable for toxic behavior issues such as sexual misconduct.
Guillemot said he was appointing Lidwine Sauer as head of workplace culture. He said she will be empowered to examine all aspects of the company\u2019s culture and to suggest comprehensive changes that will benefit all. Lidwine will report directly to Guillemot and will create an international and diverse multidisciplinary working group within Ubisoft to support these efforts, he said.
Starting Monday, Ubisoft will also have listening sessions, and external third parties will moderate them. In these, the company will listen to the concerns of employees. The company will do a global employee survey with confidential answers. And it has set up an online confidential alert platform enabling employees as well as external individuals to report harassment, discrimination, and other inappropriate behaviors, including those that infringe on the company\u2019s code of fair conduct.
To ensure anonymity and confidentiality, this platform\u2019s administrator is a third party, Whispli (a whistleblower platform), and committee of CSR and legal experts will review compliants, Guillemot said.
Here\u2019s the full text of the Ubisoft letter:<\/p>\n