Activision Blizzard releases new report on DE&I and sustainability

Activision Blizzard today released its Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) Report for 2022. This report covers the company’s efforts with diversity, inclusion, ethical work and sustainability made last year. According to Activision Blizzard’s own metrics, it has made some strides towards having a more diverse workforce and improved its own impact on the climate.

According to the report, the percentage of employees who identify as women or non-binary people increased from 24% to 26%, and those employees earned equal pay compared with men for comparable work. The company also hired Kristen Hines as its first Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer in 2022, and appointed Adrian Ledda as its first head of inclusive game design.

Brian Bulatao, Activision’s Chief Administrative Officer and chair of its ESG Steering Committee, said in a blog post, “We take the responsibility of connecting and engaging with hundreds of millions of people through epic entertainment seriously. Gaming is a cultural force, and for gaming to have the biggest impact, we must attract and retain a highly talented and diverse workforce and build a welcoming and
inclusive workplace.”

In another section of the report, Activision Blizzard reveals that its data centers and workplaces have grown their purchased renewable energy to 61%, up from 1% in 2021. A major reason this number increased so much is that the company’s Irvine campus joined the city’s Community Choice Aggregation program. This program offers local businesses and residences automatic enrollment and the ability to set the rate of renewable energy they receive. According to Activision, its Irvine campus now operates on 100% renewable energy.

Activision’s 2023 goals

The report is not completely favorable — for example, one of the benefits it mentions it now offers to employees was unlimited virtual counseling through the service BetterHelp. The Federal Trade Commission alleges that BetterHelp shared users’ private health information with advertising platforms. The company also notes that its increase in renewable energy may not be so dramatic next year, or that the amount of renewable energy used may decrease as more employees return to work at offices that aren’t using said energy.

Activision’s commitments for 2023 include:

• Launching a yearly DE&I update
• Expanding employee education on environmentally sustainable business practices
• Piloting a program at Activision Publishing that formally incorporates inclusive game design as a necessary component in the approval process
• Implementing quarterly performance check-ins
• Publishing employee promotion rates by gender globally and by race and ethnicity in the U.S. in its next ESG report

Bulatao added, “In 2023 and beyond, we will continue to advocate for our people, invest in building diverse communities and prioritize sustainable business practices. We’re excited about the progress we’ve made, and we are grateful for the many people of Activision Blizzard that have made the successes outlined in this report possible.”