Activision Blizzard Releases New Report on DE&I and Sustainability

Activision Blizzard today released its 2022 Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Report. This report covers the company’s efforts with diversity, inclusion, working ethics, and sustainability over the past year. By Activision Blizzard’s own metrics, it’s made some progress in having a more diverse workforce and improving its own impact on the climate.

According to the report, the percentage of employees who identify as female or non-binary increased from 24% to 26%, with those employees earning the same pay as men for comparable work. The company also hired Kristen Hines as its first Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in 2022, and named Adrian Ledda as its first Director of Inclusive Game Design.

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

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

Activision’s goals for 2023

The report is not entirely favorable, for example, one of the benefits it mentions that it now offers to employees was unlimited virtual advice through the BetterHelp service. 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 as dramatic next year, or that the amount of renewable energy used may decrease as more employees return to work in offices that don’t use renewable energy.

Activision’s commitments for 2023 include:

• Release of an annual DE&I update
• Expand employee education on environmentally sustainable business practices
• Pilot a program at Activision Publishing that formally incorporates inclusive game design as a required component in the approval process
• Implementation of quarterly performance checks
• Employee promotion rates by gender globally and by race and ethnicity in the US published in its next ESG report

Bulatao added: “In 2023 and beyond, we will continue to champion our people, invest in building diverse communities, and prioritize sustainable business practices. We are excited about the progress we have made and are grateful for the many people at Activision Blizzard who have made the successes described in this report possible.”