A first hurdle has been overcome, the purchase of Activision Blizzard by Microsoft. Shareholders in Bobby Kotick’s company have voted in favor of the business deal going ahead, but international regulators have yet to give their go-ahead. However, there is still a big internal problem in the company.
The last year for Activision Blizzard has been punctuated by all kinds of controversies related to harassment and discrimination in the workforce. The complaints have sprouted everywhere, even when the management has reiterated that measures will be taken.
Now, thanks to Axios, we have been able to learn that the conglomerate is seeking to pressure its shareholders to vote against a proposal that seeks the issuance of a annual report on harassment and discrimination. This report seeks greater transparency for Activision Blizzard and the origin is found in the state of New York.
In a filing last week, the company says, “The board believes that rather than divert energy and resources to create another report, we should continue to respond directly to employee concerns.” The proposal from New York is that said report collect the cases that it is trying to resolve, the money spent in legal proceedings for harassment cases in the last three years and the total number of pending misconduct complaints.
Activision Blizzard’s response
A spokesperson has contacted the outlet, noting that Activision Blizzard “is committed to transparency” and that “we intend to continue with that approach in the future”. In any case, we will leave doubts about how this proposal ends on June 21. That will be the moment in which the issue is voted on during the meeting company annual.