Activision Blizzard releases its first ESG report | Pocket Gamer.biz

Activision Blizzard has released its first Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) report, examining the company’s performance in 2022 and identifying its commitments going forward.

While the company may be in the midst of buyout uncertainty, 2022 saw the company make progress in a variety of commitments first identified in 2021, including increasing its woman and non-binary workforce to 26% as part of a five-year plan to increase that percentage to 50%. The company has also launched Level Up U, a training program for engineers new to the industry, and Manager Foundations, an enterprise-wide manager development program.

In order to foster diversity, the company hired its first Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion officer, Kristen Hines, as well as appointing its first dedicated head of inclusive game design. Activision Blizzard has also partnered with external organisations focused on accessibility and representation to bring new learning opportunities to developers.

“I’m excited to be part of a company that is committed to DE&I (Diversity, equity, and inclusion) and making progress on its ambitious goals,” said Hines. “In an industry with historical underrepresentation, I’m looking forward to leading the Company’s efforts to build a workplace that values transparency, equity, and inclusivity.

“Gaming connects communities around the world and showcases heroes from all backgrounds. I value playing a part in expanding the landscape of talent that creates these compelling experiences and brings them to a broad base of players.”

Playing for the future

The company has made significant progress in its climate goals, including creating a detailed plan to reduce carbon intensity, prioritising environmental efficiency, and reducing plastic use throughout the company by 70% – exceeding the original goal of a 50% reduction by 2024.

In 2023, Activision Blizzard will address carbon emissions generated throughout the business, including in areas such as game development and travel practices. Additionally, the company will expand employee education on environmentally sustainable business practices and start Science Based Targets Initiative submission for both its long-term and short-term environmental goals, with the aim of achieving net zero carbon emmissions by 2050.

“We are deeply proud of the progress we’ve made on our 2022 ESG initiatives, and we are committed to continuous improvement in each of our key pillars,” said chief administrative officer Brian Bulatao.

We listed Activision Blizzard as one of the top 50 mobile game makers of 2022.