Blizzard President J. Allen Brack has issued a statement regarding Black Lives Matter, outlining past and future actions.
The statement was posted on Blizzard’s site, with Brack stating Blizzard’s stance on racism,
“Blizzard stands in solidarity with those fighting against racism, because racism is as dangerous as any pandemic for those affected. We stand with those fighting against social and institutional structures that promote inequality among people of color.”
To that end, Brack notes how Activision Blizzard donated to the Equal Justice Initiative, the United Negro College Fund, and the Management Leaders of Tomorrow. He continues, citing how Blizzard works to reduce toxicity and hate speech in their games,
“Since January 1 this year, we’ve banned over 30,000 accounts for these reasons, as well as issued more than three million total hours of player suspensions. These penalties have notably improved our game environments: over the last two years, we’ve seen a 43% reduction in poor behavior reports, and a 59% reduction in the re-offense rate.”
The statement continues, making special note of today, Juneteenth, and its significance in American history,
“We hosted a virtual session with a leader in our home city of Irvine, California, so employees can learn more about implicit bias, implications for law and policy, and how they can get involved in local efforts to drive change.”
Brack then looks to the future and pledges to provide a more equitable workplace including recruitment, HR practices, and support for employees.
