Yves Guillemot, CEO of Ubisoft, signs a new statement published in their website listing the actions taken in the last year after the multiple cases of inappropriate conduct, discrimination, abuse of power or sexual harassment that were reported at many points in the company.
Guillemot assures that it has been “a year of change at Ubisoft“and numerous internal measures have been taken to ensure that all employees enjoy a safe and inclusive work environment. This statement is published shortly after the French media Le Télégramme ruled that “nothing had changed at Ubisoft”, based on statements from former employees, with the first legal actions about to take place.
In this Ubisoft statement, Guillemot explains that they established multiple channels where all employees can report inappropriate behavior anonymously. These reports are reviewed by an independent team from an external company, to ensure impartiality. As a result of these complaints, investigations have been carried out with actions such as disciplinary sanctions or dismissals. Among Ubisoft’s most notorious departures this past summer were Ashraf Ismail, director of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, and Serge Hascoet, creative director of Ubisoft.
More than 14,000 Ubisoft employees participated in large-scale surveys, which found that one in four employees had experienced or witnessed inappropriate behavior. One of the ways that Ubisoft hopes to alleviate this situation is by creating a new position, responsible for Diversity and Inclusion, what did it take Raashi sikka in February.
They have also created a new internal Code of Conduct, which must be signed by all employees in June. Additionally, many workshops and sessions to prevent harassment and discrimination have been organized by all Ubisoft studios.
Guillemot highlights other appointments that guarantee diversity in all levels of the company, also in management positions: Bio Jade Adam Granger as editorial vice president, Lisa opie as Principal of Ubisoft Leamington, Catherine Lemyre and Leslie Quinton in key positions at Ubisoft Montreal, Anika grant as the new personnel director (replacing Cécile Cornet in the human resources department, who resigned in July 2020 after being part of the accusations), and Bethlehem Essioux-Trujillo as part of the board of directors.
Guillemot believes that considerable progress has been made, and they will continue to work hard with the ambition of becoming an exemplary workplace in the industry.
Last week’s Télégramme article denounced that some Ubisoft executives involved in accusations of toxic behavior, such as Hugues Ricour, they were still with the company (Ricour was fired from Ubisoft Singapore / Skull & Bones, but is still employed by Ubisoft), or Florent Castlenérac, who is still director at Nadeo (a studio bought by Ubisoft that develops Trackmania).
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Guillemot closes the statement referring to the responsibility of managers, including him, to act in a model and exemplary manner before their teams, underlining their personal commitment to continue to improve workplace culture and create real, lasting and positive change at Ubisoft.
In September 2020, when new Ubisoft scandals came out almost every two weeks, Guillemot himself apologized in a video statement. Soon after, the Michel Ancel’s departure of the company (creator of Rayman), who alluded to personal reasons … although the Libération medium also exposed harsh accusations against him and his despotic behavior in the development of Beyond Good and Evil 2.
Fountain: Ubisoft
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