Ubisoft developing anonymous tool to combat harassment, abuse and sexism in the workplace

Ubisoft staff will soon be able to anonymously report internal abuse, harassment and sexist behaviour following a litany of sexual abuse allegations directed towards the company. 

Over the past week or so, many individuals in the games industry has been outed for alleged sexual abuse and harassment including numerous Ubisoft staff.

Following the allegations, Ubisoft quickly suspended numerous employees including higher ups from franchises such as Assassin’s Creed and Splinter Cell.

Afterwards, Ubisoft sent out a workplace email to its staff, posted by Gamasutra, that outlines the game developer’s plans to develop a ““multidisciplinary working group” that will be working to create “better solutions and tools to detect, report and resolve any incident or serious problem without delay and in an impartial manner.” As previously reported, an impartial third-party group will also help with these investigations.

Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot told employees: “I have gathered all of my direct reports to address this subject and your feedback. I would like us to thoroughly review all of our systems so that these types of situations cannot happen again,” wrote CEO Yves Guillemot in an email to Ubisoft staff.”

Chief talent and communications officer, Cecile Cornet, told the company’s employees that the developer is currently working on launching a new anonymous online reporting tool for all employees to use by the end of the month.

““[The online tool] will be managed by the Corporate Social Responsibility team in HQ,” explained Cornet. “In the meantime, we have set up [a] mailing list and I want to thank those of you who have already reached out and with whom we are in contact.

As for the company’s steps to remove certain individuals from the development studio, Cornet explained that every case of sexual harassment, abuse, discrimination and sexism is currently being investigated.

“[Investigations could take] two weeks to two months depending on the case,” Cornet said. “Some of these investigations end in sanctions (warnings with required training, suspensions, dismissal), while others prove groundless. I hear the need for greater transparency, and one of the ways we will do that is by better tracking and sharing indicators on where we stand.”

Meanwhile, all Ubisoft managers and HR managers have been subjected to mandatory diversity and incision training that provides “specific training on harassment, sexism and all forms of discrimination in the workplace.”

Ubisoft isn’t the only company that’s had to deal with a slurry of sexual harassment claims this past week. Longtime RPG writer Chris Avellone has been outed by numerous industry professionals for a history of harassment that has caused the writer to be taken off projects such as Dying Light 2.