Activision Blizzard

California
Media and Entertainment

Risk Level:

Rating - Caution
Medium Risk

Summary:

Activision Blizzard has not used its funds or corporate identity to promote agendas. However, it banned a sponsored user in Hong Kong for a year after the video game player called out China for its treatment of protestors in Hong Kong. Activision Blizzard also vets suppliers for their LGBTQ policies and does not protect employees from viewpoint discrimination. For these reasons, Activision Blizzard receives a "Medium Risk" rating.

Criteria
Risk Level
Rationale
Corporate Weaponization
Criteria

Has denied service to customers, suppliers, or vendors due to their political views or religious beliefs OR corporately boycotts, divests, or sanctions regions, people groups, or industries.

Risk Level
Rationale

Activision Blizzard vets suppliers according to their LGBTQ protections (1). The company received a score of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index (2). In 2019, the company temporarily canceled the streaming services of one of its star players in a company-owned e-sports league for criticizing China’s treatment of protesters in Hong Kong (3). He received a one-year ban.

Criteria

Charitable giving (including employee matching programs) policies or practices discriminate against charitable organizations based on views or religious beliefs.

Risk Level
Rationale

Activision Blizzard limits its charitable giving to supporting veterans, disaster relief, and various social issues. The company does not discriminate against faith-based charities in its giving guidelines (1)(2).

Criteria

Employment policies fail to protect against discrimination based on political affiliation/views and/or religion.

Risk Level
Rationale

Activision Blizzard does not protect employees from viewpoint discrimination (1).

Corporate Governance and Public Policy
Criteria

Uses corporate reputation to support ideological causes and/or organizations hostile to freedom of expression.

Risk Level
Rationale

Activision Blizzard previously sponsored the LA Pride parade (1). It has not supported ideological causes or organizations hostile to freedom of expression, however.

Criteria

Uses corporate funds to advance ideological causes, organizations, or policies hostile to freedom of expression.

Risk Level
Rationale

Activision Blizzard pledged to match donations to various racial justice organizations. While corporate donations are not ideological in nature, gift-matching funds have not been disclosed (1). Activision Blizzard pledged to cover out-of-state travel for “reproductive healthcare,” which includes abortion (2).

Criteria

Uses corporate political contributions for ideological, non-business purposes.

Risk Level
Rationale

Activision Blizzard does not have a PAC but does not use corporate donations to support PACs that are ideological in nature (1).

All links were last accessed and all information was updated on:
March 21, 2023

Company reports are intended for educational use only. Full Disclaimer

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