Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot is about to be summoned throughout the trial of three former Ubisoft executives, which is about to happen in early June.
This story incorporates references to sexual and racial harassment.
The trial of former CCO Serge Hascoët, former vp of editorial and artistic providers Thomas François, and former recreation designer Guillame Patrux initially began in March, however was adjourned till early June following a request from attorneys to have extra time to get conversant in the case’s paperwork.
Athe time, the plaintiffs’ lawyer Maude Beckers claimed that some info she requested from Ubisoft again in February 2024 had solely been provided 4 days forward of the trial.
The trial will now begin on June 2, and French commerce union Solidaires Informatique has said that Guillemot will likely be summoned, together with human sources director Marie Derain, and Ubisoft itself (as a authorized entity), for being allegedly complicit in “the systemic nature of harassment” on the firm.
There isn’t a proof that Guillemot or Deraine had been instantly concerned in sexual harassment or bullying on the firm, they’re being accused of complicity.
Complaints had been filed concurrently in the summertime of 2021 by commerce union Solidaires Informatique and two victims on their very own behalf, which led to the arrests of Hascoët, François and Patrux in 2023.
As beforehand reported by Le Monde, Hascoët is accused of lewd behaviour, posting intrusive questions of a sexual nature, and racist feedback and behavior.
He’s alleged to have requested a Muslim worker if she supported Islamic State, and to have been liable for her PC desktop picture being changed with images of bacon sandwiches, and meals being positioned on her desk throughout her Ramadan quick.
François is accused of systemic psychological and sexual harassment, with alleged behaviour together with the watching of porn in an open-plan workplace, commenting on the looks of feminine workers, common public humiliation and hazing, and tried sexual assault the place he allegedly tried to forcibly kiss a younger worker throughout a Christmas celebration as she was held by different colleagues.
Patrux, who was a designer on such titles as The Crew and Develop Residence, is accused of psychological harassment.
“Past the private accountability of those three executives, this trial will spotlight Ubisoft’s accountability in implementing a system aimed toward preserving harassers in place whereas silencing their victims,” a press release from Solidaires Informatique says.
“As [lawyer Maude] Beckers indicated throughout the March listening to, ‘this case is broader and includes many extra individuals, each on the facet of the victims and the defendants’. It’s not a query of some particular person actions, however of a well-oiled mechanism of insularity, work group, and administration that allowed this violence to proceed inside the firm for years.”
Hascoet, who oversaw the entire firm’s video games as head of its influential editorial workforce, resigned in July 2020 after a major variety of accusations had been made towards him.
François, who was vice-president of editorial and artistic providers, subsequently left in August 2020 following accusations of sexual misconduct.
Following the preliminary allegations, Guillemot made a press release earlier than a Ubisoft Ahead occasion in September 2020, addressing the scenario and the current departures.
“This summer season, we discovered that sure Ubisoft staff didn’t uphold our firm’s values, and that our techniques failed to guard the victims of their behaviour,” he mentioned.
“I’m really sorry to everybody who was damage. We’ve got taken important steps to take away or sanction those that violated our values and code of conduct, and we’re working exhausting to enhance our techniques and processes.”
In October 2021, an nameless survey of just about 14,000 Ubisoft staff discovered that 20 % of respondents didn’t really feel “totally revered or protected within the work setting” and that 25 % had witnessed or skilled office misconduct over the previous two years.
Throughout a Q&A at a media occasion in 2022, Guillemot once more referred to the harassment allegations, saying: “Sure, we stumbled, and we have now acknowledged that. We discovered quite a bit alongside the way in which. And we’ve made significant progress with concrete motion plans.”
That very same week, A Higher Ubisoft – a bunch consisting of present and former Ubisoft staff – claimed that their considerations weren’t being heard, and that whereas many abusers at Ubisoft had been axed, some had been merely moved to new roles, completely different studios and even promoted, and likewise alleged that the HR individuals who dismissed their complaints and shield abusers had been nonetheless on the firm.
In a press release given to GI.biz on the time, a Ubisoft spokesperson mentioned: “The launch of the company-wide survey was one in all many steps we’ve taken to make sure their perception fuels our motion plan. As well as, we have now common world and native townhalls, workplace hours, and our Worker Useful resource Teams take part in frequent discussions with management groups, together with Yves who meets quarterly with world ERG leaders.
“Management additionally engages frequently with their related native worker representatives and we have now three elected worker representatives on our Board of Administrators. We’re dedicated to participating in significant discussions with our workforce members and can proceed to make sure their suggestions shapes our path ahead.”
