Activision Blizzard is often associated with many things, but charity is seldom the first of those things that comes to mind. Nonetheless, the company does do some charity work, most notably the Call of Duty Endowment, which hosted the first Trans-Atlantic military esports competition last year.
This Endowment, along with other charitable donations by Activision Blizzard, fall under the categorization of Corporate Social Responsibility. This umbrella includes money “given back” from the corporation to the community, attempting to contribute to philanthropic or charitable works. Activision Blizzard recently hired Brian Bulatao, former Under Secretary of State Management under Trump, to manage its Corporate Social Responsibility.
This is not the first time Activision Blizzard has hired from a controversial political administration, but this case does merit special attention. Under the Trump administration, Bulatao served as right hand man to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. During this time, a large amount of spending in the State Department went towards trips and parties for Pompeo, with Bulatao acting as a sort of enforcer. According to then State Department Inspector General Steven Linick, Bulatao was a “bully” who enforced Pompeo’s will on the department, which, as head of HR, he was in a unique position to do.
This is certainly not a good look for Bulatao, as the image painted is one of a man who sanctioned and aided in the misappropriation of funds. While his lack of experience in video games might confuse some, the hiring makes a bit more sense since he was hired as head of Corporate Social Responsibility. While it’s undeniable that Bulatao has experience managing resources, his prior history does not inspire confidence, especially with him in charge of Activision Blizzard’s charity spending. Activision Blizzard regularly engages in layoffs during financial success to retain money, and it is possible Bulatao was hired with the same intent.
Granted, it is entirely possible that Bulatao was hired for the reasons specified by Activison Blizzard and have nothing to do with its objectionable and objected to practices. One of the primary reasons, according to a statement released by Activision Blizzard, is his military history and veteran status.
However, it should also be noted that Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick, who personally vouched for Bulatao, is well known as one of the most overpaid CEOs in America. Kotick’s tactics for obtaining huge amounts of money at the expense of Activision Blizzard’s employees have earned him ire from investors, employees, and players alike. With the history of both of these men in mind, it might behoove observers to carefully watch Activision Blizzard’s Corporate Social Responsibility expenditures in the near future.
Source: PC Gamer
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