Nintendo expands on diversity goals in new corporate report

As a white-hot spotlight shines on diversity in the video games industry following serious allegations levelled at developer Activision-Blizzard, partner companies like Nintendo, Sony and Xbox are doubling down on their own commitments to creating more positive workplace experiences for women.

In an email response to fresh accusations facing Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick, Nintendo of America president Doug Bowser said, ‘I find these accounts distressing and disturbing, They run counter to my values as well as Nintendo’s beliefs, values and policies.’

Now the whole company is taking a firmer stance, expanding on its existing diversity and inclusion goals in a new corporate governance report, and providing greater transparency on the number of women in management positions at Nintendo:

‘As a global company engaging in the entertainment business, which is characterised by increasingly diversifying customer needs and preferences, it is essential that we leverage the talents of a diverse workforce. Therefore we are committed to respecting the personality and strengths of each and every employee, including employees from our overseas subsidiaries, and developing an environment where employees of diverse background can maximise their potential.’

In Japan, only 4.2 per cent of Nintendo managers are women

The new corporate governance report further identified the number of women currently in managerial positions at the company: 23.7 per cent in Nintendo Group’s principal offices globally, and 4.2 per cent at Nintendo Co., Ltd in Japan, as of March 31, 2021.

While the report made clear Nintendo had no specific targets for the appointment of women to management positions, it did commit to leveraging the talents of a more diverse workforce, and highlighted a new recruitment drive for women to help them build more successful careers in a positive environment.

In an effort to increase transparency even more, the company also outlined new dismissal policies for directors in the event that they ‘have difficulty in appropriately executing his/her duties’.

Going forward, Nintendo is committed to being more open about internal matters as the games industry refocuses on becoming a positive environment for all employees.