Diversity, equity, and inclusion are an essential part of Rovio’s sustainability strategy, and the key to crafting games for a diverse audience around the world.
As Rovio continues to grow, more Rovio games are released, and more members join the flock at our offices around the world, sustainability has become an increasingly important issue. It is important not only in quantifying and minimizing our negative impact on the environment, but also addressing the social impact that our games have, and also the kind of workplace in which our games are made. With our sustainability mission, we have dedicated ourselves to not only doing no harm, but being a force for good.
“We want to lead the industry in creating safe and joyful game experiences that are crafted in a diverse and inclusive work culture, while respecting our planet.”
To accomplish this vision, sustainability must be embedded in our products as well as our day to day working culture. We have defined three pillars that drive our sustainability work at Rovio: 1) safe and responsible gaming – creating safe and joyful gaming experiences, 2) people and society – creating a diverse, safe, and fun working environment for our people, and 3) climate and environment – minimizing our footprint and maximizing positive impacts on the environment.
Looking at our vision and the pillars of our sustainability strategy, it is clear that Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is an integral part to achieving our sustainability goals, one that Rovio is investing in with the appointment of its first Head of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Yumi Oishi.
In her time working at Google, she saw the barriers that underrepresented and marginalized groups face first-hand and worked on moving the needle. For instance, she was responsible for DEI initiatives across APAC and EMEA such as rolling out scholarships for technical women and co-launching an LGBT+ employee resource group. In her four years with Rovio as Senior Talent Acquisition Manager, Yumi has worked cross-functionally to find people who share Rovio’s values and are a great fit for Rovio’s teams.
Now in her new role as Head of DEI, Yumi will focus on creating a diverse workforce, and fostering an inclusive and equitable workplace. In her own words, “My goal is to create a workplace where all Rovians can be the best version of themselves. This includes actively supporting each other so when we do have bad days (we all have them!), we can overcome them together. My most aspirational goal is that DEI is embedded in our day-to-day work in such a way that my role is no longer needed (and then I’ll be off to my favorite pastime: berry picking).”
The diversity of Rovio as a workplace can already be seen in terms of international talent (Rovians come from over 50 nationalities), as well as gender diversity (29% of Rovians are women, compared to 22% in the Finnish and Swedish games industries). However, there is still room for improvement. For example, the representation of women in tech roles at Rovio is still low compared to the few companies who disclose this data.
The road to a more diverse workplace is a long one, but Rovio is off to a good start, with work already underway to better understand its employees and potential applicants. Additionally, in the past months, Inclusive Game Design & Development Leads have been appointed to facilitate cross-functional internal work on inclusive game design & marketing, and Rovio’s DEI Working Group has been rebooted to harness the passion Rovians have for DEI issues.
We believe that diversity is the key to crafting games that resonate with a wide global audience, and is an essential factor in making innovation possible. With the work currently underway, Rovio is taking steps toward achieving their sustainability vision.
More information on our sustainability strategy, as well as updates on the status of our sustainability targets is publicly available here.