Paradox publishes external report on studio culture after harassment issues raised last year

eurogamer.net:

Paradox Interactive, the developer behind Crusader Kings, Hearts of Iron and Europa Universalis, has released the external report it commissioned into its own working practices following the results of a damning staff survey last year published in Swedish daily newspaper Svenska Dagbladet and on Eurogamer, where staff shared their experiences.

The report was compiled by Gender Balance, a Swedish firm which specialises in discrimination, harassment and equality issues, as recommended by Paradox staff unions.

Its results tally with the experiences shared in last year's survey and in the reporting that followed — that there are cultural problems within Paradox that foster misconduct, particularly towards women, and which have enabled issues to remain unresolved. In response, Paradox has said it would implement all of Gender Balance's recommendations, some of which it had enacted already.

«We believe that complete transparency is the best way to move forward and address the issues and behaviours that have been identified,» Paradox chief of staff Mattias Lilja said. «On February 7th 2022, Gender Balance delivered the final report and recommendations from their audit; it was shared with all Paradox employees shortly after, and we're now publishing it. You can find it here, full and unedited.»

Lilja was subsequently interviewed by Swedish news agency Direkt, and Paradox has provided an English translation to Eurogamer directly.

«We are now getting to the bottom of this and we are getting a concrete picture of the problem,» Lilja said. «The report is a first step for us to really address these issues and bridge the trust gap that exists. Everyone should feel safe at Paradox and thrive, that is our responsibility to ensure.

»The