Nordic Game Investigation Reveals Likely Breach of Anti-Discrimination Law

The results of an investigation into allegations of sexual harassment against two Nordic Game employees have been released, with the external firm, Gender Balance, concluding that the event organizer likely breached the Swedish Discrimination Act. The investigation corroborated five instances of misconduct by a former employee, who had left the company before the investigation began. However, it was unable to substantiate three allegations made against a current employee by three separate women. The evidence against the former employee was deemed 'overwhelming', with witnesses and chat logs supporting claims of unwelcome comments and physical contact of a sexual nature. Most of the women affected by the former employee's actions were in a position of dependence on him. The investigators did not interview the former employee but believe he would have denied the allegations if questioned. In contrast, the allegations against the current employee, which involved in-person misconduct from several years ago, could not be supported due to a lack of witnesses and textual evidence. The current employee denied the allegations when interviewed. The investigation also highlighted a culture of informality and unprofessionalism at Nordic Game, centered around the two accused men, which created a power imbalance that was exploited by the former employee. Furthermore, the investigators criticized Nordic Game's handling of the allegations, stating that it lacked structure and created a disjointed communication that eroded trust between the company and the victims. The allegations initially surfaced in 2021, and Nordic Game had conducted its own investigation, imposing restrictions on the staff members in question. The company's CCO and program director, Jacob Riis, had also stepped back from his duties, citing the impact of the allegations on him.