Toy seller and parent company of Wizards of the Coast Hasbro has been named one of 2023’s most ethical companies.
Ethisphere, a business that measures corporate ethical standards, has put Hasbro on its list of the 135 most ethical companies, recognised “for their unwavering commitment to business integrity”. It’s the 12th year in a row that Hasbro has been featured since Ethisphere started its awards in 2007.
According to its website, Ethisphere seeks companies that “positively impact employees, communities, and broader stakeholders,” and measures them on more than 200 data points, including culture, diversity, governance, and environmental and social practices. Hasbro is among only four companies to be included from the Consumer products sector, featured alongside Kimberly-Clack, Firmenich, and Colgate.
“As a company bringing play and joy to generations of fans around the world, we are committed to operating our business responsibly and ethically,” said Chris Cocks, Hasbro chief executive officer, in a press release.
Of course, for a tabletop gaming audience, Hasbro’s inclusion on the list might raise some eyebrows. In February, Wizards of the Coast and its parent company took a major hit to their reputations, after attempting to change the DnD OGL, which allows third-party publishers to produce work within the DnD ruleset.
Eventually, though, Wizards backed down from the proposed changes after major backlash from the tabletop community, and an outcry that seemed to be very good for its competitors. It even went so far as to place the DnD ruleset within Creative Commons by way of apology.
Ethisphere doesn’t give specific explanations for including individual honourees, making it difficult to pinpoint precisely the reasons Hasbro was included.
Source: Wargamer
