An external investigation into Nordic Game reveals the event’s organizers may have violated the Swedish Discrimination Act (SDA).
The external firm responsible for the report, Gender Balance, was brought on by Nordic Game to look into multiple allegations of sexual misconduct from April 2022. The allegations were made by multiple women against two men who reportedly represented the organization.
Gender Balance corroborated multiple allegations against the first man, who left Nordic during the investigation. It’s claimed that most of the first man’s victims were “in a position of personal or professional dependence to [him.]”
It’s further alleged that the first man’s actions may have put Nordic in violation of the SDA’s section on prohibition against discrimination. Victims and witnesses all spoke against his alleged behavior, and Gender Balance cited the evidence against him as “overwhelming.”
Two men’s alleged actions made Nordic Game unreliable
Speaking broadly, Gender Balance found that Nordic Game has a workplace culture that ranges from “informal and friendly” to “unprofessional and inappropriate.” The two accused men, who were allegedly friends, created “an environment with unclear professional boundaries.”
The allegations against the second man were unable to be corroborated like the first offender. According to Gender Balance, his actions took place several years prior to the investigation, meaning there would be less witnesses remaining at Nordic Game.
Citing “no or very little textual evidence,” Gender Balance said there were “very few good investigative measures available. The few that were available invariably came to dead ends. […] Consequently, there are no corroborated claims against M2.”
Still, victims and those who filed the complaints found themselves losing trust in Nordic to handle the allegations against either man. Communication from Nordic was allegedly disjointed, and it’s claimed on many occasions, the first man would threaten to sue victims for defamation.
Gender Balance closed out its report by disclosing that it offered advice to Nordic Game on measures to take in order to decrease future risk of misconduct.