Environmental responsibility

Svenska Spel consistently strives to improve its performance in the environmental area and work actively in the four areas in which it has identified its biggest environmental impact: goods transport, business travel, materials/products and energy.

Svenska Spel is not a producer of material and thus the impact on the environment is limited. Also, the Company’s stakeholders have not expressed any increased requirements in this respect. Nevertheless, as a State-owned company, Svenska Spel wishes to reduce its environmental impact and be prominent in this field.

Svenska Spel’s environmental policy proceeds from the statement: "Svenska Spel shall be an environmentally responsible company. Svenska Spel shall promote and contribute to long-term sustainable social development by reducing the environmental impact of operations by constantly improving environmental awareness in the company and working in a proactive manner whenever possible."

Strategy and objectives

Svenska Spel is aware of its impact on the environment, directly through the consumption of energy and other resources used in day-to-day operations, and indirectly via the suppliers.

Svenska Spel wishes to make a positive contribution to the environment by promoting eco-products and via cooperative initiatives. Environmental consideration shall be an integral feature of everyday operations, including planning, investment decisions, purchases and working methods.

As the market leader, Svenska Spel views environmental programmes as a key factor in the company’s long-term, sustainable development. It offers an opportunity for positive development and potential savings, both financially and environmentally.

The overall objective is to reduce Svenska Spel‘s carbon dioxide emissions by 2015. By optimizing goods transport and reviewing energy consumption, the Company has already made substantial progress in this direction. During 2011, the Company shall also conduct a new climate calculation for Svenska Spel as a whole.

Focus areas

As a result of an environmental survey of Svenska Spel, the Company has identified the most significant environmental impact and the inputs that make most difference. The following four focus areas have been identified: goods transport, business travel, materials/products and energy.

Goods transport Each week Svenska Spel dispatches gaming programmes, coupons, advertising materials and ticket rolls to retailers nationwide (at year-end, the number of retailers was 2,674). Transport can be optimised by means of fewer delivery days and smaller paper batches. Svenska Spel has also studied the potential to switch to rail transport hoping that the opportunity to use rail transport in the future will improve.

Business travel Offices in two locations and casinos in four cities make business travel a necessity. Svenska Spel’s employees are encouraged to use video and teleconferences and to plan their meetings so as to minimise travel.

Materials/products Svenska Spel is a major consumer of paper in the form of gaming programmes, ticket rolls, gaming coupons and so forth. Thus, a reduction in materials consumption is a focus area.

Energy By means of consistent improvements and energy saving measures, Svenska Spel attempts to reduce energy consumption. Renewable energy has been introduced in all premises, except for Casino Cosmopol in Malmö.

Environmental requirements for suppliers

For the past three years, Svenska Spel has followed environmental guidelines for the purchase of goods and services in order to integrate environmental aspects as part of procurement processes. The guidelines are in the process of being adjusted to meet the requirements of the Public Procurement Act (LOU), which has encompassed Svenska Spel since February 2010. Specific and more extensive environmental requirements are imposed in the procurement of, for example, goods transport, technology and food. With the adjustment to LOU, suppliers’ environmental programmes will be monitored regularly and systematically.

Activities and results

• Svenska Spel works in a target-oriented manner in order to minimise its carbon dioxide emissions. During the year, a number of activities were conducted:
• A basic web-based environmental training course was devised for Svenska Spel’s employees. The purpose is to increase awareness of environmental issues and how Svenska Spel works with these.
• The key indicators for Svenska Spel’s focus areas were communicated to all business area managers. The key indicators must be able to measure, follow up and secure internally among the staff.
• Energy-saving measures in Svenska Spel’s premises continued with, for example, the installation of motion sensors and LED lighting. All properties now have access to renewable energy, except for Casino Cosmopol in Malmö, which is expected to have it available during the first quarter of 2011.
• By limiting the dispatch of materials to retailers to two days each week, major environmental and financial savings were made in goods transport. A 50 % reduction in the number of gaming programmes in dispatches also contributed to limiting paper consumption.
• A survey aimed at reducing energy consumption for Vegas VLTs was completed, and resulted in an energy-savings function.
• Svenska Spel’s Environmental Council is a forum for the company’s environmental issues and, among other responsibilities, is assigned to prepare the underlying material for decision-making. During the year, the Council was enlarged with representatives from all business areas and now meets each month. Participants also underwent in-depth environmental training.
• A quarterly report was submitted to the executive management by the Environmental Council, which also has quarterly steering group meetings involving concrete proposals and decision points.
• Svenska Spel is planning to reduce travel and increase the use of video conferences and the number of conference rooms.

Focus for 2011

During 2011, Svenska Spel will further develop, communicate and ensure the implementation of the company’s environmental programmes.

• In aiming to increase the use of renewable energy sources, Svenska Spel is studying the potential to install solar cells on the roof of its Visby premises.
• Most employees will undergo environmental training.
• Further optimise goods transport and materials consumption.
• Further efforts to optimise business travel will be made.
• Continued focus on training in Eco-driving for employees who use cars for business travel.
• Continuing to communicate and secure the key indicators among the employees in order to increase their participation in the organisation.
• Ensure that Casino Cosmopol in Malmö also switches to renewable electricity.