- Continuing work for long-term sustainability
- How we report Svenska Spel’s responsibility and sustainability
- Comments from the CEO and the CSR manager
- This is long-term sustainable development for Svenska Spel
- Stakeholders' expectations on Svenska Spel
- Social responsibility
- Responsibility for employees
- Economic responsibility
- Environmental responsibility
- Comments on the CSR Report
- Svenska Spel’s GRI profile
- Signatures of the Board of Directors
- Auditor's Combined Assurance Report
Economic responsibility
For Svenska Spel, economic responsibility entails always integrating the Company’s responsibility in its commercial ventures. The ambition to be the customer’s first choice will ensure the company’s long-term profitability.
Svenska Spel strives to gives its customers a sustainable experience. This means that
the Company offers games that customer’s demand, while at the same time integrating responsible gaming into its commercial operations.
Corporate responsibility will be an increasingly significant factor in the future when customers select companies for their gaming. As a result, responsible gaming is a key feature of Svenska Spel’s efforts to be the customer’s first choice. Svenska Spel will continue to strengthen its brand by communicating these efforts in all areas of responsibility.
Svenska Spel is not required to maximise profit, thereby offering good potential to invest resources in responsible gaming while striving to attain a healthy gaming market. With a focus on customers’ perspective, offering attractive games, is essential for the long-term work on the Swedish gaming market.
Strategies
In 2011, Svenska Spel focused and prioritised work based on a number of strategies. Within the framework of the strategies, these efforts clarify how commercial operations and social responsibility are integrated. Read more about Svenska Spel’s strategies.
There is a trend in the Swedish gaming market towards fewer players playing for higher sums, a fact that Svenska Spel would like to reverse. The Company’s development shall be based on healthy gaming patterns and a sound gaming market. This means that success is based on a broad customer base – more people playing for moderate amounts.Economic risks and possibilities
Svenska Spel works proactively in assessing risks that affect the underlying conditions to compete and work long-term on the Swedish gaming market.
A challenge for Svenska Spel is the ever-increasing advertising spend by foreign-based Internet companies. Svenska Spel’s share of the gaming advertising declined from 46%
in 2004 to 22% during 2011. This is despite the fact that the Lotteries Act does not permit foreign-based gaming companies to advertise in Swedish media. Svenska Spel needs new licences in order to compete on the same conditions and offer the new, fast games demanded by the customers.
Social contribution
Svenska Spel also makes economical contributions to purposes connected with the Company’s core business operations.
Sponsorship
Svenska Spel has a long relationship with Swedish sports that extends all the way back to 1934. The purpose of this sponsorship is to strengthen Swedish sports today and tomorrow. The partnership with sports is a fruitful affair for both parties: it strengthens Svenska Spel’s corporate brand and is an object for pride within the organisation. The social welfare that Svenska Spel generates through its sponsoring is in line with the expectations of the stakeholders.
Sponsorship covers the Swedish Sports confederation, football, ice hockey, handball, floor ball and bandy. Support is provided both at the elite and national levels, as well as
to youth sports programmes.
Thanks to its sponsorship, Svenska Spel ensures that an increasing number of children and youths can try their hand at sports, while it also creates better conditions for a competitive elite.
Svenska Spel also works with values in sports and participates in the programme aimed at stopping violence in the arenas.
58% of the population think that Svenska Spel is a key partner for Swedish sports.
Swedish Brain Foundation
Since 2008, Svenska Spel has cooperated with the Swedish Brain Foundation. Over a period of five years, through 2012, the Company pays a total of SEK 25 million to finance important research in the area of gambling addiction.
Research council
Svenska Spel has established a research council in an effort to increase insight into preventive programmes against gambling problems. In spring 2011, and for the first time, Svenska Spel’s research council provided funds for research on gaming and prevention of gaming problems. Three students were granted funds for their education and research projects on youth gaming habits, supportive actions for relatives to problem players, and genetics. In the autumn, the research council arranged a meeting for researchers and employees at Svenska Spel to discuss the current research situation.
Self-help manual and Help Line
During 2011, Svenska Spel continued to provide financial assistance in the amount of SEK 3.8 million to the Help Line and Self-Help programme, two projects that help people with gaming problems, and which are run by the Spelinstitutet (a responsible gaming organisation). Both projects were scheduled for termination back in 2009 due to the lack of official decisions regarding financing, but support from Svenska Spel ensured that the programmes could continue in 2010 and 2011.
Activities and results, 2011
- A preliminary study was made to estimate Svenska Spel’s social results.
- The research council granted funds to three students.
- The research council arranged a seminar for researchers and Svenska Spel’s employees.
- Svenska Spel signed an agreement with Swedish ice hockey, which extends over 4+3 years and covers both elite players and a broad range of ice hockey clubs.
Focus 2012
- Additional funds to be granted by the research council.
- Model for the estimation of Svenska Spel’s net social result.
- Research council follow-up of ongoing projects.