Environmentally friendly deeds throughout the organisation

Veikkaus pays attention to energy consumption in office environments when acquiring IT and other equipment, and also by informing and motivating personnel.

Veikkaus' head office has been a WWF Green Office since the beginning of autumn 2007. A Green Office badge indicates that the company in question follows an environmental programme and pays attention to saving energy, sorting waste, recycling, and creating awareness of environmental responsibility issues. In 2010, the Green Office programme's three-year audit was carried out. Veikkaus passed the audit and was therefore able to continue as a Green Office. The auditors commended Veikkaus for motivating personnel and creating awareness of environmental issues in particular.

Personnel motivation generates results

Veikkaus' head office has an Ecological Team, which was set up by personnel in 2004. The team puts Veikkaus' environmental responsibility into practice and increases personnel's understanding of environmental issues. In 2010, the team had fifteen members representing different units and locations. During the year, the Ecological Team organised collection points for old clothes and other unwanted goods, and took part in the Motiva energy saving week and the WWF's Earth Hour. The team proactively provided personnel with information throughout the year.

Procurements take environmental issues into consideration

Our procurement process includes CSR requirements and their associated analyses, such as determining the environmental status of our goods suppliers and service providers. For the past few years, Veikkaus has included a questionnaire when asking for quotes. In the future, Veikkaus will require environmental management from its material suppliers and service providers. In 2011, Veikkaus will define the material criteria for its main product groups.

In-store materials to be recycled

Gaming generates waste, mainly in the form of playslips, instant tickets, sales terminal receipts and promotional materials. The materials that Veikkaus delivers to points-of-sale - playslips, receipts, posters and guides and their cardboard packaging - are all recyclable. Retail outlets receive regular guidance on material sorting at sales clerk training events, on the sales clerks' extranet service and in Veikkaus' professional newsletters to its retailers.

Veikkaus' promotional events follow written instructions for sorting waste.

The suppliers who provide the paper used in point-of-sale materials, such as playslips, posters and professional newsletters, have been awarded either a Nordic or EU environmental badge. All packaging plastics are suitable for incineration. Any instant tickets that are returned to retail outlets are shredded for reasons of security. The shredded tickets are classified as energy waste.

In 2010, Veikkaus switched to the Itella Green postage service. Itella Green is a carbon neutral service that completely offsets the carbon dioxide emissions generated.

Veikkaus has signed an agreement with Globe Hope, which produces ecological design products. The agreement covers the after-use of Veikkaus' marketing and advertising materials, which will be used to make Veikkaus' PR gifts.