ENVIRONMENTAL WARRIORS - LEADING BY EXAMPLE

There’s a lot that companies can do to effect change in the environmental struggles our planet is currently facing. However, unless the mindset of every person working within those firms follows in the same footsteps, the war can never be truly won. Anna Dobrovolskaya, CMO of Internet Vikings, talks about the company’s green initiatives, and their vision to change daily habits, not only of their own employees, but to externally extend their influence.

The future of the planet is no longer an issue we can avoid. It’s also one that affects a company’s bottom line, with a study published in Forbes stating that 92% of consumers are more likely to trust brands that are environmentally or socially conscious. As climate change and other environmental issues take centre stage, responsible companies are taking the initiative to reduce their carbon footprints. Sony Interactive Entertainment utilises energy efficient technology that will reduce 29 million tonnes of Co2 emissions by 2030, and Microsoft plans to reduce its supply chain emissions by 30% by that same year.

At Internet Vikings, the goal is to achieve ISO14001 certification, which specifies the requirements system that an organisation can use to enhance its environmental performance. However, Anna Dobrovolskaya, CMO of Internet Vikings and the person involved in running this project, says that the certification isn’t the driving force of the initiative. They’re taking a more human-centric approach by trying to change the mindset of every person that comes into contact with Internet Vikings. They’re dedicated to making changes that will see the company operating in a more sustainable way, and eventually become climate neutral in the long run.

“Sustainability isn’t simply about recycling. It’s a complex theme that involves the behaviour of a multitude of individuals, and it’s changing the daily habits of so many people who will ultimately make a difference. As a company, we’re becoming more environmentally aware of how the decisions we take affect the planet. As a result, we’re taking more environmentally-friendly approaches. For example, our Stockholm office has a very good contract with energy suppliers in terms of environmental issues; our supplier has a “Bra Miljöval” certification. Our biggest supplier of collocation and network services uses 100% renewable energy. Our travel policy takes into account the environmental impact, removing all unnecessary air travel and paying climate compensation when we travel with Scandinavian airlines.”

With offices in Stockholm, Malta and the Ukraine, and with places of presence in South Africa and the USA, the team at Internet Vikings have noticed a discrepancy in environmental awareness in these different countries, with plans to align their way of thinking company-wide. They’ve organised several initiatives including the Breakit Challenge in Stockholm, and collecting clothes and other reusable items to distribute to social organisations in Ukraine. This summer saw employees from their Malta office participate in two ocean clean ups, where they partnered up with iGen and SiGMA.

“We strongly believe in collaborations with other companies within the industry. We believe that these initiatives not only help change the mindset internally, but we also act as influencers, spreading the motivation to live cleaner lifestyles and get involved in activities that benefit not just the individual, but the planet as a whole.”

The Breakit Challenge involved analysing office energy consumption, and then found ways to improve it. “We listed our ‘energy culprits’ and made evaluations of whether employees were sitting in rooms that suited them. We then made a change to a green electricity agreement, made sure we weren’t using disposable plastic items in the office, and saw how we could help our employees have more climate-smart home offices. The result is that our data centres now use 100% renewable energy with Co2 emissions only related to external transport and deliveries.”

Anna has seen how effective one person can be; she only started following a more environmentally aware lifestyle five years ago. “I can really see how far my own family has come in this short time. We started out with simple things, like just taking a reusable bag to the supermarket. Collectively, this can have a huge impact, so what we’re aiming for is to motivate people to make small changes. Big changes start with small steps, but small steps by many will result in huge change.”

Participation in Internet Vikings’ environmental initiatives is not obligatory, but employees in every country have been keen to join. “You can’t change a mindset through force. When we organise activities, we support our employees and encourage them to join, but it is an individual choice. We have experienced no resistance to

Anna Dobrovolskaya

CMO of Internet Vikings

Rachel Zammit Cutajar

Freelance Writer this at all. On the contrary, we have employees in other countries who’ve asked to set up the same initiative in their areas when they find out we’ve been doing something in another country. People are inspired by the example of others, even when it’s in another territory.”

Future initiatives are on the cards for Internet Vikings, as they plan to set up an open brainstorming session which will allow employees from all levels in the organisation to put their ideas forward. “We don’t want this to be something that management is ordering. Everyone has ideas on how we can help the planet, and we plan to take advice from anyone willing to be a part of it.”

Part of the ISO requirements is to provide a sustainability report, and this reflects every detail of the impact of each initiative. “Though the certification is not the ultimate goal in itself, it has given us the tools to insert climate awareness into our company’s DNA, and is slowly helping us change the mindset of anyone that comes into contact with the organisation.”

From minor changes such as adding green leaves to their logo, or adding the strapline “Consider the Climate” to the end of their emails, to the more complex ISO certification and regular training for employees, there’s no doubt that Internet Vikings are holding the torch for a greener future in the iGaming world.