The 7th NOVOMATIC & ADMIRAL Stakeholder Forum was dedicated to corporate responsibility and ecological sustainability. Lectures and a high-profile panel discussion offered the basis for a constructive dialogue with various stakeholders on past and current developments in the area of corporate responsibility. 

In his welcome address, Stefan Krenn, Secretary General of NOVOMATIC AG, underlined the importance of corporate responsibility within the multinational group: “For us, corporate responsibility is not a ‘nice-to-have’. On the contrary: We are continuously working on expanding CR competencies at an international level, because corporate responsibility is an essential part of NOVOMATIC’s self-conception.”

Afterwards, Prof. Dr. Konrad Paul Liessmann (essayist, cultural journalist, University of Vienna) opened the panel discussion with an inspiring keynote on the fascination of gaming. He spoke about the responsibility of companies, but also stressed that “people who seek happiness in gaming delegate the responsibility for this happiness to chance. However, it is they who bear the responsibility.” 

Moderated by Dr. Eric Frey (publicist and political scientist), Dr. Liessmann, Dr. Oliver Scheibenbogen (Head of Clinical Psychology, Activation, Therapy Planning, Anton Proksch Institute), Dr. Eva Glawischnig (Head of Corporate Responsibility & Sustainability, NOVOMATIC AG) and  Alice Schogger (Head of the Staff Unit for Player Protection, Federal Ministry of Finance) discussed the interaction and different spheres of influence of politics, businesses and customers with the aim of implementing social responsibility in the gaming industry in the best way possible. In addition, practical examples were presented.  

Dr. Oliver Scheibenbogen emphasized that “sustainable management means being aware of the responsibility for others in the gaming industry and to protect those who are endangered by gaming on the basis of one’s own self-conception. A provider’s self-interest lies in the certainty that one has done everything possible to prevent abuse and dependence.” Alice Schogger agreed: “The common goal must be to ensure responsible entertainment and to minimize the possible downsides of gaming.”

Dr. Eva Glawischnig summarized the key message of the panel as follows: “Companies must take corporate responsibility aspects into account when developing and offering their products and services in order to act for the benefit of customers and other stakeholders. NOVOMATIC’s ambition is, therefore, to guarantee the utmost quality and fair gaming conditions right from the start, to set the highest standards of the gaming industry worldwide and to successively reduce our ecological footprint in order to be regarded as a pioneer in the gaming industry.”

Dr. Monika Racek and Dr. Oliver Scheibenbogen then presented the latest facts on player protection and addiction prevention and discussed them in detail with the participants. “Today's complex societies with their division of labor display more and more interaction, and it is becoming increasingly difficult to determine who is ultimately responsible for what. It is, therefore, all the more important that each and every one of us strives first and foremost to be aware of our own responsibilities and to take responsibility for our actions,” Dr. Racek stressed. 

The final contribution on the subject of “protection of the environment and the climate” came from Günther Lichtblau (Department Manager Mobility & Noise, Umweltbundesamt GmbH), Gerald Pfiffinger (Managing Director, Umweltdachverband) and Dr. Eva Glawischnig. “Climate change is the greatest challenge of our time. In order to overcome it, a fundamental transformation of society and economy is required - every actor, whether private or economic, bears the responsibility to actively meet this challenge,” said Lichtblau.