Flutter Entertainment has tasked itself with achieving three core objectives by 2030 in pursuit of its new sustainability strategy, dubbed the ‘Positive Impact Plan’.

The FTSE100 gambling group intends to build on its previous achievements in sustainability and target areas where it can maximise its positive impact, in particular leveraging its ‘global scale’ to support local initiatives that provide impact and ‘contribute positively’ to its customers, employees and the communities where it operates. 

Setting goals to ‘challenge and stretch the business’, Flutter will assist its customers to ‘play well’ via the initiative of the same name, strengthening its workforce’s ability to ‘work better’ and cooperating with local communities to ‘do more’. 

“Our Positive Impact Plan is a comprehensive and challenging strategy which demonstrates that Flutter is setting the agenda for positive change,” said Flutter Chief Executive Peter Jackson.

“We are committed to contributing positively to our customers, colleagues and the communities in which we operate. This plan builds on the strong foundations laid by each of our divisions, leveraging our global scale and positioning us at the forefront of meaningful change.”

In pursuit of its first objective, related to responsible gambling, Flutter aims to have 75% of its active online customers using one or more of its Play Well tools by 2030, whilst also working towards encouraging 50% to use one or more tools by 2026. 

Working towards this goal has seen Flutter invest £45 million into safer gambling measures, directing funding towards technology, marketing campaigns, raising awareness and education, research and treatment.

Jackson continued: “Continuing to show leadership in safer gambling is critical for the sustainability of our business and I believe that the goals we are setting out today as part of our new Play Well strategy will materially enhance our global customer protections and serve as a framework for the wider industry.”

Secondly, the group intends to build teams that are ‘representative of the locations in which we live and work’ via a comprehensive Diversity, Equality and Inclusion (DE&I) strategy, with the end goal of developing a diverse and inclusive business operations. 

This has also seen the Paddy Power and Betfair operator set out to fill 40% of its top positions with female employees by 2026, measure and report on pay performance, progression and retention across different demographics by the end of 2023 and measure the difference in sentiment across different demographics by the close of 2022. 

For the third objective, Flutter aims to continue working with local partnerships to achieve its community outreach and support goals, with the ultimate objective ‘to improve the lives’ of 10 million people using sport and play, its employees’ capabilities and its brand reach. In addition, a policy will be implemented allowing Flutter employees to participate in two paid days of volunteering annually. 

Lastly, the group has also assigned itself some environmental targets to be completed by 2030, having aligned itself with the terms of the Paris Agreement and joining the UN’s ‘Race to Zero’ campaign to achieve zero carbon emissions. 

Moving forward, the firm aims to continue working towards its Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) commitments in 2022, develop and rollout a group-wide global e-waste policy – which will also include its suppliers – and transfer all its energy tariffs to renewable energy by 2030. 

The betting group closed 2021 with a reorganisation of its Risk Committee to adopt a broader scope as the Risk and Sustainability Committee, whilst additional sustainability developments last year saw it become a member of the European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA), reiterating its commitment to responsible and safe gambling. 

“Flutter’s leading brands are deeply embedded in communities and homes all over the world,” Jackson concluded. “Our approach reflects this and will continue to evolve over the coming years in line with shifts in our markets, technological developments, and continued collaboration with our stakeholders.

“The initial response from colleagues has been fantastic and I couldn’t be prouder of their passion and commitment to ensure that we continue to lead betting and gaming into the future.”