Public Gaming International November/December 2021

34 PUBLIC GAMING INTERNATIONAL • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 • Last year, IGT qualified as an Outperformer with Sustainalytics and in 2021 was ranked second in the industry by this leading independent global provider of environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) ratings to investors. • Morgan Stanley Capital Investment (MSCI) ratings aim to measure a company's resilience to long-term ESG risks. Companies are scored on an industry-relative AAA-CCC scale across the most relevant Key Issues based on a company's business model. IGT’s rating is at AA, and with regard to the Casino & Gaming sector it has been ranked among the group of the best performers. DIRECT& INDIRECT BENEFITS The benefits of IGT’s sustainable approach extend to lottery customers and players. To cite just one example, some lotteries view the value chain holistically and want to have options as to how their instant tickets are produced and distributed. They can participate in a supply chain with environmentally friendly practices that may also be important to their players, such as managing waste or incorporating environmentally friendly materials in the manufacture of scratch tickets. “Across sectors, green claims are becoming an issue,” notes IGT’s CSR Senior Manager, Stefania Colombo. “To be realistic and make solid progress on commitments is a step-by-step process.” Having stepped up several years ago with a series of initiatives, I GT’s North American printing facility in Lakeland, Florida, has won two environmental awards in recognition of some of its many sustainable practices: WATER-BASED PRINTING PROCESS In 2019, the printing facility in Lakeland started using a full water-based printing process, which removed the majority of solvents used in the process, thereby removing air pollutants and volatile organic compounds. In recognition of this program, IGT won the category of Sustainability Programs in the 2019 FTA Sustainability Excellence Award. The program was completed in 2020 with a separate process that removes all solvents from the plate manufacturing process. IGT partnered with Kodak to design, alpha, and beta test the process prior to release. It required the development of new plate material that is water-wash compatible and the design of a water-wash system that removes the material not imaged via an aqueous solution containing no solvents.