GGRAsia – Casino tech firm IGT pledges action on greenhouse gases

Casino tech firm IGT pledges action on greenhouse gases

Jan 12, 2022 Newsdesk Industry Talk, Latest News, World

Electronic gaming machine maker and digital gaming content provider International Game Technology Plc (IGT) says it has taken its “first step” to “target reduced greenhouse gas emissions” in its business operations.

The firm announced on Tuesday it had joined the “Science Based Targets initiative” (SBTi). Under it, the group pledges to set targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, as well as “contributing” to low-carbon emissions and to advance the company’s environmental, social and governance practices.

IGT was “joining more than 2,000 companies worldwide committed to the SBTi in reducing their emissions, generating positive value for our planet and our future while continuing to grow their business,” said Wendy Montgomery, senior vice president marketing, communications and sustainability, as cited in a release.

IGT’s effort would be in line with what it termed the “most ambitious objective” of the 2015 Paris Agreement on the Earth’s climate, namely limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees celsius compared to the pre-industrial average temperature.

“IGT will focus on targets associated with the new SBTi net-zero criteria and report its progress each year in the company’s annual sustainability report,” said Tuesday’s press release.

“Net zero” refers to a scenario in which the greenhouse gases going into the Earth’s atmosphere due to an activity are balanced by steps to remove such gases from the atmosphere.

The SBTi is a partnership between a number of bodies. They include CDP Worldwide, an international non-profit organisation based in the United Kingdom but with a global network, that helps companies and cities disclose and manage their environmental impact.

The other partners in SBTi are: the World Resources Institute, a United States-based non-profit organisation that works with governments, businesses, multilateral institutions and civil society groups; the World Wide Fund for Nature; and the United Nations Global Compact, a voluntary initiative based on business chief executives’ commitments to implement universal sustainability principles and to undertake steps to support UN goals.

IGT says it has been a member of the latter initiative since 2017.