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    Aristocrat


    “Prioritizing diversity, responsibility and sustainability are not only good for business—they’re the right thing to do. I’m proud that Aristocrat has made ESG core to our growth strategy. It’s one important way we can help ensure the gaming industry has a sustainable and vibrant future.” – Trevor Croker, CEO & Managing Director


    Advancing Sustainability

    Lowering Carbon Emissions

    In November 2021, Aristocrat announced its intention to set an emissions reduction target through the Science-Based Target Initiative (SBTI).

    In 2021, Aristocrat expanded the tracking and evaluation of our carbon emissions, including energy, transport, travel and recycling for the largest parts of our operations in Australia and North America. We are also scheduled to implement an Environmental Management System (EMS) platform in 2022 which will enhance our ability to capture and report emissions data to help us meet our emissions reduction target.

    Reducing Resource Consumption and Waste

    Aristocrat is committed to reducing environmental impacts through adopting circular economy principles, including development of practices that promote responsible manufacturing and materials management. Focus areas for Aristocrat include innovative sustainable product design, waste management, reuse and recycling of components and materials.

    Aristocrat is introducing a phased approach to expanding climate-related disclosures over three years in response to the benchmark Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) Recommendations. Further highlights include:

    • Achievement of an 80 Plus Silver rating for power supply efficiency in our Gen 9 gaming machines
    • Improvement in recycling performance at our integration centers
    • Introduction of hybrid vehicles and EV charging stations in key locations

    Strengthening Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

    In 2021, Aristocrat was certified as a Great Place to Work (GPTW) for the first time in North America and Australia, and in India for an impressive sixth time. The certification is welcome recognition of the progress the Company has made in putting ‘people first’ in our organization, listening to employees and striving to further improve our culture and the experience of working at Aristocrat.

    2021 also saw the launch of Aristocrat’s flexible hybrid working model called “all.flex”. all.flex encourages flexible work – including opportunities for permanent hybrid or remote working – as well as other flexible options that work for individuals, their teams and the broader business.

    Increasing Board & Management Diversity

    In 2021, Aristocrat achieved its Board endorsed objectives of gender diversity. The objectives were at least 30% of each gender for the Board, Executive Steering Committee (ESC) and the Aristocrat Group. For 2021, composition of the Board was 42.8% women, ESC 40% women and Aristocrat Group 32% women.

    Aristocrat also achieved above target hiring of women in open roles in Gaming & Pixel United and increased female representation across the Group.

    Strengthening Employee DEI

    As part of its ongoing commitment, Aristocrat has continued to focus on improving people and culture practices from the perspectives of gender equality, diversity and inclusion in recruitment, promotion, development and pay. Aristocrat also refined its recruitment and selection practices to ensure diversity in candidate shortlists and interview panels.

    In 2021 Aristocrat launched a variety of Employee Impact Groups across the Enterprise on Gender, Race/Ethnicity, LGBTQ+, and Allyship. One Employee Impact Group is GAMER which is dedicated to supporting employees who identify as Black/African American/BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) and their allies. GAMER stands for Gaming, Awareness, Mentoring, Education, & Relationships and the group’s vision is to promote the inclusion of the African American/Black voice at Aristocrat.

    The Company also launched ‘Aristocrat Together’, two virtual diversity and inclusion summits to provide learning opportunities to employees about a range of diversity and inclusion issues and the events were attended by approximately 2,000 employees globally.


    Investing in Communities

    Delivering in Times of Crisis

    Throughout 2021, the Company deployed initiatives aimed at protecting the immediate and longer-term health and wellbeing of our employees. A key focus has been providing effective information and communications across the organization to keep employees updated on COVID-19 related developments, and to alleviate employee anxiety and uncertainty.

    Actions included providing remote working assistance, access to paid leave, counselling, and assistance; promoting our wellbeing portal; launching a mandatory mental health support learning module; and expanding the Employee Relief Fund to assist employees with financial hardship related to COVID-19 and beyond. Over 2021, more than $186,000 in grants were made to 247 employees through the Employee Relief Fund.

    Addressing Critical Community Needs

    Most of Aristocrat’s charitable giving is led by employees and teams at the regional and local levels. Fundraising and volunteer initiatives are coordinated through regional corporate community investment (CCI) programs. Throughout 2021, 350 employees participated in volunteering activities, and over AUD1 million in donations were granted to 65 charitable organizations.

    Aristocrat Gaming (US) supports many community organizations, including Goodie Two Shoes, Baby Bounty, CPA, Communities in Schools, Cupcake Girls, Project 150 and Friendship Circle of Las Vegas.

    Big Fish supports numerous charitable initiatives across the US including Northwest Harvest, United Way, Giving Tree – Child Haven, Alameda, County Community Food, National Breast Cancer Foundation, Kaiser Nursing, Seattle Pride, United Success Academy, Hesperian Elementary, Campbell Hill Elementary, Game Heads.

    A key highlight for 2021 included a partnership with The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) to assist over 2,800 students who were experiencing significant needs during the pandemic. Employee volunteers assembled more than 500 food kits to provide more than 3,000 meals for students, along with essential school items and information designed to educate students about resources and additional support available within the community.

    Highlight
    Preventing Bribery and Corruption

    As part of its commitment to the highest standards of integrity, Aristocrat’s Anti-Bribery and Corruption Compliance Program takes a zero-tolerance approach to bribery and corruption. Aristocrat requires comprehensive compliance training for all members of its Board of Directors, executive leadership team, group risk and audit team, all sales employees and select manufacturing and procurement teams. A whistleblower program allows employees to report suspected corruption.

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    Responsible Leadership

    Protecting & Empowering Consumers

    In 2021, Pixel United, Aristocrat’s digital business expanded its commitment to empowering and informing players through in-app messaging directing players to “Responsible Play” resources and unified self-exclusion procedures for social casino-style video games.

    Aristocrat also released its fourth player information video in 2021 explaining the role of sound in gaming machines. These videos and a variety of RG resources for players are contained in a newly launched webpage on Aristocrat’s corporate website.

    Establishing & Following Rigorous Business Standards

    In 2021 Aristocrat created an internal Gaming RG Working Group to deliver forward looking pipeline of RG technologies. In 2020, Aristocrat updated its marketing guidelines, which are designed to enable game, product development, marketing, and legal teams to develop marketing which is consistent with our Responsible Gameplay Policy. In 2021, similar guidelines were established for Pixel United.

    Training Employees

    Approximately 99 percent of eligible Aristocrat employees completed responsible gameplay training in 2020 and a new targeted training program is set to be rolled out in 2022. A new responsible gaming online portal provides an always-available one-stop shop for responsible gaming resources.

    In 2021, the Company again supported the AGA’s Responsible Gaming Education Week, with a program of employee-focused webinars featuring external experts in RG policy, treatment and research. The webinars proved popular, with more than 1,500 staff from Aristocrat Gaming worldwide attending across three sessions.

    Investing in research and partnering with advocacy groups

    In 2021, Aristocrat provided funding to support problem gambling councils across the U.S. including the International Center for Responsible Gaming, Oklahoma Association on Problem Gambling and Gaming, Illinois Council on Problem Gambling, National Council on Problem Gambling, Nevada Council on Problem Gambling, California Council on Problem Gambling, and Council on Compulsive Gambling of Pennsylvania.

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