Alma Media's stakeholder study: environmental issues as well as reliability of journalism are in the focus of media sector's corporate responsibility
Alma Media Corporation Press release June 15, 2010 at 12.45 (EEST)
ALMA MEDIA'S STAKEHOLDER STUDY: ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES AS WELL AS RELIABILITY OF
JOURNALISM ARE IN THE FOCUS OF MEDIA SECTOR'S CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY
Alma Media Corporation has today published the results of a comprehensive study
regarding corporate responsibility in the media sector. The results of this
pioneering study in the Finnish media sector indicate what Alma Media's key
stakeholders consider the most important elements of corporate responsibility in
the media sector and what kind of expectations they have for Alma Media's
corporate responsibility. The key findings of the study are included in the Alma
Media Corporate Responsibility Report 2009, published today.
According to the study, corporate responsibility in the media sector comprises
both industry-specific characteristics and traditional responsibility issues
common to all companies. The stakeholders consider reliability, primarily
implying the provision of reliable media content, as well as environmental
responsibility the most important elements of responsibility in the media
sector. Further, journalistic integrity, responsibility for employees as well as
promotion of free speech also figure prominently.
The study further strengthens Alma Media's understanding of how the company can
have an impact on sustainable development. Regarding Alma Media -specific
features of responsibility, the respondents emphasized their expectations of
promoting locality. This is based on the significant role Alma Media's
newspapers and online services play in supporting the vitality of their
respective communities.
- The results of our study carry several important messages. One of these is the
fact that we have not succeeded in communicating clearly enough to our
stakeholders the work done in Alma Media and other media companies to minimise
the environmental effect of our operations. On the other hand, the results
indicate that stakeholders consider producing newspapers more harmful to the
environment than it actually is, says Ms Riikka Poukka, Corporate Responsibility
Co-ordinator of Alma Media.
In total, 44 stakeholder representatives were interviewed for the study. They
included readers of Alma Media's newspapers, users of the company's online
services, advertisers, employees, investors, governmental representatives,
representatives of non-governmental organisations, journalists at other media
companies, representatives of other media companies and suppliers. The
interviews took place at the end of 2009 and at the beginning of 2010. The study
is a part of Riikka Poukka's Master's thesis for the University of Stockholm.
Alma Media continues the dialogue with its stakeholders on corporate
responsibility, among other themes. To engage its stakeholders in the dialogue,
Alma Media publishes today two new channels: the first-ever Corporate
Responsibility Report by Alma Media - which is simultaneously the first
free-standing corporate responsibility report by any Finnish media company - and
a blog.
Alma Media's Corporate Responsibility Report, which is based on the
international Global Reporting Initiative reporting scheme, is available as a
pdf file at www.almamedia.fi/responsibility
. Printed reports can be subscribed via
http://www.almamedia.fi/subscriptions, by e-mail almamedia@almamedia.fi
or by phone, tel. +358 10 665 2271.
The blog, available via www.almamedia.fi , discusses
not only corporate responsibility issues ("Creating good") but also Alma Media's
financial development ("Creating prosperity") and renewal ("Creating the
future").
For further information, please contact:
Rauno Heinonen, Vice President, Corporate Communications and IR, tel. +358
10 665 2251
Riikka Poukka, Corporate Responsibility Co-ordinator, tel. +358 10 665 2800
Alma Media in brief
Alma Media is a profitable and internationally expanding company with a focus on
the future of newspapers and online services. Its best known products are the
Aamulehti, Iltalehti, Kauppalehti and Etuovi.com.
Alma Media's net sales in 2009 totalled MEUR 307.8 with an operating margin of
13.5 per cent. The company's share (ALN1V) is listed in the NASDAX OMX Helsinki
Exchange. Read more at www.almamedia.fi
[HUG#1423984]
Alma Media Corporate Responsibility Report 2009: http://hugin.info/3000/R/1423984/372735.pdf