Corporate responsibility

A copy of our environment policy is available on our corporate website. As a retail and service organisation, our main impact on the environment is through the buildings we operate and the resources used by staff in their day-to-day work. In addition to complying with environmental laws and regulations, we aim to minimise waste through recycling and re-use of materials, to ensure efficient use of energy and water and to raise awareness of environmental issues within the Group. Our Property Department takes primary responsibility for identifying environmental issues within the Group’s Retail estate, Head Office and regional office buildings, and to identify opportunities for improvement. As a cost-efficient business, many environmentally beneficial improvements have already been introduced across our Retail estate as these changes also drove cost benefits.

Managing our environmental footprint

Our shop estate is refurbished on a highly-efficient 18-year cycle, with full partial improvements at years six and 12 and refurbishments at year 18. We use durable materials to minimise the need for replacements. We now fit high-frequency light fittings in all new development and refurbishment projects, thereby reducing the number of lamps requiring disposal. Our air-conditioning and fascia lighting are controlled by time clocks and movement-sensitive light systems are used at our Head Office to reduce electricity consumption. New-style fascias are being rolled-out as shops are upgraded and more energy-efficient (inverter) air-conditioning units continue to be installed on new projects and when replacements are required, which brings further benefits.

Across the Retail estate, we have established water management systems for toilet facilities to reduce water consumption and an increasing proportion of the LBO estate is fitted with water meters.

We are fully compliant with all current legislative guidelines regarding the disposal of hazardous waste and comply with the Waste, Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive, which was introduced in 2007.

In 2009, as part of our car policy review we introduced CO2 emission caps for cars being used by employees. For cars required for work, the cap is 140g per kilometre. For senior managers for whom company cars are a contractual benefit, a wider range of cars is offered and the cap is 160g per kilometre. The company car fleet is entirely diesel-powered.

During 2010, we are rolling-out recycling of mixed waste to all shops in our Retail estate. By the end of 2010, all shops will be able to recycle paper, newspapers, shop display papers and drinks cans. Thereafter, we aim to address recycling at our office locations where, currently, facilities for recycling paper and toner cartridges are in place. All departments can order recycled paper through our stationery supplier.

We seek to support the communities in which we operate through charitable donations and other relevant payments.

Levies

We pay the economic subsidy to British horseracing via a statutory levy charged at 10% of gross win from British horseracing activities and support greyhound racing via a voluntary donation to the British Greyhound Racing Fund. These funds are used by the respective bodies for a wide variety of purposes, including animal welfare issues.

Through our two greyhound stadia we assist with greyhound welfare issues, including funding an establishment that houses up to 25 dogs for up to three months with the intention of permanently re-homing them. Since January 2008, 389 greyhounds have been successfully re-homed. Every trainer affiliated to a William Hill track is required to complete a weekly return, listing dogs available for racing, injured dogs and those dogs that have left the trainer’s kennels. Trainers must provide full details of any individual to whom care of a dog has been passed.

Charitable donations

We use our charitable donations to support groups close to our business, including those that:

• promote a responsible approach to gambling, undertake research into problem gambling and provide information, advice and help to those who are at risk or are experiencing difficulties with their gambling;
• support greyhound and racehorse welfare; or
• support disadvantaged individuals in horseracing and greyhound racing.

We are also support our employees’ fundraising efforts by matching the funds they raise. We made charitable donations of £924,848 in 2009, the largest proportion of which was £737,444 paid to the Responsibility in Gambling Trust (now the GREaT Foundation).

William Hill does not make donations to political parties.