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

 

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