Since 1958, established to boost the country's development and sports infrastructureand having the game PROPO as sole resource, the Greek Organization of Football prognostics has, in the intervening decades, accomplished its objectives, by constructing stadiums, courts, gyms and by supporting financially both football and other sports throughout Greece. In this way the company has achieved to make Greek people consider the brand OPAP as a synonym for contribution to society.
Since 2000, OPAP has become an S.A. company and has soon evolved into one of the leading companies in the gaming sector worldwide. The company enriched its range of games, which were embraced by the Greeks thanks to their variety, interest and, mainly, their integrity, which did not only lead the company to an impressive growth, but also became a funding source of its ever expanding social contribution; a contribution that is annually translated into essential intervention projects with tangible results and is oriented towards Culture, Education, Health, Environment and Sports, i.e. towards the Society as a whole.
Nowadays, OPAP S.A. is the leading Greek Company in terms of annual expenditure and variety of actions and projects related to Social Responsibility, which is based on the following pillars of social presence and participation:
· People
· Responsible Gaming
· Social Responsibility
PEOPLE
At the heart of the Company's philosophy lies the concept of contribution; contribution to the community, to the participants in our games, to the employees of OPAP Group, to our associates. This anthropocentric view of the Company is proved in our every action and has been the motivation and our goal throughout these five decades of our operation.
Today, we design our next steps focusing our actions once again on people. We aim at protecting the community, the interests of the Hellenic State and at contributing to those who need our help.
RESPONSIBLE GAMING
The ‘Responsible Gaming' axis includes the totality of initiatives and actions that OPAP S.A. undertakes for the protection of the public and preventing socially vulnerable groups from excessively participating to the company's games.
Responsible Gaming is fundamental to the Company, which steers its operations to achieving prudent participation in its games, by adults only. In this field, as a member of World Lotteries Association (WLA) and the European Lotteries(EL), the Company is committed to the implementation of the Responsible Gaming Certification framework that has been established by the two associations, aiming at the protection of players worldwide.
At the same time, the Company organizes its corporate communication according to the Principles of Responsible Advertising and Marketing.
SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
Everybody's efforts at OPAP serve one purpose: to transform business growth into social welfare. Making an essential contribution with tangible results and improvement of the quality of life in the community. This contribution is oriented towards Health, Education, Culture, Sports, the Environment and vulnerable social groups.
Keeping in mind that ‘being really great means to be able to make a difference in the daily lives of others', our philosophy is that, when it comes to contributing to society, nothing should be left to chance.
CSR ACTIONS
The Corporate Social Responsibility Program is an integral part of OPAP S.A. corporate philosophy and business activity. During the last two years the company focused on offering help for the immediate relief of a wide range of social groups that were either hit by the on-going financial crisis or consist of individuals suffering from severe diseases.
Health
OPAP S.A. implemented an extended program to equip hospitals in the capital and other cities with new state-of-the-art equipment that according to doctors "help save lives".
· The Children's Hospital "Aglaia Kyriakou" was equipped with a high sensitivity robotic radiotherapy device to assist in stereotactic radio surgery (SRS) a similar medical instrument three years ago.
· The hospitals: Evangelismos, Children's Hospital "Ayia Sofia", "AyioiAnargyroi", "Ayia Olga". "AyiosSavvas", "Amalia Fleming", Chlidren's Hospital of PenteliThriasion, "Aretaieio", Gennimatas", "Metaxa", "AyiosDionysios" in Attica and "AyiosPavlos" in Thessaloniki, Ioannina University Hospital, MolaoiLakonias Hospital, "Karamandaneion" Patras, Karpenissi Hospital et al. have been equipped, with specialized medical equipment such as Multislice CT scanner, ventilators to accommodate beds in Intensive Care Units, a 1.5T MRI system, endoscopy videos, Cytology Laboratory, Digital Mammogram Scanner, Brachytherapy System, Ultrasound Scanner, as well as with ambulances during the last two years.
Environment
· The project of tree plantation and afforestation on Mountain Panio that was destroyed by fire in 2007, by supporting financially the Non-Profit Company ARCTUROS ,
· The organization of an event entitled "Bicycle in the City». The Company organized, in collaboration with the Municipality of Peristeri, Cycling Races that hosted 1500 participants, as well as a parallel event entitled "Bicycle in the City". The purpose of this specific action was to highlight bicycle as a fast, modern, healthy, clean and friendly means of transportation and of approaching the urban social fabric,
· the campaign "Cleaning the Shores 2006" of the Environmental group "Mediterranean SOS" (MedSOS), where employees of the company participated voluntarily,
· the project of environmental and ecological upgrading of Tinos Municipality infrastructure,
· Environment related activities involving tree plantation, cleaning campaigns and protection of natural environment.
Culture
OPAP S.A. continued supporting major cultural projects and events. The company supported:
· the Archaeological Resources and Appropriations Fund (T.A.P.A.) in the implementation of a program aiming at upgrading services offered in 180 archaeological sites and museums in Greece,
· the National Opera in a series of performances,
· the organization of the 51st Thessaloniki International Film Festival,
· tour of nine theatrical troupes of young artists throughout Greece in Winter,
· the completion of the study for the restoration of the ancient theater of Delos, aiming at the conservation and promotion of this significant monument,
· the implementation of the ‘Greek Guiding Association', a three year project entitled «Guiding the Society – we are aware of the past, we create the future», which addresses the upgrading of archaeological sites,
· educational activities for groups of students that visit Goulandris Natural History Museum – 2 year project,
· the promotion of the multicultural character of Thessaloniki through parallel activities, on an annual basis. This project is based on the concept of creating a ‘cultural calendar' that will be the reference point for all cultural institutions of Thessaloniki, with the purpose of hosting one or more Guest of Honor Countries, as well as promoting and creating artwork representing their civilization,
· the ‘Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa' in covering part of the expenses for the restoration of precious patriarchal manuscripts that document the historic memory of Hellenism and Orthodoxy and highlight the wealth of our historic cultural heritage.
Education
OPAP S.A. contributed to significant actions in the field of Education. In particular the Company:
· supported financially the construction and operation of a multisensory interactive laboratory for students of Action Aid Hellas, entitled "A World Upside Down",
· financed the participation of school delegations to international school events (Knowledge Olympics), as well as the institutions responsible for the realization of sport events for national and international Lyceum championships,
· donations of musical equipment to music and art schools in the country and of equipment involving reading devices and printers for visually impaired persons the special primary school for blind children, as well as donations for the purchase and disposal of hospital equipment, autonomous living centers and for a special education room to serve as Learning Kitchen to a special primary school,
· offered equipment to Art Schools and Special Primary Schools,
· financed sports festivals, Balkan Championships and Olympics through the Ministry for Education, Lifelong Learning and Religious Affairs, as well as the conduct of Student Debate Contests through the European Cultural Centre of Delphi,
· supported the research on Childhood Obesity in cooperation with Harokopio University.
Sports
OPAP S.A. is traditionally the grand sponsor of all sports.
o It assisted the Hellenic Olympic Committee by covering the expenses for the preparation of Greek athletes participating in the London 2012 Olympic Games.
o OPAP S.A. also assisted the Hellenic Paralympic Committee by covering the expenses for the preparation of Greek athletes participating in the London 2012 Paralympic Games.
o The Company supports the research and educational program of the International Olympic Academy for the dissemination of Olympic Ideals and the propagation of Olympic Education.
o It goes without saying that OPAP S.A. supports the National Football Team, football in general as well as basketball, volleyball, cycling, tennis and many other sports and is also the Grand Sponsor of the Athens Classic Marathon .
o Apart from financing the organization of events, OPAP S.A. also financed, during the last two years, the reconstruction of stadium pitches all over Greece, making good on the motto "One Company, Good for All"
Other sectors
· OPAP S.A. has allocated important resources in the implementation of programs for the distribution of food and necessities for the destitute in cooperation with the Archdiocese of Athens, and the Bishoprics of Kissamos and Selimos, Lampi, Syvritos and Sfakia, and Syros, while with the cooperation of "KLIMAKA" NGO they assisted homeless people by organizing soup kitchens and distributing necessities,
· Furthermore OPAP S.A. donated important amounts for the catering of Social Grocery Stores in the Municipalities of: Alexandroupolis, Amaroussion, Keratsini, Herakleion, Markopoulo, Nea Ionia, Halkidona, Thermi, Pavlos in Thessaloniki, Ierapetra, Ioannina, Kalamata, Karpenissi, Larissa, Messolonghi, Xanthi, Tyrnavos and Chania ,
· OPAP S.A. offered free fuel oil for heating (2.500 lt) to each one out of 18 Welfare Institutes,
· At the same time, the Company strived to bring joy to the lives of children who need it more and to that end organized in Athens, Thessaloniki and Herakleion special celebrations and events for children living in welfare homes where they played and had fun enjoying activities like face painting, puppet theater, shadow theater, pastry workshop, arts workshops, collage and graffiti activities, electronic games, song contest etc,
· OPAP S.A. also covered the expenses for events with clowns, conjurers and entertainers in the main squares of Athens, Piraeus and Thessaloniki on Christmas and New Year's Eve of 2011.
