ReportModern Times Group
Corporate Responsibility Report 2017
1 Jan 201747 pages~146 min full read
MTG reported a 49.7% increase in total greenhouse-gas emissions in 2017 compared to 2016, with air travel accounting for approximately 70% of the company's total emissions.
While MTG achieved near-gender parity in Sweden and Finland at 48%, female representation at the senior-executive level remained low at 20%, and women earned only 66–67% of the basic salary of their male counterparts.
The company set a formal target to achieve a 50/50 gender balance across its workforce by 2020.
MTG demonstrated strong broadcast compliance in 2017, recording 49 complaints with zero upheld by Ofcom, while 89% of output included subtitles and 15% included audio-description.
Total energy consumption across the group decreased significantly from 71,782 GJ in 2015 to 51,459 GJ in 2017.
Employee engagement remained high with an 84% satisfaction rate and an 88% sense of pride, though the company experienced a 16.5% turnover rate, primarily driven by male departures.
Independent assurance by Ethos International confirmed GRI Core compliance but identified a need for improved materiality analysis, supplier code enforcement, and HR system integration.
Modern Times Group (MTG) presented a comprehensive overview of its corporate responsibility performance for 2017, positioning itself as a global digital‑entertainment leader with approximately 3,700 employees and net sales of €16‑17 billion SEK. The report emphasizes MTG’s commitment to “media for good,” detailing initiatives that safeguard children through parental controls, audio‑description (covering 15 % of output) and subtitles (89 % of output), and noting a decline in broadcast‑compliance complaints to 49, with none upheld by Ofcom. Recognition of its children’s programming was underscored by a Kristallen award.
Diversity and inclusion formed a central pillar of the strategy, with the workforce representing 59 nationalities and achieving near‑gender parity in Sweden and Finland (48 % women). The company set a 50/50 gender‑balance target for 2020, yet disclosed a persistent gender‑pay gap—women earned 66‑67 % of men’s basic salary, and female representation fell to 20 % at senior‑executive levels. Employee engagement remained high, reflected in an 84 % satisfaction rate and an 88 % sense of pride, while turnover stood at 16.5 %, driven primarily by male departures.
Environmental performance revealed a 49.7 % increase in total greenhouse‑gas emissions versus 2016, largely attributable to the inclusion of MTGx operations and air travel, which accounted for roughly 70 % of emissions. Excluding air travel, emissions declined 12 % year‑on‑year, and overall energy consumption dropped from 71,782 GJ in 2015 to 51,459 GJ in 2017. The group’s external gaming arm, alongside its esports and digital‑entertainment divisions, contributed to a diversified portfolio spanning Europe and North America.
Independent assurance by Ethos International confirmed compliance with GRI Core “in‑accordance” standards, identifying minor calculation errors and recommending enhancements in materiality analysis, equality and diversity focus, supplier code enforcement, and HR system integration. Stakeholder surveys and user testing were highlighted as effective mechanisms for aligning responsibility initiatives with customer expectations.
