Connecting for #Citizenship at Caesars

The publication of Caesars Entertainment's seventh annual 2015-2016 Citizenship Report is a testimony to the value of connecting all year round, and not just during reporting season. Caesars Entertainment is one of the best companies I know that connects on several social media platforms across a range of topics with regularity, creativity and consistency. That's why, in this Citizenship Report, the theme of connecting is highlighted and illustrated with Tweets and hand-held Message Boards. 

Caesars Entertainment Corporation is the world’s most diversified casino-entertainment provider and the most geographically diverse U.S. casino-entertainment company. A regular feature of the report is the Footprint, updated each year, showing the size and scale of the company.

Connecting is something Caesars does well. Perhaps this is what you might expect of a hospitality company. However, it's not to be taken for granted. Connecting at many levels with stakeholders is a cornerstone of sustainability and citizenship practice, and becomes a regular feed of interactions, sharing, learning and supporting that builds familiarity and trust. And add a little fun into the mix. The new Citizenship Report reflects this, from the senior management team right through the organization. 

Jan Jones Blackhurst - Executive Vice President of Government Relations and Corporate Responsibility

 

Alex Dixon, Assistant General Manager, Horseshoe Baltimore

Brooks Robinson, Regional Senior Vice President & General Manager, Harrah’s Cherokee

Jessica Rosman, VP, Procurement

Tweets in the report are dispersed throughout, supporting the narrative. This of course was only possible because Caesars maintains strong Twitter streams throughout the year from a variety of Twitter handles. The main one is the Citizenship stream (@CitizenCaesars). Then there is  Caesars diversity and supplier-diversity stream (@CZRDiversity) and Caesars charitable Foundation (@CaesarsFdn) and the corporate stream that includes many citizenship-related updates (@CaesarsEnt) and the Caesars "We Mean Business" Responsible Meetings stream (@CaesarsMeetings). And that's just to start with. Most of the 50+ properties at Caesars have their own Twitter streams where they amplify many of the citizenship messages to followers. There are few companies around that maintain such a pace on social media. It's a testimony to Caesars' respect for its stakeholders and openness to engage. 

For example, on a page where Caesars talks about advancing diverse suppliers, two Tweets are integrated into the story.

On a page where Caesars talks about creating memorable experiences for guests, with the new Jennifer Lopez sell-out residency, Tweets illustrate guests' excitement with the show of shows.

 

For every story in the report, and there are lots of stories, there's a Tweet, or several Tweets. As a channel of communication and engagement, Caesars gets the message real-time to where its followers are and listens to what they say back. It's modern, it's fun, it's transparent, it's citizenship. Of course, the publication of the report had to be followed up with a Twitter Chat. You can read the summary of the chat, hosted by Triple Pundit, here. 

But Caesars' report is more than Tweets and Message Boards. It's 110 pages of GRI G4 compliant reporting of advances in citizenship performance during the past year. It's also a first alignment with 8 of the 17 the Sustainable Development Goals, integrated with Caesars citizenship and sustainability strategy.

Overall, Caesars makes a strong contribution to economic development, with $9 billion in economic value created for stakeholders in 2015, bringing the total close to $40 billion in the past five years. Relatively speaking, Caesars contributes to communities more than three times the equivalent average value contributed by U.S. corporations.

This is not just about money. It's about the many different ways of being part of local communities, engaging and collaborating to support economic development and improvement in the quality of life. For example, 55% of Caesars employees are involved and invested in voluntary community activities in some way. Caesars' leadership in the development of responsible meetings defines specific sustainability standards for the thousands of meetings, conventions and conferences that Caesars hosts at its properties each year. The standards that Caesars requires of its suppliers through its Responsible Suppler Statement and the advancement of supplier diversity, engaging with diverse supplier communities and offering mentoring programs, are part of the social and economic value that Caesars creates. Also, Caesars takes a public stand against social inequalities and in favor of human rights, for example, as a founding partner of the Businesses Ending Slavery and Trafficking (BEST) Employers Alliance formed in September 2015. BEST is the first public-private partnership in the U.S. to work across industries to prevent sex trafficking and sex buying. 

Caesars reports strong progress (again) in environmental efficiencies through Caesars' CodeGreen strategy, both in 2015 and since the start of the initiative in 2007.

And guess what, as they get older, Caesars employees are getting healthier. With an award-winning Employee Wellness Program that demonstrates incredible levels of participation and outcomes, employees can enjoy a healthier and happier... and hopefully longer life.

It would be remiss of me not to mention Responsible Gaming when talking about Caesars. But there's no news here. Caesars was the industry leader in Responsible Gaming programs as the first commercial company to address the issue of problem gambling in 1989, and Caesars remains the industry leader today.  Caesars continues to invest in training, communications and providing practical tools, such as self-exclusion, to ensure that people who come to gamble do so because they want to have fun. With 796 trained Responsible Gaming Ambassadors throughout properties in the U.S, and tens of thousands of employees trained each year, this for Caesars is par for the course. No news, but good news.

Caesars 2015-2016 Citizenship Report covers all of this, and more, in a clearly structured GRI G4 (core) report that is supported by a year of Tweets from multiple Twitter streams. This makes the report fun to read (maybe one of YOUR Tweets got into the report?) and also validates the content by demonstrating that citizenship, at Caesars, is day-by-day and not report-by-report.

As always, take a look. Give feedback!

Disclosure: You probably guessed that I worked on this report (as well as on Caesars prior three reports).  It's always a pleasure and honor to work with Caesars. Maybe one day, I might even get to meet Jennifer Lopez. If I do, I'll Tweet about it.

elaine cohen, CSR consultant, Sustainability Reporter, HR Professional, Ice Cream Addict. Author of Understanding G4: the Concise Guide to Next Generation Sustainability Reporting  AND  Sustainability Reporting for SMEs: Competitive Advantage Through Transparency AND CSR for HR: A necessary partnership for advancing responsible business practices . Contact me via Twitter (@elainecohen)  or via my business website www.b-yond.biz   (Beyond Business Ltd, an inspired CSR consulting and Sustainability Reporting firm).  Need help writing your first / next Sustainability Report? Contact elaine: info@b-yond.biz 

Serious Play with Caesars

As you know, we LOVE reports. And we LOVE to have FUN. So working on a report that's fun is exactly what Serious Play is about for us. For Caesars Entertainment, it's pretty much the same. As a company whose entire DNA is all about inspiring grown-ups to play, Caesars takes corporate citizenship as seriously as it takes the memorable entertainment experiences it provides for its guests.

And here you have it, Caesars Entertainment's second G4 (core) report now published. And it's called Serious Play. 

Caesars Entertainment 2013-2014 Corporate Citizenship Report

and the infographic of 2013 highlights

As with any self-respecting G4 report, material issues are clearly stated:

And the issues link to G4 material Aspects and performance indicators in this chart, so that it all hangs together as a G4 report should do.

Now, getting past the G4 basics,  you will notice a mix of serious and play in the Caesars report this year, supported by an outstanding contribution in corporate citizenship - including achievement of some ambitious environmental goals. At Caesars, corporate citizenship is not just a project or something people do in addition to their work. It's the way people work. After conversations with more than fifty managers and staff at Caesars, in the preparation of this report, I can personally testify to a spirit of citizenship - and fun - as well as strategic vision, that is rarely found in  organizations. 

The Caesars Code of Commitment was created in 2000 and at the time, led the industry in establishing a framework of behavior that continues to guide the way Caesars work. 

Today, this supports an entire strategic approach to citizenship that is embedded in everything the company does. Some examples:

Horseshoe Cincinnati: The report showcases the new city-integrated casino that opened up in 2013 in Cincinnati, and the ways in which this downtown casino-entertainment property has become an important contributor to city life. More than 92% of the 1,500 strong workforce is from the Cincinnati area, 75% of contracts for goods and services are locally sourced and a large part of this is with diverse suppliers, and during construction, nearly 37% of all contracts worth more than $55 million were awarded to minority or women-owned construction firms. Kevin Kline, Horseshoe Cincinnati GM, supports the city in a variety of ways. For example, he co-chairs the Cincinnati Mayor’s Economic Inclusion Advisory Council to help make inclusion part of the Cincinnati business culture and develop best practices for achieving greater diversity in city contracts. Members of the management team at Horseshoe Cincinnati maintain board level positions with 18 local city and community organizations and the property is a home to many fundraising events for local charities. Horseshoe Cincinnati also takes part in Caesars CodeGreen environmental strategy and made a strong contribution to delivering goals of energy and emissions reductions, water use reduction and increased waste diversion this year. This is Serious Play in Cincinnati, showing how doing business with a Code of Commitment mindset generates positive social, environmental and economic outcomes for all.  

Harrah's Cherokee: Caesars' partnership with the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Nation dates back to 1997, and in 2013, the partners completed a $633 million expansion project representing the largest hospitality development project in the U.S. It was fascinating for me to research and hear about the way revenues from casino and hospitality offerings have transformed the lives of the members of the Eastern Band of Cherokees. This is how it's described in the report:

"Most Native American communities reside on reservation properties, far from mainstream economic activity. As a result, it has been difficult for many Native American tribes to gain access to capital and community services such as education, healthcare and employment opportunities. Data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows, for example, that 29.1% of Native Americans (and Alaska Natives) were in poverty in 2012 versus 15.9% in the nation as a whole. We believe that our partnership with Native American tribes makes a contribution to the prosperity and perpetuity of the Native American way of life that serves the interests of our society as a whole." I think this is the ultimate goal of corporate citizenship - doing business ethically, transparently, in partnership and driving social benefits. 

It's not all serious, though, at Cherokee. There's also lots of fun going on. That's serious fun. Several Caesars properties take part in the annual National Breast Cancer Pink Week where everything from poker table felts to golf balls to balloons and more are colored pink. Harrah's Cherokee won an award among Caesars properties for a magnificent Pink Week which included days such as Mammo Monday, Wacky Smack Wednesday and Bra Fight Friday where both employees and guests enjoy the fun while learning about breast cancer, remembering lost loved ones and making a contribution to support breast cancer research. The highlight of the week is the pageant. How many senior managers in how many organizations would get up on stage wearing a wacky bra designed by an employee? See how it happens at Cherokee.

Citizenship is Citizenship: One of the most touching things for me in the Caesars report is a description of how Caesars supports its employees to receive U.S. citizenship. There is a Caesars Citizenship Rewards Program for Las Vegas employees who become naturalized citizens of the United States. Caesars recognizes employees for their dedication and commitment to becoming naturalized citizens with a refund of up to 100% of the application. Around 250 employees have received this benefit to date. 

Caesars 2013-2014 Corporate Citizenship Report is full of examples of how Caesars engages in Serious Play in many other aspects of the company's daily life - whether this is taking a stand in public policy support for LGBT rights, climate change and more, supporting social causes through the Caesars Foundation and HERO Volunteer programs or leading the way in Responsible Gaming with a range of resources to raise awareness and provide assistance to those who need it. 

But I won't go into too much detail. You can guess why.... that's it... take a look and give feedback. You'll find a few surprises among the pages too.... just for fun.

elaine cohen, CSR consultant, Sustainability Reporter, HR Professional, Ice Cream Addict. Author of Understanding G4: the Concise guide to Next Generation Sustainability Reporting  AND  Sustainability Reporting for SMEs: Competitive Advantage Through Transparency AND CSR for HR: A necessary partnership for advancing responsible business practices . Contact me via www.twitter.com/elainecohen   or via my business website www.b-yond.biz   (Beyond Business Ltd, an inspired CSR consulting and Sustainability Reporting firm).  Check out our G4 Report Expert Analysis Service - for published G4 reports or pre-publication - write to Elaine at info@b-yond.biz  to help make your G4 reporting  even better.   

Materiality Matters. Checked.

Caesars Entertainment Corporation publishes today its fourth CSR and Sustainability Report for 2012. This is a groundbreaking report. (Disclosure: I assisted with the development and writing of this report. But don't let that fool you. It is still groundbreaking.)

Why is it groundbreaking? Because it's first in many ways:

• It's the first Sustainability Report from a U.S. based gaming-entertainment corporation which is in accordance with GRI G4 CORE level guidelines.
• It's one of the first G4 CORE reports published anywhere in the world (there are less than 20 at the time of writing).
• It's the first G4 report from any U.S. corporation which is published in line with G4 CORE level guidelines (two other U.S. companies published G4 "referenced" reports, one non-profit published a G4 CORE report and a public agency published a G4-referenced Sustainability Review, making Caesars the first corporation to go public with CORE).
• It's the first Sustainability Report to be published after having passed the spanking new G4 Materiality Matters check. The G4 Materiality Matters check opened for business on December 2nd, and Caesars was one of the first organizations to apply. Actually, I believe this is a FIRST IN THE WORLD G4 CORE Materiality-Matters-checked-by-GRI publication! Correct me, please, if I am wrong, but I have not seen any other report published that can make this claim. 

I am convinced. Groundbreaking it is. It has been a great pleasure and privilege for me to assist such a fabulous organization committed to not only reporting, but to living its sustainability journey with passion and purpose. 

I'll be honest and say that I was a little (a lot) (ok, a ton) skeptical when GRI announced the Materiality Matters check. In this check, GRI promises to analyze responses to 11 materiality disclosures, and ensure that the responses meet the reporting requirements, are correctly located in the report and, equally as important, are easy to locate. I thought this check was probably not worth bothering with. How hard can it be to get a few disclosures in the right place? I felt that the check should include confirmation of the location of all the Disclosures on Management Approach and the Performance Indicators that are required reporting once a company has declared its material Aspects. In fact, I still feel that this would be an important addition to help ensure the integrity of a report.

However, my skepticism faded when I realized that there is room for error. GRI required us to make some modifications to the draft report in order to pass the Materiality Matters check. An incorrect page number in the index. An incomplete link to an external assurance statement. Addition of "disclosure labels" in the body of the report to help the reader locate specific disclosures. Little things, but important ones for report users. And important for reporting companies, because in these little things lies a certain attention to detail that can make a report navigable, coherent and, most importantly, credible. In the end, I was pleased that the folks at Caesars Entertainment took the brave step of submitting their report to GRI scrutiny, and was entirely relieved when GRI delivered the Materiality Matters icon. 

Over several months, I have come to know many of the Caesars people, and engaged with over 50 executives and staff in thousands of minutes of VOIP, landline, cyberspace and broadband. No, I didn't actually get to Caesars Palace in person this time around, but I did feel that I was there in spirit as I enjoyed many spare minutes playing Slotomania. 

One of the fascinating parts of this reporting process was the review of Caesars material issues - this was done in several meetings with managers within the company, and external experts from World Resources Institute and others. It was a great process, and resulted, I believe in a more rounded and balanced core of most material issues which formed the heart of the report content.

Another thing that guided the structure and content of this report was the Caesars Code of Commitment. This Code was developed in 2000, and you don't have to have a very long conversation with anyone at all at Caesars to realize that it's the way they live their work. The four key pillars of the Code: commitment to employees, guests, communities and environmental stewardship helped create a perfect framework for Caesars' material issues and the story of Caesars' CSR and sustainability performance in the last year. Helping create Vibrant Communities is at the heart of this story, and the report demonstrates how Caesars makes a positive difference.

I am sure you will want to go take a look at the report yourself, so I won't spoil your fun. A few highlights, however, to whet your appetite, from Caesars' accomplishments in 2012:

• Completion of 37 corporate efficiency projects with an investment of $3.5 million delivering nearly 24 million kWh energy savings per year. 
• 24% waste diversion from landfill, measured for the first time. 
• 41% of women in management roles. 
• More than 3.6 million hours invested in employee training. 
• Increase in customer satisfaction scores 2.56 percent, reaching the highest satisfaction levels in Caesars' history. 
• In 2012, 85 percent of Caesars gaming revenues were related to customers’ specific preferences, enabling Caesars to align special rewards with what customers wanted most. The hotel industry average was 56 percent. 
• Caesars Entertainment takes a public stand on important issues to support vibrant communities and social justice, including supporting comprehensive immigration reform that both advances border security as well as streamlines the immigration process for those who are willing to work hard and complete the legal process. 
• In 2012, in the U.S. alone, Caesars employees donated more than 130,000 hours to support local communities.
• Significant investment in Responsible Gaming with over 35,000 employees trained in Responsible Gaming tools in 2012 alone. 

By the way, Caesars also publishes key data which reports the company's contribution to helping develop Vibrant Communities in different states across the U.S. So if you live in Arizona, Nevada, Mississippi or Pennsylvania, for example, you can download data that is specifically relevant to your community. 

And by now, you probably know what I am going to say next. Read the report. Give feedback.




elaine cohen, CSR consultant, winning (CRRA'12) Sustainability Reporter, HR Professional, Ice Cream Addict. Author of Understanding G4: the Concise guide to Next Generation Sustainability Reporting  AND  Sustainability Reporting for SMEs: Competitive Advantage Through Transparency AND CSR for HR: A necessary partnership for advancing responsible business practices . Contact me at www.twitter.com/elainecohen   or via my business website www.b-yond.biz   (Beyond Business Ltd, an inspired CSR consulting and Sustainability Reporting firm)