Paf raises the bar on climate action

We are committed to reduce our climate impact in line with the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C target. That is why we have set a science-based target, which is approved by the Science Based Target initiative (SBTi).
Our near-term targets state that we will reduce our scope 1 and scope 2 emissions by at least 46% by 2030, from a 2019 base year.
SBTi is a robust and scientific framework that provides climate targets and methodologies for companies around the world.

 

Kranmärkta (Eco-tap) offices

In autumn 2019 we chose to pursue Eco-tap labelling for our offices in Mariehamn and Stockholm.

This means that we no longer buy water that is served in plastic bottles. Instead, we only serve local tap water, directly from our own faucets. In autumn 2018, we also installed new water-saving nozzles for most of the faucets at the head office, which reduced our water consumption in 2019 by as much as 136 cubic metres of water. 

We have identified how our environmental sustainability work contributes to the UN’s global sustainability goals, as well as to the local Åland development and the sustainability agenda’s strategic goals. This resulted in two different goals within the Åland sustainability agenda and three different global UN goals.

The Åland sustainability agenda


UN Global Development Goals

   

Climate-smart head office

During Paf’s 50th year of operation, its newly built head office was put into use. The starting point for the building and its design was to create a pleasant workplace and reduce Paf’s environmental footprint. Hence the head office is structured as a passive building, where renewable energy is used as far as possible.

Large parts of the slanted, bow-shaped exterior walls of the building are covered by a special sealing layer that reduce heating emissions, and 742 solar panels collect daylight in order to generate energy for use inside the building.

Inside the building there is motion detector-controlled LED lighting and water reducing nozzles, and on the parking lot 20 electric car chargers have been installed for the employees to use.

Big parts of the head office is built with glulam. This because it is;

  • Renewable and domestic
  • Strong and lightweight
  • Fireproof
  • Clean and easy to work with
  • Good for indoor environment
  • Timber absorbs carbon dioxide

How we contribute to the Åland sustainability agenda and UN’s global sustainability goals

Green energy and electricity

We now purchase more environmentally friendly energy and electricity alternatives.

Free bicycles

Bicycles are free to borrow for our Paf employees.

Climate finance

We climate finance for the amount of our calculated impact on the environment by supporting different climate projects.

Water reducing nozzles

We have installed water reducing nozzles in Mariehamn and Helsinki.

Electric car chargers

We have installed 20 electric car chargers by the head office in Mariehamn.

Solar panels

We have installed 742 solar panels at the head office on the southern wall and on the rooftop (producing 170 000 kWh).

Review our climate impact

We review our company climate impact annually and carry out measures to reduce our emissions accordingly.

LED lighting

We have changed to LED lighting in the head office and in Helsinki. We have also installed motion detector-controlled lighting.

Video conference

We have implemented many technical solutions, such as video conferencing facilities and google meet, that facilitate teleworking and reduce our travel.

Annual climate audit

Paf’s annual climate audit is conducted by an external partner who calculates our carbon footprint according to the international standard GHG Protocol (the Greenhouse Gas Protocol). The audit helps us understand and identify how we can reduce our climate impact.

Paf’s climate impact in 2022 resulted in a total of 1 867 tons CO²e, an increase of 23.2% from 2021.

The reason for the increase is due to an increased number of business trips for our staff and increased use of our various gaming machines onboard, largely due to the easing of pandemic restrictions.

As in previous years, the largest climate impact is within Scope 3 (95.6%). Energy consumption in our offices (Scope 2) accounted for 3.4% and 1% was from our service vehicles (Scope 1).

Scope 1 / Direct emissions

Direct emissions of greenhouse gases from sources owned or controlled by Paf (e.g. service vehicles).

Scope 2 / Indirect emissions from purchased energy

Emissions from heating, cooling and production of electricity purchased by Paf.

Scope 3 / Indirect emissions from business activities

Indirect emissions caused by Paf’s activities such as business and customer travels, purchased technology, energy consumption from our physical games and cloud services.

Climate finance

We climate finance our impact on the environment based on the annual climate audit. We do this every year by supporting different established projects through our climate partner.

Read more about the climate projects we have been supporting over the last years bellow.

Bhadla Solar 2

Type of project: Solar energy

Certificate: Gold Standard

In 2022, we finance a portion of our climate impact by supporting the Bhadla Solar 2 solar energy project in India. The solar park is planned in the district of Rajasthan, close to the Pakistani border. The area is severely affected by pollution and high temperatures. Coal power still accounts for half of India’s energy consumption and the construction of solar parks improves air quality and generates labour. Bahdla Solar 2 together with other neighbouring power plants form one of the largest solar parks in the world.

 

Tropical Mix

Type of project: Rainforest restoration

Certificate: Gold Standard, FSC and UTZ

We also offset the Tropical Mix forestry project in Panama, Central America. The project plants new rainforest on land that has been deforested or abandoned and creates a home for 15 red-listed animal species. The project also generates 150 long-term jobs and has so far contributed to a CO2e reduction of almost 1.3 million tonnes.

Read more about Tropical Mix here. 

Paf financed for 1,867 tonnes of CO₂e.

Type of project: Wind energy

Certificate: UN certified, Gold Standard and Verified Carbon Standard 

During 2021 Paf supported the wind energy project Gujarat in India, to climate finance for our company’s climate impact. Wind energy is an optimal energy source due to it being renewable, which doesn’t exploit any resources. Wind energy is one significantly more clean power source than other alternatives, it doesn’t pollute its nearby environment. The electricity from the 111 generators provide an improved grid frequency and electricity availability for the region’s residents. This contributes to new possibilities for industries and economic activities within the area. 

Paf climate financed 1,529 tonnes of CO2e.

Barangay

Type of project: Wind energy

Certificate: Gold Standard VER

In 2020 we climate financed our company’s calculated climate impact by supporting the Barangay wind energy project in the Philippines. Fossil fuels account for more than 70% of the energy in the Philippines and Barangay is one of the first renewable energy projects in the country. The climate financing project expands wind energy in the Philippines and it also contributes to socio-economic benefits for the region’s residents.

 

Direct Air Capture

Type of project: Direct Air Capture

We also chose to climate finance an equal amount in a climate project that is underway in Iceland. The company Climeworks has developed a technology that sucks carbon dioxide out of the air and pushes it into the ground. The ground-breaking technology is called Direct Air Capture; it mixes the carbon dioxide with water in a geothermal plant as it is pumped deep into Iceland’s bedrock, where it is transformed into stone within a few years. It’s not an ordinary climate financing project, but we want to support their efforts and we will receive confirmation from the company when the carbon dioxide has been permanently removed from the atmosphere.

Read more about Direct Air Capture here.

Paf climate financed 371 tonnes of CO2e.

Type of project: Solar energy

Certification: Gold Standard CDM

In 2019 we climate financed through supporting the Bhilwara solar project in India. The climate financing project expands the solar energy investment in India and it also contributes to socio-economic benefits for the region’s residents. The project is run by the Finnish energy company Fortum, which has taken a strong position on more sustainable energy production.

Paf climate financed 1,455 tonnes of CO₂e.

Type of project: Replanting and forest protection

Certificate: Gold Standard

We climate financed for our calculated climate impact in 2018 by supporting the Sodo & Humbo project in Ethiopia. The deforestation in Ethiopia has made the Ethiopian agricultural suffer from soil erosion, flooding and drought. The agriculture provides over 90% of the population with livelihood, so the deforestation is resulting in making the food security and income generation uncertain for one of the world’s poorest populations. Therefore the project’s aim is to reverse the deforestation trend in the country, which is being done by planting and protecting over one million trees.

Paf climate financed 1,897 tonnes of CO₂e.

Type of Project: Bioenergy

Certificate: CDM – Gold Standard

In 2017 we chose to financially support the Sri Balaji project, which is a biomass power plant in Andhra Pradesh in eastern India. The power plant uses renewable farm waste instead of coal, the most common source of power in the country. This saves approximately 29 000 tonnes CO2e each year. India’s current energy production is based almost entirely on fossil fuels, but by contributing fossil-free energy to the power network, the project helps mitigate local pollution. 

Paf climate financed for 1761 tonnes of CO2e.