|
In no country is the generic notion
of "culture" and its significance more
prevalent than in Greece. Stemming from their "Golden
Age" (7th Century-5th Century B.C.), Greeks
have always attached significant importance to the
existence of historical and cultural roots, with
the past.
Four hundred years of Turkish occupation
further strengthened the desire to reiterate the
links to the past, part of a conscious effort to
demonstrate that the ideals of the Hellenes, the
collective name applied to the ancient Greek-speaking
city-states of the past, still live on in present
day Greece. After all, the birthplace of Democracy
lies within the borders of the modern Greek state.
An integral part of this effort is
comprised through the Corporate Social Responsibility
Program in place at OPAP S.A., which through direct
and indirect sponsorships seeks to fund social and
cultural causes and events which in turn seek to
highlight the merits of modern and old Greece alike.
Furthermore, OPAP represents the
largest financial contributor to the coffers of
the Ministry of Culture. Every year the Ministry
receives over $330 million, as a result of the dividends
the company pays to shareholders, of which the Greek
state, through the Ministry of Economy and Finance
and the Ministry of Culture, collects 51% as the
major shareholder.
OPAP’s role is truly unique.
As Grand Sponsor of the National Football Team,
the company recently capitalized on the success
of the newly-crowned European Soccer Champions.
Furthermore, through local sponsorships and community
support projects, the brand of OPAP is now instantly
recognizable by over 93% of the adult population
of the country (source: MRI Poll, June 2003), a
fact which goes a long way towards explaining why
OPAP and its games have demonstrated such immense
financial success over the last five years.
To the investment community, OPAP
represents the "golden goose", much as
in Greek mythology. For Greek society, OPAP today
still maintains the role of supporting and sustaining
important aspects of local and national culture
and sports. Indicatively, the company has supported,
amongst other things, the Thessaloniki Trade Fair,
over 250 Charities and NGO’s, The National
Theatre, The National Basketball Association and
17 Regional Medical and Hospital Facilities over
the last three years.
It is – in every way –
a win-win relationship for those involved. OPAP
– whose business model other State Lottery
Operators across the globe are now trying to emulate
– manages to promote its activities –
often a source of controversy in other countries
– not with society being suspicious but rather
receptive. Safe in the knowledge that part of this
money will return to the grassroots, players are
more than willing to reward those bastions of culture
and heritage.
For OPAP, this translates into broad
acceptance, high penetration levels and the ability
to lay claim to one of the most successful and profitable
– in financial and non-financial terms –
relationships in modern corporate Greek history.
|
Greece 
