Environmental management

The majority of Group Companies have implemented Integrated Management Systems certified in accordance with standard UNI EN ISO (see info. box Corporate Identity in the chapter Corporate governance and management systems). The Parent Company itself has an Integrated Management System with Quality, Environment, Safety and Energy components that facilitates environmental compliance and a Management and sustainability systems Policy that guides the Group’s approach to respecting and protecting the environment, also in line with the principles in the Code of Ethics. The commitment of the Operating Companies to maintaining the efficiency of the Management System for environmental matters does not entirely exclude situations, usually provoked by contingent circumstances, that generate non-conformities that may be challenged by the competent Control Bodies. During the year the main operating companies of the group received around 200 environmental fines, with the consequent payment of approximately € 250,000. An additional 80 environmental disputes are currently being settled.

The actions taken, and specifically the complete closure of biofilters and creation of three chimneys for atmospheric emissions, the Aprilia plant was released on 18 March 2021. November 2021 saw issue of a preventive seizure order for assets owned by Gesesa, with a value of € 78 million, due to objections of an environmental nature pursuant to Italian Legislative Decree 231/2001. The order was appealed by the Company and the Judicial Review Court, having accepted the appeal, cancelled the order in December.

Environmental problems of greater significance are forwarded to the Units responsible, which establish the facts reported and re- quest the necessary action, as well as providing feedback to the Bodies involved. Exceptionally, it may happen that the Company receives significant reports from individual persons; in this case they will be checked and, where needed, it will intervene to resolve them. With respect to electricity distribution, Areti may receive observa- tions regarding alleged environmental damage in the case of buildings housing electrical plants. However, this concerns installations indispensable for the correct exercise of the electricity distribution network, created by the Company following authorisations grant- ed by Bodies which are custodians of the land and therefore fully compliant with the legislation of reference, including both town planning and environmental legislation115. The Assets and Special Projects Unit, which protects the company’s assets, receives the notes of dispute from the owners of the immoveable properties that host transformer substations or are adjacent to power lines, and subsequently the Areti Risk & Compliance and Safety Unit carries out the instrumental checks in response to the disputes. In 2021 four complaints were processed, which have not yet been closed as the counterparties have submitted appropriate appeals to the rel- evant Courts.

¹¹⁵In this case, the environmental regulatory reference is D.P.C.M. of 8 July 2003.