Communication, events and solidarity

[GRI - 102-40], [GRI - 102-42], [GRI - 102-43], [GRI - 413-1], [GRI - 303-1], [GRI - 102-14], [GRI - 103-2], [GRI - 413-2], [GRI - 203-2], [GRI - 416-1], [GRI - 103-2], [GRI - 103-3], [GRI - 203-1], [GRI - 102-44], [GRI - 102-12],
communication

COMMUNICATION

The Communication Function of the Holding directs and coordi- nates communication and information strategies and initiatives, defining the development of the Group image. It oversees infor- mation coverage by journalists and looks after the management of relations with the media, including the drafting and dissemina- tion of non-price-sensitive press releases, the preparation of press reviews and the organisation of press conferences for the various business areas. It also coordinates communication activities and internal dissemination of documents, news and editorial content, brand enhancement, management of corporate identity , creation of institutional, advertising and commercial campaigns, organisa- tion of public or institutional events, development and manage- ment of environmental education and solidarity projects, as well as special projects and external events aimed at strengthening the bond between Acea and the territory.

In-house expertise also covers the design and production of pho- tographic and video services, management of the Group's modern and historic documentary and photographic archives, and the pro- motion of Acea sites/plants for educational and cultural purposes.

The Communication Function also defines digital strategy and digital identity, in line with the strategic guidelines defined by Top Management, the positioning of the Group in the digital ecosystem, through the design, development and management of the institu- tional website and the websites of the Companies that align with the corporate identity. It is responsible for the operational manage- ment of social media channels to disseminate and enhance, in ad- dition to news and information about the Group, brand awareness, the Group's values and mission and the initiatives it carries out.

In 2021, the Group's advertising communication focused on in- novation and value creation, with special attention to the territory and people. In April, with the aim of enhancing the Group's brand reputation, a campaign entitled “Acea, 111 years of innovation” was launched in the main national and local newspapers, both online and in print, with the aim of illustrating how Acea's values are evident and recognisable throughout its history (see the dedicated box).

ACEA UN’INNOVAZIONE LUNGA 111 ANNI (ACEA, 111 YEARS OF INNOVATION)

In response to the need to enhance the Group's brand reputation, with its Acea 111 years of innovation campaign, Acea has designed and developed, entirely with internal resources, an institutional campaign in the main national and local newspapers, online and in print. The aim was to communicate Acea Group's values, by underlining its close- ness to the area and people that characterises it, and the important path of innovation undertaken, which supports the improvement and effectiveness of the public utility services managed: from water to energy, up to the treatment and enhancement of waste.

Acea accompanies its customers towards a more sustainable tomorrow and contributes to making the cities in which it operates smarter. The payoff chosen for the campaign is 'The future is our environment'. This was a very substantial communication effort, lasting over one month, with a total of 50 appearances in the press with high-impact print formats and over 10 million web impressions. With this national campaign, on air on 26 April 2021, Acea want- ed to communicate its great commitment to creating value for the country every day.

In September, the campaign was awarded the 18° Press, Outdoor & Promotion Key Award for the Transport and Energy category.

The year's communication was also characterised by a focus on in- novation. Starting in January, in fact, the Digital Branch campaign went on air for three months to communicate the digitalisation of the Water Area through the new branch available to customers, and in July, to encourage customers to use digital channels, a campaign dedicated to the web bill was created for Acea Ato 2 and Acea Ato 5, to communicate the characteristics of the new interactive dig- ital bill: immediacy, digitalisation and simplicity. The campaign was in print, outdoor, digital and aired on the radio. Lastly, in April, an important information campaign was launched for the same com- panies operating in the water sector, using various forms of com- munication (press, digital, BTL and posters) to encourage the use of the social water bonus.

To support the communication of the energy industrial area (com- mercial & trading), a campaign for Acea Energia was launched in April 2021: E-Mobility, aimed at underlining its commitment to sustainable mobility, with the launch of Acea's new e-mobili- ty app, full of services that facilitate the use of electric vehicles. The campaign was developed in targeted and crossing actions involving several media (print, digital programmatic and reservation, outdoor). Acea Energia's 100% Eco Green communication campaign was also launched in June and July, aimed at improving brand reputation by highlighting the company's increasingly clear-cut decisions to protect the environment and reduce carbon dioxide emissions (see box in the Customer Care section). The campaign, which had a significant media response involving two exceptional testimonials, Emanuela Fanelli and Frank Matano, was developed in targeted and crossing actions that involved several media, with over 1,300 radio spots, press, video strategy on digital, TV commercials and 1,800 outdoor installations.

The Group's commitment to students also continued in 2021 with the creation in June of the entirely digital event "Acea School We Are Energy! Turn off the light and turn on your imagination", a training course that enabled teens to experience and learn about the world of energy, alternative energy sources and to raise their awareness of a more conscious use of energy, also to protect environmental resources (see the dedicated box).

DIGITAL EDITION 2021/2022 OF ACEA SCHOOL
WE ARE ENERGY! TURN OFF THE LIGHT AND TURN ON YOUR IMAGINATION

After the first digital edition of the educational event to raise awareness of environmental sustainability, which for years has in- volved thousands of people, Acea has renewed the appointment in 2020, dedicated in 2021 to the world of energy.

For this edition, Acea wanted to reserve the preview of the event to its employees, opening it afterwards to the entire national territory in the period from 10 to 17 June, reaching about 25,000 users; the project will be proposed to the students of Rome and the Metro- politan City in the first months of 2022.

Users of the initiative were able to access the event via the dedicat- ed Acea web page. The route, with a 3D video game-style setting, is divided into three "worlds": Energy, Artistic Lighting and Sustaina- bility, wanted to offer participants a multimedia experience to learn about the innovative actions, renewable energy projects and digital technologies implemented by the Group, in order to make them aware of the complexity of sustainability and energy saving, while enhancing the beauty of public and artistic lighting. The talented Valerio Mazzei took part in the event as guide.

The possibility of using remote access also concerned two other important events organised by Acea in 2021: in July, the Innova- tion Day entitled Builders of the Future was held, viewed by about 5,000 people in live streaming and about 200,000 social media views online and offline. In November, the Sustainability Day was on the subject of 'a fair and sustainable ecological transition', broadcast via streaming on a dedicated platform and live on CorriereTV with over 900,000 video views (see the in-depth boxes in the In- stitutions and the Company chapters, where the Group's commit- ment to research and innovation is illustrated, and in the Strategy and Sustainability chapter of Corporate Identity).

In September, with the collaboration of Marevivo and 100Vele, the Group also organised the first Acea Green Cup, in the area in front of the Port of Ostia, a regatta reserved for Group employees was held with the aim of raising awareness of sustainability and environ- mental protection throughout the Acea world (see box with details). Also in September, Acea launched MIA, Acea's Immersive Muse- um, which allows visitors to retrace, thanks to a dedicated portal, over 110 years of the company's history and, in parallel, that of the city of Rome (see the dedicated box).

ACEA GREEN CUP 2021

Acea organised a sailing race on 26 September 2021 dedicated to the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda. The Acea Green Cup regatta, organised in collaboration with Marevivo and 100Vele, sponsored by the Ministry of Ecological Transition, saw the participation of 14 crews made up of Acea Group employ- ees from 21 companies, who competed over a 4.5-mile course. The occasion was intended to strengthen the sense of teamwork and also to highlight the projects implemented by the Group with pos- itive effects on the natural environment and the social context. In addition to competing in the sports competition, each participating team also presented a project in an internal contest, which reward- ed the projects judged to be the most valid in terms of sustainabil- ity. Among the projects presented: the digital branch of Acea Ato 2, which helped ensure continuity in customer relations during the closure of physical branches imposed by the health crisis; AdF's circular economy protocol, in support of local businesses; GORI's Energies for the Sarno, for the protection of the river ecosystem; and many others. A special mention went to the Vaccination Hub, set up by Acea in the former car park and open to all residents.

bilancio sostenibilità

ACEA LAUNCHES THE MIA

The Acea Immersive Museum was presented at a press conference held on 30 September 2021 at the Montemartini Power Station. This is a virtual tour, on a dedicated platform, which through pho- tographs, videos, plans, charts, 3D images and the reproduction of paper documents and artefacts allows us to retrace the evolution of Acea and the Capital. The immersive museum was created thanks to a major redevelopment and digitisation of the company's histor- ical documentary heritage, which is still in progress and includes: more than 30,000 photographs, almost 500 registers of minutes and resolutions, thousands of technical documents. Acea's histori- cal archive also includes the 14,000 volumes of the company library and about 80 historical film clips. Browsing the platform, in addi- tion to accessing the virtual exhibition consisting of 12 rooms, it is also possible to view the unprecedented archival heritage through theme photo galleries and to enter a digital "Conference Centre" where you can watch the cultural events that will be organised by the company. The new portal is already active and can be found at www.museodigitale.gruppo.acea.it.

The Communication Department is responsible for Acea's presence at events such as Ecomondo and Maker Faire (see the dedicated boxes in Relations with the Environment, Environmental Sustaina- bility and the Main Challenges and the chapter Institutions and the Company), as well as at conferences and other initiatives, referred to below. It also coordinates visits to the Group's plants, which be- fore 2020 had been a frequent destination for visitors interested in technical and scientific aspects, as well as students, thanks to the willingness of the employees responsible for guiding them around the sites, but which in 2021, due to the continuing Covid-19 pan- demic emergency, were unable to receive visitors.

The Group's digital strategy and digital identity, as mentioned, are defined within the Communication Department by the Digital and Corporate Media Unit, which manages communication on digital channels. The corporate website (www.gruppo.acea.it) therefore expresses the Group's values, mission and industrial positioning. The Group's website tells the story of the company, highlighting its commitment to sustainability and innovation, transversal elements that increasingly characterise its way of working to guarantee the greatest efficiency in services rendered to customers, thanks also to the quality of the work of its people and its daily commitment to the territories in which it operates.

In addition to corporate content, the site features an area dedicated to Acea's services and initiatives. Through an in-depth analy- sis of positioning and digital strategy, the information on the site is organised clearly. In addition, it provides a smooth and intuitive navigation, with a particular attention to visual communication, also thanks to distinctive graphics, consistent with the Group's brand identity.

Acea’s commitment to effective communication, in terms of the transparency and quality of the content available on its institu- tional website, has also been recognised in its placement in sector rankings. The result of the work on the Group's entire digital eco- system has further strengthened Acea's presence in the top 10 of Webranking Italy 2021-2022, the research conducted by Lund- quist and Comprend that assesses the transparency of corporate and financial communication on the digital channels of the main Italian listed companies. Compared to last year, the Group moved up two places to eighth place and gained an additional star, thus entering the category of "5-star companies" for the first time. Acea was mentioned in the best practice ranking for the presentation of the company in the Getting to Know Acea section of the web- site (www.gruppo.acea.it/conoscere-acea). The research showed that the business areas and the mission are described in a clear and transparent way, thanks also to precise data and infographics that give substance to the information and make it easier to understand. During the year, the Acea website highlighted the initiatives undertaken to ensure the continuity of services and express closeness to the community, in the face of the continuing health emergency caused by Covid-19, through the constant updating of the page dedicated to this information, including the opening of the Acea Vaccine Hub.

The website gave space to the main events of 2021, organised by the Company or in which the Group took part, mentioned above, and highlighted the events to which the Company has long linked its brand, through sponsorships (see the dedicated paragraph below), such as the Rome Marathon and the Film Festival. Also worth mentioning are the 2021 Christmas light decorations: Acea joined the campaign "Christmas in Rome - Let's give the gift of a sus- tainable city", promoted by the FAO and Roma Capitale to raise awareness on the 17 SDGs of the 2030 Agenda.

bilancio

In 2021, the section of the website dedicated to "stories" was en- riched with new content, telling the story of the Acea Group and its commitment to the community and the territory, combining the human dimension, technology and sustainability. In particular, as well as being dealt with in the reference section "Our Commit- ment", sustainability is highlighted on all pages of the website as a key element for the Group's growth and value creation, with references to dedicated initiatives and projects in each area.

In addition, the website also highlighted the artistic lighting projects of monuments and the main symbolic lightings that concerned ac- tivities to raise awareness among citizens for the prevention of dis- eases such as breast cancer or other events with a high social impact (photo gallery on the corporate website).

clima

Every year, on the occasion of the Shareholders' Meeting, the Acea Group's "Navigable Financial Statements" are published on the web- site, making the Consolidated Financial Statements and Sustainabil- ity Report available for viewing in interactive mode, with open data and multimedia content. The online reports present Acea's results, values and projects and allow visitors to grasp the multiple connec- tions that link the two annual reports on one screen.

The website also performs a service function, with the timely publica- tion of notices about any water stoppages affecting the areas where the Company operates. For several years, it has provided data about emissions, monitored in real time, from the Group's two waste-to-en- ergy facilities and the Tor di Valle power plant, and the main param- eters of the quality of the water supplied by companies that operate in the water industry can be consulted online. Lastly, the company website has given visibility to the environmental video declarations that illustrate Acea Ambiente's commitment to safeguarding the ter- ritory and reducing CO2 emissions, for which the company received a special mention from ISPRA during the Ecomondo event.

In May 2021, Areti's new website (www.areti.it) went online. It fea- tures information content aimed at electricity distribution users, of- fering smooth navigation and an effective user experience as well as quick and clear access to a single reserved area to manage utilities and services. The website also aims to effectively disclose the company's projects, and devotes, for example, an area to the 2G meter replace- ment plan. In addition to creating a digital identity consistent with the company's brand, a content strategy was defined for positioning Areti on search engines.

In addition, the mini-site of Acea Innovation (www.aceainnovation.it), the Group company dedicated to the development of innovative ser- vices associated with the world of energy and ecological transition, went online in July 2021. The mini-site, hosted within the Group's website, was created to introduce Acea Innovation to a wide audi- ence and as a contact tool for customers interested in the services offered: sustainable mobility, widespread composting and energy requalification. To this end, the most effective customer journey has been studied and a form has been created through which the user can leave his data to be contacted. In order to strengthen the Company's image, an ad hoc visual and digital identity was created, aligned with the Group's brands and digital guidelines.

The Group's website is active on the domain www.gruppo.acea.it. During the year, there were approximately 31.8 million page views (an increase of about 7% compared to 2020), representing 8.8 million hits. The desktop connection mode prevails, accounting for 57.3% of accesses (5,073,969), and the increase in access to the site via mobile phone is confirmed, with 3,641,833 accesses or 41.2% of accesses in 2021 - the figure was 37.2% of accesses in 2020 - while access via tablet remains low, 135,289 accesses in the year, or 1.53%. Most visitors are in the 25-44 age group.

On Acea Energia's website (www.acea.it), more than 2.9 million hits were recorded in 2021, an increase of about 12% compared to 2020. Again, access was predominantly from desktops (51%), mobile phone use is growing (47% of accesses compared to 39% in 2020), while access from tablets remained stable at 2%. The site, dedicated to the sale of electricity and gas for the free market, has sections dedicated to "guides" and "stories", where useful information is provided to us- ers on topics such as innovation in the energy sector, wind energy, e-mobility, energy saving, etc., which account for about 15% of total access to the site; navigation is user friendly, to encourage the cus- tomer journey and interaction with all touchpoints. In 2021, particular visibility was given to Acea Energia's offers focused on sustainability and environmental protection, with the 100% ECO offer (see Cus- tomer care section).

The www.servizioelettricoroma.it website, which is dedicated to Acea Energia's customers with standard market service, had 534,796 hits in 2021, up 33% on 2020 (around 400,000 hits), with 66% con- nected via desktop, 32% via mobile phone and 2% via tablet.

Chart no. 33 – Acea 2021 corporate website by access modes and age groups

chart 33

The strengthening of Acea's presence on social media continued in 2021 (see the dedicated box), with careful planning, a storytelling strategy and content declined for each channel with the aim of highlighting the elements that have characterised Acea's commitment during the year, in line with the communication tone of the Group's institutional website.

ACEA NUMBERS ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Acea has consolidated its presence on the main social channels during 2021. Here are the key figures:

The Acea Group's Facebook channel, which focuses on corporate content and supported cultural events, has reached a fan base of around 6,302 followers, an increase of 34.4% compared to 2020, and achieved over 4.8 million clicks, including video views. Thanks to constant moderation, user enquiries received on the page are directed to the dedicated support channels.

The Instagram profile, with direct and informal communication aimed at talking about Acea's commitment to the area, counts about 4,771 followers (+31% compared to 2020) and received 13,073 clicks.

The Twitter profile, which is one of the main touchpoints for in- teraction with institutional stakeholders and updates on corporate content and Group results, has over 4,783 followers (+6.1 com- pared to 2020) who interact with Acea through comments and shares (14,993 interactions).

The LinkedIn profile shows a steady increase in the number of followers, which now stands at 61,145 (almost 32% more than in 2020), with 22,538 interactions over the year. On this channel Acea reinforces its role as a multi-utility company in order to at- tract talented and skilled workers.

The YouTube profile, where Acea's videos are collected, has 1,080 subscribers (+14.4% compared to 2020).

The Group is also present on Facebook and Instagram with Acea Energia. Both channels were used for the promotion of electricity and gas offers and for the dissemination of commercial initiatives on the free market, also with the support of special influencer market- ing projects. Facebook and Instagram respectively reached 14,405 (+2.6% compared to 2020) and 1,125 followers (+60.4% compared to 2020) and both have become important touchpoints for man- aging customer requests, also by inviting customers to use online services available in the MyAcea customer area of the website www.acea.it.

The Media Relations Unit oversees relations with the national and local media, with a view to mutual respect of roles and cooperation, in order to convey, through the media, the correct corporate image and position of the Group. Through press articles, television, radio and web reports, the Unit guarantees media coverage of Acea's main events and initiatives, including those in the field of value liberality and sponsorship, enhancing corporate communication content. Moreover, to highlight the main news stories concerning the Group, starting from October 2021, in collaboration with Acea Communication and Internal Communication, the Unit is in charge of the creation of videos on Acea News, published weekly on the intranet and on the corporate website.

Press releases and press conferences in 2021 disclosed the eco- nomic results achieved, the initiatives carried out by the Group and information of public interest relating to the provision of services. Together with Digital and Corporate Media, in coordination with other Functions/Departments of the Holding Company, such as Investor Relations & Sustainability, Legal and Corporate Affairs and Administration, Finance and Control, Media Relation handles the dissemination of press releases relating to major corporate events, such as the Shareholders' Meeting.

The link with the operating companies also allows the Unit to provide feedback to reports of inefficiencies coming from the media, interacting with press editors willing to publish the company's replies.

Media Relation manages the national and local press review on a daily basis, making it available through the company's Intranet. This activity is complemented by the transmission of additional and timely information about the Group or relevant to the business managed, thanks to the regular monitoring of press agencies and the web (web news, social media and blogs).

Among the communications that accompanied Acea's initiatives of particular importance during the year are, by way of example:

  • releases during the year, starting in January, concerning the electric mobility sector and Acea Innovation's agreements with some Italian municipalities for the installation of charging in- frastructure. These include initiatives in Terni, Taranto, Baselga di Piné and Benevento;
  • communications, between April and July, of Acea Energia's in- itiatives, with the launch of the App dedicated to recharging electric vehicles, the promotion of the 100% green electricity and gas offer and the launch of the commercial partnership with Windtre;
  • communication actions, from May onwards, relating to the opening and services of the Acea vaccination hub, on company premises in Piazzale dei Partigiani made available to citizens;
  • the communiqué, in June, with the Carabinieri concerning the installation of the SmartComp at the Salvo d'Acquisto barracks;
  • releases, between June and September, which focused on in- novative research, circular economy and engineering design. In June, the European funding for the Promisces project won a call for proposals in relation to Horizon 2020; in August, Acea Elabori obtained ICMQ BIM certification; and in September, the launch of the BIOREF experimental platform with the CNR to develop new solutions for the recovery of organic waste;
  • actions linked to the celebration and exploitation of Innovation Day (in July) and Sustainability Day (in November), organised by Acea;
  • the events and announcements relating to the work carried out throughout the year to upgrade the lighting, both artisti- cally and functionally, in collaboration with the Municipality of Rome, in places such as the Torretta Valadier at Ponte Milvio, Porta San Sebastiano and Piazza Farnese, as well as turning on the Christmas lights in Via del Corso, organised by Acea, and the lighting of the Cestia Pyramid in collaboration with ASviS, on the occasion of the fifth edition of the Festival of Sustainable Development;
  • the October press release, during Ecomondo, which present- ed the agreement with INSTM (Inter-university Consortium for Materials Science and Technology) in view of the circular economy and the Gasiforming patent, for the transformation of non-recyclable plastics into eco-fuels, as well as the signing of the memorandum of understanding with Ancitel Energia e Ambiente for ecological transition.

EVENTS AND SOLIDARITY

The economic value distributed to the community (in terms of sponsorships, trade fairs, conferences, etc.) in 2021 is approxi- mately € 8 million80 (it was € 7 million in 2020). Of this amount, some € 900,000 thousand have been earmarked for sponsoring cultural, social and sporting events. Allocations by way of donations for major initiatives amounted to approximately € 2 million (€ 1.97 million in 2020).

Acea offers its services, such as the supply of electricity and water or switching on/off public lighting, on the occasion of events, or even in special circumstances of a solidarity and symbolic nature, such as, for example, special lighting/ switching off of the Coliseum, as part of the campaign to raise awareness of the fight against the death penalty or on World Blood Donor Day, of the Senate Palace, for the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women or on the occasion of the "Earth-Hour", and of Lazio Re- gion Palace or other emblematic buildings, on the occasion of par- ticular anniversaries, such as the Pink October campaign and many others, as on the occasion of the Festival of Sustainable Develop- ment, with the special lighting of the Cesta Pyramid. These services, referred to as 'technical sponsorships', had a total economic value of around € 336,000 in 2021.

The company participates in the main events related to its business activities and supports, every year, including with sponsorships, in- itiatives considered of high cultural and social value for the develop- ment of the areas it operates in and for the benefit of the community (see also the boxes at the end of the section). The Sponsorship and Value Liberality Function advises on and manages requests from the entire region and from the Group’s corporate structures, to submit them to the Executive Committee, a body with respon- sibility for Institutional Relations, Sponsorships and Donations. The sponsorship initiatives approved by the Executive Committee are subject to an Integrity Due Diligence, for an ethical and reputational assessment of the proponents, according to best practices.

In view of the continuing pandemic emergency, Acea has contin- ued to support hospitals and public assistance structures, allocat- ing to them a portion of the funds allocated to sponsorships (see the dedicated box) and during the year carried out numerous other solidarity initiatives in the areas where it operates to support the most vulnerable (see also the initiatives, such as the "Solidarity Taxi" illustrated in the Diversity, Inclusion and Welfare section in the Per- sonnel chapter).

ACEA’S FIGHT AGAINST THE COVID-19 EMERGENCY

Again in 2021, Acea continued to support the local entities that have been working in the front line, through intense economic and technical support. It therefore approved appropriations for the Bi- omedical Campus for the construction of the Vaccine Centre, to serve the community, and donations for the Policlinico Gemelli for the renovation of the Pneumology Department and the Bambino Gesù Paediatric Hospital for the creation of a Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory. It has also installed donated tablet recharging stations at the Policlinico Umberto I for use by patients who have contracted Covid-19 and have been admitted to the hospital.

ACEA SUPPORTS THE ENERGY IN THE SUBURBS PROJECT

On 14 December, the Manifesto "Together to fight energy poverty" was presented at the Stables of Palazzo Altieri in Rome. It was promoted by the Energy Bank and endorsed by companies, organ- isations, associations and non-profit organisations. The aim of the initiative was to raise awareness among public opinion and institu- tions and to put in place concrete actions to tackle vulnerable situa- tions on this issue through the creation of a network of stakeholders who share the Bank's mission. Consumer and environmental associations, third sector organisations and the main Italian multi-utility companies, including Acea, have joined the Manifesto.

In this context, in 2021 Acea supported the "Energy in the suburbs" project, an initiative sponsored by Lazio Region and carried out with Energy Bank and numerous other institutional, business and third sector partners, to tackle situations of energy poverty and support families in difficulty living in Rome's suburbs, particularly in the Ales- sandrino and Torpignattara districts.

In compliance with restrictive and safety measures, which have continued into 2021, Acea has continued to support cultural and socially interesting events, with the aim of supporting the revitalisation of the area and helping to return places of social encounter, whether physical or virtual, to the citizens after the long period of isolation.

Among the main events supported in 2021, two major exhibitions stand out: the Klimt exhibition. The Secession and Italy, open in Rome from October 2021 to March 2022 at Braschi Palace, which made some 200 works by the great Austrian painter and other art- ists in his circle exceptionally accessible, tracing the artistic stages and relations with Italy. Also, the exhibition 1849-1871 Roman Jews between segregation and emancipation, set up at the Jewish Museum of Rome, between November 2021 and May 2022, has been showing about 70 works by Jewish soldier-painters together with masterpieces of 19th century Italian art, including paintings, sculp- tures, manuscripts and photographs aimed at bringing to mind the events that led to the breach of Porta Pia and the proclamation of Rome as capital city.

In 2021, in order to promote the resumption of theatrical, musical and cinematographic activities, Acea once again became a private partner of the Rome Opera Theatre Foundation and sponsored shows at both the Opera Theatre and Caracalla; it also sponsored the 2021 editions of the Two Worlds Festival of Spoleto, the 100 Città in musica initiative, the Film Festival at Rome's Auditorium Par- co della Musica, and other similar local initiatives, such as the 2021 Etruria Eco Festival, the 2021 Tolfa Jazz Festival, etc.

Alongside entrepreneurial initiatives for young people and the pro- motion of innovation, Acea sponsored the Technology and Scien- tific Research Week, held at the Ettore Majorana Industrial Techni- cal Institute in Cassino. Together with the National Association of Young Innovators, it awarded the ANGI 2021 Prize, which conveys a message and commitment to technological development to the best innovation leaders and supported the creation of an exhibition and relevant catalogue to present the projects of the Italian Smart Design competition.

Among the main sporting events of the year, Acea associated its brand with the Rome Marathon – Acea Run Rome The Marathon - and the Rome-Ostia Half Marathon; both events, of great im- portance for the capital, could in fact be held again on 19 September and 17 October 2021, respectively, after being suspended in 2020 due to the pandemic situation. Acea has sponsored numerous other sports initiatives and some teams, such as Frosinone Soccer, Virtus Basket Siena, Santa Lucia Basket, the Italian wheelchair basketball team, and has supported, as every year, initiatives aimed at children such as School Volleyball - Acea Trophy (see the dedicated box) and Acea Camp. Started in 2015 from an idea of Carlton Myers and thanks to the support of Acea, every summer, at the end of the school year, the latter initiative has offered the opportunity to thou- sands of children, aged between 6 and 16, to practice more than a dozen different individual and team sports, at a sustainable cost for families and accepts, first of all, those with greater economic difficulties.

Volley Scuola -Trofeo Acea

VOLLEYBALL SCHOOL - ACEA TROPHY: NEW FORMAT 2021

With a focus on the promotion of the values conveyed by sports, every year Acea supports events that concern children in par- ticular, combining them with awareness of sustainability issues. In particular, the 2021 edition of the School Volleyball Tournament - Acea Trophy, dedicated to high schools in the city and province of Rome and organised by FIPAV Lazio (Volleyball Association), was presented with the claim “V as in School Volleyball. V as in Val- ues”. Due to the health emergency, it was not possible to hold the school tournament in its traditional form, but the organisers wanted to continue to involve thousands of young people by organising 28 online seminars as distance learning, with high-profile speakers and testimonials from the world of sport. The event took place between 8 March and 26 April and the students addressed topics such as: Conscious use of water; Zero Hunger - Sustainable Development Goals; Conscious use of the web and social media with reference to grooming and sexting; Bullying and cyberbullying; The values of sport; Blood donation; No to addictions: drugs, alcohol and youth gambling. The Acea School Volleyball Trophy 2021 poster reads as follows: “Combining education with sustainability issues and the preservation of natural resources with sports competition offers young people an educational, interdisciplinary and social experi- ence. A path of values that Acea has always promoted.” Acea Pres- ident Michaela Castelli said: "For the 2021 edition as well we aim to combine sports with education and raising awareness in the new generations on the issues of sustainability and protection of natural resources, in particular water. With various webinars and education- al events we will tell children why water is a universal good.”

The following boxes describe the main events supported by the Acea Group in 2021, through sponsorships or donations.

2021: ACEA FOR CULTURE, INNOVATION AND SUSTAINABILITY

 
sponsor of the exhibition "Klimt, the Secession and Italy", held at the Museum of Rome - Braschi Palance, from 26 October 2021 to 27 March 2022, dedicated to the famous Austrian painter (ZètemaProgetto Cultura Srl)
sponsor of the exhibition "1849-1871 Roman Jews between segregation and emancipation", held at the Jewish Museum of Rome, between
November 2021 and May 2022, aimed at bringing to mind the events that led to the breach of Porta Pia and the proclamation of Rome as
capital city (Jewish Community of Rome)
contribution as private partner and sponsor of the 2020/2021 and 2021/2022 theatre seasons of the Rome Opera Theatre (Rome Opera
Theatre Foundation)
partner sponsor of the 16th edition of the Rome Film Festival, that took place from 14-24 October 2021 (Cinema Foundation for Rome)
sponsorship of the publication From the breach of Porta Pia to Rome of the people - 150 years of Roma Capitale (C.O.R. Srl)
sponsor of 100 Cities in Music 2021, dedicated to the promotion of live music through the organisation of performances at low prices or
free admission in 14 municipalities in Lazio (European Music Cultural Association)
sponsor of the 2021 Two Worlds Festival, the international music event held in Spoleto between 26 June and 11 July 2021 (Two Worlds
Festival Foundation)
sponsor of several cultural initiatives and summer events outside Rome, such as the Tolfa Jazz Festival 2021 (ETRA Cultural Association),
the Etruria Eco Festival 2021 (Kick Srl), the Civitavecchia Summer Festival 2021 (Music Station Cultural Association), the 2021/2022
theatre and film season of the Narzio Theatre/Cinema in Subiaco, the Reate Festival 2021 (Vespasiano Foundation)
sponsor of the ANGI Prize 2021, rewarding the best initiatives of young Italians, and participated in the Innovation Technical Table at the
Chamber of Deputies (National Association of Young Innovators)
Sponsor of the realisation of an exhibition, and relevant catalogue, in the context of the national Italian Smart Design competition for students and recent graduates in architecture and design on the development of sustainable smart urban system projects, aimed at presenting
the projects (Sicrea Srl)
sponsor of Forum PA Smart City - Digital Agenda 2021, which scheduled a series of webinars on the topic between 21 and 25 June (FPA Srl)
sponsor of the Technology and Scientific Research Week, at the Ettore Majorana Technical Scientific Institute in Cassino, which promotes
meetings with the manufacturing, social, economic and academic world and, in 2021, focused on the implementation of innovative projects
(ITIS Ettore Majorana)
technical sponsorship of the initiative “I will use less light (Mi illumino di meno) 2021”, with the switching off of the Senate Palace to raise
awareness of energy saving
technical sponsorship for the 2021 Sustainable Development Festival, involving the projection of the UN SDG logo on the Pyramid of Cestius

2021: ACEA FOR SOLIDARITY

 
solidarity contributions linked to the Covid-19 emergency, aimed at upgrading or equipping healthcare infrastructure for hospital centres
in Rome, such as Policlinico Agostino Gemelli, Policlinico Universitario Campus Biomedico, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, and the
purchase of other equipment to improve patients' well-being during hospitalisation (Policlinico Umberto I).
contribution for awareness-raising activities in the framework of the Campaign against childhood cancer, which took place in Rome between
20 and 26 September 2021 (Peter Pan Association)
contribution to the Charity Dinner, an event attended by well-known people from the world of entertainment, aimed at raising funds for
the activities of the Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital
contribution to the 2021 Fiaba Day event, organised in Rome on 3 October 2021, to promote discussion and awareness of issues relating
to the removal of architectural, psychological and sensory barriers, to ensure equal opportunities, accessibility and usability for everyone
(Fiaba Non-profit)
contribution to the Health Village initiative, organised in Rome at the Circo Massimo between 7 and 10 October 2021, which every year
offers screening for breast cancer, gynaecological and other diseases prevalent in women and numerous other initiatives to raise awareness
of cancer prevention and health promotion (Susan G. Komen Italy)
contribution to support the activities of the Mobile Unit in the field of health and inclusion, to promote health monitoring, the dissemination
of the vaccination plan and food support among the most vulnerable and needy (Sanità Frontiera Non-profit)
contribution to the Energy in the Suburbs project, which in 2021 focused on the Alessandrino and Torpignattara neighbourhoods; this is an
initiative sponsored by Lazio Region and carried out with Energy Bank and other institutional partners to tackle situations of energy poverty,
in support of families in difficulty (Energy Bank Non-profit)
contribution to the 'Safety at School' project for the supply of technical and computer equipment to support teaching activities in the
schools in the municipality of San Vittore del Lazio
participation in the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, World Autism Day, World Blood Donor Day, the
effort to raise awareness of the campaign to end the death penalty, World Patient Safety Day, with technical sponsorships, such as the
special lighting of Senate Palace, the International House of Women, the Colosseum and the Lazio Region Palace
technical sponsorship with the pink lighting of the Senate Palace as part of the Pink Ribbon 2021 (LILT - Italian League for the Fight
Against Cancer) initiatives and again with the lighting of the Lazio Region Palace, on the occasion of the Pink October 2021 campaign and
International HPV Awareness Day

2021: ACEA FOR SPORT AND YOUNG PEOPLE

 
sponsor of Acea Run Rome The Marathon 2021, the 42 km competitive road race, held in the capital on 19 September 2021, is the one with
the most spectators (Infront Italy) and the most Italian and foreign athletes participating.
sponsor of the Rome-Ostia Half Marathon 2021, the most important running event over a distance of 21 km, to be held in Rome on 17
October 2021 (RCS Sport)
sponsor for the 2021 Serie B championship of S.S.D. Santa Lucia Basket, a wheelchair basketball club that has been active in the Roman
sports scene since the 1960s (S.S.D. Santa Lucia Srl)
support to sports and sports events in the areas of operation outside Rome: basketball (ASD Virtus Basket Siena; ADS Orvieto Basket),
soccer (Frosinone Soccer; Benevento Soccer; USD Monterotondo Marittimo), running (ASD Filippide - D. LF Chiusi Avis Castiglione
del Lago, Amatori Podistica Terni, Athletic Terni), cross-country running (ASD Nissolino Atletica Velletri), rugby (Rugby Perugia), hockey
(ADS Follonica Hockey 1952)
title sponsor of the 2021 edition of the School Volleyball Tournament - Acea Trophy, dedicated to secondary schools in the city and province of Rome and organised by FIPAV Lazio; the 2021 event consisted of 28 seminars by distance learning on social and environmental
issues (FIPAV Lazio)
main sponsor of Acea Camp 2021, the event aimed at students, between 14 June and 9 July and between 12 July and 13 August 2021, with
the aim of introducing and disseminating the practice of sports and raising awareness of social and environmental issues (Beside Management
Srl)
sponsor of Run For Autism 2021, the 10 km competitive race and 5 km open to all, held in Rome on 24 October and promoted by Progetto
Filippide, to raise awareness of autism and give hundreds of young people from all over Italy a special day (ASD Sport and Society Association
- Filippide Project Rome)
sponsor of the 2021 "I’m Separating Wastes Too" project for schools, which combines sports activities with educational activities on circular
economy issues (ASD Virtus Basket Aprilia)

80This item also includes expenses incurred for 'trade fairs and conference' but not 'technical' sponsorships.

Share