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Hera Group BoD approves 3Q 2023 results

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Asset Publisher

Press releases
19/06/2024
Hera Spa
Price sensitive

Hera Group ranks first in the 2024 ESG Identity Corporate Index (formerly IGI)

<p><em>For the fourth consecutive year, the Group is on the podium of the overall index ranking, which rewards Italian companies that stand out for integrating ESG factors into their governance. This comes as further recognition of the Group’s commitment to creating long-term value for its shareholders and all its stakeholders</em></p>
Online since 19-06-2024 at 11:08
Press releases
11/06/2024
Hera Spa
M&A
Price sensitive

Inrete Distribuzione Energia acquires Soelia’s gas network

<p><em>The Hera Group, through its subsidiary operating in the natural gas distribution sector, strengthens its presence in the area served</em></p>
Online since 11-06-2024 at 11:57
Press releases
15/05/2024
Shareholders’ meeting
Price sensitive
Hera Spa

Publication of documents pertaining to the Shareholders Meeting

Online since 15-05-2024 at 10:35
Press releases
15/05/2024
Price sensitive
M&A
Hera Spa

Hera Group acquires Soelia’s gas network

Through its subsidiary Inrete Distribuzione Energia, the Group was awarded the tender for the gas distribution plants and network serving the municipality of Argenta in Ferrara area

Online since 15-05-2024 at 10:38
Press releases
14/05/2024
Price sensitive
Financial Results
Hera Spa

Hera Group BoD approves results for 1Q 2024

<p>The consolidated quarterly report at 31 March shows improvement in the main operating and financial indicators. The Group’s financial solidity and commitment to sustainability and the ecological transition were confirmed, along with the creation of value for all stakeholders and significant investments in the areas served to improve our assets resilience and to guarantee service quality and continuity</p>
Online since 14-05-2024 at 12:41
Press releases
30/04/2024
Shareholders’ meeting
Hera Spa
Price sensitive

Hera Shareholders Meeting: 2023 financial statements approved and dividend increased to 14 cents

The Group continues along its path of uninterrupted growth, closing 2023 with record performance in the main operating and financial indicators, thus constantly creating value for its stakeholders.

Online since 29-04-2024 at 12:53
Press releases
23/04/2024
Hera Spa
Other press releases

Hera Group at the top of ARERA’s water service quality ranking

The multiutility confirms itself among Italy’s most outstanding operators, securing the first and third positions, with reference to all macro-indicators, as proof of the very high standards adopted by the Group in this field. A commitment that the Hera fulfils with significant investments to ensure the highest quality and continuity of service to around 3.6 million citizens and an increasingly efficient and circular use of resources. Important results have been achieved, particularly in Emilia-Romagna.

08/04/2024
Other press releases
Hera Spa

Publication of the Draft Separate and Consolidated Financial Statements as of 31.12.2023, the Sustainability Report - Consolidated Non-Financial Statement, the Corporate Governance Report, and the Report on Remuneration and Compensation Paid

29/03/2024
Hera Spa
Other press releases

Rigid plastics recycling: one of Europe’s most innovative plants to be built in Modena

<p><em>Thanks to investments totalling approximately 50 million euro, the Hera Group will build a state-of-the-art facility within its own plant complex. Starting from plastic waste that has so far been difficult to recycle, it will produce high quality polymers with characteristics similar to those shown by virgin materials, thus making sectors such as consumer electronics and the automotive industry increasingly sustainable</em></p>
Press releases
27/03/2024
Shareholders’ meeting
Hera Spa

Publication of documents pertaining to the Shareholders Meeting to be held on 30 April 2024

Press releases
26/03/2024
Other press releases
Hera Spa
Price sensitive
Financial Results

Hera Group approves results as at 31/12/2023

<p><em>The year closed with main financial indicators rising and the targets included in the strategic Plan to 2026 exceeded three years ahead of schedule. The Group’s financial solidity and flexibility allowed it to continue along its path of industrial growth, increasing its investments and successfully grasping market opportunities, both internal and external, while continuing to generate value benefitting all stakeholders. The proposed dividend was raised, reaching 14 eurocents per share</em></p>
Online since 26-03-2024 at 12:47
Press releases
11/03/2024
Hera Spa
Other press releases

Green energy and a new urban forest: the Hera Group’s Energy Park arrives in Bologna

<p><em>Sustainability, decarbonisation, liveability and biodiversity protection are the keywords of this project, which will be developed in the northern part of the city and will contain a new urban park with facilities, complemented by areas dedicated to protecting animal and plant species, and an agrivoltaic field that will allow an annual saving of 6,000 tons of CO2.</em></p>
Press releases
04/03/2024
Shareholders’ meeting
Hera Spa
Other press releases

The passing of Hera S.p.A.'s Vice Chairman, Mr. Gabriele Giacobazzi

We hereby inform you that on March 3, 2024, the Vice Chaiman of the Board of Directors, Mr. Gabriele Giacobazzi, passed away.

Press releases
13/02/2024
Hera Spa
Other press releases

Hera Group among Europe’s leaders in sustainability and the fight against climate change

<p><em>The Group achieved the leadership band in the CDP questionnaire and was included among “TOP 1%” Multi and Water Utilities of the S&amp;P Global’s Sustainability Yearbook 2024. These recognitions prove Hera’s commitment to sustainable development and creating shared value for local areas.</em></p>
Press releases
06/02/2024
Hera Spa
Other press releases

Hera Group: over 1 million new electricity customers as of 1 July

<p><em>With the 7 lots awarded in the tender for the Gradual Protection Service for non-vulnerable household customers, the Hera Group consolidates its position as the sector’s third largest operator in Italy.</em></p>
Press releases
25/01/2024
M&A
Hera Spa
Other press releases

Hera Group expands in the industrial waste sector with TRS Ecology

<p><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="line-height:106%"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"></span></span></span></i>With the acquisition of 70% of the Piacenza-based company, the Group reinforces its leadership in the waste management sector. This transaction, at full capacity, is expected to contribute to growth in the Hera Group’s Ebitda with approximately 6 million euro.<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="line-height:106%"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"> </span></span></span></i></p>
Press releases
24/01/2024
Price sensitive
Financial Results
Hera Spa
Other press releases

Hera Group presents Business Plan to 2027

<p><em>Development, resilience and creating shared value for stakeholders are at the heart of the Group’s new strategic document, which foresees investments totalling 4.4 billion to speed up the ecological transition and enhance asset resilience to climate change. The preliminary results for 2023 outperform the previous Plan’s goals that have been achieved three years ahead of schedule, thanks to the numerous development actions implemented and the Group’s ability to grasp market opportunities.</em></p>
Online since 24-01-2024 at 12:02
Press releases
22/01/2024
Shareholders’ meeting
Hera Spa
Other press releases
Price sensitive

Calendar of corporate events

Online since 22-01-2024 at 13:24
18/01/2024
Hera Spa
Other press releases

Hera Top Employer for the 15th Consecutive Year

<p><em>The company reaffirms, once again in 2024, its position among the best performers in human resources management, thanks to substantial investments in welfare, training, and skill development.</em></p>
Press releases
02/01/2024
Hera Spa
Other press releases

Hera Group has obtained the “Gender equality certification”

<p><em>A further confirmation of the importance of Hera’s achievements in terms of gender equality and inclusion</em></p>

Asset Publisher

08/11/2023
Hera Group BoD approves 3Q 2023 results

The first nine months of the year ended with strong growth in all economic and financial indicators, confirming the Group’s solidity and the effectiveness of its multi-business strategy. Respecting the goals set out in the business plan, the Group once again combined corporate growth and the creation of value for all stakeholders, as is proven by net investments and corporate acquisitions, up by more than 18% overall.

Financial highlights

  • Ebitda* at 1,006.8 million euro (+15.1%)
  • Net profit attributable to shareholders* at 235.5 million euro (+10.0%)
  • Net investments and corporate acquisitions at 593 million euro (+18.7%)
  • Net financial debt and net debt/Ebitda* ratio show considerable improvement, coming to 4,148.9 million euro and 2.91x respectively
  • ROI also improves, rising to 9%

Operating highlights

  • Significant contribution to growth coming from the energy sectors and the waste management area
  • Ongoing growth in the energy customer base, now at 3.8 million, up 8.9% over 12 months
  • Further initiatives for the green transition and increased investments in innovation, reinforcing the resilience of the assets managed

Today, the Board of Directors of the Hera Group, chaired by Cristian Fabbri, unanimously approved the consolidated results at 30 September 2023.

The first nine months of the year saw rising investments and record results compared to previous years, showing remarkable resilience when faced with extreme weather events in the area served and a global context that remains uncertain and continues to show widespread increases in inflation and in the cost of money.
In particular, the significant investments reflect the Group’s commitment to boosting the resilience of the assets managed and its ongoing focus on projects designed to accelerate the green transition, fully respecting its corporate purpose. The good operating and financial performances once again confirm the decisions made by management, based on a low-risk policy and a solid multi-business industrial strategy, balanced between internal growth and external development, and between regulated and free-market activities. Double-digit growth was achieved, along with a 9% return on invested capital.
Continuing along its path of uninterrupted growth, with the aim of providing its customers with innovative, competitive and increasingly complete solutions, the Group continued to expand the business areas in which it operates. In the waste management sector, Hera opened a second biomethane production plant in the Modena area and signed a partnership with ACR di Reggiani Albertino, a large company operating nationwide in the remediation, industrial waste treatment, industrial plant decommissioning and oil&gas civil engineering sectors. In IT-TLC, acting with Ascopiave the Group acquired 92% of Asco TLC, later merged by incorporation into the subsidiary Acantho. Finally, in the energy sector, it acquired the Ferrara-based company Tiepolo to construct a photovoltaic solar park in Bondeno, as well as 60% of the Rimini-based company F.lli Franchini, which installs thermal-hydraulic, electrical and photovoltaic systems for business clients. Lastly, Horowatt was established, the NewCo between the Hera Group and Orogel, to construct within 2024 a sustainable, state-of-the-art agrivoltaic plant at this agricultural cooperative’s Cesena facility.

Cristian Fabbri, Executive Chairman of the Hera Group:
“This period’s results show a relevant creation of value for all stakeholders. In the first nine months we reached over 1 billion of Ebitda, which shows a double-digit growth of 15%. We furthermore increased capex and investments by 19% and achieved a 9% return on invested capital, while continuing to reduce financial debt. All of our businesses contributed to this growth, more than 80% underpinned by Energy supply business due to a 9% increase in customer base, which reached 3.8 million, and further expansion of decarbonisation services. Another significant factor was the contribution coming from last resort markets, which we consolidated in September by winning 17 of the 18 available gas lots. Internal growth and the 5 corporate transactions carried out during these nine months were driven by innovation, resilience, decarbonisation and the circular economy. All of this contributed to an increase in shared-value Ebitda, now over 54% of total Ebitda, which continues to generate incremental benefits for all areas served. We are rapidly following the path for development set out in the business plan, by keeping our business portfolio balanced and seizing opportunities for creating value that allow us to accelerate its implementation.”

Orazio Iacono, CEO of the Hera Group:
“The effectiveness of our management decisions and our solid multi-business industrial strategy enabled us to achieve positive economic and financial results and, in particular, to further strengthen our leadership in the waste management sector, posting a raising Ebitda and on the back of larger volumes of waste treatments. In a partnership with ACR, which recently joined the Group, we won important concessions in the private oil&gas sector and are participating in tenders to access PNRR funds to reclaim public sites. Thanks to our positive cashflow and strong financial position, we achieved a net debt/Ebitda ratio coming to 2.91x, similar to the one seen before the sharp rise in energy prices. This financial soundness gives us all the flexibility we need to take advantage of new opportunities for development in our target markets. Finally, we are particularly proud of the recognition we received from Arera for the technical quality of our services, particularly in the water business, where we achieved the best performance nationwide.”

Revenues at approximately 11 billion
At 30 September 2023, revenues amounted to 10,955.0 million euro, slightly down from 14,320.1 million euro at the same date in 2022, mainly due to the decrease of energy commodity prices and lower volumes of gas sold on account of the mild weather in the first half of the year. An increase was seen, instead, in revenues thanks to the higher volumes of electricity sold, commercial development actions, Consip tenders, the safeguarded tenders awarded in electricity, “gradual protection service” lots awarded, higher revenues from “energy efficiency services” linked to incentives in residential buildings and increased activities in value-added services for customers, as well as revenues from the waste treatment business and, above all, to the M&A activity.

Ebitda* up sharply to 1,006.8 million
Ebitda* for the first nine months of 2023 rose to 1,006.8 million euro (+15.1%), as against 874.8 million euro at 30 September 2022. Of this increase, the contribution coming from the energy areas amounted to 111.8 million euro and the good performance of the waste management area accounted for 11.8 million euro, while 3.5 million euro came from the integrated water cycle and 4.8 million euro from the other services area.

Net operating result* rises to 504.6 million euro
The net operating result* for the nine months ended 30 September 2023 rose to 504.6 million euro, up 15.5% from 437.0 million euro in the first nine months of 2022, at same growth path signed by Ebitda.

Net profit post minorities* up by 10%
In September 2023, net profit* rose to 267.1 million euro (+7.5%), up from 248.4 million euro in the same period of 2022, and the tax rate improved to 26.8%. Net profit post minorities* rose to 235.5 million euro, up 10% from 214.1 million euro at 30 September 2022.

Strong increase in capital expenditure and M&A
In the first nine months of 2023, the Hera Group made net investments including M&A coming to 593.0 million euro (+18.7% compared to the same period in 2022). Operating investments, including capital grants, amounted to 514.0 million euro, up 50.7 million euro year-on-year (+10.9%), and mainly for the development of plants, networks and infrastructures including the large-scale meter replacement in gas distribution and on the purification and sewerage infrastructures.
Return on invested capital also improved, with ROI rising from 7.7% to 9%, confirming the Group’s ability to create value.
The total amount of net financial debt came to 4,148.9 million euro, down 100.9 million euro compared to the amount seen at 31 December 2022, even after the payment of dividends, due to the cashflow coming from operations, the benefit in net working capital caused by the reduction in the value of gas storage compared to the record values seen in 2022, and the different energy price scenario. The Group’s financial solidity is also proven by the improvement in the net debt/Ebitda* ratio, which now stands at 2.91x, once again below the 3x reference level and in line with Hera’s traditionally prudential policy.

Reduced debt and increased returns
The total value of the Group’s net financial debt amounted to 4,148.9 million euro, down 100.9 million euro compared to the figure seen at 31 December 2022, fully covering the payment of dividends in June, the significant increase in investments compared to 2022 and the corporate acquisitions completed in 2023. This reduction is mainly due to the significant cashflow from operations in the first nine months of 2023 and the benefits on net working capital ensuing from the reduced value of gas storage and changes in the energy price scenario compared to the previous year. As a result, the net debt/Ebitda* ratio decreased to 2.91x, returning well below the 3x reference level, in line with Hera’s traditionally prudential policy.
Financial operations, while showing an increase compared to 2022 due to the impact of financial lines that are currently no longer active and the Group’s greater need for financial flexibility within an energy price scenario that has not yet fully stabilised, benefitted from a 96.5% fixed-rate medium/long-term debt structure. Thanks to the liability management operations carried out in the first half of 2023, the financial structure was optimised in terms of cost and absolutely capable of insuring the Group against potential risks related to volatility in energy commodity markets, while guaranteeing at the same time continuity in operations and the significant investment activity planned. The use of variable-rate loans, linked to revolving bank lines, is activated exclusively for short-term needs and to manage volatility, is a particularly positive element within a context of rising interest rates compared to the previous year.
Return on invested capital and on equity also improved, with ROI rising from 7.7% at 30 September 2022 to 9% and ROE increasing from 9% to 10.6%.

Gas
Ebitda for the gas area, which includes natural gas distribution and sales, district heating and energy services, amounted to 334.1 million euro at 30 September 2023 compared to 377.0 million euro in the same period of 2022, mainly due to a drop in volumes owing to the particularly mild weather in the first part of the year and the focus on energy saving shown by both residents and businesses. This drop was partially offset by increased volumes on last resort markets, the contribution coming from energy services and incentives for energy efficiency activities.
In the month of September, the Group was awarded, through subsidiary Hera Comm and for the next two years, 17 of the 18 lots available in last resort gas markets, including 8 out of 9 areas for the last resort service and all 9 lots of the default service, which will take effect as of the fourth quarter of 2023.
In the first nine months of 2023, investments in the gas area amounted to 138.1 million euro, up 33.5 million euro compared to the previous year. In particular, the largest investments were made in gas distribution, after the beginning of management of the Udine2 ATEM, following the tender, and in gas sales, involving the acquisition of new customers. Overall investments in district heating and energy services also rose.
The number of gas customers reached almost 2.1 million, up (+2%) compared to the previous year, thanks to growth in both traditional and last resort markets.
The gas area accounted for 33.2% of Group Ebitda.

Electricity

Ebitda for the electricity area, which covers electricity generation, distribution and sales, rose to 176.8 million euro, compared to 22.1 million euro in the same period of 2022, a year marked by fluctuating commodity prices. Significant growth was thus seen, in terms of both margins and volumes sold to end customers, especially thanks to commercial development in the free market, innovative offers and value-added services, and the higher margins on the safeguarded service and on 4 lots of the gradual protection services. Furthermore, 4 lots were recently confirmed in the Consip EE21 tender, for supplying electricity to PAs for 12 months beginning in 2024.
Margins from services aimed at promoting the decarbonisation of customer consumption, for example by installing photovoltaic systems and promoting electric mobility solutions, also continued to grow. This context includes the recent acquisition of 60% of the company F.lli Franchini, to further increase decarbonisation services in the industrial customer segment, and the beginning of a partnership with the Orogel group to construct an innovative agrivoltaic system serving the Cesena production plant.
At 30 September 2023, investments made in the electricity area amounted to 81.3 million euro, up by 28.3 million euro compared to the previous year. In distribution, investments mainly involved non-recurring maintenance and upgrading of plants and networks in the Modena, Imola, Trieste and Gorizia areas, as well as the ongoing large-scale meter replacement and work to improve the resilience of the infrastructure. In the sales area, investments in commercial activities related to the acquisition of new customers increased.
The customer base, in fact, saw significant growth compared to the same period in 2022, reaching almost 1.7 million (+18.9%).
The electricity area accounted for 17.6% of Group Ebitda.

Water

Ebitda for the integrated water cycle area, which includes aqueduct, purification and sewerage services, amounted to 209.3 million euro at 30 September 2023, up slightly (+1.7%) compared to 205.8 million euro in the first nine months of 2022.
Gross investments made in the integrated water cycle area amounted to 142.0 million euro (89.0 million in waterworks, 34.6 million in sewerage and 18.4 million in purification). These funds went to extensions, reclamation and upgrading on networks and plants, as well as for regulatory adjustments mainly in the purification and sewerage areas. The main investments include, in the aqueduct, the ongoing reclamation on networks and connections, as well as specific renewal and upgrading works intended to counter the risk of water shortages linked to increasingly frequent droughts.
Finally, Arera confirmed that the technical quality standards in the integrated water cycle managed by the Hera Group are among the highest nationwide, which led to the recognition of significant bonuses, in line with the Group’s track record.
The integrated water cycle area accounted for 20.8% of Group Ebitda.

Waste

At 30 September 2023, Ebitda for the waste management area rose to 258.0 million euro (+4.8%), up from 246.2 million euro in the same period of 2022. Ebitda for waste treatment services amounted to 212.5 million (up 15.2 million), while Ebitda from collection and street-sweeping services, due to the impact of the newly awarded concessions in Modena and Bologna, came to 45.5 million (down by 3.4 million).
These figures include a 15% increase in waste commercialised, due to increases in both municipal and market waste, the excellent performance of energy management, due to the higher contribution coming from the Modena and Trieste waste-to-energy plants, the changed scope of operations due to recent acquisitions, and the positive performance seen in commercial activities, which as a whole offset the increase in costs due to inflation.
Throughout 2023, continuity was seen for the main initiatives set out in the business plan in terms of circular economy, from material recovery to renewable energy production. One example is the new plant for biomethane production located in Spilamberto, in the Modena area, born out of a partnership with Inalca, of the Cremonini Group. When fully operational, the capacity of the Spilamberto plant will lead to a 48% increase in the biomethane produced by Hera compared to 2022, and will contribute to achieving the Group's goal of increasing biomethane production to 30 million cubic metres per year.
Thanks to the Group’s solid management policies, within a scenario marked by a slight slowdown in inflation, a drop in industrial production and increased competitive pressure in the markets in which it is present, Hera has continued to consolidate its leadership in the waste management sector. This has occurred especially in the industrial and recovery markets, by equipping its plants with the best available technologies and guaranteeing a considerable amount of growth in this sector. With roughly one hundred state-of-the-art facilities capable of treating any type of waste, the Group’s set of plants continues to represent a strategic and distinctive asset in a country that still shows major infrastructural deficiencies in this sector.
Protecting environmental resources was confirmed as a priority objective for the Group in 2023, as was the maximisation of their reuse. This is proven by the special attention dedicated to increasing sorted waste collection, which rose to 71.4% at 30 September 2023, up 4.6% compared to the first nine months of 2022, thanks to the introduction of numerous projects in the areas served by the Group.
Investments made in the waste management area amounted to 83.4 million euro, and mainly involved maintenance and upgrading on waste treatment plants, optimising collection centres and equipment, as well as investments for the transaction with ACR.
The waste management area accounted for 25.6% of Group Ebitda.

See the press release

Online from 08 November 2023 at 11:36:00

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Press releases
06/04/2021
Price sensitive
Shareholders’ meeting

Publication of the draft Separate and consolidated financial statements as at 31/12/2020, the Sustainability report – consolidated non-financial statement and Shareholders meeting documentation

2021-04-06 Kindly note that the following documents, approved by the Hera S.p.A. Board of Directors, have been made available to the public at company headquarters, on the website www.gruppohera.it and on the authorised storage platform 1INFO (www.1Info.it): <>folder containing the draft Separate and consolidated financial statements at 31/12/2020; Sustainability report – consolidated non-financial statement drafted pursuant to L. Decree 254/2016. In the same way, the Group’s Report on the remuneration policy and fees paid and the 2020 Corporate Governance Report are also available. Press release Financial Statements DNF Y20.pdf 2018-11-06 18:33:00 sede_Gruppo110.1534760363.jpg sede_Gruppo110.1534760363.jpg
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26/03/2021
Shareholders’ meeting
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Publication of documents pertaining to the Shareholders Meeting to be held on 28 April 2021

2021-03-26 Kindly note that the following documentation, pertaining to the Shareholders Meeting convened for 28 April 2021, is available to the public at the Company headquarters, on the authorised storage website 1INFO (www.1Info.it) and on Hera Group’s website (https://eng.gruppohera.it/group_eng/corporate-governance/shareholders-meetings) Hera S.p.A. Board of Directors’ Explanatory Report regarding item 1 on the Agenda – Extraordinary session Hera S.p.A. Board of Directors’ Explanatory Report regarding item 2 on the Agenda – Extraordinary session Hera S.p.A. Board of Directors’ Explanatory Report regarding item 2 on the Agenda – Ordinary session Hera S.p.A. Board of Directors’ Explanatory Report regarding item 3 on the Agenda – Ordinary session Hera S.p.A. Board of Directors’ Explanatory Report regarding item 4 on the Agenda – Ordinary session Hera S.p.A. Board of Directors’ Explanatory Report regarding item 5 on the Agenda – Ordinary session Press release Publication of documents pertaining to the Shareholders Meeting of 28 April 2021.pdf 2019-03-28 09:17:00 110x150_heraspa.1475082913.jpg 110x150_heraspa.1475082913.jpg
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24/03/2021
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Financial Results
Hera Spa

Hera Group approves results at 31/12/2020

2021-03-24 Results as at 31 December 2020 The year ended positively, despite the nationwide impact coming from the Coronavirus emergency, during which Hera stood by its stakeholders and provided support. Thanks to its solid, efficient and sustainable multi-business strategy, Hera thus continued to grow and create value for shareholders and local communities. Owing to a good cash generation, the proposed dividend was revised upwards, now set at 11 cents per share Il Gruppo Hera approva i risultati al 31/12/2020 /documents/1514726/7351398/Economic+data+Y2020.xls/3a392394-7380-b819-e7cc-ca7b723ae937?t=1617192710757 /group_eng/investor-relations/results-and-presentations/interactive-data Financial data as at 31 December 2020 Interactive data Financial highlights Revenues at 7,079.0‬ million euro (+2.4%) Ebitda at 1,123.0 million euro (+3.5%) Net profits for Shareholders at 302.7 million euro (+0.6%) Net debt improves to 3,227.0 million euro, with net debt/Ebitda ratio falling to 2.87x Proposed dividend increases to 11 cents per share (+10%) Operating highlights Positive results come from both internal and external growth Good contribution towards growth from energy areas in particular, including the Ascopiave partnership Improvement in all sustainability indicators, with shared value Ebitda increasing to 420.0 million euro (+7.2%) Today, the Hera Group’s Board of Directors, chaired by Tomaso Tommasi di Vignano, unanimously approved the consolidated economic results at 31 December 2020 and the Report on remuneration policies and compensation paid, along with the Sustainability report. 18 years of uninterrupted growth, thanks to good operating, financial and fiscal management The Hera Group closed the 2020 financial year positively, as well as in all quarters, even during a particularly difficult year on account of the Coronavirus emergency. Thanks to its solid and efficient multi-business model, and good operating, financial and fiscal management, Hera succeeded in maintaining growth in its results while at the same time supporting its stakeholders. Even during the lockdown, indeed, Hera guaranteed continuity, safety, quality and efficiency in all services and also provided help not only for its own employees but also its customers, suppliers and local communities. This consisted first in allowing customers to pay with delays or by instalments and offering reverse factoring to small and medium businesses, and later participating in specific solidarity initiatives across the areas served. These initiatives were appreciated by customers, as appears in the recent customer satisfaction poll which, despite the difficult external context, confirmed a high customer satisfaction rate (73/100), with approval of the management and services provided during the emergency coming to 85/100. More generally speaking, the Hera Group succeeded in continuing along the path of uninterrupted growth seen since its establishment in 2002, once again leveraging its own strategy: a balanced mix of internal and external growth, with significant economies of scale and higher synergies than expected. All of this while continuously striving to create value for its stakeholders, respecting the directions set out by the new Business Plan to 2024, which aims at accompanying all areas served in a recovery that respects European strategies and the goals on the UN’s 2030 Agenda. Revenues at over 7 billion, up 2.4% The Hera Group’s 2020 revenues rose to 7,079 million euro, up 166.2 million (+2.4% compared to the 6,912.8 million seen in 2019), thanks above all to the energy sector and in particular the change in scope of operations caused by the exceptional Ascopiave transaction which, through EstEnergy, led to the creation of the foremost energy operator in North-Eastern Italy. Growth in the heat management business also contributed to this result, with interventions linked to incentives for work on facades and energy efficiency. Ebitda increases, reaching 1,123.0 million (+3.5%) Group Ebitda rose to 1,123.0 million euro (+3.5%), up 37.9 million compared to the 1,085.1 million euro seen in 2019, with contributions mainly coming from external growth, in addition to internal growth. The businesses that played the greatest role in this increase were electricity and gas, thanks in particular to the Ascopiave transaction, but the water cycle and the other services in which Hera operates also made a positive contribution. The extraordinary efforts deployed by Hera to face the health emergency allowed the impact on Ebitda to be contained within the limits foreseen last year at the beginning of the pandemic, thanks in particular to all the support measures introduced. Operating results grow to 551.3 million (+1.6%) Net operating results also increased, coming to 551.3 million euro, up 8.8 million (+1.6% compared to the 542.5 million seen in 2019), despite the higher amortisation mainly linked to changes in the scope of operations. Pre-tax profits reflected the higher imputed costs involved in the Ascopiave put option, in addition to lower profits from joint ventures, which felt the effects of the health emergency. These factors were partially offset by efficiencies in the financial structure and other income. Net profits pertaining to Shareholders increase to 302.7 million euro (+0.6%) For reasons including clear improvement in the tax rate, which came to 25.7% as against the 28.3% seen in the previous year, owing to the Group’s commitment towards investments for technological, digital and environmental transformation in the direction of Utility 4.0, net results for the period rose to 322.8 million (+1.8%), showing a 5.7 million growth compared to the 317.1 million seen in 2019. Net profits pertaining to Shareholders were also up, settling at the end of 2020 at 302.7 million euro (+0.6%) compared to the 2019 figure of 300.8 million (excluding 2019 non recurring results from “special items”). Net investments grow to 528.5 million, net debt/Ebitda ratio further improves to 2.87x In 2020, net investments – including the 46.9 million euro involved in acquiring financial shareholdings mainly concerning Ascopiave – came to 528.5 million, up 3.8% compared to the 509.2 million seen in 2019. Operating investments totalling 506.4 million euro, including capital grants, were mainly allocated to interventions on plants, networks and infrastructures, in order to guarantee quality, efficiency, safety, resilience and innovation, in addition to regulatory upgrading that concerned gas distribution above all, with a large-scale metre substitution, and the purification and sewerage sector. These investments allowed the value of regulated infrastructures (RAB) to remain almost unchanged, despite the assets in gas networks transferred as part of the Ascopiave transaction. At the same time, investments contributed to growth and recovery in the areas served, since they were carried out by the Group’s suppliers, most of which are small-medium local businesses, which were thus able to continue working without interruption thanks to the support offered by Hera. The Group’s net debt settled at 3,227.0 million, improving compared to the 3,274.2 million seen in 2019, with a 47.2 million euro reduction of financial debt. In particular, operations generated positive and growing cash flows, which allowed investments, M&A transactions, the dividends paid and the treasury shares acquired to be entirely financed. Thanks to the double lever of an increased Ebitda and a lower net debt, the net debt/Ebitda ratio settled at 2.87x, showing clear improvement with respect to the 3.02x seen in 2019. The Group’s financial solidity is reflected by the opinions released by major rating agencies: Moody’s assigned Hera a Baa2 rating with a stable outlook, while Standard & Poor’s gave it a BBB/A-2 rating with a positive outlook. The Group’s attention towards sustainability confirmed, with shared value Ebitda rising to 420.0 million These positive operating results were matched by Hera’s increasing attention towards sustainability. The Hera Group was the first to introduce, in 2016, shared value reporting, concerning all business activities that, in addition to creating operating earnings, respond to the drivers for sustainable growth set out in the UN’s 2030 Agenda and, more generally, by various national and international policies. In 2020, shared value Ebitda rose to 420.0 million euro (+7.2% compared to 2019), coming to 37.4% of overall Ebitda. This result confirms the path set out in the Business Plan, which expects this indicator to reach 648 million by 2024, almost 50% of total Ebitda. Shared value has acted for some time as a benchmark for Hera’s progress towards sustainability and its business model over the years – all the more so in these difficult months – and has now proven to be winning and resilient, the most concrete guarantee for a future with further development, for Hera and for the areas served, with the goal of accompanying them during recovery. The Hera Group’s best practices in ESG areas, moreover, have been confirmed by its inclusion in the FTSE4Good index series and, even more so, in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, World and Europe – one of the most authoritative stock market indices evaluating social responsibility – as “Industry leader” out of the roughly 3,500 companies with the highest capitalisation in the world. The Group’s attention towards sustainability and transparency has furthermore been confirmed by its decision to work towards the “Well below 2°C” goal in the “Science Based Targets initiative”. This involves pursuing carbon neutrality and applying the recommendations provided by the “Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures” (TCFD) in its reporting as of the 2020 financial year, to provide stakeholders with all information required to assess opportunities and risks linked to the climate. Proposed dividend up to 11 cents per share The Board of Directors, considering the positive results reached, has decided to put an 11 cents per share dividend to the Shareholders Meeting to be held on 28 April, up 10% compared to the last dividend paid and outperforming Business Plan target for the current year. This will furthermore benefit the shareholder remuneration policy described in the Business Plan, since this new starting point will be applied, thus arriving at a dividend coming to 13 cents per share by 2024, with constant increases introduced year after year. The rise in financial expenditure for the dividends foreseen over the period covered by the Plan will be fully covered by the cash already generated in 2020. The ex-dividend date has been set at 5 July 2021, with payment as of 7 July 2020. The dividend will be paid to shares recorded on 6 July 2021. Report on remuneration policy and compensation paid approved The Board of Directors furthermore approved the Report on remuneration policy and compensation paid, in line with international best practices. Gas Ebitda for the gas area – which includes services in natural gas distribution and sales, district heating and heat management – increased significantly compared to the previous year, in terms of both earnings and volumes sold, rising to 374.4 million euro (+9.6%), 32.8 million more than the 341.6 million seen in 2019. This result was reached in spite of the impact of the health emergency, the milder winter temperatures, the spin-off of part of the gas distribution network following the Ascopiave transaction and the latest revision of tariffs by the Authority, all of which decreased Ebitda by roughly 50 million. Contributions to growth in Ebitda came mainly from the Ascopiave partnership, with the acquisition of companies belonging to the EstEnergy Group and AmgasBlu, and from the 8 portions of the last resort gas service in 16 regions of Italy and 5 portions of the default gas distribution service in 12 regions awarded for the period from 1 October 2020 to 30 September 2021. This growth was also sustained by the heat management business, with facade incentives. The number of gas customers reached almost 2.1 million, up by roughly 27 thousand over 2019 (+1.3%). In 2020, gross investments coming to 135.3 million were made, mainly going to interventions in the large-scale meter substitution and activities linked to acquiring new customers. The gas area’s contribution to Group Ebitda rose to 33.3%. Water Ebitda for the water area – which includes services in the aqueduct, purification and sewerage – came to 265.8 million euro, with a slight increase over the 265.3 million seen one year earlier. This result is due to the efficiency enhancing initiatives introduced by the Group, which fully offset the lower new connections, customer requests and subcontracted works owing to the health emergency. A slight increase in customers was also seen, amounting to 3 thousand, which now reach almost 1.5 million overall. Including capital grants, investments amounted to 166.2 million euro, mainly involving extensions, reclamations and network and plant upgrading, as well as regulatory adjustments, especially in the area of purification and sewage. Among other projects, work continued on the Rimini seawater protection plan, one of the most important, cutting-edge works in Italy in the field of sewerage and purification, in addition to upgrading the sewerage network in other areas. Requests for new water and sewerage connections increased compared to the previous year. The water area accounted for 23.7% of Group Ebitda. Waste Ebitda for the waste area – in which Hera Group is Italy’s foremost operator, and which includes waste collection, treatment and disposal services – settled at 258.0 million euro, compared to the 264.2 million euro seen in 2019, mainly due to a reduction in the earnings for regulated activities of municipal waste collection and sweeping. This result felt the effects of the health emergency, owing to the reduction in waste production seen during the lockdown, as well as the drop in demand for recycled plastic material and in prices for recycled products, and lower revenues from electricity generation in waste-to-energy plants. Nevertheless, in this context, Hera was able to react promptly thanks to its cutting-edge set of plants, with approximately ninety plants able to treat all types of waste, from the point of view of a circular economy as well, which proved to be a fundamental strategic lever in the Italian scenario, considering the country’s structural shortage of plants. This is confirmed by the positive results achieved by the waste management sector in the last quarter of 2020, which, along with the increase seen in waste treatment prices, made it possible to offset the Covid ’19 impact on Ebitda. Total investments coming to 68.3 million euro were mainly allocated to maintenance and upgrades on plants. This set of assets was further reinforced thanks to recent acquisitions – such as the one concerning Pistoia Ambiente – and agreements with outstanding partners. The latter include an agreement between Aliplast and NextChem, a company belonging to the Maire Tecnimont Group, aimed at creating an innovative structure for producing high-quality recycled polymers, which will make it possible to recycle rigid plastics and thus introduce greater sustainability in industrial sectors, such as the IT sector, which until now have used only virgin plastics. Again, a partnership was signed between Herambiente and Eni Rewind for creating, in Ravenna, an avant-garde environmental platform to manage industrial waste, minimizing disposal in favour of material and energy recovery. In 2020 as well, protecting environmental resources was confirmed as a priority objective for Hera, along with maximising their reuse, as is demonstrated by the additional increase in sorted municipal waste collection, which went from 64.6% in 2019 to 65.3% in 2020. The waste area accounted for 23% of Group Ebitda. Electricity The electricity area – which covers electricity generation, distribution and sales services – recorded an Ebitda coming to 188.2 million, up 9.7 million (+5.5%) compared to 178.5 million seen during the previous year. This result is mainly linked to the Ascopiave partnership, thanks to the acquisition of EstEnergy and AmgasBlu, and to higher margins from electricity generation in the dispatching service market, all of which considerably contained the negative effect of the health emergency. Increases were also seen in requests for new connections and in investments, which amounted to 47.7 million euro, 4.3 million more than in the previous year, mainly involving non-recurring maintenance on plants and distribution networks in the Modena, Imola, Trieste and Gorizia areas. Electricity customers rose to 1.3 million (+3.5%), up 44.8 thousand compared to 2019, with growth mainly seen on the free market, thanks to reinforced sales initiatives; safeguarded customers, instead, remained virtually the same as in the previous year. The electricity area accounted for 16.8% of Group Ebitda. Statement by Executive Chairman Tomaso Tommasi di Vignano The Hera Group’s 2020 financial statements prove, once again, our solidity and the effectiveness of our strategies, but also our close relations with local areas and stakeholders. These results indeed reflect our uninterrupted activities, in spite of the pandemic, supporting the economic fabric in which we operate. Quarter after quarter, we succeeded in meeting the challenges posed by the emergency, reacting quickly to reorganise our work and find solutions to protect our assets on the one hand, and customers on the other. In a complex context, we defined new projects and signed agreements with outstanding partners, and in the second half of 2020, gaining speed in particular towards the end of the year, we benefitted from the overall recovery seen in economic activities in the areas we serve. These positive results were reflected in all main indicators and are all the more significant in light of the difficulties caused by the health emergency: we thus confirmed our track record of 18 years of growth and further improved our financial solidity, with positive consequences for our public and private shareholders, to whom we have decided to pay, already this year, an increased dividend coming to 11 cents per share. The good cash generation seen in 2020, furthermore, will allow us to fully cover our policy of increased dividends through to 2024. Statement by CEO Stefano Venier The growth achieved by the Hera Group was strongly supported by its partnership with Ascopiave, which enabled the Group to expand further in the Triveneto region. Despite the complex context, we were able to immediately extract a significant part of the expected synergies, thus giving a crucial contribution to the increase in our cash flows in 2020. The year was also dedicated to further progress in fully integrating sustainability into our business strategies: we are committed to promoting further development in this direction, with projects for circularity, carbon neutrality and technological innovation, respecting European policies and the goals on the UN’s 2030 Agenda. This also includes a few collaborations recently launched, such as the one with Snam for developing hydrogen. Green gases, in fact, are a particularly interesting frontier for us precisely because we operate in more than one business: by providing our wide range of expertise and our broad infrastructures, we can create innovative examples of carbon neutral circularity between supply chains. 28 April 2021 Shareholders Meeting In light of the ongoing need for prudence in avoiding situations of risk caused by the spread of the Covid-19 epidemic, and therefore respecting fundamental principles of health protection, those entitled to take part in the Shareholders Meeting will be able to intervene without access to the physical premises and only through the Designated Representative. The notice calling the meeting and the documents pertaining to the Shareholders Meeting to be held on 28 April will be communicated to Shareholders and made available to the public in the regular forms provided for by law and the Articles of Association. The manager responsible for drafting the company’s accounting statements, Luca Moroni, declares, pursuant to article 154-bis paragraph 2 of the TUF, that the information contained in the present press release corresponds to the documentation available and to the account books and entries. The financial statement and related materials will be available to the public pursuant to the terms established by law at the Company Headquarters, on the website www.gruppohera.it and on the authorised storage platform 1Info (www.1info.it ), within 6 April 2021. Unaudited extracts from the Financial Statements at 31 December 2020 are attached. Profit & Loss (m€) 31/12/20 Inc.% 31/12/19 Inc.% Ch. Ch. % Sales 7,079.0 6,912.8 +166.2 +2.4% Other operating revenues 467.8 6.6% 530.8 7.7% (63.0) (11.9%) Raw material (3,410.6) (48.2%) (3,458.2) (50.0%) (47.6) (1.4%) Services costs (2,424.9) (34.3%) (2,318.2) (33.5%) +106.7 +4.6% Other operating expenses (58.9) (0.8%) (59.3) (0.9%) (0.4) (0.7%) Personnel costs (572.7) (8.1%) (560.4) (8.1%) +12.3 +2.2% Capitalisations 43.3 0.6% 37.6 0.5% +5.7 +15.1% Ebitda 1,123.0 15.9% 1,085.1 15.7% +37.9 +3.5% Depreciation and provisions (571.7) (8.1%) (542.6) (7.8%) +29.1 +5.4% Ebit 551.3 7.8% 542.5 7.8% +8.8 +1.6% Financial inc./(exp.) (116.7) (1.6%) (100.0) (1.4%) +16.7 +16.7% Pre tax profit 434.6 6.1% 442.5 6.4% (7.9) (1.8%) Taxes (111.8) (1.6%) (125.4) (1.8%) (13.6) (10.8%) Net profit 322.8 4.6% 317.1 4.6% +5.7 +1.8% Results from special items - 0.0% 84.9 1.2% (84.9) +100.0% Net profit for the period 322.8 4.6% 402.0 5.8% (79.2) (19.7%) Attributable to: Shareholders of the Parent Company 302.7 4.3% 385.7* 5.6% (83.0) (21.5%) Minority shareholders 20.1 0.3% 16.3 0.2% +3.8 +23.3% Balance Sheet (m€) 31/12/20 Inc.% 31/12/19 Inc.% Ch. Ch. % Net fixed assets 6,983.6 109.4% 6,846.3 108.9% +137.3 +2.0% Working capital 53.6 0.8% 87.0 1.4% (33.4) (38.4%) (Provisions) (654.9) (10.2%) (649.1) (10.3%) (5.8) +0.9% Net invested capital 6,382.3 100.0% 6,284.2 100.0% +98.1 +1.6% Net equity 3,155.3 49.4% 3,010.0 47.9% +145.3 +4.8% Long term net financial debt 3,617.1 56.7% 3,383.4 53.8% +233.7 +6.9% Short term net financial debt (390.1) (6.1%) (109.2) (1.7%) (280.9) +257.2% Net financial debts 3,227.0 50.6% 3,274.2 52.1% (47.2) (1.4%) Net invested capital 6,382.3 100.0% 6,284.2 100.0% +98.1 +1.6% Results as at 31 December 2020 Press release Y2020.pdf 2019-11-11 13:14:00 110x150.be-bs.jpg Il Gruppo Hera approva i risultati al 31/12/2020
Online dal 24/03/2021 alle ore 13:14
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26/02/2021
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Potentialpark 2021: Hera awarded for its ability to attract talent

2021-02-26 The Hera Group ranks among the most “talent-friendly” companies, for the fifth consecutive year, according to the Swedish research firm Potentialpark. Recognition comes once again for Hera’s efforts in online and social communication, aimed at young graduates in search of employment: second place overall in Italy and first for the career page on its site Sede Hera Only a few weeks after obtaining Top Employer certification, for the 12th consecutive year and ranking first overall in Italy for the second year in a row, the Hera Group has also been included once again among the companies with the best ability to attract talent. This has been established by the 2021 Italian edition of the Online Talent Communication study, carried out by the Swedish research firm Potentialpark, that each year drafts a ranking of companies who, through their online communication, are the most attractive for candidates in search of employment. In Potentialpark’s 2021 edition, Hera came in second in Italy, further improving its position in the overall ranking. Excellent results were also obtained by the Group in specific categories: first in the “Career Website” category, thanks to continuous improvements in the “Work with us” section of the company’s site (https://www.gruppohera.it/gruppo/lavora-con-noi). The Group furthermore maintained second place in the Mobile category, for the ease with which candidates may apply using a cell phone/smartphone. The Hera Group, moreover, has been focusing on innovation for some time now, offering candidates the best available technology. Social recruiting activities, i.e. interaction with candidates on the main social networks, are increasing: this effort was also recognised by Potentialpark, which included the Group in this category’s Top 10, with a significant improvement over previous years. The Group’s profile on LinkedIn, the main social network for professional relations, continues to grow and has now reached over 80,300 followers. These are significant results, that highlight the constant and growing commitment shown by the Hera Group towards communication and involving talented people, using all portals and digital tools. In addition to creating and spreading information, in fact, Hera makes efforts to customise its content, to meet the needs of the job market and rank among the best companies to which young people can look with interest. In fact, numerous activities have been designed to facilitate the application process and provide all information required to understand “life” at Hera. By visiting the Group’s website, young people looking for opportunities can indeed become familiar with the company, obtain information on salary policies, contracts, methods used to improve the balance between private life and professional careers, and learn about the company’s welfare plan and the HerAcademy corporate university, the first in Italy to be created by a multi-utility. Sede Gruppo Hera Press release Potentialpark 2021.pdf 2020-04-29 10:00:25 Sede Gruppo Hera Sede Hera
Online dal 26/02/2021 alle ore 10:00
24/02/2021
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Diversity and inclusion: Hera receives 2021 Top Utility prize

2021-02-24 Yet another recognition for the Group in this area. This prize, which analyses and valorises the best performances of Italy’s public service companies, was awarded today during the digital conference for its ninth edition Top Utility Analysis Attention towards gender equality, care given to diversity and inclusion: these issues are at the centre of the Hera Group’s strategies and corporate culture. This has been recognised among others by Top Utility, which today, during its digital conference, awarded to the Group first place in the Diversity category “for its efforts in making policies favouring diversity, inclusion and social responsibility”. Currently at its ninth edition, Top Utility analyses and valorises the changes made and performance shown by Italy’s 100 largest utilities on a yearly basis. Ranking as Top Utility in the Diversity category comes as recognition for the numerous initiatives introduced by the Hera Group, applied not only to its corporate culture but also to the management and development of its human resources. One example lies in the meritocratic systems planned and measured to be concrete applied, with compensation tools and benefits focused on performance, complexity in professional roles and market comparisons, regardless of characteristics involving gender or generation. The ensuing career paths see a growing percentage of women in roles of responsibility, now coming to roughly 30%. The attention given to these issues and the approach taken towards them by businesses is, furthermore, increasingly important for the international financial community, with investors showing growing interest towards listed companies with excellent policies in this area. For this reason as well, Hera has integrated these aspects within its Business plan, and provides transparent information on them each year in its sustainability report. “We are committed to making the Hera Group a place where everyone can feel ‘well’ and included”, remarks Susanna Zucchelli, Diversity Manager and Water Director at Hera. “A place where everyone knows they can make their own contribution to important projects that enrich the communities served, aiming at quality and favouring collaboration and communication. This is a company to which younger generations as well can look with interest as regards their future career. Receiving these recognitions gratifies us, motivates us and encourages us to do even better, to make our company a truly enabling party, developing and integrating these issues within the social fabric.” Hera’s leadership has also been recognised by other important awards. First and foremost, the Top Employer certification, achieved for the 12th consecutive year, confirming in 2021 as well the Hera Group’s top ranking overall in Italy. For years, furthermore, Hera has been included in the Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index and is among the leading companies in the Refinitiv Diversity & Inclusion Index. Press release Top Utility 2021.pdf 2020-04-29 11:53:25 Top Utility Analysis
Online dal 24/02/2021 alle ore 11:53
22/02/2021
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Snam and Hera: kicking off a technological collaboration for hydrogen development

2021-02-22 Depuratore Gruppo Hera Snam and Hera announce that they have signed a Letter of Intent for a technological collaboration aimed at developing hydrogen, for their own areas of activity respectively. Depuratore Gruppo Hera The aim is to test and subsequently implement a number of solutions able to respond to the decarbonisation needs of the Emilia-Romagna region in a cross-cutting manner, from production to mobility to individual citizens. This agreement will also contribute to promote the development of renewable energies in Italy, in line with the guidelines set out by the European Union. The accord involves several areas of action, starting from the collaboration on power-to-gas technology. Specifically, an innovative plant is at an advanced stage of design at the Bologna Corticella multi-utility treatment plant, which will transform excess renewable electricity into “green” hydrogen to be injected into the networks by exploiting purified water and returning oxygen, biogas and sludge to the water purification process, thus obtaining a mutually beneficial “symbiosis” between the two plants, with an additional environmental benefit. In the industrial field, the two companies will also study the application of hydrogen for thermal uses in the most energy-intensive sectors and with processes that are difficult to electrify. Other options under study include the creation of plants to extract green hydrogen from water, using the renewable energy generated by the Hera Group’s waste-to-energy plants, with the aim of contributing to the decarbonisation of industrial sectors such as the production of fertilisers and fuels. Finally, the Letter of Intent provides for a possible joint experimentation of injecting a mixture of natural gas and hydrogen into a portion of Hera’s distribution network in Emilia-Romagna, similar to what Snam has already done on its own transmission network. At the heart of this experimentation is the gas network of Modena. “The agreement with Hera - Marco Alverà, CEO of Snam said - is part of the collaboration we are starting with energy and industrial companies to develop hydrogen-related technologies and implement projects in different areas of the Italian territory. Hydrogen will be a decisive element, together with electricity from renewable sources, to enable Europe to become the first continent with net zero emissions by 2050. Snam intends to contribute to this path, by providing its infrastructure, combined with its skills and innovation capacity, to create a national hydrogen supply chain capable of accelerating the path to decarbonisation and create new opportunities for development and employment.” “With this partnership we wish to concretely contribute to the development of the hydrogen option to pursue the carbon neutrality of the territories, consistent with the commitment to sustainable development that has always guided our actions. – Stefano Venier, CEO of the Hera Group commented - Signing this protocol is part of the strategy outlined in our 2024 Business Plan, which calls for numerous actions and investments for energy transition and environmental protection in line with European strategies and the objectives of the UN 2030 Agenda. Green gases, including hydrogen, are a particularly interesting frontier for us because we operate in several businesses: by making available our cross-sector expertise and our extensive infrastructure platform we can create innovative examples of carbon neutral circularity among supply chains.” This agreement is likely subject to subsequent binding agreements that the parties will define in compliance with the applicable regulatory profiles. Depuratore Gruppo Hera Press release Snam-Hera.pdf 2020-04-29 11:01:00 Depuratore Gruppo Hera
Online dal 22/02/2021 alle ore 11:01
08/02/2021
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Hera 2021 gold medal in S&P Global’s Sustainability Award

2021-02-08 The Group has received Gold Class status for ranking as "Industry leader" in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, one of the world's most authoritative stock market indices assessing ESG factors. Hera also given special mention as "Industry mover". Sede Hera The Hera Group has received a worldwide gold medal for social responsibility. S&P Global, indeed, has awarded the company its Gold Class 2021, the highest recognition reserved for companies included in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI), the authoritative international stock market index assessing the ESG factors of roughly 3,500 listed companied with the highest capitalisation globally. This prestigious result was released today with the publication of the Sustainability Yearbook 2021, a report that contains the results of analyses carried out for gaining access to the index last year, and the names of companies that achieved the highest sustainability scores. Following its inclusion in the FTSE MIB in 2019, Hera participated in the selection process for the DJSI and, in only 2 years, rapidly rose in the classification, being included in the World and European indices at the same time and ranking as "Industry leader", i.e. the best "Multi-utility and Water" in the world, with a score of 87/100, compared to a sector average coming to 45/100. Compared to the other companies assessed by the DJSI, Hera stood out in particular for its environmental and economic sustainability, and its governance. The Sustainability Yearbook 2021 gives particular emphasis to the significant results achieved by Hera in the areas identified as most challenging for its sector, such as resource management and protection, the ability to grasp market opportunities and relations with stakeholders. In addition to Gold Class status, Hera also received special mention as "Industry mover", that is, the company that recorded the most significant improvement, rising by no less than 19 points compared to the score of 68/100 in 2019. These recognitions provide further confirmation of the valid sustainability strategy pursued by Hera, which represents its fundamental approach, substantiated once again by its Business plan to 2024, presented to investors 20 days ago. In the Plan, operating and financial results are expected to improve continuously, with a solid cash generation and ESG targets to 2030. The Plan foresees investments and initiatives for energy and environmental transition and technological evolution, in line with European strategies and the UN's 2030 Agenda. The most significant challenges include the field of renewable energies and pursuing carbon neutrality. In particular, Hera aims to achieve ambitious goals in reduction, following the criteria of the "Science Based Target initiative" especially as regards "Well below 2°C", (intended to limit the increase in the Earth's temperature to significantly under 2°C). Among the numerous international recognitions going to the Group for its attention towards sustainability, also note Hera's inclusion in 2020 in the FTSE4Good Index Series, a set of ethical indices conceived by FTSE Russell to encourage investments in companies that meet strict criteria in the area of ESG. Not by chance, attention towards ESG factors is an increasingly central issue for investors as well, and was included by Hera in its mission as of 2002, the year of its establishment. Press release Hera Sustainability Yearbook.pdf 2020-01-24 12:50:00 Sede Hera
Online dal 08/02/2021 alle ore 12:50
04/02/2021
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Sustainable agriculture: Hera with Yara Italia and Sapio for green hydrogen

2021-02-04 Aimed at contributing to decarbonising the agriculture sector, Hera has signed a memorandum intended to study the feasibility of a project for generating and using green hydrogen, linked to a concrete goal: fuelling the fertiliser produced by Yara Italia, the leader in this industry. Sapio is also involved, for the technological aspects and hydrogen management Sede Hera In times of climate change, a transition in the agricultural transition is a challenge as urgent as it is complex, because it requires not only reducing high water consumption but also limiting the emissions involved in the many processes concerned by agriculture, both directly and indirectly. The fertiliser sector is unquestionably among these processes, and is the subject of the memorandum signed by the Hera Group – one of Italy’s largest multi-utilities – with Yara Italia, a leader in nitric and complex fertiliser production, and by Sapio, a leading figure in the field of technical and medical gases. The memorandum is intended to explore the possibility of increasing sustainability in the agriculture sector, by using green hydrogen. A plant able to produce up to 500 tons/year of green hydrogen Based on this agreement, Hera, Yara and Sapio will begin a coordinated series of analyses that, within the year’s end, will assess the technological, economic and regulatory feasibility of a concrete project for using renewable energy and developing the green hydrogen industry. The project covers green hydrogen generation, transportation and use to fuel fertiliser production. In particular, the experimental plant intended for generating hydrogen would use the renewable energy produced by Hera’s Ferrara WTE plant, to produce hydrogen from water and thus fuel Yara Italia’s nearby industrial facility, dedicated to fertiliser production. Scouting the plant technologies will be done by Sapio, who will also be responsible for further evaluations concerning the technical solutions through which Yara’s facility will be supplied. An annual green hydrogen production capacity coming to 500 tons is expected. Commitment to green energy at the centre of Hera’s strategies By signing this memorandum, the Hera Group has given new impetus, only a few weeks after the approval of its Business Plan to 2024, to its commitment towards innovation, renewable energy and carbon neutrality. In line with European strategies and the goals on the UN’s 2030 Agenda, the environmental content of the Plan calls for not only promoting a circular economy and intervening to increase infrastructure resilience, but also all actionsfor energy transition and the fight against climate change, which increasingly involve biomethane, hydrogen and green syngas. The Group’s investments in technological innovation are fundamental in this sense, essential in searching for sustainable solutions in the area of so-called “clean energies”. Hera has been working towards sustainability in the agriculture sector for some time, for example through a circular and resilient management of water that also involves various projects in regenerating water resources and reusing waste water. “Developing clean energy”, remarks Stefano Venier, Hera Group CEO, “necessarily involves periods of research that, following the spirit underlying this memorandum, consolidate the expectations of our most advanced projects. Furthermore, it is equally important to set out these projects in a concrete and sustainable way, to meet the needs of sectors such as agriculture, which still have a significant environmental impact in terms of resource consumption, from water to energy. A commitment to sustainability, in any case, has always been in our DNA, as is further proven by Hera’s recent inclusion in theDow Jones Sustainability Index, and our decision to voluntarily apply the recommendations of the “Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures” (TCFD) in our reporting as of the 2020 financial year. Our goal, reaffirmed in the Business Plan to 2024 as well, is to keep raising the bar, and forward-looking projects such as the one launched with Yara Italia and Sapio go precisely in this direction, exploring possibilities that, in a modular way, can be replicated elsewhere as well.” Yara Italia, the Italian branch of the Norwegian multinational Yara International ASA, a world leader in the fertiliser sector, has been successfully working for years to shape change as regards sustainability. Reducing CO2 emissions and water consumption, improving the environmental and energy sustainability of production processes and implementing regenerative solutions for soil that increase the effectiveness of fertiliser and thus reduce overuse, are at the top of the Group’s list of strategic priorities. Participating in this project is for Yara an additional, significant step in this direction. Sapio has maintained its vision of sustainability for almost a century, and is strongly committed to remaining at the forefront in developing and promoting the hydrogen sector, to allow Italy, which boasts an advantageous geographical position and important distribution networks, to become a European leader. Sapio, an active member of H2IT (the Italian Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association) and the European Clean Hydrogen Alliance, covers all modalities of hydrogen production and distribution, through to its final applications, guaranteeing a high-quality offer with significant technological value. “Hydrogen is the future. And the future is now”, remarks the Chairman of the Sapio Group and the Associazione H2IT, Alberto Dossi. “We are witnessing an important historical moment, and it is equally important to collaborate with companies such as Hera and Yara. This example proves that this sector, in our country, is prepared to lead Italy to play a central role in the energy transition. We have both an industrial and a scientific mission, thanks to our relations with leading universities and research centres. To rise to the challenge of decarbonisation, the time has come to formulate a national strategy for hydrogen, that will allow us to reach the ambitious goals set out by the Ministry of Economic Development, which call for a usage of hydrogen coming to 20% within 2050.” Press release Sustainable agriculture Hera with Yara Italia and Sapio for green hydrogen.pdf 2020-01-24 10:51:00 Sede Hera
Online dal 04/02/2021 alle ore 10:51
27/01/2021
Hera Spa
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Hera Group part of the 2021 Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index

2021-01-27 Once again, for the second consecutive year, Hera has been included in this index, which measures gender equality and the promotion of diversity and inclusion. The Hera Group pays close attention to gender equality and to promoting diversity and inclusion, and stands out in particular for its transparency in providing information on these issues and its harassment prevention and sanctioning policies. The Group has indeed been included this year as well - after becoming part of it for the first time in 2020 - in the Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index, which evaluates 11,700 companies worldwide committed to promoting and creating equal and inclusive workplaces. Diversity awareness is indeed an increasingly important issue for the international financial community, with investors showing growing interest towards listed companies with outstanding policies in this area. Hera's confirmation within the Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index - achieving significant results, even compared to the average in the utility sector - bears witness to the quality of the path chosen by the Group, which over time has been enriched with new content and increased dimensions, involving a growing number of employees. Today, diversity valorisation policies are an integral part of the Group's strategy, and are also defined in its Business Plan to 2024. Promoting diversity, inclusion and people development is central in human resource management. At Hera, equality in access to development and professional growth is reached through meritocratic systems designed and calibrated to guarantee their own concrete application. The tools used include compensation and benefits focused on performance, the complexity of one's role and market comparisons, regardless of gender or generation, and career paths that see an increasing percentage of women with roles of responsibility, now coming to roughly 30%. Additional proof of the Group's attention towards these issues comes from the score obtained in the 2020 Refinitiv (previously Thomson Reuters) "Diversity & Inclusion Index", where Hera further improved its position, ranking as the 12th company in the world, 2nd in Italy and the leading multi-utility overall. In November 2020, moreover, Hera was defined as "Industry leader" and included in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index World and Europe, one of the most authoritative stock market indices evaluating social responsibility, that brings together companies showing the best sustainability performances internationally. Press release Bloomberg Gender Equality Index.pdf 2015-11-12 13:22:00 GEIseal 2021_WHT_110x150.png
Online dal 27/01/2021 alle ore 13:22
25/01/2021
Hera Spa
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Hera a Top Employer for the 12th time

2021-01-25 Tomaso Tommasi di Vignano The Group, after gaining recognition as the best company in Italy in 2020, has once again obtained this certification of excellence in managing human resources. This comes as a reward for its strategy focused on people, with investments in welfare, training and diversity, with an organisation promoting agility in work and digitalisation. A company's workers are the true key to its success. The Hera Group knows this well, and continues to dedicate resources, attention and commitment to its team of over 9,000 employees. And the results are clear to all, as is shown by Top Employer, an international certification of excellence in human resource management, awarded to Hera in 2021 as well, for the 12th consecutive year. This recognition comes from the Holland-based Top Employer Institute, which carries out research on the quality of human resource management, examining over 1,600 businesses. Hera, recognised as the best company in 2020, has once again been certified as a Top Employer for its business strategies, in which attention towards human resources has always been fundamental, thanks to its best practices regarding welfare, working conditions, development and training, diversity and innovation. The Group, indeed, puts people at the centre of its policies, with processes designed from the outset to fit its employees and to increase and innovate their skills, guaranteeing paths in mobility and development and favouring self-learning. The Group also stands out for its organisational methods, which promote worker agility and digitalisation, with a smart working project launched in 2017 that created the bases to effectively face the emergency that struck our country, with no effect on service quality and efficiency, protecting at the same time the health and safety of its employees and customers. In 2020, Hera immediately introduced a range of measures that ensured it would remain close to its workers: from upgrading technological tools favouring collaboration and communication among employees, to redesigning training in order to meet new obligations concerning remote work, and setting in place a Covid-19 insurance policy for its employees, with all expenses covered by the company. Hera's most outstanding human resource policies include Hextra, the integrated corporate welfare plan intended for all Group employees, investments for which reached 4.5 million euro in 2020 alone. The Group also offers its employees campaigns aimed at awareness, prevention, cure, overall wellbeing and education. Hera has also confirmed its ranking among the leading Italian businesses that invest in their employees' personal and professional development, with 26 hours of training per capita each year and a total of roughly 236,000 hours provided, thanks to investments coming to approximately 2 million euro. In this area, a fundamental role is played by HerAcademy, the Group's corporate university that allows it to communicate with businesses and the main local institutions. Furthermore, through the Hera Educational set of initiatives, the Group constantly reinforces its role in the area served, consolidating its partnerships with various figures in the educational system. Lastly, a special focus goes to sustainability and guaranteeing equal opportunity, inclusion and diversity valorisation. This is proved by the Group's presence in the 2020 Refinitiv "Diversity & Inclusion Index" 2020 (formerly Thomson Reuters) and its entrance in the 2020 "Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index". In November 2020, as regards ESG factors, which also cover human resource management and development, Hera was recognised as "Industry leader" and included in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index World and Europe, one of the most authoritative stock market indices evaluating social responsibility, which brings together the companies showing the best sustainability performances in the world. "We are proud to receive this certification in 2021 as well, which attests once again to the investments we make in human resources", states the Hera Group's Executive Chairman, Tomaso Tommasi di Vignano. "This recognition is all the more significant in a complex period such as the present, where we have proven our ability to react to difficulties and show resilience, obtaining quality in our results, aiming at sustainability and creating value for stakeholders and the area served. We have reached this goal thanks to the work done by all our employees, and we wish to continue investing in them, providing wellbeing, training and development, and offering the best possible working conditions within an inclusive and participative context". Tomaso Tommasi di Vignano Press release Hera a Top Employer for the 12th time.pdf 2015-11-12 10:41:00 top_employer_2021_110x150.1611570319.png
Online dal 25/01/2021 alle ore 10:41

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Telephone: +39 051 287111

HERA SPA

Viale Carlo Berti Pichat nr. 2/4 - 40127

 

Bologna

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The consolidated economic results at 31 December 2023 and the 2023 sustainability report were approved by the Board of Directors of the Hera Group on 26 March 2024

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