Press releases

2024-03-11 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. The Hera Group is building its first Energy Park in Bologna that combines and puts into practice energy sustainability, decarbonisation, innovation, environmental redevelopment and biodiversity protection. This initiative involves the creation of an advanced agrivoltaic field with photovoltaic panels above ground level, to allow traditional agricultural activity, powered by the clean energy coming from the sun, and an urban forest having green areas with facilities usable by citizens and areas dedicated to animal and plant biodiversity. The Energy Park, a strategic project for Bologna, will be located in the northern area of the city, in the Navile district. The project will be realized by 2026 and represents a fundamental step in the Bologna Climate Mission, the path towards climate neutrality that the Municipality of Bologna is committed to achieving by 2030, which the Hera Group immediately joined. The Energy Park will indeed lead to an annual savings in terms of carbon dioxide coming to roughly 6,000 tonnes: a concrete step taken by the Hera Group towards decarbonisation. The project’s vital statistics The Energy Park will cover a total area of about 50 hectares. On roughly twenty hectares of municipal property, the urban forest will be developed; on the remaining thirty hectares the agrivoltaic field will be built. The advanced agrivoltaic plant combines solar energy production with agriculture and consists of raised photovoltaic panels, installed high enough off the ground so as not to interfere with agricultural activities. In the end, therefore, the same surface area is used twice. The current use of this rural location will be maintained thanks to the use of agrivoltaic technology, which makes it possible to produce clean energy while continuing to use the land for agricultural purposes. The support structures for the photovoltaic panels are positioned at a height from the ground that allows agricultural vehicles to pass underneath, thus minimising land occupation. Energy efficiency is guaranteed by innovative technology, since energy production is maximised by the photovoltaic panels’ ability to follow the sun, automatically orienting themselves towards it. The new plant will have a total capacity coming to around 14 MW and is expected to produce more than 20 GWh of electricity per year, equivalent to the consumption of almost 8,000 households, with annual carbon dioxide savings amounting to roughly 6,000 tonnes. The park that will be open to residents is the other inspiration behind the Energy Park, and is a unique opportunity for the urban redevelopment of the surrounding area, which contains sports centres and residences. This infrastructure will indeed increase the space available for the enjoyment of natural areas or those having naturalistic potential, integrating areas dedicated to plant and animal biodiversity with areas of organised parkland, with bicycle and pedestrian paths open to all. The Energy Park project, for which the Hera Group has obtained a patent, will be the first green infrastructure that combines renewable energy production, soil conservation, the protection of animal and plant species and spaces usable by people. It will also give citizens the chance to participate in the construction of photovoltaic plants by investing in them and receiving in return a discount on their bills equal to the energy produced. The authorisation process for the project is already underway. Construction of the Energy Park is scheduled to begin in 2025, and within 2026 the park will be open and the agrivoltaic plant will be operational. The Hera Group for the energy transition, alongside the communities served The Energy Park is a concrete and innovative example of synergy between renewable energy production, sustainability, agriculture and biodiversity protection, moving towards the decarbonisation of cities. It offers a solution that is fully consistent with the strategy outlined in the Hera Group’s 2027 Business Plan, which as regards the photovoltaic power generation sets the goal of installing about 300 MW over the time covered by the plan. This goal will be achieved preferably through solutions that do not involve further land consumption, such as agrivoltaic plants and a number of projects being implemented on landfills or plants in the Group’s water cycle, as well as installations at customers’ premises, including Renewable Energy Communities. 20240311 PR Hera Group’s Energy Park arrives in Bologna.pdf 11:03:00 energy park per sito.jpg See the press release energy park per sito.jpg

2024-02-13 The Group achieved the leadership band in the CDP questionnaire and was included among “TOP 1%” Multi and Water Utilities of the S&P Global’s Sustainability Yearbook 2024. These recognitions prove Hera’s commitment to sustainable development and creating shared value for local areas. The Hera Group, one of Italy’s largest multi-utilities operating in the waste management, energy and water sectors, has been confirmed among Europe’s leading companies for its commitment and transparency in the fight against climate change. It achieved an “A-” score in the assessment drawn up by CDP (formerly the Carbon Disclosure Project), the international non-profit organisation specialising in evaluating the climate performance and strategies adopted by companies. This achievement above both the energy utilities sector and the European average (both B), comes alongside Hera’s inclusion, for the fourth year straight, in S&P Global’s Sustainability Yearbook, which sees Hera among the 759 best companies in the world for sustainability performance. The CDP score Hera achieved an A- score, showing clear improvement on the B obtained in 2022. It also achieved the highest rating (A) for managing climate change risks and opportunities and for its emissions data, including indirect emissions. All companies were assessed on the basis of their decarbonisation strategy, the effectiveness of their efforts to reduce emissions and climate risks and to develop a low-carbon economy, as well as the completeness and transparency of the information provided and the adoption of best practices concerning environmental impact. The CDP is an independent not-for-profit organisation that provides companies and countries with a system to measure, track, manage and share climate change information globally, and is the gold standard for investors, companies, cities, states and regions. Completing the CDP questionnaire requires measuring and reporting on all performances and initiatives put in place to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. At the request of more than 740 investors with over $136 trillion in assets, in 2023 this data was reported through CDP’s platform by the companies involved. S&P Global’s Sustainability Yearbook The corporate sustainability performance assessment carried out by S&P Global sees Hera within the “Top 1%” of the best-performing companies in the sector. With an ESG score coming to 82/100, as against an industry average of 43/100, Hera has confirmed its leadership in both the environmental and social dimensions, where it recorded the highest score among Multi and Water Utilities. Membership was highly competitive this year; of the over 9,400 companies assessed in the Corporate Sustainability Assessment 2023, divided into 62 business sectors, only 66 are classified as “Top 1%” and Hera is among them. The S&P Global ESG Score measures a company's performance and management of material ESG risks, opportunities, and impacts informed by a combination of company disclosures, media and stakeholder analysis, modelling approaches, and in-depth company engagement via the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment. 20240213 PR Hera Group among Europe’s leaders in sustainability.pdf 11:03:00 Nuova_Palazzina_110x150.1533218221.jpg See the press release Nuova_Palazzina_110x150.1533218221.jpg

2024-02-06 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. Today, the Hera Group, through its subsidiary Hera Comm, was definitively awarded 7 lots (the maximum number allowed, out of the 26 into which the country is divided) in the national tender called by the Single Purchaser for the Gradual Protection Service for non-vulnerable household customers. This achievement will lead to the acquisition of more than 1 million new electricity customers, spread over 37 provinces of Italy, who will become part of the Group’s portfolio as of 1 July 2024. It also marks a significant step towards the target set out in the Business Plan to 2027. More specifically, Hera will strengthen its presence in several regions: Emilia-Romagna, Veneto, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Marche, Tuscany, Abruzzo, Lazio, Umbria, Liguria, Piedmont, Lombardy and Campania. The Group has thus additionally consolidated its position as the country’s third largest operator in this sector, confirming itself as a key player on the national energy market. Cristian Fabbri, Executive Chairman of the Hera Group: “This result represents yet another milestone in the expansion of our commercial services, and an important element of the Business Plan we recently presented. The consolidated experience we have gained in over twenty years working in the energy sector allows us to offer these new customers all the professionalism of our commercial structures, strongly rooted in most of the provinces assigned by this tender. We have always been committed to providing quality services, along with innovative and sustainable solutions to meet the needs of our customers, both residential and business, accompanying them along the path to decarbonisation and making their consumption more efficient.” The result of considerable experience in the sector and significant industrial synergies The Hera Group won 7 lots in the Gradual Protection Service by leveraging the experience previously gained in managing these services and its substantial industrial synergies. The new customers in the Gradual Protection Service will be able to rely on the Hera Group’s consolidated expertise in offering cutting-edge solutions in the energy sector and numerous contact channels, starting from over 200 customer helpdesks located throughout the country, which represent a point of reference to which they can turn for any request, concerning both supplies (gas and electricity) and value-added services (energy saving, sustainable mobility, solutions for businesses). For Hera, focussing on customer and local roots is fundamental: relations with local communities are, in fact, one of the company’s strengths. In addition to its physical network of helpdesks where customers can request free in-depth energy advice, the Hera Group also offers dedicated call centres, a web platform and an App that allow customers to manage their supplies from the comfort of their own homes and find solutions to make their consumption more sustainable. “Already today, we guarantee that our customers receive certified renewable electricity and ensure that greenhouse gas emissions resulting from natural gas consumption are offset”, adds Isabella Malagoli, CEO of Hera Comm. “We will continue to develop new value-added offers and services for energy saving, digital solutions and innovative technologies, with the aim of increasingly customising our customers’ experience, contributing to sustainable growth in this sector and the country’s energy transition.” Other tenders awarded The 7 lots awarded in the Gradual Protection Service for non-vulnerable domestic customers in the electricity market come alongside other tenders recently won by the Hera Group, once again through its subsidiary Hera Comm, in sectors including gas (last resort supply service, default distribution service and Consip GAS15bis tender for supplying Public Administrations) and electricity (Consip EE21 tender for supplying PAs, Gradual Protection Service for small businesses from 1 July 2021 to 30 June 2024, safeguarded service for 2023-2024, Gradual Protection Service for micro-enterprises from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2027). The Hera Group is the only operator that currently manages all last resort services for end customers in the gas and electricity markets. 20240206 PR 7 lots awarded in the Gradual Protection Service tender.pdf 13:06:00 Nuova_Palazzina_110x150.1533218221.jpg See the press release Nuova_Palazzina_110x150.1533218221.jpg

2024-01-25 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. The Hera Group has further strengthened its Italian leadership in the waste management sector, particularly in industrial waste treatment, thanks to the binding agreement signed today by its subsidiary, Herambiente Servizi Industriali, concerning the acquisition of 70% of TRS Ecology based in Piacenza, Emilia Romagna region. TRS Ecology has thus transferred to Herambiente its corporate branch responsible for the multifunctional waste treatment platform located in Caorso in Piacenza. With this new facility, when fully operational, Herambiente will process over 64,000 additional tons of industrial waste annually, contributing with approximately 6 million euro to the Hera Group’s consolidated Ebitda, in addition to synergies expected from the integration. The acquisition of TRS Ecology, which employs over 70 workers and serves approximately 2,700 clients, will allow Hera to expand its presence in the Northwestern Italy and create important synergies with its existing industrial hubs in Pisa, Ravenna and Vicenza provinces. The current ownership, represented by the company’s Sole Director Claudio Dodici, will remain within the new corporate structure, retaining a significant operational role. “This new and significant partnership will make us even more efficient in managing our industrial clients and will strengthen our national leadership in this sector, both in terms of the quantity of waste treated and the number of clients served. The infrastructure provided by TRS Ecology complements Herambiente’s current facilities dedicated to the valorisation of industrial waste, allowing us to expand our scope of action. When it reaches full capacity, we expect to develop significant technical and commercial synergies with the other plants and companies within the Group”, comments Andrea Ramonda, CEO of Herambiente. “After almost forty years of history”, comments Claudio Dodici, Sole Director of TRS, “with this transaction our company has grasped a unique opportunity for growth and a chance to further improve the quality of services for our clients, creating value for all stakeholders. Our absolute priority has always been to make a genuine and ongoing commitment to environmental preservation. This is why we have constantly invested in circularity, which we believe to be a principle of sustainability and it is crucial for us to know that Hera shares the same values and gives the same attention to these issues.” The details of the partnership The TRS facility in Caorso is authorized to treat more than 100,000 tons of waste annually and is organized into four process lines: solid and liquid waste storage; solid and liquid waste reconditioning, sorting, screening and recovery; solid waste volumetric reduction and grinding; solid and liquid waste mixing. In addition to its treatment activities, TRS Ecology can engage in storage, aimed at managing waste from environmental remediation. The Caorso facility currently processes approximately 50,000 tons of waste each year, and with the investments planned by Herambiente, it will be able to increase and streamline its activities, respecting the Group’s circular economy objectives. Acting through its subsidiary Herambiente Servizi Industriali, the Hera Group currently operates 19 multifunctional sites dedicated to treating waste produced by businesses, processing over 1 million tons of industrial waste annually. This operation follows up on the M&As already carried out by Hera in recent years, including the 100% acquisition of Recycla (Friuli), the 80% acquisition of Vallortigara (Vicenza), the 31% acquisition of SEA (Marche), the 50% joint venture with HEA (Ravenna) and the 70% acquisition of ACR (Modena). It thus pursues Herambiente’s development plan aimed at providing efficient, innovative, and competitive solutions to its clients in terms of both cost and environmental sustainability. All acquisitions made by Herambiente are aligned with the goal of increasing the proximity and accessibility of plants presenting synergies with the Group’s long-standing network. This is done with the aim of improving efficiency and service quality for businesses, generating positive returns in the areas served and providing economic benefits to clients. PR Hera Group expands in the industrial waste sector.pdf 12:38:00 Nuova_Palazzina_110x150.1533218221.jpg See the press release Nuova_Palazzina_110x150.1533218221.jpg

2024-01-24 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. Business Plan to 2027, operating and financial highlights 2027 Ebitda: 1.650 billion euro (+27% compared to 2022) Five-year investments at 4.4 billion euro Increased return on net invested capital, from 7.9% to 9.5% in 2027 Net debt/Ebitda below 3x over the period covered by the Plan: 2.7x in 2027 7% average annual increase in Earnings per Share Dividends to rise by 28% (up to 16 €cents per share in 2027) Average annual Total Shareholder Return (TSR) at 12%. Business highlights: sustainable growth 2.5 billion euro in investments aligned with the European Taxonomy for Sustainable Investments (98% of eligible investments) Shared-value investments coming to over 70% during the entire five-year plan Increase in shared-value Ebitda, up to over 55% in 2027, reaching 64% of total Ebitda Commitment to reduce total CO2 emissions by 29% within 2027 and by 37% within 2030 confirmed 30% of the investment plan goes towards digitisation and infrastructure innovation 40% of the investment plan contributes to increasing the climate-change resilience of the Group’s infrastructures 10 billion euro distributed over the five-year period 2023-2027 to stakeholders in the areas served by the Group Highlights from 2023 preliminary results Ebitda expected to rise over 1,480 million euro (+14%) Net debt/Ebitda ratio expected to settle below 2.6x (from 3.3x in 2022) Dividend expected at 14 euro cents (+12% over 2022), higher than forecast by the Plan Today, the Hera Group’s Board of Directors, chaired by Executive Chairman Cristian Fabbri, reviewed the preliminary results for 2023 and approved the Business Plan to 2027. Growth in all main key operating and financial indicators, from Ebitda to ROI, earnings per share and dividends, accompanies a focus on financial balance, with net debt/Ebitda ratio stably below 3x. The significant investment plan allocated for the 2023-2027 five-year period will support numerous projects and accelerate activities geared towards strengthening resilience and generating shared value and sustainable development. Hera thus confirms itself as a solid point of reference in its reference markets responding to the challenges of the external context and enabling the ecological, energy and digital transition, the circular economy and resource protection. Preliminary results 2023 Forecast 2023 annual results highlight an Ebitda in excess of 1,480 million euro, up 185 million compared to the 1,295 million euro seen in 2022. This result comes three years ahead of the target set out in the previous Business Plan to 2026 (1,470 million euro), signs highest track record growth and confirms both the strategy undertaken by the Group and its timing in grasping a number of market opportunities that arose in 2023. After the extraordinary conditions seen on energy markets in 2022, the Group’s focus on cashflow and the efficient management of working capital and financial management led to a reduction in the net debt/Ebitda ratio, which is expected to settle below 2.6x, with a clear improvement from 3.3x in 2022. Cristian Fabbri, Executive Chairman of Hera Group: “4.4 billion in investments aimed at industrial development, sustainable growth and resilience underpin our projections of the Ebitda coming to 1.65 billion euro in 2027, up 28% compared to 2022, along with a dividend increase of 5% CAGR. 40% of capex plan will contribute to making our infrastructures even more resilient. A 29% reduction in carbon emissions and our commitment to resource regeneration are concrete examples of our contribution to the ecological transition, and the Ebitda generated by activities that also meet the targets set out in the UN Agenda will rise to 64%. Furthermore, over the five years covered by the Plan we will distribute 10 billion euro to the stakeholders. This Plan fully responds to our Group’s purpose: to generate sustainable value by promoting a ‘just’ transition. The record growth in Ebitda seen in 2023, which we expect to come to over 1.48 billion euro, and the considerable decrease in debt, with the net debt/Ebitda ratio expected below 2.6x, are promising indications and fundamental building blocks of this Business Plan. They are matched by the provisional awarding of more than one million customers in the Italian electricity market liberalization process, allowing us to more rapidly reach 4.3 million energy customers and to consolidate our position as Italy’s third largest operator in this sector.” Orazio Iacono, CEO of the Hera Group: “With Ebitda expected to reach almost 1.5 billion euro in 2023, and financial leverage strongly improving to less than 2.6x, we will meet and exceed the targets set out in the previous Business Plan to 2026 three years ahead of schedule. These results prove the validity of our Group’s strategic vision in seizing market opportunities and our commitment towards sustainable growth in the areas served. This commitment has been confirmed once again by our new Business Plan, with shared-value Ebitda expected to exceed 1 billion euro in 2027, showing a 55% increase in absolute terms over 2022-2027, higher than the growth rate of overall Ebitda, testifying to the growing importance of initiatives that not only generate margins for our company, but are also in line with the objectives found in the UN Agenda. More than 70% of the investments made over the time covered by the Plan will indeed be allocated to sustainability projects that benefit all our stakeholders. Regarding our various businesses, the next five years will see an important contribution to growth in the Group’s results coming from all activities, in particular the waste management sector, thanks to our strategy that leverages a portfolio of global waste services that will further strengthen our leadership in this market, and the networks sector, which will see a significant investment plan, accompanying the areas served towards the green transition.” Business Plan to 2027 The strategic objective underlying the Hera Group’s new Business Plan is to create value benefitting all stakeholders, thanks to financial, environmental and social sustainability objectives, along with a business model and an industrial structure that are resilient to the negative effects of climate change and external market crises. Creating value: 2027 Ebitda up to 1.650 billion and dividend up to 16 €cents (+28%) The projects planned will bring overall Ebitda to more than 1,650 million euro in 2027, with a 355 million euro improvement compared to the 2022 result. Taking into account a number of business opportunities that will no longer be present during the time covered by the Plan and that contributed with roughly 120 million euro to the 2022 result, the growth will reach 475 million euro with an average annual rate coming to 7%. In particular, organic development represents the main driver of growth, coming to 375 million euro, and will be driven by the investment plan, the expansion in liberalised markets, the Group’s ability to offset increases in inflation thanks to efficiencies and innovation, as well as the tariff adjustments recently defined by the Authority concerning all regulated activities. An important contribution is also expected from M&As, coming to 100 million euro and in line with the track record of the Group, which will thus continue to enlarge its perimeter as a consequence of highly fragmented reference markets and its strategy for integration (horizontal or vertical) in the sectors in which it operates. Thanks to these growth targets in economic indicators, the Plan projects an increased return on investment (ROI) coming to 9.5% in 2027, up from 7.9% in 2022. In light of the positive preliminary results expected for 2023, the entire dividend policy was also revised upwards, projecting distribution of a dividend coming to 14 €cents per share as early as June 2024, up 12% compared to the last dividend paid and higher than the expectations of the previous Business Plan (12.5 €cents). More specifically, dividends are expected to increase steadily each year and reach 16 €cents by 2027 (+28% compared to the last dividend paid), with net earnings per share also expected to grow by an average of 7% per year. Based on the current price of Hera stock, this new policy guarantees an average return coming to 5% and offers full visibility for prospective dividends in each year of the Plan. As a result, total shareholder return (TSR), which covers both trends in expected earnings and the yield in terms of dividends, settles at over 12% per year. Sustainable growth to support the ecological transition: shared-value Ebitda at 64% in 2027 and economic contribution to local areas at 10 billion euro The Hera Group has confirmed its focus on the circular economy and decarbonisation, in order to encourage and support the ecological transition of the areas served with initiatives aimed at citizens, public administrations and industrial customers, offering its extensive set of plants and the know-how it has accumulated in various business sectors. The initiatives set out in the Business Plan to 2027 make it possible to project a path that is perfectly consistent with achieving the industrial objectives to 2030 in terms of circular economy and decarbonisation. As regards the circular economy, for example, the route to be followed confirms 2030 targets such as an increase in recycled plastics (+150% compared to 2017) and the reuse of wastewater (reaching 18% of total wastewater by 2030). Concerning the Group’s commitment to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, the ambitious reduction target set at 37% by 2030, already validated by the prestigious international network Science Based Target initiative (SBTi) for emissions coming from both the Group and its customers, has been confirmed, projecting a 29% reduction as early as 2027. In addition, Hera will be three years ahead of schedule in reaching its 2030 target of increasing the share of renewable electricity in total sales to over 50%. With a view to the “just transition”, over the years the Hera Group has placed an increasing focus on generating economic value distributed to all its stakeholders (workers, shareholders, suppliers and PAs). The Group is expected to distribute approximately 10 billion euro over the five years covered by the Plan to the served areas. At the same time, a significant trend will continue to be seen in shared-value Ebitda. Reported and certified by external auditors since 2016, this figure is expected to rise to 64% of the Group’s total Ebitda in 2027, amounting to more than 1 billion euro (roughly 1,049 million, as against 670 million in 2022), in line with the 2030 target of 70%. The 55% increase in shared-value Ebitda, in absolute terms, over the five-year period also bears witness to a strong focus on developing projects capable of combining the company’s growth with sustainable development in the areas served. Balanced growth in the multi-business portfolio and increased resilience The Business Plan expects growth to be equally distributed among the three main lines of business (networks, energy and waste management), maintaining their current balance. Continuity is also expected in the Group’s development model, which has ensured a high degree of resilience in results within all scenarios witnessed over the last twenty years, allowing for uninterrupted growth in both sustainability targets and operating-financial and service performances. Furthermore, 40% of operational investments will contribute to additional improvement in the resilience of the Group’s plants and networks to external factors, including climate change. This involves upgrading infrastructures, implementing predictive processes, remote monitoring and management in order to protect the continuity of the services provided. The flooding that occurred during 2023 in some territories in which the Group provides services demonstrated the considerable level of strength already achieved. Total investments at 4.4 billion euro, with additional projects funded by 400 million in grants coming from the NRRP and other institutions The investment plan amounts to 4.4 billion euro, 48% of which will go to development initiatives and M&As. 55% of investments will be earmarked for regulated businesses, while the remaining 45% will support growth in free-market businesses. The over 870 million euro invested each year on average will accelerate the Group’s commitment to the ecological transition (with roughly 60% of the entire investment plan going to decarbonisation and the circular economy) and to generate sustainable development in the areas served. In this sense, more than 70% of the investment plan will be allocated to initiatives capable of creating shared-value Ebitda. In light of the introduction of the new aspects related to the European Taxonomy, the Group estimates that operational investments coming to 2.5 billion euro (or 98% of eligible investments) will be aligned with the requirements of the European framework, and will therefore be able to gain full access to subsidised sustainable finance instruments, with benefits in terms of financial costs as well. In a constantly evolving and highly dynamic context, Hera also plays an active role in the digital transformation of the communities it serves. More than 30% of the investments set out in the Plan will contribute to the digitisation and innovation of infrastructures, business activities and customer solutions. The investment plan will be fully financed by the positive cashflow, which will also keep leverage below the prudential threshold of 3x, reaching a target of approximately 2.7x by 2027. In addition to the investments financed by the Group over the period covered by the Plan, others are related to the social and economic value of additional works to be carried out in the areas served, thanks to the almost 400 million euro in grants received, equally subdivided between NRRP resources and other institutions. Networks: digitisation, efficiency and sustainability to strengthen infrastructure resilience Ebitda for the network area is expected to increase by 112 million euro, going from 469 million in 2022 to 582 million in 2027. The regulated networks business, which is the Group’s main asset in terms of invested capital (approximately 60% in 2027), will benefit from a substantial investment plan. Amounting to roughly 2.1 billion euro, it is aimed at further enhancing the resilience and digitalisation of infrastructures and maintaining the Group’s leadership in terms of the service quality provided. Of these resources, roughly 1.2 billion will be allocated to the integrated water cycle, while 0.9 billion will go to gas and electricity distribution. Thanks to a regulatory framework that has recently been updated with a new definition of economic returns, recognising increases related to inflation and interest rates, Hera has developed a pipeline of long-term projects with positive effects on the areas served for the years following 2027 as well. These projects will make it possible to accompany the areas served along the ecological transition, in order to achieve the objectives set at national and European level. As the nation’s second-largest operator in the water cycle, the Group has developed a strategy that includes interventions in all localities to address critical issues related to supply in an increasingly drought-affected context and thus preserve the precious resource of water. This commitment has led the Group to achieve increasing levels of efficiency, safety and quality, and these results are responsible for the bonuses recognised by the Regulatory Authority for Energy, Networks and the Environment (ARERA). Various circular economy initiatives have thus been planned to save, recover and reuse water for agricultural and industrial purposes, both at our customers’ facilities and in the Group’s activities and sites. This includes an effective optimisation of purification sludge management and recycling materials from water-cycle waste with dedicated plant engineering and innovative tools. In order to improve the operational efficiency of networks, to increase infrastructural resilience to external factors – especially climate change – and at the same time promote an increasingly efficient management of resources and decarbonise consumption, the Group has planned numerous digitisation and automation projects. The most important call for the use of predictive maintenance models, districtisation and functional modelling, which will make interventions on the systems managed faster and more efficient, benefitting service quality and continuity. The boost given to innovation in this sector will also come from the installation within 2025 of roughly 450,000 second-generation (2G) electricity meters, which will allow consumption to be measured more precisely, 310,000 NexMeter smart gas meters – patented by Hera in 2019, with advanced safety functions in the event of leaks or earthquakes and also usable for “green gas” blends – and 310,000 smart meters for the water cycle. Evolution in the electricity distribution business will also be driven by new requirements concerning electrification of consumption and infrastructure resilience. Thanks to the support coming from digital technologies, the Group plans to increase the network’s hosting capacity, the extension and robotization of primary and secondary substations, the use of predictive models, and greater support to customers to improve awareness of their consumption. Furthermore, in order to contribute to decarbonisation goals for end use in the gas sector, Hera will adapt and optimise its assets to encourage the introduction of renewable vectors, such as biomethane and hydrogen, into the grid. One example of its activities in this area are the tests already successfully launched in Castelfranco Emilia (Modena). In addition, the power-to-gas plant in Bologna, connected to one of the area’s main water cycle purifiers, will make it possible to use purified water to produce first renewable hydrogen and later biomethane, using waste oxygen for purification processes. Among the assets enabling the ecological transformation of the localities served, the Group has included a further development of district heating in its strategy. Hera will invest roughly 150 million euro to maximise the use of renewable sources and optimise existing systems, partially thanks to digital solutions capable of making management automated and efficient, with the goal of increasing the heat produced by waste-to-energy and geothermal sources by 30% within 2027. The projects in Bologna, Ferrara and Forlì are a concrete example of the direction taken and, alone, will lead to a reduction in annual emissions coming to 35,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide. In addition to the investments financed directly by the Group, further projects in the networks sector will be financed by the NRRP and other institutions, coming to over 300 million euro. Energy: partner for the energy transition of the communities served, with integrated services, innovative solutions and a target of 4.3 million customers by 2027 Ebitda for the energy sector is expected to increase by 109 million euro, going from 463 million in 2022 to 571 million in 2027, thanks to an increased customer base and driven by factors including a rich portfolio of decarbonisation services that confirm the Hera Group as an enabler of its customers’ energy transition. The most recent market scenario, characterised by increased volatility in commodity prices combined with a growing sensitivity to the environmental footprint of consumption, has in fact led to a significant increase in demand for decarbonisation services. After twenty years of uninterrupted growth in its customer base, the Group intends to continue to develop this business with a focus on service and innovation, managing one of the most comprehensive customer portfolios available, to increase its market penetration over the next five years. The goals set out in the Plan include reaching 4.3 million energy customers by 2027, with a substantial growth in electricity customers (2.3 million), that will exceed gas customers (2 million), consolidating the Group’s position as the third largest in Italy. More specifically, a significant contribution to expansion in the customer base will come from participating in the tender for the gradual protection service, which has already seen the Hera Group provisionally awarded 7 lots, the maximum allowed, for over 1.1 million electricity customers as of 1 July 2024. The development of new commercial offers and decarbonisation services will also be accompanied by digital solutions and innovative data strategy and artificial intelligence technologies, to optimise and streamline processes and to amplify and personalise customer experience. The range of services enabling the energy transition of the ecosystem also include the technological and environmental sustainability proposals included in the Group’s ESCOs: energy requalification initiatives for public administrations, industry and apartment blocks as well an integrated offer of “green” solutions, including energy services and efficiency, sustainable mobility, public lighting and smart cities. Along a path that has seen many transactions signed with commercial companies in recent years, Hera will continue to pursue its M&A operations aimed at optimising its local presence and integrating its vertical structure in this sector. Finally, as regards photovoltaic power generation, the Group’s goal is to install approximately 300 MW over the period covered by the Plan, giving preference to works on plants that do not involve further land consumption. This includes agrivoltaic plants and the numerous projects being implemented on landfills or plants in the Group’s water cycle facilities, as well as installations at customers’ premises, including Renewable Energy Communities. The two Hydrogen Valleys under construction in Modena and Trieste, which will produce approximately 800 tonnes per year of green hydrogen, will feature photovoltaic parks to power the electrolysers, boosting the decarbonisation of the companies involved and, more generally, the areas concerned while at the same time contributing to the redevelopment of disused areas. To support this strategy, which also aims to increase the value of customer relations and loyalty, a total of 1 billion euro in investments have been earmarked for the energy sector for the 2023-2027 five-year period. Waste management: reinforcing our leadership in the waste cycle, by developing plants and sustainable turnkey solutions with a view to the circular economy Ebitda for the waste management business is expected to grow by 126 million euro, with a total value increasing from 338 million in 2022 to 464 million in 2027, thanks to development driven by both internal and external growth. As part of this plan, the Group aims to further consolidate its national leadership in the waste management area and foresees approximately 1.2 billion in investments, more than half to reinforce its set of plants. The increasing attention paid by institutions towards environmental protection and resource regeneration is creating demand for waste treatment services and circular solutions, driving a greater demand for new-generation plant capacity that is particularly necessary in Italy. In line with this approach, Hera’s Business Plan calls for significant growth in waste management activities, to further develop its set of plants, with the aim of increasing the quality and quantity of sorted waste collection (from 67.8% in 2022 to 77.7% in 2027), as well as guaranteeing service continuity and excellence. In addition, the Group plans to increase its market share by making the most of operational and commercial synergies with recently acquired companies, to expand the variety of waste treated and offer new services. Thanks to over 100 state-of-the-art plants and the creation of new partnerships, the Group expects to reach a total of roughly 5.9 million tonnes marketed in 2027 (+23% compared to 4.8 million tonnes in 2022). In particular, as regards to municipal waste treatment plants, the organic portion will continue to be valorised for the production of biogas and biomethane, in line with the path already initiated, to combine decarbonisation and circular economy. On the other hand, the modernisation of some plants, such as line 4 of the waste-to-energy plant in Padua, will ensure greater capacity for energy recovery from the residual fraction of non-recyclable waste, with benefits for the resilience of the local system, reliability, energy efficiency and greater sustainability in waste management. In the special waste management sector, in which Hera is the Italian market leader and among the top 10 companies across Europe, the Group intends to expand and diversify its “global waste” offer, to better meet the needs of the primary customers served, with comprehensive proposals that include, for example, management of environmental declarations, laboratory analyses, logistics services and equipment. In addition, leveraging our leadership, experience, and the operational capacity of the newly acquired ACR, the Plan calls for development in the portfolio of “global services” dedicated to business customers, which will allow for a significant increase in the value of production, the development of new technologies for the management of remediation, deep soil and decomissioning services, thanks to a consolidation of partnerships already underway with major operators and participation in new tenders. In the plastics recovery market, Group subsidiary Aliplast, one of Italy’s leading operators in the flexible plastics segment, aims to increase its customer base, also at a European level, and to develop new technological and plant engineering solutions to expand the types of recycled products, sustain growth and diversify its reference markets. In particular, with investments coming to over 80 million euro, Aliplast will be able to increase both its plant capacity in the segments already covered (recycled PET for food use and recycled polymers for cosmetics and food) and expand its presence in new markets, also with the aim of promoting increasingly circular and short supply chains. In addition to the rigid plastics recovery plant in Modena, mainly dedicated to the consumer electronics industry, in the innovative plant under construction in Imola, near Bologna, carbon fibre composite materials will be regenerated, with positive spin-offs in terms of sustainability for the automotive, marine and aerospace sectors. Lastly, our Group will continue to pursue M&As in the waste management sector as well, aimed at optimising our market presence and set of plants. CS Hera Group Business plan to 2027.pdf 12:02:00 Nuova_Palazzina_110x150.1533218221.jpg See the press release Nuova_Palazzina_110x150.1533218221.jpg

2024-01-22 Corporate events (*) In accordance with art. 2.6.2 (Required Reporting) of the “Rules of the markets organised and managed by Borsa Italiana S.p.A.", please find below our annual calendar of corporate events: 26 March 2024 – Meeting of the Board of Directors to approve the previous year’s preliminary financial statements. 30 April 2024 – Shareholders’ Meeting to approve the previous year’s financial statements. 14 May 2024 – Meeting of the Board of Directors to approve additional financial information for the period ending on 31 March 2024. 31 July 2024 – Meeting of the Board of Directors to approve the half-year financial report as at 30 June 2024. 13 November 2024 – Meeting of the Board of Directors to approve additional financial information for the period ending on 30 September 2024. The Board of Directors, as communicated for the previous financial year and in line with the past, in order to guarantee regularity in the information provided to the financial market and investors, has decided to continue preparing and publishing this information quarterly, on a voluntary basis and in line with current regulations. (*) barring changes 20240122 HERA CALENDAR OF CORPORATE EVENTS 2024.pdf 13:24:00 Nuova_Palazzina_110x150.1533218221.jpg See the press release Nuova_Palazzina_110x150.1533218221.jpg

2024-01-18 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. Hera Group is certified Top Employer for the 15th year in a row, ranking among the top three Italian companies, standing out for employment policies. The Top Employers program this year recognized and certified more than 2,300 Top Employers in 121 countries globally. Awarded by the Dutch Top Employers Institute, a global certifying body for HR excellence, this is among the most prestigious international recognitions for companies meeting high standards in human resources management. The certification is granted after a meticulous and increasingly selective annual analysis, focusing on specific parameters such as remuneration policies, working conditions, career opportunities, corporate culture, training and people development. "We have firsthand witnessed the extraordinary performances of certified companies, and how Top Employers have shown a genuine interest in the well-being of their people. They have committed to improving working conditions, thereby contributing to the collective enhancement of workplace landscapes," stated David Plink, CEO of the Top Employers Institute, at the 2024 certification. Well-being of individuals, training, professional growth, and enhancement of individual skills with a focus on people and their talents: these are the key assets that have earned the Group the recognition. The role of HerAcademy, the corporate university founded in 2011 and the first of its kind in Italy in the multiutility sector, has proved vital. Through competence development, the academy guides individuals and the organization in addressing changes in view of the ongoing energy, environmental, digital, and technological transition. An example is the training center in Ferrara. Hera Group’s multifunctional facility - among the first in the country - is equipped with innovative tools and provides hands-on learning for safe operations on water, gas, and electric networks. A real training ground that offers an ideal space for experimenting and developing specific technical skills. With today’s workforce - more focused than ever on personal wellbeing in view of a better work-life balance - Hera aims at fostering leadership that through trust, full inclusion and constant development guides them through finding the profound meaning in their work. While actively contributing shared value to the company, each individual is indeed a central player in his own growth journey. On the welfare front, involving 99% of the company's population, Hera Group invests over 6 million euros annually. Each worker can allocate his per capita shares for health benefits, insurance, social security, personal services, well-being and income support. The plan is highly flexible, as workers may even convert part of their performance bonuses into services. It is an inclusive plan that leaves no one behind and makes no distinction between contractual levels. "Our people are our main resource, and the recognition we have once again been awarded with this year by the Top Employers Institute only reaffirms the empowerment and training policies we have long embraced," stated Cristian Fabbri, Executive President of Hera Group. "The constant professional and satisfaction growth of Hera Group employees allow us to continue improving the quality and sustainability of our services and to face new challenges, effectively managing even the most complex scenarios." 20240118 PR Hera Top Employer for the 15th Consecutive Year 09:38:00 sede Hera_110X150.jpeg See the press release