Press releases

2021-07-30 potabilizzatore_val_di_setta.jpg The certification process for the Val di Setta plant, located in Sasso Marconi and serving Bologna’s main aqueduct, has been successfully completed, confirming Hera’s ongoing commitment to managing and protecting water resources. Internationally, the Hera Group is the first utility to receive certification for a drinking water plant Potabilizzatore As of today, Hera’s Sasso Marconi (BO) drinking water plant, which also supplies Bologna, is certified by the AWS (Alliance for Water Stewardship), the leading international standard that encourages a responsible use of water resources and acts as the global benchmark in this area. The Hera Group is the first utility in the world to obtain this certification for a drinking water plant and the third largest in Italy. The AWS standard is designed to help companies and individuals implement responsible practices and protect this resource, improving their efficiency and addressing current and future water challenges such as drought, climate change and population growth. It is typically used in the manufacturing sector, adopted by major multinational companies, and is recommended by the United Nations. Obtaining this certification is a rigorous process that includes a range of actions, criteria and indicators on how to manage water, both within the plant and outside of it, across the board, submitting the industry’s best practices to a worldwide scientific committee. A clear path, with no observations, and important benefits in terms of efficiency and water resource protection In the case of the Val di Setta drinking water plant, the certification was completed without any nonconformities. The process is rarely so clear-cut, rewarding Hera’s commitment over the past year, the length of the entire process. The efficiency measures implemented in 2020 for managing the drinking water plant led to an overall improvement in the use of resources during the plant’s operations. For example, the filter washing phase was optimized thanks to a priorly conducted study, leading to an overall saving coming to roughly 2,400 cubic meters of water per day in water treatment and purification. The AWS also certifies the degree of efficiency, and the Val di Setta plant is outstanding in this regard: to introduce one litre of drinking water into the aqueduct, it takes 1.1 from the environment, compared to an average amount of 1.7 litres for 1 litre of bottled water. Increased good practices at the heart of the certification This certification is also centred around involving the local community in good practices. The Alliance for Water Stewardship is in fact a global organization created with the main goal of raising public awareness on issues related to water scarcity and the proper use of water. The certification must therefore also indicate that the party in question is committed to communicating the importance of water, promoting its efficient and responsible use in the local area and sharing good management practices with other local figures. The AWS thus aims at creating local and international networks of companies actively involved in managing water resources. 38 million cubic metres of water per year, for 34 municipalities Hera’s drinking water plant in Sasso Marconi takes water from the Reno river and the Setta stream, makes it drinkable and serves 34 municipalities in the Bologna area, including the capital, with a total of almost 800,000 inhabitants. 42% of the overall drinking water supplied in the province comes from here, with an average of 38 million cubic metres per year. The plant works on a continuous cycle and is fully automated and controlled 24 hours a day by the Hera Group’s remote control centre, so that the slightest change in the service is reported and it is possible to intervene in real time, even remotely. “The virtuous management of water for us is fundamental, and with this certification we wish to formalize our commitment even more strongly. This is why we chose the Val di Setta drinking water plant”, comments Susanna Zucchelli, Group’s Water Manager. “One of the most important plants, it supplies important institutional and industrial facilities, and can therefore contribute to forming the sort of local network that is highly desired by this standard and enables us to share actions and best practices. One example is the collaboration initiated some time ago with Philip Morris, which has a large plant in Valsamoggia, served by our water treatment plant.” Press release Hera has the world's first AWS certified drinking water plant.pdf 2019-07-03 11:25:00 Potabilizzatore

2021-07-28 The half-year report shows significant growth in operating and financial indicators, thanks to the contribution coming from the Group’s main businesses. The pursuit of sustainable development and financial solidity are confirmed as strong points, as further verified by the recent S&P ESG Evaluation and the net debt/Ebitda ratio, which further improved to 2.5x Sede Gruppo Financial highlights Revenues at 4,179.7 million euro (+22.8%) Ebitda at 617.9 million euro (+10.4%) Net profit for Shareholders at 216.1 million euro (+30.0%) Strong improvement in net financial debt, now at 2,956.7 million euro, with a further decrease in the net debt/Ebitda ratio, now at 2.5x Operating highlights Good contribution to growth comes from the Group’s main businesses, in particular the energy and waste areas Progression of results underpinned both by organic growth and M&A Solid customer base in energy sectors, coming to almost 3.4 million customers Today, the Hera Group’s Board of Directors, chaired by Tomaso Tommasi di Vignano, unanimously approved the consolidated operating results for the first half of 2021, which confirm the positive trend shown by the Group, with strong growth in the main operating and financial indicators, and financial solidity confirmed by the further improvement in the net debt/Ebitda ratio, now at 2.5x. Hera thus continues along its uninterrupted path of development, promoting growth led by sustainability and innovation and relying on a strategy that balances internal growth and M&As and combines regulated and free market activities. Among the main changes in the scope of consolidation, external growth occurred through a few transactions in the waste management sector, in particular the acquisition of 70% of Recycla, a Friuli-based company that manages three platforms for solid and liquid industrial waste and is headquartered in Maniago (PN), consolidated in the first half of 2021. In addition, 31% of SEA, a company operating in the Marche region with a solid facility for industrial waste, was acquired, and a further transaction will be closed in the same area within the summer. Furthermore, another acquisition will contribute to the results in second half: yesterday it was finalised the acquisition of the 90% of share capital of Ecogas, operating in Abruzzo, which will bring roughly 22,000 new customers and will lead the Group to consolidate its role as the third largest operator in that area, with roughly 90,000 customers. Revenues increase sharply, coming to roughly 4.2 billion euro In the first half of 2021, revenues amounted to 4,179.7 million, rising considerably by 777.4 million (+22.8%) compared to the 3,402.3 million seen in the same period of 2020, thanks to the contribution coming from all business areas. In particular, the waste management sector contributed to growth with an increase in waste treated and plastics sold, as did the energy areas. In this area, higher revenues came from trading, higher volumes of gas sold, the increased price of electricity and generation, as well as growth in the heat management business and value-added services. Ebitda rises to 617.9 million euro Ebitda amounted to 617.9 million, up by 58.2 million (+10.4%) over the 559.7 million seen at 30 June 2020. This growth was mainly driven by the energy area, due to higher sales and trading margins, and the waste management sector. Operating results and pre-tax profits increase Operating income rose to 343.6 million (+16.2%), compared to 295.7 million in the same period of 2020, partially due to improved financial operations, coming to 55.1 million. This result includes higher charges resulting from the sale of tax credits as part of ecobonus-related activities. Pre-tax profit rose to 288.5 million (+20.5%), up compared to the 239.5 million in the first half of 2020, for reasons including non-recurring items related to a tax exemptions, as described in further detail below. Net profits for Shareholders up, reaching 216.1 million euro Thanks to a tax rate coming to 26.7%, an improvement compared to the 27% seen in the first half of 2020, achieved thanks to the Group’s commitment investment in technological, digital and environmental transformation following Utility 4.0 trends, net profits at 30 June 2021 rose to 236.2 million (+35.1%), compared to 174.9 million in the first half of 2020. This increase is also linked to the value of special items, which contributed with 24.7 million, also due to the effects of the tax realignment concerning some goodwill recognised in the financial statements for 46.3 million. Also due to this factor, profit attributable to Group Shareholders increased sharply, coming to 216.1 million (+30.0%), as against the 166.2 million seen in the same period one year earlier. Strong increase in investments and improvement in net financial debt Net operating investments went from 195.1 million at 30 June 2020 to 237.4 million in the first half of 2021, up 21.7%, and were mainly related to works on plants, networks and infrastructures, in addition to investments for the large-scale meter replacement and the purification and sewage sector. Thanks to the positive contribution coming from operations, which allowed both higher investments and M&A transactions to be fully financed, net financial debt further improved, settling at 2,956.7 million at 30 June 2021, compared to 3,227.0 million at 31 December 2020. The Group’s financial solidity was also confirmed by the net debt/Ebitda ratio, which in the first half of 2021 dropped to 2.5x, a further improvement compared to 2.87x at the end of 2020 and 2.81x at 30 June 2020. Hera’s financial strength – also reflected in the ratings given by the main rating agencies, including Standard & Poor's recent upgrade to BBB+ with a stable outlook – goes hand in hand with the sustainable development strategy it has pursued since its establishment, along with its ability to manage risks and opportunities, as shown last week by S&P Global Rating’s ESG Evaluation. Gas Ebitda for the gas area – which includes services in natural gas distribution and sales, district heating and heat management – amounted to 244.1 million in the first half of 2021, a strong improvement (+21.6%) compared to the 200.8 million seen at 30 June 2020. This result was achieved mainly thanks to growth in both traditional and last resort markets. In particular, the Hera Group is increasingly consolidating its presence, with 8 portions awarded in the last resort gas service in 16 regions, 5 portions in the gas distribution default service in 12 regions and 9 portions of the Consip GAS13 tender in 12 regions. An increase in the energy services management business also contributed to growth, due to the greater activities linked to the insulation bonus and energy efficiency works for condominiums, district heating volumes and increased activities in Bulgaria. There was a slight increase in the customer base (+0.8% compared to the same period during the previous year), which totalled more than 2 million, to which the customers acquired from the Abruzzo company Ecogas will be added in the second half of the year. The gas area accounted for 39.5% of Group Ebitda. Water Ebitda for the integrated water cycle area – which includes aqueduct, purification and sewerage services – remained stable at 122.3 million at 30 June 2021, compared to 122.7 million in the first half of 2020. This result reflects higher operating costs on networks and plants, especially on electricity costs and on sludge disposal, compared to the previous year, partially offset by increased revenues from new connections and services for third parties. The integrated water cycle area accounted for 19.8% of Group Ebitda. Waste In the first half of 2021, Ebitda for the waste management area – which includes waste collection, treatment, recycling and disposal services – grew to 142.6 million, with a strong 16.5% increase compared to the 122.4 million seen at 30 June 2020, thanks in particular to growth in volumes treated, an increase in sales of recycled plastic products and higher revenues from electricity generation and biomethane production. The earliest positive impacts of the new acquisitions also appeared, especially from Recycla, which contributed 3.5 million to the results as of 1st January. Against a backdrop of recovery in the sector, the Group thus further confirmed and consolidated its leadership, partially due to partnerships in the industrial waste and environmental remediation and restoration sectors, which helped further expand its plant facilities, which now number around ninety, capable of handling all types of waste. Hera also continues to develop initiatives for an increasingly circular economy, from material recovery activities, thanks to the company Aliplast, which operates in plastic recycling and whose volumes are growing rapidly, to the production of renewable energy and biomethane, and Hera Business Solution, a “turnkey” multi-service proposal for large companies offering sustainable and integrated management of waste, water and energy. Further growth was seen in sorted waste collection, which stood at 65.8% at 30 June 2021, compared to 64.4% in the first half of 2020, thanks to the numerous projects introduced. The waste management area accounted for 23.1% of Group Ebitda. Electricity In the first half of 2021, Ebitda for the electricity area – which includes electricity generation, distribution and sales services – settled at 90.0 million, compared to the 97.0 million seen at 30 June 2020. Lower earnings in the safeguarded segment of the last resort market, due to a different scope of portions managed, and lower electricity generation activities were partially offset by the positive result of trading activities and strong commercial development, supported by innovative offers, value-added services and increasing investments to improve customer experience and customer segmentation based on different needs. Customers increased slightly (+1.4%), reaching over 1.3 million. The electricity area accounted for 14.6% of Group Ebitda. Statement by Executive Chairman Tomaso Tommasi di Vignano Our half-year results reflect the good performance of the Group and encourage us to look towards the future with confidence, in line with our long-standing path of growth and our focus on creating value for our shareholders and the local areas in which we operate. In particular, respecting the strategic guidelines contained in our Business Plan to 2024, we are carrying out a series of transactions aimed at external growth, which will allow us to consolidate our leadership in Italy in waste treatment and further expand our plant platform, with cutting-edge facilities and circular economy solutions for companies. In this way, we will be able to continue to extend the scope of our activity, extracting synergies and guaranteeing increasing benefits for our customers, thanks to a more pervasive presence in the areas served. The acquisitions in the waste management area alone, once completed, will create an additional contribution to the Hera Group’s Ebitda coming to approximately 20 million euro, above and beyond the value of the synergies expected from these integrations. Statement by CEO Stefano Venier The results achieved in the first half of the year show a further reinforcement of our financial solidity, based on an excellent operating performance and effective management of working capital. This balanced and solid path allows us to effectively govern the changes underway, guaranteeing further expansion in investments and continuing to implement the development strategy outlined in our Business Plan, capable of combining growth and solutions supporting the transition, as further confirmed quite recently by S&P Global Rating’s ESG Evaluation. 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 Half-Year Financial Statement and related materials will be available to the public pursuant to the terms established by law at Company Headquarters, on the website www.gruppohera.it and on the authorised storage platform 1Info (www.1info.it ). Unaudited extracts from the Abbreviated Consolidated Half-Year Financial Statements at 30 June 2021 are attached. Profit & Loss (m€) 30/06/2021 Inc. % 30/06/2020 Inc. % Ch. Ch. % Sales 4,179.7 3,402.3 +777.4 +22.8% Other operating revenues 140.2 3.4% 222.6 6.5% (82.4) (37.0%) Raw material (2,128.5) (50.9%) (1,605.1) (47.2%) +523.4 +32.6% Services costs (1,260.1) (30.1%) (1,151.0) (33.8%) +109.1 +9.5% Other operating expenses (37.9) (0.9%) (32.5) (1.0%) +5.4 +16.6% Personnel costs (301.8) (7.2%) (290.9) (8.5%) +10.9 +3.7% Capitalisations 26.3 0.6% 14.3 0.4% +12.0 +84.0% Ebitda 617.9 14.8% 559.7 16.5% +58.2 +10.4% Depreciation and provisions (274.3) (6.6%) (264.0) (7.8%) +10.3 +3.9% Ebit 343.6 8.2% 295.7 8.7% +47.9 +16.2% Financial inc./(exp.) (55.1) (1.3%) (56.2) (1.7%) (1.1) (2.0%) Pre tax profit 288.5 6.9% 239.5 7.0% +49.0 +20.5% Taxes (77.0) (1.8%) (64.6) (1.9%) +12.4 +19.2% Net profit 211.5 5.1% 174.9 5.1% +36.6 +20.9% Special items 24.7 0.6% - 0.0% +24.7 +100.0% Net profit 236.2 5.7% 174.9 5.1% +61.3 +35.1% Attributable to: Shareholders of the Parent Company 216.1 5.2% 166.2 4.9% +49.9 +30.0% Minority shareholders 20.1 0.5% 8.7 0.3% +11.4 +131.1% Balance Sheet (m€) 30/06/2021 Inc.% 31/12/2020 Inc.% Ch. Ch. % Net fixed assets 7,097.6 113.4% 6,983.6 109.4% +114.0 +1.6% Working capital (176.8) (2.8%) 53.6 0.8% (230.4) (429.9%) (Provisions) (663.4) (10.6%) (654.9) (10.2%) (8.5) +1.3% Net invested capital 6,257.4 100.0% 6,382.3 100.0% (124.9) (2.0%) Net equity 3,300.7 52.7% 3,155.3 49.4% +145.4 +4.6% Long term net financial debt 3,460.6 55.3% 3,617.1 56.7% (156.5) (4.3%) Short term net financial debt (503.9) (8.0%) (390.1) (6.1%) (113.8) +29.2% Net financial debts 2,956.7 47.3% 3,227.0 50.6% (270.3) (8.4%) Net invested capital 6,257.4 100.0% 6,382.3 100.0% (124.9) (2.0%) Press release 1H2021.pdf 2019-07-03 13:00:00 Sede Gruppo

2021-07-21 The Hera Group ranks 5th internationally among the Utility Networks assessed by this rating agency’s Sustainable Finance analysts, thanks to its focus on sustainability, which has characterised the Group since its establishment, and its ability to manage risks and opportunities https://eng.gruppohera.it/group_eng/investor-relations/hera-stock Hera stock After being included in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, World and Europe, in 2020, the Hera Group has once again confirmed its standing as one of the companies most attentive to sustainability and ESG aspects internationally. Hera’s ESG Evaluation, carried out by the Sustainable Finance analysts of S&P Global Ratings, was indeed published today. This is a cross-industry assessment of a company’s ability to effectively manage, over the medium and long term, its exposure to environmental, social and governance risks, as well as to seize opportunities arising from the changes occurring in a constantly evolving international context. The Hera Group is the first company in Italy to publish its ESG Evaluation, in which it obtained an overall score of 81/100, making it one of the top fifteen companies assessed internationally by S&P Global Ratings. The score obtained (81) places it well above the international (68) and European (73) average and ranks Hera fifth internationally among Utility Networks (with the sector average coming to 74). This is a further important recognition of the attention that the Hera Group pays to ESG aspects in pursuing its strategy of sustainable, long-term growth, which has characterised it since it was established in 2002, which complements and goes hand in hand with its financial solidity, confirmed by its recent rating upgrade. In particular, in the ESG Evaluation, the Hera Group is assessed by S&P Global Ratings as being strongly prepared to implement its growth and development strategy, ready to face the potential risks deriving from regulations in an economy that is moving towards the circular model, with low emissions, supporting the resilience of its well-diversified business model. Among the Group’s most distinctive factors, the following were positively evaluated: a robust governance, characterised by a high level of independence and transparency; a proven ability to anticipate change and a solid track record in setting and achieving targets; an ability to capitalise on the principles of the circular economy by investing in technology and innovation, with results exceeding its peers; a long-term growth strategy anchored to sustainability principles (by creating shared value, in line with the goals on the UN 2030 Agenda); a good level of diversity, thanks to a high percentage of women in managerial positions, and the inclusive approach to local communities, through their constant engagement thanks to targeted initiatives. Press release ESG Evaluation.pdf 2019-07-03 11:21:00 Nuova_Palazzina_1_110x150_s1.jpg

2021-07-07 The two companies have partnered to form a NewCo for transforming organic waste and agro-food wastewater into 100% renewable methane and compost, using a plant equipped with the most efficient technologies and in line with circular economy principles. A 28 million Euro investment has been allocated. Hera and INALCA (Cremonini Group) together to produce biomethane Hera Group's subsidiary Herambiente, the national leader in the waste management sector, and the company INALCA (Cremonini Group), leader in meat production and food distribution, signed a partnership agreement to set up the NewCo BIORG for the production of biomethane, a 100% renewable fuel, and compost from the sorted-waste collection of organic and food waste. Through an investment of approximately 28 million Euro, a site owned by Herambiente in Spilamberto, in the Modena area, will be renovated using the best available technologies. The biomethane production plant will be operational by 2022. After the pioneering experience in Sant’Agata Bolognese (BO) launched in 2018, the Hera Group is thus continuing to develop its biomethane supply chain, with the aim of producing more than 15.5 million cubic metres per year by 2024, more than doubling the current volume. The partnership will generate significant environmental benefits, including for the local area In particular, in line with the Group’s emphasis on all aspects of environmental sustainability, the Spilamberto plant will not require using new land. The natural gas will be generated by the anaerobic digestion of organic waste from the Hera Group's sorted waste collection and waste from the processing of the agro-food industry, including the meat production cycle of INALCA, a company controlled by the Cremonini Group. When fully operational, production is expected to be 3.7 million cubic metres of biomethane per year, which will be injected into the gas network and returned to the local area for automotive use. The resulting environmental benefits are significant: each year approximately 3,000 TOE (tons of oil equivalent) of fossil fuel will be saved and approximately 7,000 tons of atmospheric CO2 emissions will be avoid. The operation will also enable the recovery of materials as well as energy. Instead of being disposed of, the waste resulting from the anaerobic digestion process, technically called solid digestate, will be further recovered, transferring it to the composting plant in Nonantola (MO) - currently owned by the Cremonini Group and to be transferred to BIORG - to produce approximately 18,000 tons of compost per year, which may be used as a biofertiliser in agriculture. Thanks to this NewCo, therefore, the Group will be able to make tangible contributions to the local-area circular economy in keeping with the guidelines of the recent PNRR (National Recovery and Resilience Plan) which promotes and supports the construction of new facilities for the production of biofuels. “The Hera Group has always been at the forefront in promoting environmental sustainability and the circular economy: all our projects go in this direction, while at the same time fostering innovation and the growth both of the company and the areas in which we operate” - states Andrea Ramonda, CEO of Herambiente. “Regarding the development of the biomethane chain in particular, our agreement with a first-class partner such as INALCA represents a further step forward for us after having established the first plant ever built in Italy by a multi-utility to produce biomethane on an industrial scale, the one in Sant’Agata Bolognese. Thanks to the know-how gained through this facility, we are always aiming at new initiatives for a circular economy transition, in line with our Strategic Plan up to 2024”. “This agreement consolidates and strengthens INALCA’s integrated and sustainable production model," the company’s CEO Luigi Scordamaglia explained. “In fact, the new plant allows the processing waste from our production activities to be fully exploited, confirming INALCA’s ‘zero waste’ commitment. In addition, an effective industrial synergy is achieved, with the production of biomethane and composting in two perfectly complementary plants. For this reason, this agreement with a company with know-how and state-of-the-art technologies such as Hera proves that only true innovation can generate the competitive sustainability that reduces impact on the environment while at the same time generating higher added value for the entire livestock sector”. The Hera Group is one of the largest Italian multi-utilities and operates in the waste-management, energy and water sectors, with over 9,000 employees who are committed every day to meeting the multiple needs of approximately 5 million citizens located mainly in Emilia-Romagna, Veneto, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Marche, Tuscany and Abruzzo. Listed since 2003, it joined the FTSE MIB on 18 March 2019 and the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, World and Europe, on 23 November 2020. Its subsidiary Herambiente is the leading national operator in the waste management sector, with approximately 90 state-of-the-art plants that treat all types of waste. For additional information: https://eng.gruppohera.it; http://ha.gruppohera.it/?lang=2 INALCA S.p.A. is a Cremonini Group's company, European leader in the production of beef and processed meat products, cured meats, bacon and snacks (with the brands Inalca, Montana, Manzotin, Italia Alimentari, Fiorani and Ibis), and in the international distribution of top-quality food products (Inalca Food & Beverage). The company, which controls the entire production chain from breeding to distribution and is jointly controlled by the Italian state through Cdp Equity (Cassa Depositi & Prestiti Group), recorded revenues of EUR 2,121.5 million € in 2020, 30% of which from exports. Its industrial structure consists of 21 production plants (16 of which are in Italy and 5 abroad) and 26 logistical distribution platforms. It includes 9 farms (7 of which are in Italy and 2 abroad) and more than 100 breeding farms, for a total of 180,000 animals raised annually. Press release Hera and INALCA.pdf 2019-07-03 12:52:00 Hera and INALCA (Cremonini Group) together to produce biomethane