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2024-12-16 centrata Today in Bologna, the Hera Group, acting through its subsidiary Hera Comm, and Ascopiave signed the deed by which the latter transfers 25% of the share capital of EstEnergy, a commercial joint venture established in 2019 which is the largest energy operator in the Northeastern Italy. The Hera Group’s holding in EstEnergy thus rises to 100%, while Ascopiave concludes its withdrawal from the company, after selling an initial 8% in 2022 and a further 15% in 2023. The possibility of dilating the withdrawal over time was a value for both companies, since it allowed Ascopiave’s local roots to be enhanced alongside Hera’s industrial approach to managing sales activities. The customer base’s economic fundamentals thus significantly improved, expressing synergies and opportunities for the supply of value-added services and laying solid foundations for further growth in margins. In five years, by rationalising the number of companies and renewing IT systems, it has been possible to improve the quality of customer relations by combining the local nature of this relationship with a commercial approach in line with the best standards. This has led to increased and reinforced contact channels and types of energy solutions for customers, with the aim of supporting them along the road to decarbonisation. The transaction formalised today, whose value came to approximately 232 million euro, results from Ascopiave exercising the put option for its shareholding in the company, as defined in the agreements signed between the parties when the partnership was established. This amount will be paid within July 2025, at the same time as the transfer of the shares. This transaction, in fact, follows up in full on the agreements made in 2019, which were therefore already fully reflected in the Hera Group’s net financial position. The early exercise of the put option, with respect to its natural maturity, entails a potential prospective benefit in the income statement, deriving from the Hera Group’s lower financing costs compared to the notional accounting rate applied to the value of the put option. The Hera Group thus further strengthens its position as Italy's third operator in the energy sector, reaching 4.7 million electricity and gas customers. This transaction will enable the Ascopiave Group, whose partnership with the Hera Group continues through its shareholdings in Hera Comm and Acantho, to improve the sustainability of its capital structure, in line with the goals set out in its strategic plan and contributing to the financial coverage of investments in core and diversification activities. “Over five years we have created, along with Ascopiave, the largest energy operator in Northeastern Italy. This far-sighted move towards aggregation was made to develop the economies of scale necessary to improve quality and provide solutions benefiting customers, with the specific features typical of an operator with strongly local roots. With Ascopiave, we have built a solid partnership based on fairness and mutual respect that has led us, despite Covid and the energy crisis, to exceed the objectives we set for ourselves.” Cristian Fabbri, Executive Chairman of the Hera Group. “By exercising the put option on EstEnergy, Ascopiave continues its strategic repositioning plan initiated in 2019, which involves exiting energy marketing to focus on business sectors with more stable return profiles. Over the last five years, we maintained a minority stake in EstEnergy, taking advantage of the industrial guidance of the Hera Group, which has been able to cope effectively with the difficult situation caused by an increasingly competitive market and rising price volatility. This allowed us to benefit from a significant dividend payment and, now, to recognise the full value of our shareholding with an unquestionably interesting income. I would like to thank Hera for the fruitful cooperation we have had over the past few years in managing our partnership, and I am certain that it will continue its activities with professionalism and competence, with positive repercussions also for the customers of our local areas.” Nicola Cecconato, Chairman of the Ascopiave Group. Hera Group acquires Estenergy shares from Ascopiave.pdf 17:41:00 sede Hera 110x150 (1).jpg sede Hera 110x150.jpg

2024-12-14 centrata The Hera Group, one of Italy’s largest multi-utilities operating in the waste management, energy and water sectors, is among the winners of the 60th edition of the FERPI (Italian Public Relations Federation) Financial Reporting Oscar, a traditional event dedicated to the importance of reporting for companies and organisations. The award ceremony took place yesterday, Friday 13 December at Palazzo Mezzanotte in Milan and was organised by FERPI, Borsa Italiana and the Bocconi University with the support of the Lombardy Region and the Municipality of Milan. The theme of the 2024 edition was reporting transparency, in light of the new European CSRD (Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive), which reflects the growing importance of sustainability reporting and compliance with ESG (Environment, Social and Governance) criteria. After the 2007 Financial Reporting Oscar, received for the high attention dedicated to corporate social responsibility, the 2018 Financial Reporting Oscar with special mention for “innovation in reporting”, and the 2019 Financial Reporting Oscar for communication, in the 2024 edition the Hera Group stood out in particular for its “strong and deep-rooted corporate maturity in the integration between financial aspects and ESG issues”, according to the jury’s statement, and, overall, for “the Group’s high level of maturity and its awareness of the intrinsic value of the reporting process from an ESG perspective”. The motivation provided refers to a “clear and systemic perception of the Group’s orientation towards creating shared value, mentioned as a reference value in all documents proposed for candidacy”. These documents, moreover, organically reflect and describe, on the basis of strategic drivers, its actual implementation and the methodologies used. As stated in the motivation, “operating and financial aspects are perfectly integrated with ESG factors thanks to the formula of shared-value Ebitda (CSV Ebitda) and CSV investments, including the graphic layout and explicit references to the Strategic Plan, as well as a particularly effective forward-looking approach”. The jury also particularly appreciated the clear presentation of the materiality analysis section, in which the methodology and correlations between impact areas, in line with the CSRD directive and the UN 2030 Agenda goals, are well described, as is risk analysis, presented from an integrated and systemic perspective. Furthermore, the classification of sustainable economic activities based on the EU Taxonomy, which are described in a separate report, was found to be very clear and concise, along with concrete and effective communications, involvement and listening processes with stakeholders. Publicly listed since 2003 and included in the FTSE MIB since 2019, the Hera stock, which has been part of the Dow Jones Sustainability Index since 2020, was also included in the MIB ESG Index in 2021, the first blue-chip index for Italy dedicated to ESG best practices, launched by Euronext and Borsa Italiana. The Hera Group has also long been included in the international FTSE Diversity Inclusion Index, drawn up by LSEG Data & Analytics, formerly Refinitiv, for its commitment to promoting diversity, inclusion and the development of people, and in the ESG Identity Corporate Index 2024 (formerly IGI), for the full and conscious integration of sustainability policies in its business strategies. 20241214 pr Hera Group awarded with the Oscar for Financial Reporting.pdf 09:40:00 sede-hera_110.jpg sede-hera_110.jpg