Download Center

2025-01-08 Strong interest shown by international investors for the fourth “green” bond, maturing in 6.5 years, that will fund the Group’s strategic capex plan focused on sustainable and resilient management of the integrated water cycle, in the circular economy for regenerating resources and in the energy transition for developing renewables and energy efficiency. Subscriptions amounting to 5.5 times the amount offered were received. centrata The Hera Group has started the year with a new milestone in sustainable finance. The first Italian company to issue a green bond in 2014, today Hera successfully launched its fourth green bond, covered by its “Euro Medium Term Note Programme” (EMTN) bond issue plan, recently updated and increased in its maximum amount. This bond respects the Group’s Green Financing Framework (GFF), prepared on the basis of ICMA principles, aligned with the criteria of the European Taxonomy and certified by an independent firm. The issue attracted significant interest from international investors, receiving orders for approximately 2.75 billion euro, almost 5.5 times the amount offered. With this issue, Hera has once again given the market an opportunity to finance the Group’s strategic projects aimed at the green transition and aligned with the Taxonomy, once again confirming itself internationally as a reference company for sustainable finance. “We are more than satisfied with the result of the placement, far exceeding expectations, of this fourth green bond: it makes our financial structure even greener and further strengthens the capital structure, making it even more resilient, as well as the credit profile of the multi-utility, in line with our Business Plan, which also calls for 2.5 billion euro in investments aligned with the European taxonomy, 98% of those eligible,” states Orazio Iacono, CEO of the Hera Group. “More specifically, this new issue provides additional stimulus for activities that create shared value, reducing the carbon footprint and regenerating resources, guaranteeing resilience in the services managed and thus making our businesses ever more sustainable. These commitments are already defined by the Group’s Green Financing Framework and the Climate Transition Plan with a Net Zero by 2050 target. This new green bond therefore confirms our goal of creating long-term value for our shareholders and our role as a multi-utility supporting the green transition for citizens, institutions and businesses.” The characteristics of the Group’s fourth green bond and the areas financed The fourth green bond of Hera Group (rated Baa2 with a stable outlook by Moody’s and BBB+/A-2 with a stable outlook by Standard & Poor’s), amounts to a total of 500 million euro, repayable in 6.5 years with a 3.250 % coupon and a 3.396% yield. The settlement date of the new issue has been scheduled for 15 January 2025. This green bond consists of senior, non-convertible, unsecured notes, intended for circulation among qualified investors. The new green bond is also expected to be assigned a rating in line with Hera’s. The transaction saw significant participation coming from international investors (in particular, Great Britain, France and Germany), mainly green and sustainable, confirming the interest towards the Group coming from abroad. The bond is expected to be listed, as of the issue date, on the regulated market of Euronext Dublin and, at the same time or at a later date, on the regulated market of the Luxembourg Stock Exchange and on the ExtraMOT PRO multilateral trading system managed by Borsa Italiana. The funds raised will be used to finance or refinance numerous projects, already ongoing or included in the Group’s Business Plan, selected on the basis of the Green Financing Framework (GFF), which work towards one or more of the goals on the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (SDGs), subdivided into 3 areas: integrated water cycle (aligned to SDGs 6, 13 and 14): construction and extension of infrastructures for water collection, treatment and supply, with projects for wastewater collection and treatment; circular economy, pollution prevention and control (meeting SDGs 11, 12 and 13): advanced projects in plastics regeneration, anaerobic digestion of organic waste for the production of compost and biomethane, and waste collection and transport systems; energy efficiency and infrastructures (consistent with SDGs 7, 11 and 13): production of renewable electricity through photovoltaics and geothermal energy, development of district heating networks, installation, maintenance and repair of energy efficiency equipment and renewable energy technologies, including electricity transmission and distribution grids. To ensure that the funds are correctly and transparently allocated, Hera has set up a monitoring and reporting process, which also ensures that the amount actually dedicated to each intervention, along with evidence of the environmental performance achieved, will be published in the Group’s 2024 Sustainability Report. The partners in the transaction Hera’s green bond issue was coordinated by BNP Paribas, Credit Agricole CIB, Mediobanca, UniCredit, BBVA, Intesa Sanpaolo, Banco Santander, Banca AKROS, Deutsche Bank, BPER Banca, Montepaschi di Siena, Barclays and Caixabank as Joint Bookrunners. The law firm Legance assisted Hera, while the firm Linklaters provided support to the Joint Bookrunners. Hera Group new 500 million euro green bond.pdf 18:15:00 sede_hera_110-2.jpg sede_hera_110-2.jpg

2024-12-16 centrata Hera S.p.A. (the “Company”) announces that on the date hereof the update of its Euro Medium Term Notes programme has been completed, with the increase from euro 4.5 billion to euro 5 billion of the maximum plafond in principal amount of notes that may be simultaneously outstanding thereunder (the “EMTN Programme”). The base Prospectus of the EMTN Programme has been approved by the Central Bank of Ireland pursuant to the Prospectus Regulation and is available on the Company’s website and on the website of Euronext Dublin. The update and the increase of the maximum plafond of the EMTN Programme will allow the Company to take advantage of any new market opportunities in line with its financial strategy.   Press release Update and increase of the EMTN Programme of Hera S.p.A..pdf 20:52:12 sede_hera_110-2.jpg Download Press Release sede_hera_110-2.jpg

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

2024-12-14 centrata The Hera Group, one of Italy’s largest multi-utilities operating in the waste management, energy and water sectors, has been confirmed for the fifth consecutive time in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index. Following up on the previous editions, as announced yesterday evening by S&P, Hera was included in both the European and global indexes. The DJSI, an authoritative international stock market index, includes the highest performing listed companies in the Environmental, Social and Governance & Economics dimensions. More specifically, Hera has reconfirmed itself among the world leaders in its sector for the fourth time in the last five years. A recognition that confirms both the results achieved and the complete and transparent sustainability reporting, along with its strategic approach in pursuing the creation of shared value for all stakeholders. This Group strategy has also brought further elements perfectly consistent with this approach during 2024: the Good Work Deal to define strategies and commitments on safety, inclusion, training and environmental sustainability the Climate Transition Plan to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 HeraPro for the sustainable development of the entire supply chain This inclusion comes as further recognition of the results achieved by the Group, which has always been aware of its institutional and social role within the local ecosystem and is strongly committed to generating value as a cornerstone of its relationship with all stakeholders. Listed since 2003 and included in the FTSE MIB since 2019, Hera’s stock has been in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index since 2020 and has ranked first worldwide in the Multiutility & Water sector as of the same year. It has also been part of the first blue-chip index for Italy dedicated to ESG best practices, launched by Euronext and Borsa Italiana in 2021, since its establishment. The Hera Group has also been present for some years in a row in the top ten of Refinitiv’s international Diversity & Inclusion Index ranking, for its commitment to promoting diversity, inclusion and people development. It is the first Italian company in the ESG Identity Corporate Index 2024 (third time in the last four years), for the full and conscious integration of sustainability policies in its business strategies. Hera in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index as world leader in its sector.pdf 09:16:00 sede-hera_110.jpg sede-hera_110.jpg

2024-12-09 centrata The Hera Group has been awarded 9.4 million euro to finance two pioneering projects in the development of advanced agrivoltaic systems. This funding falls within the measures of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), as Investment 1.1 “Agrivoltaic Development”, under Mission 2 “Green Revolution and Ecological Transition”, Component 2, “Renewable Energy, Hydrogen, Grid and Sustainable Mobility”. The plants will make an important contribution to the energy transition in Emilia-Romagna thanks to their total peak power coming to over 19 MW, equivalent to the consumption of approximately 11,000 Italian households, with savings amounting to 7,700 tonnes of CO2 per year, equal to the absorption capacity of 830 hectares of forest, corresponding to about 1,200 football pitches. More specifically, 6.6 million euro have been allocated to the Hera Group’s project for developing an Energy Park in Faenza, while 2.8 million euros will go to the Cesena project of Horowatt, a newco established by Hera and Orogel, an agricultural cooperative company. These NRRP grants will reinforce the Hera Group’s investments in the renewable energy sector and the installation of agrivoltaic plants, and give further recognition to Hera’s commitment in the field of energy transition and decarbonisation in favour of the areas served. Agrivoltaic development projects are part of the strategy outlined in the Group’s Business Plan, which includes numerous initiatives and investments to achieve carbon neutrality, reduce emissions and increase the production of green energy. These initiatives also fall under the Group’s Climate Transition Plan, which aims to achieve Net Zero emissions by 2050. In particular, the Faenza Energy Park project obtained the largest contribution among the projects admitted to the Centre-North and came tenth in the overall Italian ranking. To promote the construction of these agriculture-energy hybrid systems, the NRRP call for tenders provides an incentive consisting of a capital contribution, coming to a maximum of 40% of the expenses incurred to build the plant, and a fixed and predetermined incentive tariff for 20 years, applied to the production of net electricity fed into the grid. The predetermined tariff set by the GSE allows the Hera Group to eliminate the risks associated with fluctuations in commodity prices during the life of the plant. Horowatt: Orogel’s green agriculture 4.0 revolution Horowatt will construct an innovative agrivoltaic plant at the Cesena facility of the Orogel Group, capable of producing roughly 8 GWh each year, more than 80% of which will be self-consumed energy used by the agricultural cooperative’s own plants. The agrivoltaic plant will be built and managed by Horowatt and will integrate with the existing cogeneration plant built and managed by Hera Servizi Energia, the Hera Group’s ESCo. This is a highly important work, both for reducing Orogel’s energy costs and for its environmental benefits. In fact, it is estimated that the plant will lead to an annual saving of about 2,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emitted. This project is also aimed at experimenting with a virtuous coexistence between agrivoltaic technology and agricultural crops, without consuming soil and creating synergies with the crops, which will be protected from excessive temperatures and will benefit from more moisture in the soil. The photovoltaic panels will be mounted on metal structures at a height of about 3 metres, high enough to allow all agricultural activities to be carried out underneath. Moreover, thanks to sophisticated automation integrated with sensors on the ground, the panels will be able to be oriented not only to follow the sun’s rotation, guaranteeing maximum production efficiency, but also to meet specific agricultural needs, to the benefit of the crops below (agriculture 4.0). The project is expected to be completed in 2025. Faenza Energy Park: an urban forest with renewable energy production The Faenza Energy Park will be built on a vast area, covering about 70 hectares to the west of the city. This new plant will consist of over 22,000 double-sided panels with a total power of about 14 MW and is estimated to produce 21.5 GWh of electricity per year, equivalent to the consumption of about 7,500 families, with an annual carbon dioxide saving of over 5,700 tonnes. The electricity produced will be directly fed into the grid, significantly reducing Faenza’s carbon footprint and increasing the city’s energy self-sufficiency. The protagonists of this project – the Municipality of Faenza, the Hera Group with Studio LBLA, Unione della Romagna Faentina and the Società Agricola Le Cicogne, whose shareholders include Crédit Agricole and the Fondazione Banca del Monte e Cassa di Risparmio di Faenza – have imagined allocating approximately one third of the surface area to energy production alongside agricultural cultivation, one third to open-field agriculture and one third to the urban forest. In this new green infrastructure, agrivoltaics linked to precision agriculture will use digital techniques to monitor and optimise agricultural production processes, reducing their environmental impact. The system will consist of photovoltaic panel support structures positioned at a height from the ground that allows the agricultural vehicles used for cultivation to pass. These systems minimise soil occupation, allowing 90-95% of the land on which they are installed to be cultivated. To function, these systems also use solar tracking: an automatic mechanical device orients the photovoltaic panels towards the sun’s rays. The photovoltaic panels that will be installed will also be double-sided, allowing radiation to be utilised on both sides of the module, with the aim of maximising electricity generation. Appropriate monitoring systems are also expected to be installed, to verify the impact of the plants on agricultural production. The construction of the plant is planned to begin in 2025 and be completed in early 2026. Hera Group receives almost 10 Mln euro from NRRP for agrivoltaics.pdf 10:38:00 sede Hera 110x150.jpg