Menu Display


Alert Web

HeraAssetPublisherFilterComuneSelector

News - Sustainability

Testata News

Hera Custom Facet Publish Date

Custom Facet

ddmStructureKey
Custom Facet

Hera Custom Facet Publish Date

Custom Facet

ddmStructureKey
Custom Facet

Asset Publisher

21/03/2023
Sustainability Report 2022 approved

The Board of Directors of Hera Spa today approved the Sustainability Report 2022.

The Board of Directors of Hera Spa today approved the Sustainability Report 2022.
The 2022 Hera Group sustainability report:
• reports on the three areas of shared value creation: carbon neutrality, resource regeneration, innovation and resilience;
• contains a focus on EBITDA and shared value investments;
• reports objectives and results considering the Recommendations of the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD);
• proposes a way of reading the results achieved in the direction of the “Just transition”;
• continues the reporting of the digital transformation initiatives according to the Corporate digital responsibility framework;
• reports on Taxonomy (environmentally sustainable economic activities according to EU Regulation 2020/852);
• contains the Green Bond Report on the Green Bond 2022-2029 issued to finance Euro 500 million of investments aligned with the EU Taxonomy.

The sustainability report represents the Consolidated non-financial reporting of the Hera Group according to Art. 3 and 4 of Italian Legislative Decree No. 254/2016 and will be available online from April 5, 2023.

Search Results

29/12/2022

Hera Group and Ascopiave have signed contracts for the acquisition of 92% of Asco TLC

Following the press release issued on 29th November 2022, the Hera Group and the Ascopiave Group here in announce that they have signed the contract deliverables governing the acquisition of 92% of Asco TLC from Asco Holding and the Treviso-Belluno C.C.I.A.A. (Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Crafts and Agriculture). The transfer of the Asco TLC shares will take place upon the closing of the transaction, which is scheduled in the first quarter of 2023. This partnership represents a strategic step in the evolution of Ascopiave and the Hera Group's business portfolio in the IT-TLC sector, consistent with the industrial plans of the two groups. For additional information on the details of the transaction, please refer to the press release dated 29th November 2022. For further information Press release Press release dated 29th November 2022 GH-Ascopiave_870_primo_piano.jpg GH-Ascopiave_110.png
19/12/2022

We are among the best utilities in S&P Global Ratings ESG evaluations

We once again rank among the companies that pay the most attention to sustainability and ESG aspects internationally. Our latest ESG Evaluation, carried out by the Sustainable Finance analysts of S&P Global Ratings, has indeed also been published. This is a cross-industry assessment of our ability to effectively manage, in the medium and long term, our exposure to environmental, social and governance risks, as well as to grasp opportunities arising from the changes required by a constantly evolving international context. This year, we obtained an overall score of 81/100, making it one of the best companies internationally as assessed by S&P Global Ratings. This comes as further important recognition for the attention that we dedicate to ESG aspects in pursuing a strategy of sustainable, long-term growth, which has characterised us since Hera was established in 2002, and which complements and goes hand in hand with our financial solidity. In particular, in the ESG Evaluation just published, we are assessed by S&P Global Ratings as being strongly prepared to implement our strategy of creating shared value, contributing to the transition towards a circular and low-emission economy. We have, in fact, shown ourselves ready to face the potential risks arising from the energy crisis, thanks to our ability to balance the need for transition with the security and availability of energy sources. For further information Press release Hera ESG rating S&P ESG Evaluation primo_piano_s-p-global-ratings-logo_870.png Among the top positions in the international ranking of Utility Networks assessed by S&P Global for our focus on sustainability and our ability to create shared value by contributing to the energy transition s-p-global-ratings-logo_110.jpg
10/12/2022

We are top multi-utility worldwide in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index

For the third consecutive year, we are the top-ranking company in the Multi-Utility & Water sector of the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index for sustainability performance in all three Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) areas. This recognition comes from S&P Global, which published the updated ranking defined by the prestigious international stock market index that assesses the social responsibility of listed companies. As in past editions, this year as well we have been included in both the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index and the Dow Jones Sustainability Europe Index. More specifically, we achieved an overall score of 90/100, the highest in the Multi-Utility & Water sector. The ratings obtained were 89/100 in Environment, 91/100 in Social and 91/100 in Economic & Governance, achieving a leadership position in all three areas assessed. These results provide further recognition of our commitment to all aspects of sustainability as an integral part of our 20-year growth strategy focused on creating value for its stakeholders. For further information Press release Visit Investors web area Visit Sustainability web area DJSI_870_ritaglio.jpg For the third year in a row, we have been confirmed as world leader in the Multi-Utility & Water sector DJSI_110.jpg
09/11/2022

Hera Board of Directors approves 3Q 2022 results

Financial highlights Ebitda* at 875 million euro (+2.4%) Net result* at 248 million euro (-5.6%) Net financial debt at 4,489 million euro, with net debt/Ebitda* at 3.62x Investments increase sharply to 463 million euro (+22.8%) Operating highlights Contribution to growth coming from core businesses Expansion in initiatives for the ecological transition and the circular economy Commercial margins maintained in the energy area Significant operating investments in networks, plus a significant effort in gas storage, as well as the completion of a number of M&As Solid energy customer base, approximately 3.5 million Today, the Hera Group’s Board of Directors, chaired by Tomaso Tommasi di Vignano, unanimously approved the consolidated quarterly report at 30 September 2022. Although the results achieved in the first nine months of the year are part of a complicated scenario, characterised by ongoing volatility on the energy market, which became even more pronounced over the last three months, as well as the complex current economic and geopolitical conditions and the gradual increase in inflation in the country, these figures highlight the Group’s ability to offset adversity, continuing to pursue the goals set out in its business plan, with increasing sustainable investments aimed at generating positive effects for the communities and local areas served. Moreover, the Hera Group’s resilient business model, the management policies it implements and its financial solidity have continued to enable it to seize the strategic opportunities offered by the market, to guarantee a high quality and continuity in its services while at the same time supporting and confirming the commitments made to all its stakeholders. Among the initiatives in support of stakeholders, note the flexibility shown towards the Group’s suppliers, who were able to revise their supply conditions based on inflation, and the significant gas storage initiative intended to support the customer base and the Italian gas system as a whole. As regards customers, thanks to the special attention to disadvantaged users, more favourable instalment terms than those provided for by law, an extension of the social bonus to include district heating, compliance with and maintenance of fixed-price contractual conditions, to date the performance in receipts for bills has been confirmed as essentially regular. Revenues rise to roughly 14.3 billion euro In the first nine months of 2022, revenues amounted to 14,320.1 million euro, up sharply (+122.9%) from the 6,424.3 million euro seen in the same period of the previous year. In particular, the energy segments showed significant growth mainly due to the increase in the price of energy commodities, which reached very high figures, especially in the third quarter of the year. Ebitda* increases to 874.8 million euro Ebitda* for the first nine months of the year amounted to 874.8 million euro, up 2.4% from the 854.4 million euro seen at 30 September 2021. The performance of the waste management area was particularly good, with Ebitda up 27.8 million euro, as was that of the water cycle area, up 7.3 million euro, fully offsetting the lower contributions coming from the energy area and the other services area. Financial operations essentially stable and pre-tax profit* at 347.5 million euro The result from financial operations for the first nine months of 2022 came to 89.5 million euro, basically stable compared to the 85.4 million seen during the first nine months of 2021. This change is mainly due to the increase in net financial debt generated by the trend in energy commodity prices compared to 2021. Net result and at 248.4 million euro With a tax rate of 28.5%, up from the same period in 2021 (26.2%) mainly due to the recognition of the non-recurring contribution against high utility bills (amounting to 2.3 million euro) and the recognition of lower benefits related to the tax credit on investments linked to the technological, digital and environmental transformation, the net result* and net profit* for the first nine months of 2022 amounted to 248.4 million euro. Net profit was largely stable compared to the 263 million seen at 30 September 2021. Strong growth in investments and net financial debt sensitive to the higher value of stored gas In the first nine months of 2022, the Hera Group’s operating investments, including capital grants, amounted to 463.3 million euro, up 22.8% compared to the 377.2 million euro seen in the same period of the previous year, with a major focus on resilience- and circularity-oriented projects, as set out in the business plan. The most significant interventions concerned plants, networks, and infrastructures, as well as regulatory upgrading focusing on gas distribution and the integrated water cycle, respectively involving a large-scale replacement of new-generation meters and specific interventions in the purification and sewerage areas. Income statement (mln €) Sept 22 %Inc. Sept 21 (redetermined) Inc.% Abs. change % change Revenues 14,320.1 0.0% 6,424.3 0.0% 7,895.8 122.9% Other operating revenues 345.3 2.4% 243.6 3.8% 101.7 41.8% Raw and other materials (11,642.5) (81.3)% (3,498.2) (54.5)% 8,144.3 232.8% Service costs (1,693.9) (11.8)% (1,858.6) (28.9)% (164.7) (8.9)% Other operating expenses (56.6) (0.4)% (54.4) (0.8)% 2.2 4.0% Personnel costs (449.8) (3.1)% (442.0) (6.9)% 7.8 1.8% Capitalised costs 52.2 0.4% 39.7 0.6% 12.5 31.5% Ebitda* 874.8 6.1% 854.4 13.3% 20.4 2.4% Amortization, depreciation and provisions (437.8) (3.1)% (412.5) (6.4)% 25.3 6.1% Ebit* 437.0 3.1% 441.9 6.9% (4.9) (1.1)% Financial operations (89.5) (0.6)% (85.4) (1.3)% 4.1 4.8% Pre-tax result* 347.5 2.4% 356.5 5.5% (9.0) (2.5)% Taxes (99.1) (0.7)% (93.4) (1.5)% 5.7 6.1% Net result* 248.4 1.7% 263.1 4.1% (14.7) (5.6)% Result from special items - 0.0% 56.2 0.9% (56.2) 100.0% Net profit for the period* 248.4 1.7% 319.3 5.0% (70.9) (22.2)% Invested capital and sources of financing (mln€) Sept 22 %Inc. Dec 21 (redetermined) %Inc. Abs. change % change Net non-current assets* 7,485.3 +96.3% 7,308.3 +109.4% 177.0 +2.4% Net working capital* 910.6 +11.7% 2.4 +0.0% 908.2 +37,841.7% (Provisions) (622.3) (8.0%) (633.4) (9.5%) 11.1 +1.8% Net invested capital* 7,773.6 +100.0% 6,677.3 +100.0% 1,096.3 +16.4% Equity* (3,284.4) +42.3% (3,416.0) +51.2% 131.6 +3.9% Long-term borrowings (4,680.1) +60.2% (3,633.1) +54.4% (1,047.0) (28.8)% Net current financial debt 190.9 (2.5%) 371.8 (5.6%) (180.9) (48.7%) Net debt (4,489.2) +57.7% (3,261.3) +48.8% (1,227.9) (37.7)% Total sources of financing* (7,773.6) (100.0)% (6,677.3) +100.0% (1,096.3) (16.4)% *Adjusted results For further information Press release Visit Investors web area img_banner_3Q2022_EN.png Despite the complex macro scenario, the Group’s quarterly report at 30 September 2022 shows an increase in Ebitda compared to 2021 img_110x150_3Q2022.jpeg
07/11/2022

Hera Group and ACR create the leading Italian operator in remediation and global service activities

Today, the Hera Group, acting through its subsidiary Herambiente Servizi Industriali (HASI), signed a binding agreement for a long-term partnership that provides for the acquisition of 60% of the company A.C.R. di Reggiani Albertino S.p.A. ® (hereinafter ACR), one of Italy’s largest companies in the reclamation sector, involved in industrial waste treatment, decommissioning industrial plants and oil & gas-related civil works, based in Mirandola (Modena). The new company will also bring together some of the remediation and global services activities carried out by HASI. This unprecedented transaction gives way to the leading national operator in the remediation and global services business, with an extensive presence throughout Italy. The Hera Group will thus further strengthen its leadership in the waste treatment sector, thanks to its approximately one hundred certified, state-of-the-art plants. It can now rely on ACR’s high operating capacity, time-to-market in services and significant machinery and equipment, which is already active in over 100 remediation sites with over 450 employees and having among its customers the major players in the oil & gas sector. With this partnership, on the one hand, the Hera Group will reach in advance the target in reclamation activities set out in its business plan, following up on the path of growth already achieved in this area in terms of both size and sustainability/circular economy, in line with the goals on the UN’s 2030 Agenda, which over the last 10 years have enabled it to double its customer base. On the other hand, ACR is implementing its strategic plan by making an agreement concerning commercial areas with a leading national player in the sector, strengthening its presence in its core remediation business and entering the world of global services. For further information Press release Visit Herambiente Servizi Industriali website 870x320.png The binding agreement signed today provides for the acquisition by the Hera Group of 60% of ACR, based in Modena and one of the major companies in the remediation and industrial waste treatment sector new_sede_hera_110.jpg
26/10/2022

We look forward to seeing you at Ecomondo 2022

From 8 to 11 November 2022, Ecomondo, the leading event in Europe regarding the ecological transition with technological and industrial innovation in waste management services and the green economy (especially waste and resources services, circular bioeconomy and water supply) returns to the Fiera di Rimini venue. Also this year, we will be at Hall C1, Stand 5, with a completely new exhibition space and a floor area of 550 square metres where Hera S.p.A, Herambiente, Aliplast, Acantho, HERAtech and Hera Luce will all be present. Entirely made with recycled materials by SCART, the Hera Group project dedicated to the artistic regeneration of industrial waste, the stand can be completely disassembled and reused, in total compliance with the concept of the circular economy. In addition, in the South Hall, in the outdoor area, there will be a stand of Uniflotte, while Hall D7, Stand 37, will host Hera Comm. For further information Discover the complete programme of Ecomondo 2022 null null null null null null null null null null null null null 1ecomondo .jpg 2 ecomondo .jpg 2.1 ecomondo.jpg 3 ecomondo .jpg 4 ecomondo .jpg 5 ecomondo .jpg 6 ecomondo .jpg 7 ecomondo .jpg 7a ecomondo .jpg 8 ecomondo .jpg 9 ecomondo .jpg 10 ecomondo .jpg 13 ecomondo .jpg null null null null null null null null null null null null null null null null null null null null null null null null null null img_banner_interna_Ecomondo_2022_eng.jpg img_ecomondo_110x150.jpg
28/09/2022

We are in the Top 10 of the Diversity & Inclusion Index

We have been confirmed as one of the companies most committed to promoting diversity, inclusion and people development. This has been certified once again by Refinitiv’s “Diversity & Inclusion Index”, whose 2022 edition examined over 12,000 companies worldwide and assigned to us a score that places us in the TOP10 of the international ranking, now first among multi-utilities and the top Italian company. This index is one of the main references for investors, who are taking an increasingly positive look at companies that adopt a Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) policy. After more than 10 years of projects, activities and initiatives aimed at reducing inequality, enhancing diversity and promoting an inclusive culture, this recognition provides further confirmation of the attention that we pay to policies in this area. This approach is confirmed by the Charter for Equal Opportunities and Equality at Work, signed as early as 2009 and matured internally, with the support of the working group led by the Diversity Manager, and later promoted outside the company context as well, to foster increasingly inclusive cities. This is also demonstrated by our personnel policies: our corporate welfare plan, for example, provides important support for Group employees and their families, with 5.3 million in services used last year alone. Hera also invests in developing internal and customised career paths, with 34% of women in positions of responsibility and, more generally, a female workforce coming to 27.3%, above the national industry average (2021 figures). For further information Press release Refinitiv Global D&I Index D&I in Hera Group refinitiv_870.png In the international ranking of Refinitiv’s 2022 “Diversity & Inclusion Index”, we are included in the TOP10 globally, becoming the world’s leading multi-utility and the top company in Italy for its commitment to diversity and people inclusion and development policies Refinitiv_2022 D&I_Logo_110.png
06/09/2022

SynBioS: “power to gas” and multi-business expertise, to meet the challenge of decarbonisation

We presented our innovative “power to gas” plant named SynBioS (Syngas Biological Storage) at the Gastech exhibition in Milan. This plant will be able to convert renewable electricity and wastewater into “green” hydrogen and then into biomethane. SynBioS, in Bologna Corticella, inside the largest purification plant by users served among those we manage, is currently scheduled to be operational within 2023 and is linked to the support coming from incentives, including for example those coming from the PNRR. One of the first to be built internationally, the SynBioS plant has been made possible thanks to an investment coming to around 10 million euro and the synergies created between energy decarbonisation and water purification. Our multi-business know-how, combined with continuous investments in innovation, research and development, are in fact the strategic drivers that over the years have enabled us to develop cutting-edge integrated solutions in the field of “clean energy”, in line with the programmes outlined in its Business Plan. A plant to obtain biomethane from renewable electricity The plant, which uses “power-to-gas” technology to convert renewable electricity into synthetic natural gas, not only increases the pollutant reduction potential of the sewage treatment plant, but also allows excess renewable energy to be valorised by reusing biomethane in the city’s distribution network, which thus acts as a long-term storage facility. The figures: the annual methane gas consumption of 1,200 households sustainably covered At full capacity, coming to 1 MW, the plant will be able to produce approximately 190 Nm3/h of green gas, preventing roughly 50 Nm3/h of carbon dioxide from being released into the atmosphere, corresponding to the annual impact of about 400 cars. This is a true flagship project from the point of view of the circular economy: while producing enough methane to cover the annual consumption of 1,200 households, in fact, the plant will use the wastewater produced by about 50 people every day, also helping to increase the quality of the purification process itself. For further information Press release Gruppo Hera_Bologna_870.png Within 2023, we will build a system in Bologna equipped with “power to gas” technology, integrated with our largest water purification plant. One of the first to be built internationally, it will be able to convert renewable electricity and wastewater into “green” hydrogen and then into biomethane new_sede_hera_110.jpg
29/07/2022

Transition, 82% of the electricity we use for our operations is already renewable

What happened to the Marmolada glacier is unfortunately irreversible, as are other devastating effects of climate change, now plain for all to see. If we are able to successfully reduce climate-changing emissions, this could help to contain climate change, which has by now evolved into an established crisis, and its effects. Energy Solutions for the Climate, the report in which we report on the reduction of our emissions, is online This is the focus of the new edition of our thematic sustainability report Energy Solutions for the Climate, which has just become available online and will soon be available at our main customer service branches. In the report, we present some of the important results we have already achieved on the way to the major target of reducing emissions by 37% by 2030, validated last year by the prestigious international network of the Science Based Targets initiative. Combating climate change: a commitment now enshrined in our Articles of Association We have been active for years in the 'pursuit of carbon neutrality', a goal that deliberately coincides with one of our three drivers for the creation of shared value, which was added to our Articles of Association as our 'purpose’ in 2021. For us, in short, the fight against climate change is crucial and translates into a wide-ranging action that ranges from the sale of renewable electricity and gas with CO2 offsetting to the promotion of energy efficiency, as part of an inclusive logic that involves customers and suppliers, thus contributing to increasing the very chances of success of the transition also promoted by the EU. For further information View the new edition of the online report banner_energy.png Efforts continue to reduce overall climate-altering emissions, which we aim to reduce by 37% by 2030. We present the achievements in 2021 in the second edition of the Energy Solutions for the Climate report energysolutionsfortheclimate_110.jpg
27/07/2022

Hera BoD approves 1H 2022 results

Financial highlights Revenues at 8,896.0 million euro (+112.8%) Ebitda* at 631.2 million euro (+3.3%) Net profit* at 201.7 million euro (-12.7%) Net financial debt at 3,682.4 million euro, with Net debt/Ebitda* at 2.96x, confirming the Group’s financial solidity Operating highlights Contribution to growth comes from main businesses Further development of initiatives for the ecological transition and the circular economy Solid energy customer base, amounting to roughly 3.5 million The Board of Directors of the Hera Group unanimously approved the consolidated operating results for the first half of 2022. Despite the complicated scenario, marked by ongoing volatility on energy markets and international geopolitical conflicts, the Hera Group’s management policies and its solid and resilient business model have once again proven effective. The Group has thus achieved results that guarantee both quality and continuity of services and the constant creation of value for all stakeholders. As regards changes in the scope of consolidation, the energy areas benefited from the acquisitions, through the subsidiary Hera Comm, of 90% of the Abruzzo company Eco Gas and 100% of the company Con Energia. Also note that Hera Comm was awarded the gradual protection service for electricity supply to SMEs in 9 Italian regions. In the waste management area, compared to June 2021, note the integration of 80% of the Vallortigara Group, which provides services to industries, public administrations and citizens and manages a multi-purpose platform for special waste treatment in the Veneto region. Furthermore, note the acquisition on 30 June 2022, through the subsidiary Marche Multiservizi, of 70% of Macero Maceratese, which operates in the waste management sector. With this additional transaction, the Hera Group has strengthened its nationwide leadership in the waste management sector, and industrial waste management and treatment in particular. Revenues reach roughly 8.9 billion euro In the first half of 2022, revenues amounted to 8,896.0 million euro, with a sharp increase (+112.8%) compared to 4,179.7 million euro seen at 30 June 2021, thanks to the contribution coming from all major business areas. The energy areas in particular showed significant growth, mainly related to the increase in commodity prices. Furthermore, growth in energy services was related to energy efficiency in residential buildings (insulation bonus and 110% super-bonus) and increasing activities involving value-added services for customers. As regards the waste management area, instead, higher revenues mainly came from energy production, the expansion of business customer base and changes in market prices. Ebitda* increases to 631.2 million euro Ebitda* for the first half of 2022 rose to 631.2 million euro (+3.3%), against 610.9 million euro at 30 June 2021, up 20.3 million euro, mainly due to contributions coming from the energy, waste management and water areas. Financial operations improved, pre-tax profit and net profit substantially stable The result of financial operations for the first six months of 2022 came to 50.9 million euro, with a 4.2 million euro improvement compared to 30 June 2021, mainly due to lower financial expenses on long-term debt (the result of debt optimisation operations) and lower expenses from discounting provisions. Compared to the equivalent figures for the previous year, pre-tax profit* thus amounted to 284.0 million euro, up slightly (+0.9%) over the 281.5 million euro seen one year earlier, while net profit* pre-minorities, equal to 201.7 million euro, remained in line with that as at 30 June 2021 (206.4 million euro). Net results* at 201.7 million Net profit* at 30 June 2022 amounted to 201.7 million euro, down from 231.1 million in the first half of 2021, which included non-recurring items amounting to 24.7 million, caused by a tax realignment and the partial repurchase of some bonds. Investments rise; net financial debt affected by the higher value of gas storage In the first half of 2022, the Group’s operating investments, including capital grants, amounted to 287.1 million euro, up sharply (+16.3%) compared to the 246.9 million euro seen during the same period of the previous year, and were mainly related to works on plants, networks and infrastructures. Alongside the latter, regulatory adjustments mainly concerned gas distribution, with a large-scale replacement of meters, and the purification and sewerage area. Net financial debt went from 3,261.3 million euro at 31 December 2021 to 3,682.4 million euro at 30 June 2022, showing an increase coming to roughly 421.1 million euro. This was mainly due to a change in net working capital*, due to the higher value of stored gas, already contracted to better serve the needs of the upcoming thermal season and guarantee quality and continuity of service to customers. The net debt/Ebitda* ratio increased slightly, reaching 2.96x. Conto economico (mln €) giu-22 Inc.% giu-21 Inc.% Var. Ass. Var.% Revenues 8,896.0 4,179.7 +4,716.3 +112.8% Other operating revenues 219.4 2.5% 140.2 3.4% +79.2 +56.5% Raw and other materials (7,062.2) -79.4% (2,135.5) -51.1% +4,926.7 +230.7% Service costs (1,105.2) -12.4% (1,260.1) -30.1% -154.9 -12.3% Other operating expenses (39.3) -0.4% (37.9) -0.9% +1.4 +3.7% Personnel costs (308.7) -3.5% (301.8) -7.2% +6.9 +2.3% Capitalised costs 31.2 0.4% 26.3 0.6% +4.9 +18.7% Ebitda* 631.2 7.1% 610.9 14.6% +20.3 +3.3% Amortization, depreciation and provisions (296.3) -3.3% (274.3) -6.6% +22.0 +8.0% Ebit* 334.9 3.8% 336.6 8.1% 1.7 -0.5% Financial operations (50.9) -0.6% (55.1) -1.3% -4.2 -7.6% Pre-tax result* 284.0 3.2% 281.5 6.7% +2.5 +0.9% Taxes (82.3) -0.9% (75.1) -1.8% +7.2 +9.6% Net result* 201.7 2.3% 206.4 4.9% -4.7 -2.3% Result from special items - 0.0% 24.7 0.6% -24.7 +100.0% Net profit for the period* 201.7 2.3% 231.1 5.5% -29.4 -12.7% Invested capital and sources of financing (mn€) June 22 % Inc. Dec 21 %Inc. Abs. change % change Net non-current assets* 7,385.5 104.7% 7,308.3 109.4% +77.2 +1.1% Net working capital* 297.4 4.2% 2.4 0.1% +295.0 +12,291.7% (Provisions) (626.6) (8.9)% (633.4) (9.5%) +6.8 +1.1% Net invested capital* 7,056.5 100.0% 6,677.3 +100.0% +379.0 +5.7% Equity* 3,373.9 47.8% 3,416.0 51.2% (42.1) (1.2)% Long-term borrowings 4,085.1 57.9% 3,633.1 54.4% +452.0 +12.4% Net current financial debt (402.7) (5.7)% (371.8) (5.6%) (30.9) (8.3)% Net debt 3,682.4 52.2% 3,261.3 48.8% +421.1 +12.9% Total sources of financing* 7,056.3 100.0% 6,677.3 100.0% +379.0 +5.7% * Adjusted results For further information Press release Visit Investors web area banner_primo_piano_1H2022_eng.png The half-year report shows increasing revenues and Ebitda, thanks to the contribution coming from the Group’s main business areas img_110x150_1H2022.jpeg
25/07/2022

We are the first Italian listed company certified by Bureau Veritas for the circular economy

For our circular economy projects, we have obtained from Bureau Veritas Italia, a leading multinational certification company, the certificate for the AFNOR XP X30-901 standard, the first issued to an Italian multi-utility. The French AFNOR XP X 30-901 standard is now the main international reference for implementing a management system for circular economy projects. This model, in fact, provides a point of reference for all companies that, wishing to adopt circular solutions within their production systems, need a certifiable guide on which to base themselves. Certification for the AFNOR standard encourages standardisation of corporate methodologies for project management, achieved by adopting a concrete tool to carry out a critical analysis of these methods in relation to areas of action and environmental, social and economic factors. More specifically, it is based on a matrix that combines the 3 classical factors involved in sustainability (environment, economy, society) with the 7 action areas of the circular economy (Sustainable Procurement, Eco-design, Industrial Symbiosis, Functional Economy, Responsible Consumption, Product Life Extension, Efficient Product and Material Management). We have implemented a management system for our circular economy projects and have set up the following three, according to this matrix: the “HOVE” project to transform the exhausted vegetable oils collected in the served area into biofuel; a project to integrate circularity criteria into procurement; and a project to reuse purified wastewater. Bureau Veritas Italia was therefore called upon to analyse them in detail and has certified the compliance of the company’s management system for circular economy projects with the AFNOR standard. For futher information Press release Visit Bureau Veritas website BV-logo_870.png We have successfully concluded our certification process with the multinational Bureau Veritas, the sector’s leader, confirming the commitment we’ve shown over the years with numerous projects and initiatives favouring the circular economy BV-logo_110.png
30/06/2022

Marche Multiservizi acquires Macero Maceratese

The Hera Group, acting through its subsidiary Marche Multiservizi, the leading operator in public utilities in the Marche region, has acquired from the Iesari family 70% of Macero Maceratese, a long-standing company in this area, operating since 1969 in the waste management sector, whose customers are mainly located in the province of Macerata and to a lesser degree in the remaining provinces of the Marche region, as well as in the neighbouring regions of Abruzzo and Umbria. By operating on the free market and creating significant synergies both with the other companies of the Hera Group active in waste treatment and with its own industrial poles already operating in the province of Pesaro and Urbino, Marche Multiservizi expects, when in full force, a 10% increase in turnover and a 5% increase in Ebitda, with an overall benefit for all stakeholders in the area served. History and activities of Macero Maceratese Widely recognised and consolidated in central Italy, for over 50 years Macero Maceratese has been dealing with services related to managing the waste produced by local industries, including SMEs and large-scale retail trade, and activities related to managing municipal waste, partially destined for energy recovery and landfills, and partially for treatment and recovery. With 30 employees working at three sites in Macerata, Piediripa di Macerata and Martinsicuro (Teramo province), in the last three years Macero Maceratese has handled an annual average of 58 thousand tonnes of waste. The main plant in Piediripa di Macerata is home of two large-capacity pressing plants, a shredding plant and a waste sorting plant, which boast ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 certification, modern equipment and qualified personnel. For further information Press release sede MMS_870.png With this additional transaction, which follows up on others carried out in previous years, the Hera Group has strengthened its national leadership in the waste management sector, regarding in particular industrial waste management and treatment sede MMS_110.JPG
20/06/2022

Among the highest ranked for technical quality of water service, according to Arera

According to Arera, the Regulatory Authority for Energy, Networks and the Environment, we are among the top providers in Italy regarding technical quality of the water service. The ranking, drawn up after a careful assessment by the Authority, refers to the two-year period 2018-2019 and is designed to verify the quality and efficiency of water infrastructures. Interruptions to services, leaks, quality of water supplied, adequacy of the sewerage system, quality of purified water and disposal of sludge. These are the 6 macro-indicators on which each of the water service operators active on the national territory has been analysed and classified. By analysing the data up to 17 July 2020, the Authority was able to award a prize to those who have achieved, maintained and improved on the objectives set. We figure at the top of the ranking, scoring particularly well with regard to the levels of service in the regions of Rimini, Bologna, Ravenna and Forlì-Cesena. This result rewards our use of innovative technologies for the efficient management of the water cycle, and the work of our many professionals, who are committed to ensuring continuity, safety and quality of service on a daily basis. The involvement of local governments has also been fundamental to achieving this goal, with whom we have always teamed up to guarantee citizens an increasingly better service. For further information Read Arera's survey Visit our web area dedicated to the water service Img_servizio-idrico-secondo-arera (2).png The ranking, referring to the two-year period 2018-2019, verifies the quality and efficiency of water infrastructures
15/06/2022

Once again first in the 2022 Integrated Governance Index

We are the foremost company in Italy for the importance of sustainability policies, fully and consciously incorporated within business strategies. This is demonstrated, for the second consecutive year, by the Integrated Governance Index, the main quantitative index to measure the integration of ESG factors in corporate governance, managed by ETicaNews and presented in Milan at the ESG Business Conference. Sustainability at the heart of our strategies Ever since our foundation, sustainability has been at the core of our strategy. This award is therefore fully in line with the cultural transformation that began 20 years ago and has concerned all aspects of the Group. ESG factors are indeed fully integrated within our activities and represent a strategic asset in all respects. Our attention to sustainability is also proven by the recent transformation of subsidiary Hera Luce into a Benefit Corporation. This decision represents a further step towards sustainable development, following last year’s introduction of the concept of corporate purpose into our Articles of Association. For further information Press release Sustainability Report 2021 Our Green Bonds Logo IGI 2022_870.jpg The index measures the degree to which ESG factors are integrated within corporate governance. Logo IGI 2022_110.jpg
18/05/2022

We launched a new 500 million euro green bond

After being the first company in Italy to issue a "green" debt instrument, in 2014, we have successfully launched, in the context of Euro Medium Term Note Programme (EMTN), our third “green bond” reconfirming itself as a reference player for sustainable finance, also at an international level. After the publication yesterday of our new Green Financing Framework (GFF), certified by an independent advisor and already in line with the EU Taxonomy, with this issue we gave to the market the chance to invest in the activities of the Group, in line with the EU Taxonomy. The characteristics of the new green bond and the projects financed Our third green bond (Moody’s rating Baa2 with stable Outlook and Standard & Poor’s rating BBB+ with stable Outlook), amounts to 500 million euro overall, repayable in 7 years with a 2.5% coupon and a 2.639% return. The issue date for the new green bond is expected to be May 25. The new green bond is represented by senior, non-convertible and unsecured/not guaranteed notes, reserved to qualified investors. The funds will be used to finance or refinance numerous projects, already implemented or included in the Business plan to 2025, selected on the basis of the provisions of the Green Financing Framework (GFF), that pursue one or more of the goals in the UN's 2030 Agenda or Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These projects have been subdivided into 3 areas: integrated water cycle (aligned with SDGs No. 6, 13 and 14): waste water management projects, sewerage and water infrastructures furthering resilience and adaptation to climate change; circular economy and pollution prevention and control (meeting SDGs No. 11, 12 and 13): innovative projects in plastics manufacturing, biogas and biofuel production for the use in transportation, the waste collection systems, anaerobic digestion and the compost of organic waste, and vehicle fleets for environmental services; energy efficiency and infrastructures (consistently with SDGs No. 7, 11 and 13): from energy production through photovoltaic systems and geothermic, to district heating networks, from installing devices and equipments for energy performance regulation and control, to renewable energy technologies, from hydrogen introduction networks to power transmission and distribution networks. For further information Press release Sustainability web area Investors web area sede-hera-notturna_870.jpg Strong interest shown by international investors for the third “green bond” which will finance the sustainability our projects in the areas of integrated water cycle, circular economy and pollution prevention and control, and energy efficiency and energy infrastructure sede-hera_110 (1).jpg
17/05/2022

Publication of the new Green Financing Framework

As pioneers in sustainable finance since 2014, when it issued the first green bond in Italy, we have published our new Green Financing Framework (GFF) that consolidates the transparency policy we pursue towards the investors. Sustainability and ecological transition at the core of the new GFF The new GFF is a landmark for issuance of green bonds and for new green facility agreements related to the following areas: “Sustainable Water and Wastewater Management”, “Circular Economy and Pollution Prevention and Control” and “Energy Efficiency and Energy Infrastructure”, selected in compliance with the Green Bond Principles 2021 (GBP) published by the International Capital Market Association (ICMA) and the Green Loan Principles 2021 (GLP) published by the Loan Market Association (LMA). Furthermore, the GFF sets out our commitment in the direction of the EU Taxonomy and of the Climate Transition Finance Handbook. Consistently with our positioning characteristic since our establishment and with the strategies outlined in the 2025 Business Plan, the new GFF intends to promote, also through the sustainable finance leverage, the achievement of the goals related to the ecological transition, to which we direct the development of our businesses. For further information Press release Green Financing framework and opinion sede_hera_870.png It sets out the guidelines for issuance of green bonds and for new green facility agreements. We are the first multiutility in Europe to publish a framework certified as being in line with the EU Taxonomy sede_hera_110-2.jpg
11/05/2022

Hera Board of Directors approves Q1 2022 results

Financial highlights Revenues at 5,312 million euro (+133.8%) Ebitda at 374.0 million euro (+3.3%) Net profits at 137.8 million euro (-1.8%) Net debt at 3,455.2 million euro, with net debt/Ebitda ratio at 2.8x Operating highlights Good contribution to growth comes from the main businesses, in particular the energy sectors and the waste management area Further development of initiatives for the ecological transition and the circular economy, thanks to state-of-the-art plants and increasingly green services Solid energy customer base, with approximately 3.5 million customers The Hera Group’s Board of Directors, chaired by Tomaso Tommasi di Vignano, unanimously approved the consolidated results for the first quarter of 2022. Despite the fact that the results for the first quarter of 2022 were achieved against the backdrop of an extraordinarily difficult international scenario, marked by energy market volatility and geopolitical conflicts, Hera’s management policies – based on its solid and resilient business model – proved to be effective and enabled it to show further growth in results. Following up on the indications contained in the Business Plan to 2025, the Group thus continues to create value for stakeholders while ensuring, at the same time, quality and continuity in services. As regards regulated services, in November 2021 Atersir definitively awarded the Hera Group the tender for the concession of the integrated water service for 24 municipalities in the province of Rimini, including the capital, with a contract worth approximately 1.7 billion euro. The Hera Group, which was also the outgoing manager, will therefore be responsible for this service from 2022 to 2039. A few weeks later, lastly, Atersir definitively awarded the Hera Group, for a period of time covering 15 years, the tenders for the municipal waste collection services in the Modena and Bologna areas, with a total scope of 1.5 million inhabitants and a value coming to over 2.5 billion. Revenues at roughly 5.3 billion euro (+133.8%) In the first quarter of 2022, revenues amounted to 5,312.0 million euro, up sharply from 2,271.8 million euro seen in the same period one year earlier. The energy sectors in particular contributed to this result, showing significant growth due to increased trading and the rise in commodity prices, as well as higher volumes of gas sold as a result of new lots won in tenders and lower winter temperatures. In addition, growth in energy services was related to energy efficiency in residential buildings (insulation bonus and 110% tax super-bonus) and increased activities for value-added services for customers. Revenues from the waste management sector were also up, mainly due to energy production, higher prices in the recovery market and new acquisitions in the industrial market. Lastly, revenues from network services increased, both regulated and for third parties, as did revenues from the public lighting service. Ebitda rises to 374.0 million euro (+3.3%) Ebitda went from 362.0 million euro in the first three months of 2021 to 374.0 million euro at 31 March 2022, up 12.0 million euro (+3.3%). The main contributions to this result came from the energy area, up by a total of 6.1 million euro, and the waste management area, up 8.1 million euro, offsetting the slight drop in the other services area. In particular, the activities managed concerning the ecological transition and circular economy were decisive, including energy efficiency services developed for condominiums, a reinforcement of value-added services in the energy sector (from “green” supply, to sales and installation of LED devices, smart boilers and thermostats, and energy diagnostics) and the regeneration of resources, through Group subsidiary Aliplast. Operating result and pre-tax profit down slightly Operating results amounted to 220.1 million euro at 31 March 2022, down 1.3% from the 223.1 million euro seen in the first quarter of 2021, mainly due to higher amortisation and depreciation due to changes in the scope of consolidation and higher provisions for bad debts mainly attributable to both last resort and traditional markets as well as the graduated protection service. Financial operations at 31 March 2022 were mainly unchanged, at 29.5 million, compared to 28.8 million euro seen in the first quarter of 2021. This change was caused by lower income from late payment indemnities, partially offset by lower financial charges on long-term debt resulting from debt optimisations. Pre-tax profit amounted to 190.6 million euro, slightly down from 194.3 million euro at 31 March 2021 (-1.9%). Net profit at 137.8 million euro Thanks to a tax rate coming to 27.7%, quite similar to the 27.8% rate of the previous year, net profit stood at 137.8 million euro, as against 140.3 million euro in the first quarter of 2021. Profit pertaining to the Group’s shareholders amounted to 126.5 million euro, down from 132.2 million euro at 31 March 2021, due to an increase in the portion attributable to minority shareholders. Strong growth in operating investments and Group solidity reinforced The Group’s operating investments, including capital grants, amounted to 129.2 million euro, up 11.1% compared to the previous year, and mainly involved work on plants, networks and infrastructures. In addition, regulatory upgrading was carried out, mainly in the gas distribution sector with a large-scale meter replacement, and in the purification and sewerage sector. Net financial debt went from 3,261.3 million euro at 31 December 2021 to 3,455.2 million euro at 31 March 2022, mainly due to a change in net working capital, which increased as a result of the energy scenario and the impact of interventions on “rising bills” also in terms of payment by instalments. The net debt/Ebitda ratio remained substantially stable, at 2.8x, confirming the company’s financial solidity. Profit & Loss (mln €) 31/03/2022 Inc.% 31/03/2021 Inc.% Ch. Ch.% Sales 5,312.0 2,271.8 +3,040.2 +133.8% Other operating revenues 100.7 1.9% 100.7 4.4% +0.0 +0.0% Raw material (4,307.8) (81.1%) (1,209.7) (53.2%) +3,098.1 +256.1% Services costs (573.3) (10.8%) (646.9) (28.5%) (73.6) (11.4%) Other operating expenses (17.2) (0.3%) (17.1) (0.8%) +0.1 +0.6% Personnel costs (154.5) (2.9%) (150.1) (6.6%) +4.4 +2.9% Capitalisations 14.1 0.3% 13.3 0.6% +0.8 +6.0% Ebitda 374.0 7.0% 362.0 15.9% +12.0 +3.3% Depreciation and provisions (153.9) (2.9%) (138.9) (6.1%) +15.0 +10.8% Ebit 220.1 4.1% 223.1 9.8% (3.0) (1.3%) Financial inc./(exp.) (29.5) (0.6%) (28.8) (1.3%) +0.7 +2.4% Pre tax profit 190.6 3.6% 194.3 8.6% (3.7) (1.9%) Taxes (52.8) (1.0%) (54.0) (2.4%) (1.2) (2.2%) Net profit 137.8 2.6% 140.3 6.2% (2.5) (1.8%) Attributable to: Shareholders of the Parent Company 126.5 2.4% 132.2 5.8% (5.7) (4.3%) Minority shareholders 11.3 0.2% 8.1 0.4% +3.2 +39.3% Balance Sheet (mln €) 31/03/2022 Inc.% 31/12/2021 Inc.% Ch. Ch.% Net fixed assets 7,294.8 103.4% 7,308.0 109.4% (13.2) (0.2%) Working capital 398.9 5.6% 3.5 0.1% +395.4 +11,297.1% (Provisions) (637.2) (9.0%) (633.4) (9.5%) (3.8) +0.6% Net invested capital 7,056.5 100.0% 6,678.1 100.0% +378.4 +5.7% Net equity 3,601.3 51.0% 3,416.8 51.2% +184.5 +5.4% Long term net financial debt 3,644.6 51.7% 3,633.1 54.4% +11.5 +0.3% Short term net financial debt (189.4) (2.7%) (371.8) (5.6%) +182.4 (49.1%) Net financial debts 3,455.2 49.0% 3,261.3 48.8% +193.9 +5.9% Net invested capital 7,056.5 100.0% 6,678.1 100.0% +378.4 +5.7% For further information Press release Visit Investor web area img_interna_be_eng_stondata.png The consolidated quarterly report at 31 March shows growth in revenues and Ebitda, proving the solidity and resilience of the Hera Group’s business model even in this difficult economic context img_110x150.jpg
11/05/2022

Hera S.p.A. BoD appoints Orazio Iacono as CEO

The Hera S.p.A. Board of Directors – following the resignation of CEO Stefano Venier, announced on 5 April and effective as of 26 April 2022 – appointed Orazio Iacono by co-optation as Hera S.p.A.’s new CEO, conferring on him all the related powers. Mr. Iacono, 54 years old and an engineer, previously held positions with increasing responsibility in the Trenitalia Group, acting as CEO and General Manager in 2017-2020; subsequently, he worked as Senior Advisor in a leading international consulting firm and in 2021 he became Saipem’s Chief Operating Officer for Sustainable Infrastructures. For further information Press release New Hera S.p.A. CEO CV esterno_sede_870.jpg esterno_sede_110.jpg
05/05/2022

Over 2.2 billion euro distributed to local areas in 2021

Setting challenging goals, growing and innovating by creating value for stakeholders and reporting the results achieved in a clear and transparent way: all of this has always guided our actions. It also includes protecting the environment and promoting sustainable development, and we have summarised it in 2021 Sustainability Report, now available online. Industrial growth and sustainable development, therefore, go hand in hand, nourishing one another. In full harmony with Brussels and the main international policies, we continue to take determined steps towards bringing about a “fair transition”. One of the most important new features of the 2021 Sustainability Report is the information provided for the first time concerning activities consistent with the European Union’s taxonomy, with particular reference to the objectives of mitigating and adapting to climate change, thus anticipating regulatory obligations that will only come into force in 2023. Creating value together with the communities served: more than 2.2 billion euro distributed to local areas The Group’s sustainable growth also involves the surrounding economic and social fabric, as is proven by the over 2.2 billion euro distributed in 2021 to the areas served. we guarantee them continuity and efficiency in services, with significant investments made in innovating the infrastructure assets that will be decisive in facing the climate-related challenges of the coming years. Moreover, the total economic value for stakeholders rose to over 2.9 billion euro, including workers (592.8 million), shareholders (217.9 million), public administrations (115.1 million), and approximately 1.2 billion relating to suppliers. Shared value Ebitda rises to 570.6 million One of the most important results reported is shared value Ebitda, referring to business activities that also respond to the drivers of sustainable growth. This figure rose to 570.6 million, a significant increase over 2020 (+25.4%), corresponding to 46.6% of total Ebitda. This is a sign that the positive economic results achieved are accompanied by our increasing focus on sustainability, a result in line with the trajectory marked out by the Business Plan, which projects this value at 55.6% of total Ebitda by 2025, rising to 70% in 2030. Three main drivers guide this commitment: pursuing carbon neutrality, regenerating resources and closing the loop, and enabling resilience and innovation. For further information Press release 2021 Sustainability Report banner_top_bs_en_2022.png We continue to create shared value by focusing on the principles underlying a “fair transition” and is able to support the communities it serves in achieving sustainable development. For the first time, the Sustainability Report also provides information on activities consistent with the EU taxonomy img_news_bs_110x150_en.jpg
28/04/2022

Hera Shareholders Meeting: 2021 financial statements and dividend rising to 12 cents approved

The ordinary and extraordinary Shareholders Meeting of Hera approved the 2021 financial statements and the payment of a dividend increasing to 12 cents per share (+9% compared to the last dividend paid), as further confirmation of the value created for stakeholders and local areas. Among the various resolutions passed, the Shareholders Meeting also approved an amendment to the Articles of Association, in compliance with the content of the new Corporate Governance Code. At the Shareholders Meeting, the 2021 Sustainability Report was also presented. Financial statements for 2021 approved, with growth in results In the ordinary session, the Shareholders Meeting approved the 2021 financial statements, which showed growth in all main operating and financial indicators. These figures testify, once again, to the validity of the multi-business strategy adopted by the Group: a balanced mix of internal and external growth, with significant economies of scale and the extraction of higher synergies than expected, to the benefit of the local areas in which Hera operates. Despite the complex scenario, due to the ongoing Coronavirus emergency, in addition to the volatility of the energy market during the second half of the year, further progress occurred along the path of uninterrupted growth achieved by the Group, led since its creation in 2002 by Executive Chairman Tomaso Tommasi di Vignano. In twenty years, in fact, Ebitda has increased more than sixfold and net profit has grown more than tenfold. Payment of a 12 cent/share dividend introduced The Shareholders Meeting also approved the Board of Directors’ proposal to pay a dividend coming to 12 cents per share, up 9% compared to the last dividend paid. The ex-dividend date was set at 20 June 2022, with payment as of 22 June 2022. The dividend will be paid to shares recorded on 21 June 2022. The Sustainability Report: Shared value Ebitda rises to 570.6 million During the Shareholders Meeting, the 2021 Sustainability Report was also presented, showing how improvement in operating and financial indicators goes hand in hand with creating shared value. More specifically, in 2021, shared value Ebitda, referring to business activities that also meet the drivers for sustainable growth, rose to 570.6 million euro, a significant increase compared to 2020 (+25.4%), corresponding to 46.6% of total Ebitda. This result reflects the direction set out in the Business Plan, which projects this figure at 55% of total Ebitda by 2025, rising to 70% in 2030. Articles of Association adapted to the new Borsa Italiana Corporate Governance Code The extraordinary agenda items approved by the Shareholders Meeting include an amendment of Article 17 of Hera’s Articles of Association, in compliance with the content of the new Corporate Governance Code, following a close analysis of international developments in corporate governance. In particular, the recommendation that administrative bodies should include a number of independent directors coming to at least half of the members of the Board of Directors was implemented. Therefore, with the reformulation of paragraph 17.3 of the Articles of Association, it is clearly stated that, within each list presented, at least half of the candidates must meet independence requirements. For further information Press release Shareholders' Meeting Documents Find out Online Report Y2021 Find out Sustainability Report 2021 Tommasi_870.png On the twentieth anniversary of its foundation, the Group continues along the path of growth that has distinguished it since its establishment, confirming its commitment to sustainable development by creating value for the areas served and all stakeholders sede-hera_110.jpg
26/04/2022

Appointment of the CEO of Hera S.p.A.

As regards the appointment, by the Mayor of Bologna, of Mr. Orazio Iacono as member of the Board of Directors of Hera S.p.A., indicating him for the position of CEO, the company has begun the internal procedures necessary to convene the Board of Directors meeting for his co-optation. The appointment of the new CEO will therefore occur in accordance with the provisions of the Shareholders Agreement to which the public shareholders adhere. The Executive Chairman of the Hera Group, Tomaso Tommasi di Vignano, congratulates Mr. Orazio Iacono on his appointment and wishes him every success in his future professional role. For further information Press release sede_hera_870-2.jpg sede_hera_110-2.jpg
22/04/2022

Aeroporti di Roma increasingly “circular” with the Hera Group

A protocol to jointly assess joint initiatives in favour of sustainability and a circular approach to the management of Fiumicino and Ciampino airports: this is the focus of the protocol signed by us and Aeroporti di Roma - the company that runs both of the capital’s hubs. The areas of intervention of the agreement, valid for two years, concern the management of waste, the treatment of waste water in the airport purification plant and the optimisation of water network management. Actions to make the first airport hub in Italy, the seventh in Europe, increasingly sustainable. The hub’s commitment has already been recognised by ACI Europe, which awarded Fiumicino excellence as the best airport in Europe for three consecutive years from 2018 to 2020. In terms of circular economy, “Leonardo da Vinci” airport boasts a separate waste collection that has amounted to 99% and, in the last 10 years, the consumption of drinking water for each passenger assisted has been reduced by approximately 30%, thanks to a dual distribution network system that ensures the reuse of “recycled” water for all uses for which drinking water is not necessary: irrigation, fire prevention, etc. We will make our experience and commitment available in terms of the circular economy and the recovery of resources that have distinguished it since its inception. Concrete projects to reduce waste, the production of waste and increase its recovery As regards waste, the main objective is to define guidelines to improve the recovery and reuse of waste produced at the airport, identifying the best solutions to manage the main types of waste, minimising environmental impacts and optimising economic management. This will be achieved by studying any new operational and management processes to further develop separate collection, also involving staff, suppliers and passengers, recover the waste produced (especially used oils, plastic and organic products), reduce the production of waste that cannot be recovered, adopt systems for the recovery of food surpluses produced by airport catering, thus reducing waste and giving new value to uneaten food. Reduction of sludge produced in the purification process and water losses The water system of the airports is also the subject of the agreement, in order to assess the possible optimisations to be made to the purifier in a circular economy perspective, facilitating processes that enable the reduction of sludge produced by the waste water purification process (such as, for example, through the installation of dryers to reduce weight and volume) and assessing the possibility of recovering material. Systems are also being studied to optimise the management of water networks, to prevent and limit losses with a view to increasingly virtuous water management, including with the use of advanced sensors and artificial intelligence systems. For further information Press release aeroporti_circolari_870.png A protocol has been signed to implement environmental sustainability and circular economy initiatives, reducing waste, recovering resources and optimising the water cycle to reduce sludge and losses aeroporti circolari_110.jpg
05/04/2022

Resignation of the CEO of Hera S.p.A.

The Board of Directors of Hera S.p.A., after meeting today, acknowledged the resignation of Stefano Venier as Chief Executive Officer. His resignation will become effective on 26 April 2022, and on the same date all his other positions related to the board will cease. For his replacement, the appropriate bodies have already begun to act, according to the procedures provided for by the Articles of Association. The Board of Directors would like to thank Stefano Venier, who has worked for Hera S.p.A. since 2004, for the important work he has done over the years, working alongside the top management and the entire organisation, and wishes him the utmost success in his new professional career. For further information Press release banner_top_venier.jpg Venier_110.jpg
31/03/2022

Statement by the Executive Chairman Tomaso Tommasi di Vignano on the new appointment of Mr. Stefano Venier

First of all, I would like to congratulate the Chief Executive Officer Stefano Venier on his new appointment, which represents the right recognition of the great work he has done within the Hera Group. It would be really complicated, in short, to retrace all the steps of a human and professional path which, since 2004, has led Mr. Venier to be a key player, alongside myself, in the numerous projects that have shaped the Hera Group into what it is today. t was a real pleasure to be able to work closely with him and to immediately benefit from his inquisitive nature and managerial skills, which were undoubtedly also contributing factors to the winning formula behind the company's growth and sustainable development. In the next few days, I will put the competent bodies into action in accordance with the procedures laid down by our Articles of Association. Hera Group Executive Chairman Tomaso Tommasi di Vignano tommasi_venier_870.jpg Tommas Venier_110.jpg
23/03/2022

Hera Group approves results at 31/12/2021

The Hera Group closed the year 2021 with positive results, despite the complex scenario seen in Italy due to the ongoing Coronavirus emergency and, in the second half of the year, high volatility in the energy market. Thanks to its solid and efficient multi-business model and its good operational, financial and fiscal management, Hera managed to keep its results growing while pursuing sustainable development. It also succeeded in supporting its stakeholders, first and foremost its customers, with concrete actions such as bill instalment plans to enable them to meet their payments. More generally, the Hera Group prolonged the path of uninterrupted growth that has characterised it since it was founded in 2002, continuing to leverage its own strategy: a balanced mix of internal and external growth, with significant economies of scale and an extraction of synergies that exceed expectations. All this was accompanied by a wide range of initiatives for the energy transition, the circular economy and technological evolution, consistent with the path set out in the Business Plan to 2025, which aims to stand beside local areas in recovery, while respecting European strategies and the goals of the UN’s 2030 Agenda. “In 2021 our commitment to pursuing the creation of value for the company and our stakeholders, with sustainable development, once again enabled us to achieve positive results and implement actions to support the environment in which we operate, starting with our customers. We will continue to do so in spite of the current scenario, which remains complex, and we look to the future by focusing on two factors that have always distinguished our twenty-year history: concreteness and solidity. Our decision to increase the dividend to 12 cents per share, in line with what we announced when we presented our new Business Plan, is a step in this direction and will benefit our shareholders, who will be able to count on higher income to face the current difficult situation. Risk prevention and management, moreover, is one of the strategic guidelines underpinning our Plan; it translates into the medium- to long-term approach required to anticipate actions and thus offset the risks to which utilities are exposed, deal with complexities and continue to guarantee service quality and continuity”. Executive President, Tomaso Tommasi di Vignano, went on to say at the end of the Board of Directors meeting of 23 March. Chief Executive Officer, Stefano Venier, added: “The positive results achieved in 2021 show a further reinforcement of the company’s financial solidity, confirmed among other things by the net debt/Ebitda ratio, now at 2.66x, an improvement compared to the previous year. The positive cash flow allowed us to make greater investments, with positive repercussions for the areas in which we operate, in terms of both service quality and the induced economic activity created. Our greater solidity allows us to face the current complex scenario with confidence, continuing to guarantee investments and support for our stakeholders, with sustainability fully integrated into our business strategies. This is confirmed by the increase of over 25% in shared value Ebitda, which rose to 570.6 million in 2021 and accounted for 46.6% of total Ebitda, with the aim of reaching 70% in 2030”. For further information Press release Interactive 2021 annual report Visit Investors area 2021 sustainability report Sustainability Report Highlights testatina_interna_BS_BE.jpg The year ended positively, with all operating and financial indicators up compared to 2020. Financial solidity, the pursuit of sustainable development and the value creation for local communities served all confirming the strong track record, enabling Hera to stand by its stakeholders and provide support. Proposed dividend revised upwards, now set at 12 cents per share. BE 2021
24/02/2022

Top Utility 2022: Hera Group wins first prize overall

Top Utility According to Top Utility, we are the leading Italian utility in terms of economic and financial policies, sustainability, research and innovation, communication and the positive effects on the areas served. This prize has been assigned over the last ten years following an analysis of the main companies in the water, energy and waste management sectors, carried out by a research team from Althesys, a consultancy firm specialising in the public utility sector. The award ceremony was held during an online event entitled “Digitalization and sustainability for the future of Italian utilities”. Our best practices rewarded over the 10 years of Top Utility In particular, this year we were awarded the overall Top Utility prize for the following reasons: “For the excellent results achieved in all areas analysed, with particular reference going to stakeholder relations, transparency and communication. Hera has also confirmed itself at the forefront in digitalising business processes and in the sustainability of operations”. This is the second time that we have received this important award, an even more significant achievement since this marks the twentieth anniversary of our establishment, which occurred in 2002 when 11 municipal companies in the Emilia-Romagna region merged. Looking to the future: a focus on generating shared value These two anniversaries are important in conceiving the future of this sector, examining the growth and evolution that municipal utilities have undergone to date and the strong impact they have had on local communities. In this sense, the core of our strategy and identity consists in uninterrupted economic growth accompanied by sustainable development of its businesses and the areas served. Top Utility 2018-01-30 For further information Top Utility On the occasion of the tenth edition of this award, reserved for public utility companies, we received the first prize overall among the companies analysed /-/top-utility-2022-hera-group-wins-first-prize-overall Press release centrata Top Utility
01/02/2022

We won 2022 sustainability gold medal from S&P Global

Gold Class 2022 We are once again a global gold medal winner for sustainability, for the second consecutive year. The S&P Global 2022 Gold Class award was announced together with the publication of the 2022 Sustainability Yearbook, the report containing the analyses carried in order to be included in the latest edition of the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI). This document highlights the results achieved, which make us leader in all three aspects evaluated in Environment, Economic & Governance and Social, for our ability to efficiently manage resources, seize market opportunities and ensure stakeholder involvement. In the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI), the authoritative international stock exchange index which evaluates listed companies based on ESG aspects, we were confirmed as the international leader in the Multi-Utilities & Water sector, reaching a score of 90/100, compared to an average of 39/100. Gold Class 2022 2019-05-27 For further information Gold Class 2022 For the second time in a row, we have been awarded the S&P Global Gold Class Sustainability Award. This is the highest recognition reserved for listed companies included in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index /-/hera-wins-2022-sustainability-gold-medal-from-s-p-global /group_eng/investors /group_eng/sustainability/social-responsibility Press release Visit Investors web area Visit Social Responsibility web area Gold Class 2022
27/01/2022

Hera Group approves Business Plan to 2025

Business Plan to 2025 A Plan that combines growth, value creation and sustainable development Today, the Hera Group’s Board of Directors approved the Business Plan to 2025, which consolidates the Group’s commitment to balanced and sustainable development in all business areas, with the aim of continuing to create value for shareholders, local areas and the communities served. With Ebitda expected to reach 1.4 billion in 2025 and investments totalling approximately 3.8 billion over the period covered by the Plan, this five-year strategic document shows increases in all main targets and outlines a wide range of actions for the energy transition, the circular economy and technological evolution, with concrete and innovative projects that will also benefit from funding opportunities coming from the Recovery and Resilience Plan. 20 years of uninterrupted growth, and 2021 Ebitda expected to total over 1.2 billion euro The new Plan is based on a trend of uninterrupted growth, as is proven by Group Ebitda, which has increased more than sixfold in 20 years. This consistent and linear path has been seen since the establishment of the Hera Group, which is characterised by a full correspondence between the commitments made and the initiatives implemented, capital and financial solidity and a multi-business strategy that balances regulated and free market activities, internal growth and M&A transactions. This model, which has proved its resilience and capability of supporting stakeholders, even during adverse scenarios, has enabled the Hera Group to consolidate leading positions in all business areas. Three focal points of the Business Plan to 2025: environment, socio-economic factors and innovation In a context undergoing recovery, with an increasing emphasis on sustainability and the utilities sector set to benefit from the most significant share of the Recovery and Resilience Plan, the Hera Group will be able to continue to leverage the competitive position it has cultivated over the years and thus grow. In full compliance with national and European policies and the objectives on the UN’s 2030 Agenda, which have been guiding Hera’s strategies for some time, all projects in the Business Plan to 2025 are structured around three focal points: the environment, socio-economic factors and innovation, with initiatives for the green and digital transition, capable of generating positive effects in the areas served. A strong increase in investments, coming to over 3.8 billion euro, thanks to the Group’s financial solidity The Plan to 2025 calls for a sharp increase in investments, amounting to more than 3.8 billion euro, or approximately 770 million per year. This is a very significant rise – equivalent to 60% – compared to the average seen over the last five years, and is possible thanks to its solid financial structure, reinforced over the years and in 2021 as well. Investment allocation combines internal development opportunities with actions to increase system resilience (accounting for roughly 1.2 billion). Significant investments for innovation will be made in all business areas and support will be given to the ongoing transition. In general, of the total investments envisaged in the Plan, more than 1.7 billion are aligned with the criteria with which the European Taxonomy identifies opportunities that contribute to environmental policy objectives, in particular the two areas regulated for now, relating to mitigation of and adaptation to climate change. Furthermore, many of these interventions respect the directions indicated by the Recovery and Resilience Plan. Business Plan to 2025 2019-05-27 For further information Business Plan to 2025 The new five-year strategic document builds on the Group’s path of growth, with investments coming to over 3.8 billion and concrete energy transition and circular economy projects /-/hera-group-approves-business-plan-to-2025 /group_eng/investors /group_eng/investor-relations/hera-overview Press release Visit Investors web area Hera Overview Business Plan to 2025
26/01/2022

We're in the 2022 Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index

Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index 2022 In 2022, we have been included, for the third consecutive time, in the Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index, confirming and improving its results in all areas analysed. We stand out most importantly for our transparency in disclosure on these issues, as well as our inclusive corporate culture and our attention towards women in many areas, including equal pay. We obtained an overall score slightly above 80%, a significant increase over the previous year and better than both the sector average and the Italian companies analysed. This year, the index included 418 listed companies from 45 countries, selected from over 11,700, reflecting the international financial community’s growing interest towards companies with outstanding diversity policies. Our presence in the 2022 Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index confirms the attention we have always reserved for these issues, following a path it has enhanced over time. Diversity policies are in fact an integral part of our business strategies. For over 10 years, a company Diversity Manager, accompanied by a team of female and male colleagues from different areas, has been committed to promoting diversity both inside and outside the Group, supporting initiatives intended to raise awareness and support, and developing projects geared towards these priorities. Promoting diversity, inclusion and people development is also central to human resource management. Professional growth takes place regardless of gender, and equal access is ensured by meritocratic systems that are guaranteed to be applied, with compensation and benefits tools linked to performance, role complexity and market comparisons. We count 32.6% of women in roles of responsibility and, more generally, a 26.7% share of female staff, higher than the national average for the sector (2020 data). Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index 2022 2019-05-27 For further information Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index 2022 This year, for the third year in a row, we have been included in the international index assessing gender equality, diversity and inclusion /-/hera-group-in-the-2022-bloomberg-gender-equality-index /group_eng/investor-relations/hera-overview/creation-of-shared-value https://www.bloomberg.com/company/press/bloomberg-2022-gei/ Press release Diversity and inclusion in Hera Group Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index 2022
20/01/2022

Top Employer for the 13th time

Top Employer Italy 2022 The start of a new year is always an occasion to look back in time, but even more so to look forward, taking a look at results and focusing on new objectives. 2022 marks the twentieth anniversary of our establishment. This is why receiving Top Employer certification for the 13th consecutive year, a sign of excellence in human resource management, is even more significant. After gaining recognition as the best company in 2020 and 2021, we have found our place on the podium this year as well, ranking second overall in Italy among the 1,600 companies analysed by the Dutch Top Employer Institute. How? Over the years, we have provided ourselves with the best technologies, projects and initiatives to invest in the skills and well-being of workers and select the most interesting talent on the market. One aspect which is increasingly crucial on the workplace as well, especially considering the changes in external contexts, is the care given to relations, which must be seen as real capital. We have decided to invest in this area, through means including training and corporate culture. HerAcademy, our corporate university, plays a leading role in this field, and at the end of last year it organised a conference entitled “The evolution of social and relational dynamics for the ‘rebirth’ of work”, an event which called on leading figures from the world of business, academics and professionals. The goal was to compare experiences and practices, demonstrating that only by being part of a solid and motivated team is it possible to meet the challenges awaiting us outside and inside organisations. Moreover, we have always stood out for its organisational methods, promoting agility in work, safety and the value given to the uniqueness of people, all within a context highly exposed to change. Alongside the increasing importance of training and welfare, along with a corporate culture dedicated to the inclusion of diversity, we have proven able to meet the challenge of digitalising services and therefore professional activities. Within this process, which is now in full swing and covers all company activities, even the most operational, employees have been accompanied but above all listened to, trying to understand and share their needs. Top Employer Italy 2022 2019-05-27 For further information Top Employer Italy 2022 Once again among Italy’s highest ranked employers, this year second place overall among companies nationwide for outstanding human resource management. Training, welfare and digitalisation among our strong points. /-/hera-top-employer-for-the-13th-time /group_eng/working-at-hera-group /group_eng/working-at-hera-group/heracademy Press release Visit "Working at Hera Group" area Visit "HerAcademy" area Top Employer Italy 2022
30/11/2021

With NexMeter, the gas meter goes green

Rendering NexMeter With the Hera Group, also gas distribution is going green. NexMeter, our smart gas meter 4.0, the first of its kind worldwide in terms of cutting-edge technology and safety functions, including reducing gas dispersion into the atmosphere, will be made from recycled plastic and can already be used for distributing hydrogen in the network up to a maximum of 20% compatibility, with a trial planned in the coming months. This advanced meter is therefore a concrete example of our commitment to the energy transition and carbon neutrality, focusing on green gases, such as biomethane, hydrogen and green syngas, and contributing to the fight against climate change. Furthermore, it results from Hera’s experience and know-how in management of the gas distribution service, combined with continuous investments in innovation, research and development, and confirms the Group’s collaboration with outstanding partners: Panasonic, the Japanese multinational global leader in electronic products and components, and Pietro Fiorentini, an Italian company and market leader in creating products and services for the entire natural gas chain. The advanced version of NexMeter will be previewed today in Milan at Enlit, the most important event in the sector. An immediate debut: initial experiments with hydrogen in the domestic gas network soon to be underway NexMeter’s first field test involving hydrogen will be carried out during the next few months, as part of a wider set of activities aimed at certifying our entire supply chain as qualified to use green gases. More specifically, it involves introducing a mixture of natural gas and hydrogen into a portion of the distribution network managed by the Group, involving around thirty households in Castelfranco Emilia in Modena province. This is the first experiment of this kind in Italy as regards domestic gas distribution, and it aims at studying innovative solutions to contribute to the local area’s needs as regards decarbonisation, with benefits for the environment as well. The trial is also part of the broader strategy for developing hydrogen in a two-fold perspective: on the one hand, upgrading our assets, starting with the gas distribution networks, and on the other, creating new business opportunities, which we can make the most of by leveraging its multi-business expertise, including partnerships with other major industrial operators. Rendering NexMeter 2019-05-27 For further information Rendering NexMeter Our smart gas meter 4.0, the first of its kind internationally in terms of safety functions, is already prepared for its first experimentation in the network with hydrogen, and its construction in recycled plastic further confirms the commitment to the energy transition and circularity /-/hera-group-with-nexmeter-the-gas-meter-goes-green /-/nexmeter-the-smart-gas-meter-for-innovation-and-security Press release Find out the dedicated webpage Rendering NexMeter
25/11/2021

Hera wins waste management tender in the Bologna area

Bologna The Emilia-Romagna Territorial Agency for Water and Waste Services (Atersir), acting as regulatory agency and contracting station, has officially awarded the tender for urban and assimilated waste management in the Bologna area to the temporary consortium (RTI) formed by Hera S.p.A., Giacomo Brodolini Soc. Coop and Consorzio Stabile Ecobi. The figures of the tender won by the consortium led by the Hera Group The contract awarded concerns 50 municipalities in the Bologna area, including the capital city, and a total of approximately 1 million inhabitants. As requested during the tender, the temporary consortium led by the Hera Group – the current manager of the service in the same municipalities – will make significant investments to extend the ‘pay as you throw’ waste collection model to the entire area, with the aim of minimising the amount of non-sorted waste and increasing the quantity destined to be recycled. The contract, which will be signed in the coming weeks by Hera and Atersir, has a total value of over 1.7 billion euro and a timespan of 15 years. More sustainability and increasing shared value for communities Thanks to the excellent operational skills of Hera and the other companies in the contracted consortium, the area covered by the service contract will be provided with collection methods based on innovative services and equipment, strongly oriented towards sustainability, waste reduction and an increase in the amount of recycled materials. More dialogue and better environmental performance The key principles underpinning the offer presented by the consortium led by Hera are awareness-raising and the active involvement of citizens and businesses, in order to encourage a reduction in the amount of waste, especially non-sorted waste, and an increasing focus on sorted waste collection. In fact, experience in this field shows that – regardless of the collection method proposed – the environmental performance of waste is better where the community is more aware of its role. For this reason, right from the first months of the new service contract, Hera will launch progressive communication and information campaigns aimed at increasing citizen involvement, and in so doing, further improving the service quality, with a view to creating increasing shared value for local communities. Bologna 2019-05-27 For further information Bologna The winning proposal for the Bologna area, submitted by a consortium led by the Hera Group, focuses on sustainability, innovation and creating shared value /-/hera-wins-waste-management-tender-in-the-bologna-area Press release Bologna
15/11/2021

Dow Jones Sustainability Index: Hera once again world sustainability leader in Multi-Utility & Water

398 DJSI 2021 The Hera Group has once again been confirmed as the world’s best multi-utility in ESG dimensions by S&P Global that selects the companies to be included in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes (DJSI). S&P Global has indeed announced the new ranking - effective as of November 22, 2021 - for its authoritative international stock exchange indices, which assesses the social responsibility of listed companies, based on sustainability performances for ESG factors. For the second consecutive year, Hera has been included in both the global (Dow Jones Sustainability World Index) and European (Dow Jones Sustainability Europe Index) indices, ranked best in the sector. The Group further raised its sector benchmark, achieving an overall score of 90/100 (improving compared to the 87/100 seen in 2020), against a sector average of 39/100. The ratings achieved: 92/100 in Environment, 90/100 in Economic & Governance and 88/100 in Social, reaching the highest sector score in all the three dimensions. DJSI 2021 SBTi 2016-10-10 DJSI 2021 For the second year in a row, the Group leads its sector giving further recognition to Hera’s strategy, which combines attention towards sustainability with creating shared value CSR (Gruppo) 1 0 CSR (Gruppo) DJSI 2021
15/11/2021

Dow Jones Sustainability Index: Hera once again world sustainability leader in Multi-Utility & Water

DJSI 2021 We have once again been confirmed as the world’s best multi-utility in ESG dimensions by S&P Global that selects the companies to be included in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes (DJSI). S&P Global has indeed announced the new ranking - effective as of November 22, 2021 - for its authoritative international stock exchange indices, which assesses the social responsibility of listed companies, based on sustainability performances for ESG factors. For the second consecutive year, we have been included in both the global (Dow Jones Sustainability World Index) and European (Dow Jones Sustainability Europe Index) indices, ranked best in the sector. We further raised our sector benchmark, achieving an overall score of 90/100, against a sector average of 39/100. The ratings achieved: 92/100 in Environment, 90/100 in Economic & Governance and 88/100 in Social, reaching the highest sector score in all the three dimensions. This recognition is fully in line with the consensus found in ESG assessments thanks to a strategy focused on sustainable value creation in the last 20 years. DJSI 2021 2014-03-19 For further information DJSI 2021 A further recognition to our strategy, which combines attention towards sustainability with creating shared value /-/dow-jones-sustainability-index-hera-once-again-world-sustainability-leader-in-multi-utility-water /group_eng/investors /group_eng/sustainability Press release Visit Investor Relations website area Visit Sustainability area DJSI 2021
10/11/2021

Hera BoD approves 3Q 2021 results

Risultati finanziari Financial highlights Revenues at 6,424.3 million euro (+31%) Ebitda at 883.3 million euro (+9.6%) Net profit for shareholders at 308.4 million euro (+32.3%) Net financial debt at 3,303.8 million, with Net debt/Ebitda at 2.75x Operating highlights Strategy based on a mix of internal and external growth Significant contribution coming from the gas area, energy services and the waste management sector Over 3.4 million energy customers reached Today, the Hera Group’s Board of Directors, chaired by Tomaso Tommasi di Vignano, unanimously approved the consolidated quarterly report at 30 September 2021. The report shows improvement in the main economic indicators compared to the same period of the previous year, confirming the Group’s long track record of positive performances, its financial solidity and its commitment to sustainable development, respecting European strategies and the UN 2030 Agenda. The most significant results include an increase coming to over 77 million euro in Ebitda, mainly owing to free market activities – especially gas sales, energy services and waste treatment – whose pro-cyclical nature enabled the Group to take full advantage of the opportunities arising from the country’s economic recovery and revival initiatives, while at the same time creating value for the local areas and communities served. A sharp increase was also seen in net profits for shareholders, which in this quarter includes the effects of the tax realignment of certain goodwill items. In July, a dividend amounting to 161 million euro was paid to shareholders, corresponding to 11 cents per share, up 10% compared to the previous year. From a broader point of view, the results for the first three quarters of the year show growth not only with respect to 2020, but also compared to the results for 2019, prior to the impact of the global pandemic. The current results are higher than the expectations contained in the Business Plan to 2024: in less than two years, Hera has achieved more than half of the growth forecast for the five-year period covered by this Plan. The Group’s strategy therefore continues to prove successful, promoting both organic growth and mergers and acquisitions, and protecting results achieved from the turbulence seen in the external context. The more noteworthy changes in the scope of consolidation include three M&A transactions in the industrial waste treatment area, with the acquisition of 70% of the Friuli-based company Recycla, 31% of the company Sea, located in the Marche, and 80% of the Vallortigara Group, which operates in the Veneto region. The energy areas, instead, saw the acquisitions of Wölmann, a company operating in photovoltaic panel installation, the sales company Ecogas, in Abruzzo, and 11% of Ascotrade from the Belluno company Gsp, thus arriving at 100% control. At the same time, continued growth was seen in the Group’s energy customer base, now over 3.4 million, thanks to increases in both liberalised markets and those subject to public tenders. Lastly, as regards regulated services, the Hera Group has won the tenders called to date in the areas served, in the waste management, gas distribution and integrated water service areas. Note in particular the recent confirmation of gas distribution in the Udine 2 ATEM and, last week, in the water cycle, serving 24 municipalities in the province of Rimini, including the city of Rimini. Revenues rise to over 6.4 billion euro In the first nine months of 2021, revenues amounted to 6,424.3 million euro, up 31.0% from 4,905.9 million-euro one year earlier, with growth seen in all areas. More specifically, the energy areas felt the effects of higher revenues from trading, higher volumes of gas sold and an increase in the price of energy commodities, in addition to the energy services business, due to the activities related to the insulation incentive and energy efficiency works. Revenues from network services (both regulated and on behalf of third parties) and the waste management area also increased, due to energy production, more waste treated and an increase in plastics sold. Ebitda increases to 883.3 million euro Ebitda increased by 77.1 million, or 9.6%, over the 806.2 million seen in the first nine months of 2020, rising to 883.3 million at 30 September 2021. This increase is linked to the performance of the energy areas, mainly thanks to gas sales and energy trading, as well as energy service activities. Another decisive factor consisted in the positive results recorded in the waste management sector, particularly in the waste treatment area. Operating result grows to 470.8 million euro Operating profit rose to 470.8 million euro, compared to 414.7 million at 30 September 2020, showing a 13.5% increase (despite higher expenses for depreciation and amortisation). Financial operations at the end of 3Q 2021 amounted to 85.4 million euro, mainly due to lower income from late payment indemnities on last resort markets and higher charges for the sale of tax credits as part of ecobonus-related activities. These aspects were partially offset by the efficiencies achieved following the repurchase of part of the medium- to long-term debt, lower updating expenses and higher profits from subsidiaries and joint ventures. Pre-tax profits increased from 335.2 to 385.4 million euro (+15%). Net profit for shareholders rises to 308.4 million euro Net profit rose to 340.6 million euro, up significantly by 39.2% from 244.7 million euro in the same period during the previous year, thanks to a tax rate that settled at 26.2%, improving compared to the 27% recorded at 30 September 2020, due to the Group’s commitment to supporting substantial investments in technological, digital and environmental transformation towards Utility 4.0. The increase is also linked to the amount consisting in special items, which contributed with 56.2 million euro, as result of the tax realignment of certain goodwill items recorded in the financial statements, offset by the expenses arising from the partial repurchase, last spring, of a 700 million euro bond maturing in 2028. Net profit post minorities also increased sharply, rising to 308.4 million euro from 233.1 million euro at 30 September 2020 (+32.3%). Operating investments at 377.2 million euro and stable net financial debt In the first nine months of 2021, Hera made operating investments coming to 377.2 million euro, an increase of over 13% compared to the 333.6 million euro seen in the same period of the previous year, with an important focus on the projects, including green initiatives foreseen in the Business Plan. These investments were mainly allocated to plants, networks and infrastructures, as well as regulatory upgrading in purification and sewage and a large-scale installation of new-generation gas meters. In addition to financing these investments and paying increased dividends, the positive cash flow generation also made it possible to cover the repurchase of maturing bonds and a large portion of the M&A transactions, keeping net financial debt essentially stable at 3,303.8 million euro in the first nine months of 2021, in line with the 3,227.0 million euro seen at 31 December 2020. Hera’s financial strength – which is also clear from the assessments made by the main rating agencies: BBB+ with stable outlook from Standard & Poor’s, Baa2 from Moody’s - is also confirmed by the Net debt/Ebitda ratio, which stood at 2.75x, an improvement compared to the 2.87x seen at the end of 2020 and 2.97x at 30 September 2020. These aspects go hand in hand with the pursuit of sustainable development, as confirmed by Hera’s recent inclusion in the MIB ESG Index, Italy’s first blue-chip index dedicated to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) best practices. In October, furthermore, Hera successfully launched its first sustainability-linked bond, worth 500 million euro, gathering great interest from international investors, who subscribed with roughly four times the amount offered. This bond is part of a sustainability strategy aimed at reducing emissions and recycling plastics. At the same time, after the end of the quarter, the Group carried out a liability management transaction to repurchase nominal 350 million euro in financing maturing in the next few years, with effects that will be recorded at year-end. Profit & Loss (m€) 30/09/2021 Inc. % 30/09/2020 Inc. % Ch. Ch. % Sales 6,242.3 4,905.9 +1,518.4 +31.0% Other operating revenues 243.6 3.8% 355.7 7.3% (112.1) (31.5%) Raw material (3,469.3) (54.0%) (2,314.9) (47.2%) +1,154.4 +49.9% Services costs (1,858.6) (28.9%) (1,696.9) (34.6%) +161.7 +9.5% Other operating expenses (54.4) (0.8%) (41.8) (0.9%) +12.6 +30.2% Personnel costs (442.0) (6.9%) (424.0) (8.6%) +18.0 +4.2% Capitalisations 39.7 0.6% 22.2 0.5% +17.5 +79.0% Ebitda 883.3 13.7% 806.2 16.4% +77.1 +9.6% Depreciation and provisions (412.5) (6.4%) (391.5) (8.0%) +21.0 +5.4% Ebit 470.8 7.3% 414.7 8.5% +56.1 +13.5% Financial inc./(exp.) (85.4) (1.3%) (79.5) (1.6%) +5.9 +7.4% Pre tax profit 385.4 6.0% 335.2 6.8% +50.2 +15.0% Taxes (101.0) (1.6%) (90.5) (1.8%) +10.5 +11.6% Net profit 284.4 4.4% 244.7 5.0% +39.7 +16.2% Special items 56.2 0.9% - 0.0% +56.2 +100.0% Net profit 340.6 5.3% 244.7 5.0% +95.9 +39.2% Attributable to: Shareholders of the Parent Company 308.4 4.8% 233.1 4.8% +75.3 +32.3% Minority shareholders 32.2 0.5% 11.6 0.2% +20.6 +177.9% Balance Sheet (m€) 30/09/2021 Inc.% 31/12/2020 Inc.% Ch. Ch. % Net fixed assets 7,146.6 104.4% 6,983.6 109.4% +163.0 +2.3% Working capital 360.0 5.3% 53.6 0.8% +306.4 +571.6% (Provisions) (658.5) (9.7%) (654.9) (10.2%) (3.6) +0.5% Net invested capital 6,848.1 100.0% 6,382.3 100.0% +465.8 +7.3% Net equity 3,544.3 51.8% 3,155.3 49.4% +389.0 +12.3% Long term net financial debt 3,490.0 51.0% 3,617.1 56.7% (127.1) (3.5%) Short term net financial debt (186.2) (2.8%) (390.1) (6.1%) +203.9 (52.3%) Net financial debts 3,303.8 48.2% 3,227.0 50.6% +76.8 +2.4% Net invested capital 6,848.1 100.0% 6,382.3 100.0% +465.8 +7.3% Risultati finanziari 2014-03-19 Risultati finanziari The Group consolidates the first nine months of the year with operating-financial indicators showing growth compared to the same period in 2020, and results exceeding the expectations set out in the Business Plan /-/hera-bod-approves-3q-2021-results /group_eng/investors Press release Visit Investor Relations website area Risultati finanziari
19/10/2021

We’ve been included in the new MIB ESG Index

Sede Hera We have received yet another significant recognition, a reward for its way of integrating integrates financial strategies and attention to sustainability: we have been included in the MIB ESG Index (Bloomberg gross return code: MIBESG), Italy’s first blue-chip index dedicated to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) best practices. Announced today by Euronext and Borsa Italiana, the MIB ESG Index combines measurements of operating performance with ESG assessments, in line with the principles of the United Nations Global Compact. Inclusion in this index is based on an analysis by Vigeo Eiris, a Moody’s ESG Solutions company, and is designed to meet growing investor and market demand for sustainable investment instruments. The creation of this index is an important step in accelerating the transition to a sustainable economy and allowing investors to fund high-impact projects and companies in Italy and Europe. The index’s methodology was designed in a collaboration with the financial community, public institutions and regulatory authorities. Its main goals include facilitating the adoption of traditional ESG investment approaches by public and private investors and gathering consensus for sustainable and responsible investments. After being included one year ago in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, World and Europe, with recognition as the best multi-utility worldwide by S&P Global, with today's inclusion in the MIB ESG Index, our successful corporate strategy has been further confirmed. The combination of growth in results and sustainability, alongside creating value for all stakeholders, defines the path taken ever since our company was founded, 20 years ago. Sede Hera 2014-03-19 USEFUL LINKS Sede Hera Being part of Italy’s first blue-chip index, launched today by Euronext and Borsa Italiana and dedicated to ESG best practices, gives us additional recognition for our focus on sustainability and creating shared value for all stakeholders /-/hera-included-in-the-new-mib-esg-index /group_eng/investors /group_eng/sustainability/social-responsibility Press release Hera Investor Area Hera Social Responsibility Sede Hera
29/09/2021

We are among the world’s top companies for diversity and inclusion

Refinitiv 2021 We have been confirmed among the listed companies most committed to promoting diversity, inclusion and people development worldwide. This emerges from the 2021 edition of the “Diversity & Inclusion Index” published by Refinitiv, which examined approximately 11,000 companies globally and awarded us with 42nd place in the world ranking, 2nd best multi-utility in the world and 3rd best among Italian companies. The “Diversity & Inclusion Index” was designed and created by the international financial information giant Refinitiv and analyses the performance of companies on the basis of a wide set of sustainability KPIs. It provides one of the main references to investors who look favourably at companies adopting policies oriented towards Diversity & Inclusion (D&I). These issues are becoming increasingly important worldwide, alongside a growing awareness on the part of companies themselves of the benefits linked to ESG factors from an economic and social point of view, in terms of sustainability and wellbeing. For us, this offers further confirmation of the attention always paid to these issues, focusing on the wellbeing and development of its over 9,000 employees, promoting an inclusive culture both inside and outside the company. We were a pioneer in this area, signing the Charter for Equal Opportunities and Equality on the Workplace in 2009 and introducing the position of Diversity Manager in 2011, to promote diversity, equal opportunities and equality on the workplace. One outstanding example of our personnel policies is our corporate welfare plan, which supports employees and their families, with 4.5 million in services used in 2020 alone. We also invest in developing personalised internal career paths, with 32.6% of women in positions of responsibility and, more generally, a 26.7% share of female staff, above the national average for the sector (2020 figures). Investment in training is also crucial, with an average of approximately 26 hours per capita and activities involving 95% of employees last year. Refinitiv 2021 2019-07-18 For further information Refinitiv 2021 In the international standing provided by Refinitiv’s 2021 “Diversity & Inclusion Index”, we rank 42nd globally, second overall among multi-utilities and third in Italy. /-/hera-among-the-world-s-top-companies-for-diversity-and-inclusion /group_eng/working-at-hera-group/why-work-at-hera/diversity-inclusion /group_eng/investor-relations/hera-overview/creation-of-shared-value Press release Diversity and Inclusion in Hera Group Investments in sustainability and inclusion Refinitiv 2021
13/09/2021

Herambiente acquires Vallortigara Group

Herambiente acquires Vallortigara Group The Hera Group has further strengthened its national leadership in the waste management sector, more specifically in industrial waste treatment. The Group, through its subsidiary Herambiente, has in fact acquired 80% of the Vallortigara Group, which provides services to industries, public administrations and citizens and manages a multifunctional platform for special waste treatment in Torrebelvicino (Province of Vicenza in the North-Eastern part of Italy). The Torrebelvicino platform consists of three sections: a storage and selection plant for solid and liquid, hazardous and non-hazardous industrial waste, a stabilisation and solidification plant for industrial sludge and a chemical-physical plant for liquid waste. Currently, this facility treats approximately 75,000 tonnes of waste per year and, thanks to the investments planned by Herambiente, it will be able to increase and streamline its activities, in line with the principles of the circular economy. The acquisition of the Vallortigara Group, which employs over 100 workers and has 4,000 customers,both in public and private sector, will enable the Hera Group to strengthen its presence in the Triveneto region. also expand its service to neighbouring territories, creating significant synergies with the Hera Group’s industrial centres in the provinces of Pisa and Ravenna, which have been operational for some time. The current owners (the Vallortigara family) will remain within the new corporate structure. Overall, through the company Hasi (Herambiente Servizi Industriali), Herambiente now has 18 multi-purpose sites dedicated to treating waste produced by businesses, with 1.3 million tonnes of industrial waste treated each year. Following the two transactions in the same field, industrial waste treatment, carried out in the first half of 2021 – the acquisition of 70% of the company Recycla in Friuli and 31% of the company SEA in the Marche region – Herambiente’s development plan thus continues, confirming its position as the country’s leading operator in the sector, able to provide across-the-board solutions in industrial waste treatment to an increasing number of new customers. Herambiente acquires Vallortigara Group 2019-07-18 For further information Herambiente acquires Vallortigara Group By acquiring this Veneto-based company, the Hera Group has further consolidated its leadership in the waste management sector /-/herambiente-acquires-vallortigara-group Press release Herambiente acquires Vallortigara Group
30/07/2021

The world’s first AWS-certified drinking water plant is located in Bologna and managed by Hera

Potabilizzatore Val di Setta Hera’s Sasso Marconi (BO) drinking water plantcertified 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. We are 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 our 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. Potabilizzatore Val di Setta 2019-07-18 For further information Potabilizzatore Val di Setta The certification process for the Val di Setta plant, located in Sasso Marconi and serving Bologna’s main aqueduct, has been successfully completed, confirming our ongoing commitment to managing and protecting water resources /-/aws-certification-for-val-di-setta-potabilization-plant https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20dhCY27OBk /-/the-world-s-first-aws-certified-drinking-water-plant-is-located-in-bologna-and-managed-by-hera Visit the AWS Certification for Val di Setta potabilization plant website area Watch the promo video about the virtual tour of the val di Setta potable water treatment plant Press release Potabilizzatore Val di Setta
28/07/2021

Hera BoD approves results for 1H 2021

Hera BoD approves results for 1H 2021 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 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. 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 by S&P Global Rating’s ESG Evaluation. 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. 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%) Hera BoD approves results for 1H 2021 2019-07-18 For further information Hera BoD approves results for 1H 2021 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 /-/hera-bod-approves-results-for-1h-2021 /group_eng/investors /group_eng/investor-relations/hera-overview Press release Visit Investor Relations website area Hera overview Hera BoD approves results for 1H 2021
21/07/2021

We are among the best utilities in the S&P Global Ratings ESG evaluations

Sede Hera We rank 5th internationally among the Utility Networks assessed by this rating agency’s Sustainable Finance analysts, thanks to our focus on sustainability and our ability to manage risks and opportunities After being included in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, World and Europe, in 2020, we have once again confirmed our 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. 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. We are the first company in Italy to publish its ESG Evaluation, in which we 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 us well above the international (68) and European (73) average and ranks us fifth internationally among Utility Networks (with the sector average coming to 74). In particular, in the ESG Evaluation, we are 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. S&P Ratings 2019-07-18 S&P Ratings We rank 5th internationally among the Utility Networks assessed by this rating agency’s Sustainable Finance analysts, thanks to our focus on sustainability and our ability to manage risks and opportunities /-/hera-among-the-best-utilities-in-the-s-p-global-ratings-esg-evaluations /group_eng/investors /group_eng/investor-relations/hera-stock https://www.spglobal.com/ratings/en/research/pdf-articles/210721-esg-evaluation-gruppo-hera-spa-100288282 Press release Visit IR website area Hera ESG rating S&P’s ESG Evaluation Sede Hera
30/06/2021

Herambiente acquires the company Recycla

Herambiente acquires the company Recycla The Hera Group, through its subsidiary Herambiente has acquired 70% of Recycla, a Friuli-based company that manages three platforms for solid and liquid industrial waste, whose central offices are in Maniago (PN). This transaction will confirm Herambiente’s position as a key operator in the sector and allow it to offer its across-the-board waste treatment solutions to new customers. Through its company Hasi (Herambiente Servizi Industriali), Herambiente has thus consolidated and expanded its facilities serving businesses, with 15 multifunctional sites dedicated to the treatment of waste produced by companies and 1.2 million tonnes of industrial waste treated each year. More specifically, the Maniago platform for solid and liquid industrial waste handles over 40,000 tonnes per year of waste produced by companies. In line with the principles of the circular economy, this waste is pre-treated to optimise its characteristics and is mainly destined for energy recovery or chemical-physical treatment. Therefore, only 3% of the waste entering the platform is disposed of in landfills. This transaction, which follows the acquisitions completed in recent years (from Waste Recycling, Teseco and Pistoia Ambiente in Tuscany and Geo Nova and Aliplast in Treviso), is a new step in Herambiente’s continuous growth in the industrial waste treatment sector. This development will be further strengthened by two agreements already signed with companies operating in the Marche and Veneto regions in the same industrial sector, which will be finalised within the summer. When fully operational, thanks to these three transactions, an additional 350,000 tonnes of industrial waste produced by 3,300 new customers will be treated each year. Herambiente acquires the company Recycla 2019-07-18 Herambiente acquires the company Recycla The Hera Group has consolidated its leadership in industrial waste treatment and extended its scope of operations in northern Italy thanks to the acquisition of this Friuli-based company /-/herambiente-acquires-the-company-recycla http://ha.gruppohera.it/?lang=2 Press release Visit Herambiente's website Herambiente acquires the company Recycla
16/06/2021

We are at the top of the 2021 Integrated Governance Index

Top10 2021 We rank first among Italian companies for its full and conscious integration of sustainability policies within its business strategies. This has been confirmed by the 2021 Integrated Governance Index, presented today at the ESG Business Conference, an authoritative model for analysing ESG factors, i.e. the social, environmental and governance aspects of business activities. In addition to leading the overall ranking, we also stand out in two other dedicated rankings. For the fourth year in a row, the Group is at the top of the sustainable finance category, which analyses the links between a company and responsible investors. It also ranked second in the special 2021 ESG Identity survey, which focuses on a company’s ability to enhance its sustainable identity, through means including stakeholder involvement, first and foremost customers and suppliers. Sustainability at the heart of the Group’s strategies For us, uninterrupted growth in operating results goes hand in hand with increasing attention to sustainability. In 2016, we introduced shared value reporting, referring to those business activities which, in addition to generating margins, respond to the drivers for sustainable growth defined by the UN 2030 Agenda and, more generally, various national and international policies. We gave further evidence of the central role played by creating shared value when it introduced the concept of Purpose in our Articles of Association, among the first companies in Italy to do so. Last April, the Shareholders Meeting approved a paragraph explaining the Group’s corporate purpose, i.e. the objectives it aims to achieve in carrying out its business activities, thus reaffirming its commitment to sustainability. The Integrated Governance Index The Integrated Governance Index is the only model for quantitatively analysing degree to which ESG factors are integrated into corporate strategies. Developed by ETicaNews, with the academic and legal support of specialised associations and advisors, it is now in its sixth edition. This index is increasingly used as an indicator of a company’s ESG identity. Top3 Area Finanza 2019-07-18 Top3 Area Finanza We lead the overall ranking in this index, which measures the extent to which sustainability is integrated within corporate strategies /-/hera-at-the-top-of-the-2021-integrated-governance-index /group_eng/sustainability/sustainability-report/sr /group_eng/corporate-governance/corporate-governance-system/articles-of-associations /group_eng/investor-relations/debit-and-rates/bond-issuances Press release Sustainability Report 2020 Our Articles of associations Green Bonds Top10 2021
12/05/2021

Hera BoD approves 1Q 2021 results

Financial results as at 31 March 2021 Financial highlights Revenues at 2,271.8 million euro (+10.5%) Ebitda at 362.0 million euro (+3.7%) Net profit for Shareholders at 132.2 million euro (+6.3%) Net financial debt shows strong improvement, now at 3,077.6 million euro, and net debt/Ebitda ratio falls to 2.71x Operating highlights Good contribution to growth coming from the Group’s main businesses, the energy sectors and waste management in particular Solid energy customer base, now reaching almost 3.4 million Further development in initiatives for the circular economy, with aspects including state of the art plants and increasingly green services for companies and citizens The Hera Group’s Board of Directors, chaired by Tomaso Tommasi di Vignano, unanimously approved the consolidated results for the first quarter of 2021, with all main operating and financial indicators improving, compared to the same period in the previous year, thanks to the Group’s solid, efficient and sustainable multi-business strategy and a good operating, financial and fiscal management. The energy sectors and the waste management area made a particularly important contribution. Also note the additional improvement in financial solidity, with a strong reduction in net financial debt. At 31 March 2021, the number of energy customers reached almost 3.4 million, thanks to factors including marketing initiatives and reinforced value-added services, from “green” offers to the sale and installation of LED devices, smart boilers and thermostats, as well as energy diagnoses, contracts for energy services, systems and targeted upgrading projects. The acquisition in September 2020 of the company Wölmann, which operates in the photovoltaic panel installation sector, is also part of this context and represents the main change in scope of operations compared to the first quarter of the previous year. Revenues reach approximately 2.3 billion (+10.5%) In the first quarter of 2021, revenues amounted to 2,271.8 million, up 10.5% compared to the 2,055.8 million seen in the same period of 2020. This result was sustained in particular by the energy sectors, with higher revenues from trading, higher volumes of gas sold and an increase in the price of electricity, in addition to the heat management business and activities involving value-added services for customers. Revenues from district heating and regulated network services also increased, as did those from the waste management area, thanks to energy production and a higher amount of waste treated. Ebitda rises to 362.0 million (+3.7%) Ebitda rose from 349.2 million in the first quarter of 2020 to 362.0 million at 31 March 2021, showing a 12.8 million (+3.7%) increase. This growth is due in particular to the performance achieved in the energy areas, which grew by 12.3 million overall, mainly due to higher sales margins and trading. Positive contributions also came from the waste management area and other services, while the water cycle saw a slight fall. Operating result and pre-tax profit increase Ebit rose, amounting to 223.1 million at 31 March 2021, up from 211.7 million in the same period of 2020 (+5.4%). Financial operations were largely unchanged, at 28.8 million, with an increase in charges for tax credit sales as part of ecobonus-related activities, offset by higher income for late payment indemnities on credits in the “last resort” markets. Pre-tax profit rose to 194.3 million (+6.2%). Net profit for shareholders grows to 132.2 million (+6.3%) Thanks to an improved tax rate, coming to 27.8% compared to 28.8% in the first quarter of 2020, driven by the Group’s commitment to making investments in technological, digital and environmental transformation with an eye to Utility 4.0, net profit at 31 March 2021 reached 140.3 million, up 7.7% compared to the 130.3 million seen in the same period of 2020. Profit pertaining to Group shareholders also rose to 132.2 million, up 6.3% compared to the 124.4 million seen in the same period of 2020. Operating investments rise and net financial debt improves significantly Net operating investments were up significantly, from 91.5 million at 31 March 2020 to 112.6 million (+23.1%) in the first quarter of 2021, and were mainly related to work on plants, networks and infrastructures, with investments in gas distribution concerning the large-scale meter replacement, and in the purification and sewerage area. Thanks in particular to the positive contribution coming from operational management during the quarter, a strong improvement was also seen in net financial debt, which stood at 3,077.6 million, compared to 3,227.0 million at 31 December 2020, down by approximately 150 million. Thanks to the double leverage provided by increased Ebitda and decreased net financial debt, the net debt/Ebitda ratio further improved to 2.71x, both compared to the same quarter last year (2.93x) and to the figure seen at the end of 2020 (2.87x). This data once again confirms the Group’s financial solidity, which also appears in the opinions released by major rating agencies, in particular the recent upgrade by Standard & Poor’s to BBB+ with a stable outlook. Profit & Loss (m€) 31/03/2021 Inc. % 31/03/2020 Inc. % Ch. Ch. % Sales 2,271.8 2,055.8 +216.0 +10.5% Other operating revenues 100.7 4.4% 109.0 5.3% (8.3) (7.6%) Raw material (1,209.7) (53.2%) (1,035.4) (50.4%) +174.3 +16.8% Services costs (646.9) (28.5%) (627.2) (30.5%) +19.7 +3.1% Other operating expenses (17.1) (0.8%) (12.5) (0.6%) +4.6 +36.8% Personnel costs (150.1) (6.6%) (147.3) (7.2%) +2.8 +1.9% Capitalisations 13.3 0.6% 6.8 0.3% +6.5 +94.9% Ebitda 362.0 15.9% 349.2 17.0% +12.8 +3.7% Depreciation and provisions (138.9) (6.1%) (137.5) (6.7%) +1.4 +1.0% Ebit 223.1 9.8% 211.7 10.3% +11.4 +5.4% Financial inc./(exp.) (28.8) (1.3%) (28.7) (1.4%) +0.1 +0.3% Pre tax profit 194.3 8.6% 183.0 8.9% +11.3 +6.2% Taxes (54.0) (2.4%) (52.7) (2.6%) +1.3 +2.5% Net profit 140.3 6.2% 130.3 6.3% +10.0 +7.7% Attributable to: Shareholders of the Parent Company 132.2 5.8% 124.4 6.0% +7.8 +6.3% Minority shareholders 8.1 0.4% 5.9 0.3% +2.2 +37.2% Balance Sheet (m€) 31/03/2021 Inc.% 31/12/2020 Inc.% Ch. Ch. % Net fixed assets 6,993.3 109.6% 6,983.6 109.4% +9.7 +0.1% Working capital 44.6 0.7% 53.6 0.8% (9.0) (16.8%) (Provisions) (657.5) (10.3%) (654.9) (10.2%) (2.6) +0.4% Net invested capital 6,380.4 100.0% 6,382.3 100.0% (1.9) (0.0%) Net equity 3,302.8 51.8% 3,155.3 49.4% +147.5 +4.7% Long term net financial debt 3,576.5 56.0% 3,617.1 56.7% (40.6) (1.1%) Short term net financial debt (498.9) (7.8%) (390.1) (6.1%) (108.8) +27.9% Net financial debts 3,077.6 48.2% 3,227.0 50.6% (149.4) (4.6%) Net invested capital 6,380.4 100.0% 6,382.3 100.0% (1.9) (0.0%) Financial results as at 31 March 2021 2019-07-18 Financial results as at 31 March 2021 The consolidated quarterly report at 31 March shows further improvement in all main operating and financial indicators, with financial solidity confirmed as a strong point, as has also been recently highlighted by the upgraded rating given by S&P’s, now BBB+ with a stable outlook /-/hera-bod-approves-1q-2021-results-1 Press release Financial results as at 31 March 2021
06/05/2021

Over 2 billion EUR distributed locally

Sustainability report 2021 Figures allow us to better analyse processes and impacts, to activate improvement actions and to transparently report the results achieved. These are the objectives of our Sustainability Report, published online and focused on the year 2020 just ended. A document that represents the value horizon we operate in and that aims to combine industrial growth and sustainable development while striking a balance between three dimensions represented by as many keywords: planet, people and prosperity. Creating value together with the communities served: over two billion EUR distributed locally Sustainable growth also involves the economic and social fabric of the territories served. Here are some figures: the economic value distributed to workers, shareholders, suppliers, public administration and local community in 2020 was 2,118 million, of which 740 million to local suppliers (+6% compared to the previous year, 65% of the total value of supplies), generating an employment impact of over 8,800 workers and allowing the inclusion of 864 disadvantaged people through social cooperatives; 584 people were hired during the year and 96.6% of employees have permanent contracts. The gross operating margin (EBITDA) from our activities that address the priorities of the Global Agenda, in particular the sustainable development objectives of the United Nations, rose to 420 million EUR in 2020, 37% of the total (it will be 50% in 2024), divided into three areas: energy, environment, territory (and business). Energy: pursuing carbon neutrality Working on energy for us means first and foremost pursuing carbon neutrality, with actions that involve both the company and all social players, in the interest of a planet that is increasingly exposed to climate change and whose natural resources are compromised. An example is the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions that we set ourselves, among the most ambitious for a company in Italy: 37% less by 2030 compared to 2019, validated according to the strictest scientific criteria by the prestigious international network Science Based Target initiative (SBTi). Overall, the actions we have taken range from promoting energy efficiency to energy transition and renewables. Internally, in 2020 energy consumption fell by 6.2% over 2013 (equal to 13,800 tons of oil equivalent) and 83% of the electricity used is derived from renewable sources. In addition, 7.8 million cubic metres of biomethane were produced through the transformation of organic waste in the plant in S. Agata Bolognese (Bo), 20% more than the previous year. Through the construction of new plants, the goal is to produce up to over 30 million cubic meters in 2030. As far as customer involvement is concerned, also in 2020 we purchased electricity from renewable sources in such a quantity as to fully cover the consumption of all household customers in the free market, and in 2030 we aim to reach 45% of subscriptions to offers that include energy efficiency services, thus supporting them in adopting virtuous behaviours with 100% green offers and consumption containment tools. Sustainability report 2021 2019-07-18 Sustainability report 2021 The creation of shared value and the benefits for the territories served are at the heart of our 2020 Sustainability Report: results achieved and future commitments to respond specifically to environmental and climate change challenges /group_eng/sustainability/sustainability-report/sr View the 2020 Sustainability report bs2020 eng.png
28/04/2021

Shareholders Meeting: 2020 financial statements approved, dividend rises to 11 cents

President_and_CEO_110 Hera’s Ordinary and Extraordinary Shareholders Meeting was held this morning in Bologna. The 2020 financial statements were approved, as was payment of a dividend rising to 11 cents per share (+10% compared to the last dividend paid), providing further confirmation of value creation for stakeholders and local areas. Among the various resolutions passed, the Meeting approved a number of amendments to the company’s Articles of Association, in particular introducing the concept of corporate purpose. The 2020 Sustainability Report was also presented at the Meeting. Approval of the 2020 financial statements and growth in results During the ordinary session, the Shareholders Meeting approved the 2020 financial statements, which showed improvement in the main operating and financial indicators, thanks to a solid, efficient and sustainable multi-business model and good operational, financial and fiscal management. Despite the health emergency that struck the world, Hera managed to close the year positively, guaranteeing quality and continuity in services and, at the same time, protecting its stakeholders with concrete actions, first and foremost employees, customers and suppliers. Dividend increasing to 11 cents per share approved The Shareholders Meeting then approved the Board of Directors’ proposal to pay a dividend coming to 11 cents per share, up 10% over the last dividend paid and higher than the amount foreseen by the Business Plan for the current year. The coupon date has been set at 5 July 2021, with payment starting on 7 July 2021. The Sustainability Report: shared value Ebitda rises to 420.0 million euro The Sustainability 2020 Report was also presented during the Shareholders Meeting, showing how improvement in operating and financial indicators goes hand in hand with the creation of shared value and positive effects for local areas, in the interest of the communities served. In 2020, shared value Ebitda – i.e., results from business activities that, in addition to generating margins, meet the goals for sustainable growth defined by the UN Agenda and, more generally, national and international policies – rose to € 420.0 million euro (+7.2%), equivalent to 37.4% of total Ebitda. Creating shared value now part of the Articles of Association Another important step approved by the Shareholders Meeting concerns the introduction into the Articles of Association of Hera, one of the first companies in Italy to do so, of the concept of “Purpose”, with a focus on creating shared value. In particular, an additional paragraph was included in Article 3 to explain the Group’s corporate purpose, i.e. the goals it aims to achieve in carrying out its business activities. This emphasises Hera’s commitment to sustainability, which has characterized it since its establishment. President and CEO Hera 2020-04-29 Further Information President and CEO Hera Growth in results, thanks to good operating, financial and fiscal management. Focus on creating shared value for stakeholders and local areas confirmed, reinforced by the concept of corporate purpose introduced in the Articles of Association /-/hera-shareholders-meeting-2020-financial-statements-approved-dividend-rises-to-11-cents /group_eng/corporate-governance/shareholders-meetings /group_eng/investor-relations/results-and-presentations/y2020 /group_eng/sustainability/sustainability-report/sr Press release Shareholders' Meeting Documents Find out Online Report Y2020 Find out Sustainability Report 2020 President_and_CEO_110
22/04/2021

We are going to reduce emissions by 37% within 2030

SBTi 2021 We can now boast one of the most ambitious targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions certified on a scientific basis for a company in Italy: down 37% by 2030 compared to 2019. This has been certified by the prestigious international network Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), born out of a collaboration between CDP, the United Nations Global Compact, the World Resources Institute and the WWF, which today – World Earth Day – formalized its validation of our greenhouse gas reduction targets. We are committed in particular to the “Well below 2°C” goal, aimed at limiting the increase in global temperature to considerably below 2°C compared to pre-industrial levels, in line with the path set out by the Paris Climate Agreement. At the forefront in the energy transition and the fight against climate change Our focus on sustainability is fully integrated in the business strategies and goes hand in hand with creation of increasing shared value, with stakeholders and the areas in which we operate. We have long been at the forefront in the fight against climate change, taking action and making investments for the energy transition towards carbon neutrality and the transition to a circular economy, as reiterated in the 2024 Business Plan. And in order to focus our objectives even more concretely, we extend our outlook to 2030, also including the targets validated by SBTi, following the most rigorous scientific criteria. Our objective of a 37% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions is all the more ambitious considering that it is not limited to the emissions produced by the Group’s own activities but also covers those of our customers, in electricity and gas sales, and our suppliers. In fact, we have introduced numerous solutions for individuals and companies to promote energy efficiency, accompanied by broader initiatives intended to increase involvement and awareness, aimed at encouraging reduced consumption. img_canvas_interna.jpg Our objective in reducing greenhouse gas emissions is among the most ambitious for an Italian company, as officially communicated today, World Earth Day, by the international network Science Based Targets initiative /-/hera-to-reduce-emissions-by-37-within-2030 /documents/1514726/4185885/HERA-ITA-002-OFF+Certificate.pdf/58bf5219-2e44-4571-fc1d-4db76a3d7d0c?t=1619018057136 https://sciencebasedtargets.org/ https://eng.gruppohera.it/group_eng/sustainability/sustainability-report Press release read the SBTi certificate Visit SBTi website Read the chapter of the sustainability report dedicated to climate change mitigation centrata SBTi 2021
24/03/2021

Hera Group approves the financial statement results

Tomaso Tommasi di Vignano e Stefano Venier The Hera Group closed the 2020 financial year positively, as well as in all quarters, even during a particularly difficult year on account of the Coronavirus emergency. The Group’s Board of Directors unanimously approved the consolidated economic results along with the Sustainability report. Thanks to its solid and efficient multi-business model, and good operating, financial and fiscal management, Hera succeeded in maintaining growth in its results while at the same time supporting its stakeholders. Even during the lockdown, indeed, Hera guaranteed continuity, safety, quality and efficiency in all services and also provided help not only for its own employees but also its customers, suppliers and local communities. This consisted first in allowing customers to pay with delays or by instalments and offering reverse factoring to small and medium businesses, and later participating in specific solidarity initiatives across the areas served. These initiatives were appreciated by customers, as appears in the recent customer satisfaction poll which, despite the difficult external context, confirmed a high customer satisfaction rate (73/100), with approval of the management and services provided during the emergency coming to 85/100. The Hera Group succeeded in continuing along the path of uninterrupted growth seen since its establishment in 2002, once again leveraging its own strategy: a balanced mix of internal and external growth, with significant economies of scale and higher synergies than expected. All of this while continuously striving to create value for its stakeholders, respecting the directions set out by the new Business Plan to 2024, which aims at accompanying all areas served in a recovery that respects European strategies and the goals on the UN’s 2030 Agenda. “These results indeed reflect our uninterrupted activities, in spite of the pandemic, supporting the economic fabric in which we operate. Quarter after quarter, we succeeded in meeting the challenges posed by the emergency, reacting quickly to reorganise our work and find solutions to protect our assets on the one hand, and customers on the other. In a complex context, we defined new projects and signed agreements with outstanding partners, and in the second half of 2020, gaining speed in particular towards the end of the year, we benefitted from the overall recovery seen in economic activities in the areas we serve. These positive results were reflected in all main indicators and are all the more significant in light of the difficulties caused by the health emergency: we thus confirmed our track record of 18 years of growth and further improved our financial solidity, with positive consequences for our public and private shareholders, to whom we have decided to pay, already this year, an increased dividend coming to 11 cents per share”. Executive President, Tomaso Tommasi, di Vignano went on to say at the end of the Board of Directors meeting of 24 March. Chief Executive Officer, Stefano Venier, added: “The growth achieved by the Hera Group was strongly supported by its partnership with Ascopiave, which enabled the Group to expand further in the Triveneto region. Despite the complex context, we were able to immediately extract a significant part of the expected synergies, thus giving a crucial contribution to the increase in our cash flows in 2020. The year was also dedicated to further progress in fully integrating sustainability into our business strategies: we are committed to promoting further development in this direction, with projects for circularity, carbon neutrality and technological innovation, respecting European policies and the goals on the UN’s 2030 Agenda. This also includes a few collaborations recently launched, such as the one with Snam for developing hydrogen”. 2019-07-18 News_BS_870px_eng.jpg The year ended positively, despite the nationwide impact coming from the Coronavirus emergency, during which Hera stood by its stakeholders and provided support. Thanks to its solid, efficient and sustainable multi-business strategy, Hera thus continued to grow and create value for shareholders and local communities /group_eng/investor-relations/results-and-presentations/y2020 https://eng.gruppohera.it/group_eng/sustainability/sustainability-report/sr /-/hera-bod-approves-y2020-results /documents/1514726/7351398/Bilancio+di+sostenibilit%C3%A0+2020+Highlight.pdf/773fb31e-68a1-a8b4-b487-435b139c741b?t=1618991300290 /group_eng/investors See the interactive 2020 annual report See the sustainability report 2020 Read the press release on Y2020 results 2020 Sustainability Report Highlights Find out the Investor Relations area Tomaso Tommasi di Vignano e Stefano Venier
22/03/2021

Conscious and responsible use of water starts by setting a good example

World Water Day World Water Day celebrates water and raises awareness. On World Water Day 2021, dedicated to the theme 'The role of water in our society and how to defend it’, we renew our commitment to encouraging the responsible use of water. Protecting water and reducing consumption have always been of paramount importance for us, and the service we manage, according to a circular economy approach, has specific and challenging goals. Investments of more than 1 Billion Euro have been allocated to the Water Cycle in the 2024 Business Plan Our strategies to ensure quality, efficiency and resilience require major investments, in order to upgrade infrastructures, even with the use of innovative technologies. That is why, we have allocated investments of over 1 billion Euro to the water cycle in our 2024 Business Plan. Many projects are planned such as the partitioning of the networks into districts, strengthening interconnections, to reduce water loss and guarantee water supplies even in critical situations, as well as water reuse projects. Reducing consumption and efficient use of water One of the goals of the 2030 UN Agenda for Sustainable Development is to substantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors within 2030. We have set our internal water saving goal by 2030 as 25%, and have already reduced consumption by 5% in 2019 (with respect to consumption in 2017). Monitoring consumption to promote a conscious use of water We have provided numerous free tools to our customers to make them aware of the properties of the water they use every day. The water bill, for example, shows the water label with details (territory by territory) of the main benchmarks. This data is also provided by the report “In Good Waters”, which is published online, and contains, amongst other things, information about the quality of the water managed, which is monitored with almost 3,000 tests a day. The Acquologo (the Water Expert), on the other hand, is a free App for tablets and smartphones that is yet another communications channel with the citizens we serve. Its functions include self-reading of your own water meter or access to data about the water quality in your municipality. The App, which in 2020 alone was downloaded almost 12,000 times, sends warnings to users about the interruption to the water supply for routine maintenance and water leakages or burst pipes on land in the public domain. Our website also has a web area dedicated to water (eng.gruppohera.it/acqua), with useful information and insights. Finally, to encourage a conscious use of water, we were the first to create in Italy, a free tool called, the Consumption Diary, in which users may monitor their water consumption in order to modify the way they use water, giving a saving on water bills while ensuring positive impact on the environment. The project, in collaboration with Milan Polytechnic University, has to date involved over 145,000 domestic users and will gradually be extended to all customers who provide an email address to the company. World Water Day Sede Hera 2013-08-28 For further information World Water Day On World Water Day 2021, we renew our commitment to protecting this precious natural resource. Investments of over one billion Euro have been allocated to the water cycle in our 2024 Business Plan. Our priorities are an efficient use of water and reducing consumption. World Water Day
News
22/02/2021

Hera and Snam will collaborate for hydrogen development

IDAR Hera and Snam have signed a Letter of Intent for a technological collaboration aimed at developing hydrogen, for their own areas of activity respectively, to test and subsequently implement a number of solutions able to respond to the decarbonisation needs of the Emilia-Romagna region in a cross-cutting manner, from production to mobility to individual citizens. The accord involves several areas of action, starting from the collaboration on power-to-gas technology. Specifically, an innovative plant is at an advanced stage of design at the Bologna Corticella multi-utility treatment plant, which will transform excess renewable electricity into “green” hydrogen to be injected into the networks by exploiting purified water and returning oxygen, biogas and sludge to the water purification process, thus obtaining a mutually beneficial “symbiosis” between the two plants, with an additional environmental benefit. Other options under study include the creation of plants to extract green hydrogen from water, using the renewable energy generated by the Hera Group’s waste-to-energy plants, with the aim of contributing to the decarbonisation of industrial sectors such as the production of fertilisers and fuels. Finally, the Letter of Intent provides for a possible joint experimentation of injecting a mixture of natural gas and hydrogen into a portion of Hera’s distribution network in Emilia-Romagna, similar to what Snam has already done on its own transmission network. At the heart of this experimentation is the gas network of Modena. IDAR IDAR 2013-08-28 For further information IDAR This agreement will also contribute to the development of renewable energies in Italy, in line with the guidelines set out by the European Union /-/snam-and-hera-kicking-off-a-technological-collaboration-for-hydrogen-development Press release IDAR IDAR
08/02/2021

Hera 2021 gold medal in S&P Global's Sustainability Award

S&P Global's Sustainability Award The Hera Group has received a worldwide gold medal for social responsibility. S&P Global, indeed, has awarded the company its Gold Class 2021, the highest recognition reserved for companies included in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI), the authoritative international stock market index assessing the ESG factors of roughly 3,500 listed companied with the highest capitalisation globally. This prestigious result was released with the publication of the Sustainability Yearbook 2021, a report that contains the results of analyses carried out for gaining access to the index last year, and the names of companies that achieved the highest sustainability scores. Following its inclusion in the FTSE MIB in 2019, Hera participated in the selection process for the DJSI and, in only 2 years, rapidly rose in the classification, being included in the World and European indices at the same time and ranking as “Industry leader”, i.e. the best “Multi-utility and Water” in the world, with a score of 87/100, compared to a sector average coming to 45/100. Compared to the other companies assessed by the DJSI, Hera stood out in particular for its environmental and economic sustainability, and its governance. The Sustainability Yearbook 2021 gives particular emphasis to the significant results achieved by Hera in the areas identified as most challenging for its sector, such as resource management and protection, the ability to grasp market opportunities and relations with stakeholders. In addition to Gold Class status, Hera also received special mention as “Industry mover”, that is, the company that recorded the most significant improvement, rising by no less than 19 points compared to the score of 68/100 in 2019. S&P Global's Sustainability Award 2013-08-28 For further information S&P Global's Sustainability Award The Group has received Gold Class status for ranking as “Industry leader” in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index. Hera also given special mention as “Industry mover” /group_eng/sustainability /group_eng/investors /-/hera-2021-gold-medal-in-s-p-global-s-sustainability-award null Visit "Social Reponsibility" website area Visit "Investors" website area Press release null S&P Global's Sustainability Award
27/01/2021

Hera Group part of the 2021 Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index

The Hera Group pays close attention to gender equality and to promoting diversity and inclusion, and stands out in particular for its transparency in providing information on these issues and its harassment prevention and sanctioning policies. The Group has indeed been included this year as well – after becoming part of it for the first time in 2020 – in the Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index, which evaluates 11,700 companies worldwide committed to promoting and creating equal and inclusive workplaces. Diversity awareness is indeed an increasingly important issue for the international financial community, with investors showing growing interest towards listed companies with outstanding policies in this area. Hera’s confirmation within the Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index – achieving significant results, even compared to the average in the utility sector – bears witness to the quality of the path chosen by the Group, which over time has been enriched with new content and increased dimensions, involving a growing number of employees. Today, diversity valorisation policies are an integral part of the Group’s strategy, and are also defined in its Business Plan to 2024. Promoting diversity, inclusion and people development is central in human resource management. At Hera, equality in access to development and professional growth is reached through meritocratic systems designed and calibrated to guarantee their own concrete application. The tools used include compensation and benefits focused on performance, the complexity of one’s role and market comparisons, regardless of gender or generation, and career paths that see an increasing percentage of women with roles of responsibility, now coming to roughly 30%. Bloomberg 2021 Sede Hera 2013-08-28 For further information Bloomberg 2021 /group_eng/investor-relations/hera-overview/creation-of-shared-value /-/hera-group-part-of-the-2021-bloomberg-gender-equality-index Hera Group's Diversity & Inclusion Main Parameters Press release bloomberg_2021_110.1611654387.png
25/01/2021

Hera a Top Employer for the 12th time

A company’s workers are the true key to its success. The Hera Group knows this well, and continues to dedicate resources, attention and commitment to its team of over 9,000 employees. And the results are clear to all, as is shown by Top Employer, an international certification of excellence in human resource management, awarded to Hera in 2021 as well, for the 12th consecutive year. This recognition comes from the Holland-based Top EmployerInstitute, which carries out research on the quality of human resource management, examining over 1,600 businesses. The Group also stands out for its organisational methods, which promote worker agility and digitalisation, with a smart working project launched in 2017 that created the bases to effectively face the emergency that struck our country, with no effect on service quality and efficiency, protecting at the same time the health and safety of its employees and customers. In 2020, Hera immediately introduced a range of measures that ensured it would remain close to its workers: from upgrading technological tools favouring collaboration and communication among employees, to redesigning training in order to meet new obligations concerning remote work, and setting in place a Covid-19 insurance policy for its employees, with all expenses covered by the company. Hera’s most outstanding human resource policies include Hextra, the integrated corporate welfare plan intended for all Group employees, investments for which reached 4.5 million euro in 2020 alone. The Group also offers its employees campaigns aimed at awareness, prevention, cure, overall wellbeing and education. Hera has also confirmed its ranking among the leading Italian businesses that invest in their employees’ personal and professional development, with 26 hours of training per capita each year and a total of roughly 236,000 hours provided, thanks to investments coming to approximately 2 million euro. In this area, a fundamental role is played by HerAcademy, the Group’s corporate university that allows it to communicate with businesses and the main local institutions. Furthermore, through the Hera Educational set of initiatives, the Group constantly reinforces its role in the area served, consolidating its partnerships with various figures in the educational system. Lastly, a special focus goes to sustainability and guaranteeing equal opportunity, inclusion and diversity valorisation. This is proved by the Group’s presence in the 2020 Refinitiv “Diversity & Inclusion Index” (formerly Thomson Reuters) and its entrance in the 2020 “Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index”. In November 2020, as regards ESG factors, which also cover human resource management and development, Hera was recognised as “Industry leader” and included in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index World and Europe, one of the most authoritative stock market indices evaluating social responsibility, which brings together the companies showing the best sustainability performances in the world. Top employer 2021 Sede Hera 2013-08-28 For further information Top employer 2021 /group_eng/working-at-hera-group /-/hera-a-top-employer-for-the-12th-time Workers in Hera Press release top_employer_2021_110.1611329648.png
13/01/2021

Hera Group approves Business Plan to 2024

Tomaso Tommasi di Vignano, Hera Executive Chairman The reference scenario for the upcoming five years shows challenges and opportunities, which Hera has proven able to grasp in advance, by basing its strategy and its own approach to sustainability on them, well in advance. Today, with the new Business Plan, we can capitalise on the efforts made until present and increase our targets for growth to 2024. To support our goals, we have drawn up a significant investment plan which will expand our assets, at the same time making them increasingly sustainable, in line with the indications coming from international institutions. We have furthermore confirmed all of our operating-financial policies, most importantly maintaining a conservative asset profile, allowing us to finance potential investments not included in the Plan. Stefano Venier, Hera CEO Hera has always managed its activities through a sustainable approach, integrated into its business strategies. Therefore, with our new Business Plan we can promote further development, with projects dedicated to circularity, carbon neutrality and technological innovation, fully respecting the guidelines introduced by the Authority and benefiting from our past actions, in areas including premiums for service quality. We furthermore wish to report to our stakeholders, with the utmost transparency, on the Group’s commitment towards sustainability, already applying the TCFD’s recommendations to the 2020 financial year. Our future path is very clear and presents no few challenges, so much so that we have already given ourselves targets for 2030, aiming to achieve increasingly ambitious goals in sustainability. A new Plan for development and growth Today, the Hera Group’s Board of Directors, chaired by Tomaso Tommasi di Vignano, approved the Business Plan to 2024. This new five-year strategic document reflects Hera’s renewed commitment towards development and growth, with expectations increased compared to the previous Plan, and actions planned in areas including energy transition and environmental protection, technological evolution and social cohesion. The Group’s strategies for industrial and commercial reinforcement have been set out according to sustainable business models, channelling opportunities coming from innovation and digital technology, and promoting the creation of shared value for all stakeholders. Hera furthermore intends to support local communities in a recovery compliant to European strategies and the goals on the UN’s 2030 Agenda. Supported by the positive preliminary results for 2020, Hera will thus proceed along the path of uninterrupted growth it has followed since its establishment in 2002, with the aim of consolidating its leadership in all main business areas. All of this thanks to the strength of a model that over the years has proven to be winning and resilient and offers, still today, a concrete guarantee of additional future development A solid foundation in the preliminary results for 2020 The Business Plan to 2024 is based on the solid fundamentals seen in the year-end projections for 2020: the preliminary results, indeed, confirm growth in the main indicators over the previous year. Ebitda is expected to have reached 1,118 million euro in 2020, increasing compared to the 1,085 million seen in 2019, while the Net debt/Ebitda ratio shows considerable improvement, settling at 2.9x, as against 3.02x at 31 December 2019. Last year, furthermore, Hera made investments coming to roughly 540 million euro, essentially unchanged with respect to 2019. In 2020, Hera thus overcame the difficulties caused by the pandemic and guaranteed continuity, efficiency and quality in the services provided, as well as offering concrete support to all stakeholders, first and foremost customers, suppliers and employees. The framework of the new Plan: resilience, green transition and digital technology, for recovery To respond to the complex scenario seen in 2020 and limit the impact of the crisis, the European Union has projected a series of extraordinary measures – including the “Next Generation EU” program – with funding going in particular to the green transition and digital technology. Alongside these measures, mention must go to the opportunities found in our country’s particular situation, which shows room for consolidation in markets that remain overly fragmentary, tenders for service concession renewal, and a further liberalisation of electricity sales with the end of the protected customer system. Three focal points of the Business Plan to 2024: the environment, socio-economic factors and innovation The Hera Group has enhanced its strategy, following European directives while at the same time maintaining its coherence towards the 2030 Agenda, which for years has guided the Group’s commitment towards sustainable development. More specifically, the new Plan revolves around three strategic focal points – the environment, socio-economic factors and innovation – according to which all of Hera’s projects will take shape. The environmental focal points include promoting a circular economy by recovering, reusing and regenerating resources, interventions aimed at increasing infrastructural resilience so as to prevent and mitigate risks. More generally, this area also includes all actions aimed at countering climate change – an area in which Hera has been a leading figure for some time – in order to reach carbon neutrality, promoting bioenergies/green gas – such as biomethane, hydrogen and green syngas – and energy efficiency. Contributing to decarbonisation and saving resources will also come about through a drop in consumption within the Group itself: by 2024, energy consumption is expected to fall by 7% (compared to 2013) and internal water consumption by 17% (compared to 2017). The socio-economic factors, instead, involve creating “shared value” for stakeholders and the areas served, making the most of the Group’s physical and commercial assets, with new services having added value for customers, collaborations with external partners and projects for listening to local and social needs, as well as finalising integration transactions or tenders for regulated service assignments. Innovation, lastly, covers the opportunities linked to technological evolution, digitalisation, artificial intelligence and data analysis, to increase efficiency and service quality, with increasingly agile employment solutions, while maintaining the correct balance between people and technology. Investments coming to approximately 3.2 billion euro, up thanks to the Group’s financial solidity The Plan to 2024 calls for increased investments, coming to roughly 3.2 billion euro, 640 million per year on average: these figures are significantly higher (by approximately +40%) than the average seen over the last five years. In particular, an increase is expected in internal development, coming to 2.9 billion, 400 million more than in the previous Plan, with a financial commitment proportionate to Hera’s presence in the areas served and the features of the various business areas. 280 million will go to M&A operations and tenders for regulated services, with a slight drop compared to the previous Plan due to delays in a few gas tenders, partially offset by higher amount dedicated to external investments. More generally, 60% of these investments will be dedicated to projects respecting European objectives. 42% will go towards activities in line with the “Green Deal”, for reducing emissions, carbon neutrality, business resilience and circular economy. The remaining 18% will be channelled into technological evolution: from increased cybersecurity to remote control, and from “smarty” bins for sorted waste to new meters. This increase in investments was made possible not only by the positive results reached in 2020, but also by Hera’s financial solidity, which leaves room to manoeuvre with additional unforeseen investments. During the period covered by the Plan, in fact, a reduction is expected in the net debt/Ebitda ratio, reaching 2.8x by 2024. Business plan to 2024 Sede Hera 2013-08-28 For further information Business plan to 2024 /group_eng/investor-relations/hera-strategy https://investornews.gruppohera.it/en/?n=185 /-/hera-group-approves-business-plan-to-2024-1 Strategy and Business plan Newsletter: business plan to 2024 Press release bp2024_110x150.1610525461.jpg
30/11/2020

The Hera Group ranks among the top ten in Europe and Italy in terms of online communication

Again in 2020, for the tenth year running, the Hera Group has been included among the top ten Italian companies in online communication and this year, for the first time, it also appears in the top ten European ranking. The study, published today in Corriere Economia, is conducted by Lundquist and the Swedish company Comprend, the two expert digital communication companies that annually examine the corporate websites of major Italian companies listed on the stock exchange, evaluating their communication strategies on the web ina ranking at national and European level. This year, the survey includes122 companies. In the 19th edition report, Hera placed 6th, in the category "5 Stars" in web communication, with a score of 82.2/100and ahead of large corporations such as Italgas, ERG, Mondadori and Intesa Sanpaolo. All results are available for viewing at this link. Among the strengths listed of the multi-utility company, the study names the detailed presentation of "Corporate Governance" and the "Careers" section, which are deemed particularly effective in communicating with the target audience. The Group was also recognised for its excellent performance in terms of transparencyof digital communication, which earned the Group's admission for the first time into the European ranking (Top 500), straight in at seventh place. Not only that: this edition of Webranking also included the "Palmares" ranking, which lists all the best-performing companies in the field between 2011 and 2020: here theHera Group comes in fifth with three silver and four bronzes in ten years. Regarding the question of sustainability, according to the study by Lundquist and Comprend, the Hera Group website offers "an interesting discussion dedicated to the importance of developing an Environmental, Social and Governance approach (ESG) in the financial sector, based on the results of dialogue with its stakeholders. Ample space is also given to sustainability issues within the section 'Investing in Hera', complete with links to pages for specific in-depth analysis". The health crisis triggered by the Covid-19 virus has also put corporate communication to the test, both in terms of its ability to react to the emergency itself and to recalibrate its vision of business for the future. For both these abilities, the Hera Group has been mentioned by Lundquist as ranking among the companies "to follow" with its dedicated area "Together to overcome this time of crisis", which keeps users constantly updated on all the initiatives put in place by the multi-utility company aimed at its customers and employees. Between the final phase of the lockdown and the first reopenings, the second edition of ".Trust" got well underway - Lundquist's research study which is actively focused on measuring how communication can generate trust and be an effective tool for business growth. This year, the Hera Group was mentioned (from among the 112 major Italian companies listed on the stock exchange that were analysed) in the section "Substance", which evaluates the ability to provide a unified view of the company and its purpose. Hera Group stands out in the detailed view of the company and its activities and for the completeness of the sections dedicated to sustainability. Download Whitepaper Webranking 2020-2021 Italy listed Webranking 2020 Sede Hera 2013-08-28 For further information Webranking 2020 In the Lundquist Webranking 2020 report on digital communication, the multiutility enters the European ranking for the first time, ranking seventh, and confirms itself among the top ten in Italy distinguishing itself for the detailed vision of the company and its activities, as well as for completeness and transparency in the communication field https://www.comprend.com/webranking/webranking-results/2020-2021/ https://lundquist.it/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Webranking_Italy_2020_White_paper.pdf https://www.comprend.com/webranking/webranking-results/2020-2021/italy-2020-2021/ https://www.comprend.com/webranking/webranking-results/2020-2021/europe-500-2020-2021/ https://lundquist.it/trust/trust-italy-listed-2020/ To see the full results Download Whitepaper Italy listed 2020-2021 Take a look at the Italian ranking Take a look at the European ranking Read more about ".Trust" webranking2020_110.1606808028.png
26/11/2020

Hera: new 500 million euro bond

The Hera Group has successfully placed a bond for qualified investors on the Eurobond market, with a nominal amount coming to 500 million euro and a 10-year maturity. This new issue immediately met with strong interest from investors in all main European countries. In a single day, orders were indeed received for 4 times the offer. Due to the quantity and quality of the orders received, the price was set at an excellent rate, equal to the Mid Swap Rate +60 basis points, and a coupon coming to 0.25%, the lowest amount for an Italian corporate bond with an equal length to maturity. The notes will be issued as part of the Euro Medium Term Notes Programme (updated on 24 November 2020 increasing to 3.5 billion euro the maximum principal amount of notes that may be simultaneously outstanding) and will be listed on the regulated market of the Irish Stock Exchange (Euronext Dublin) with a return set at 0.348%. The settlement is scheduled for 3 December 2020. The notes are expected to have the same rating as the Hera Group: Moody’s rating Baa2 with a stable outlook and Standard & Poor’s rating BBB with a positive outlook. The proceeds of the bond will be used to finance the Group’s investments in the waste management, water and energy sectors, which will introduce innovative interventions that follow up on the attention towards sustainability that has always characterized the Group’s activities. Sede Hera Sede Hera 2013-08-28 For further information Sede Hera Strong interest shown by investors towards a bond financing the Group’s projects, with orders amounting to over 2 billion. This positive reaction was fuelled by the Group’s solidity and its high sustainability profile, as recognised by its recent inclusion in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index /en/-/hera-new-500-million-euro-bond Press release sede_hera_110.1592478681.jpg
14/11/2020

Hera best multi-utility in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index

Dow Jones Sustainability Index The Hera Group has received yet another important recognition, rewarding a corporate strategy that brings growth in economic results together with sustainability and the shared value created for all stakeholders. Hera is the first Italian multi-utility to be included in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI), one of the world’s most authoritative stock indexes that evaluates social responsibility. Managed by S&P Global, it selects the largest companies in the world based on the best sustainability performances in all areas of ESG (environment, social, governance). This achievement is all the more considerable considering that Hera has simultaneously become part of the worldwide (Dow Jones Sustainability World Index) and European (Dow Jones Sustainability Europe Index) indices, and especially its position as “Industry leader” out of the approximately 3,500 companies with the highest capitalisation across the world evaluated by the DJSI (of which only 10%, on average, succeeds in being included in the index). In particular, in this year’s ranking, announced Friday 13 November 2020 and effective as of 23 November 2020, Hera reached an overall score of 87/100, a result that ranks it as the best multi-utility globally. Compared to other companies in the index, Hera stood out above all for environmental and economic dimensions, and for its governance. Being included in the DJSI proves once again the quality of the approach taken by Hera since its establishment, 18 years ago. Sustainability is, indeed fully integrated in the Group’s strategies, as can be seen in its Business plans, which clarify the range of sustainability goals – circularity, decarbonisation and risk management – defined within each business area, through innovation, investments in asset resilience, marketing strategies, digitalisation, artificial intelligence and big data. Hera’s attention towards ESG factors, as seen in the continuous improvement of its management sustainability parameters, is accompanied by continuous growth in operating and financial results, a solid and constant cash generation, and a stability in governance unique in its sector, with top management confirmed by the Shareholders Meeting last April. All of these factors, even in this difficult year marked by the ongoing health emergency, have allowed Hera to continue creating value, benefitting all stakeholders and local areas served, guaranteeing efficiency and resilience and finding innovative solutions to sustain those experiencing difficulty, protect the environment and defend natural resources. Increased attention towards the Group’s sustainability came in March 2019, when Hera was included in the FTSE MIB. Considering the rising sensitivity to these issues shown by the financial community and many institutions, this year Hera stock was included in the FTSE4Good Index Series (a series of ethical indices conceived by FTSE Russell, to identify the world’s companies most committed to sustainable development) and the Refinitiv Thomson Reuters “Diversity & Inclusion Index”, coming in 12th worldwide and ranking as the first multi-utility overall. Dow Jones Sustainability Index 2013-09-25 For further information Dow Jones Sustainability Index Inclusion in one of the world’s most important stock market indices dedicated to evaluating social responsibility, as the leader of its own sector, comes as recognition for the Group’s attention towards sustainability and creating shared value for all stakeholders, pursued since its establishment documents/1928267/5647205/Press+release+Hera+best+multi+utility+in+DJSI.pdf/245fbe0b-0382-94a1-0601-da3fddbdeac5?t=1605618228680 /documents/1514726/4185843/DJSIComponentsWorld_2020_1_.1605518691.pdf/137624ef-4907-2953-da1a-4d951038968b?t=1605627821954 /documents/1514726/4185843/DJSIComponentsEurope_2020_1_.1605518692.pdf/9267933b-5b44-c30c-185b-09cbd44d3df5?t=1605627821514 /group_eng/investors /group_eng/sustainability/social-responsibility Press release See the list of companies included in the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index See the list of companies included in the Dow Jones Sustainability Europe Index Visit "Investors" area Visit "Social Responsibility" area centrata Dow Jones Sustainability Index
11/11/2020

Hera BoD approves 3Q 2020 results

Results as at 30 september 2020 Financial highlights Revenues at 4,905.9 million euro (-3.1%) Ebitda at 806.2 million (+2.6%) Net profit at 244.7 million (+1.1%) Net debt stable at 3,284.5 million Operating highlights Resilience guaranteed by a mix of internal and external growth Good contributions come mainly from the gas and electricity areas A solid base, with over 3.3 million customers in energy sectors, showing strong growth thanks to the Ascopiave partnership Today, the Hera Group's Board of Directors, chaired by Tomaso Tommasi di Vignano, unanimously approved the consolidated third-quarter report at 30 September 2020. This report shows improvement in the Group's main economic indicators compared to the same period in the previous year, confirming its positive trends and solid fundamentals, and allowing it to overcome the inevitable impact of the health emergency affecting our country. More specifically, the most significant results for the first three quarters of 2020 - in line with the growth expected by the Business plan to 2023 - include a rise in Ebitda coming to over 20 million euro and a better Net debt/Ebitda ratio, as well as ongoing creation of value for stakeholders, beginning with shareholders who were paid, as foreseen, dividends coming to over 150 million euro. As usual, M&A transactions, along with internal growth sustained by higher efficiency and investments, were the driving force behind the Group's results. The most important factor was the recent partnership with Ascopiave, consolidated at the beginning of the year. Through EstEnergy, this partnership gave way to the largest energy operator in North-Eastern Italy and led to over 3.3 million customers overall in the energy sectors. These results furthermore point towards a high ESG profile, with strong attention going to the environment, social and governance, which is expected to remain stable over the next three years after top management was confirmed by the Shareholders Meeting held on 29 April. This attention appeared all the more clearly during the emergency that struck our country: in recent months, indeed, Hera has always guaranteed full service continuity and introduced many forms of protection for employees, suppliers and customers, including easier terms for paying bills. Sustainability, in any case, has been an integral part of the Group's strategy since its establishment, and contributes - alongside all operating-financial indicators - to its growth, creating value for local communities and all areas served. At the same time, the Group's solidity and its valid multi-business strategy, based on a range of diversified levers, balanced between internal and external growth, have enabled it to guarantee a high degree of resilience, even in difficult contexts such as the current one. The effects on the Coronavirus pandemic on the Group's businesses, its financial situation and its operating performance have thus been contained, as already appeared in the first-quarter report at 31 March 2020 and the half-year report at 30 June 2020. Revenues at 4,905.9 million euro In the first three quarters of 2020, revenues came to 4,905.9 million euro. This result was mainly due to lower revenues from electricity and gas trading, generation and sales, the lower price of commodities, lower volumes sold and the heat management and district heating services. Various factors helped mitigate this impact, including changes in the scope of operations and an increase in regulated energy revenues. Ebitda increases to 806.2 million euro Ebitda went from 785.8 million euro in the first nine months of 2019 to 806.2 million euro at 30 September 2020, up 2.6%, despite the negative impact of milder winter temperatures and the Coronavirus emergency. This growth - seen over the entire duration of the first nine months of 2020 - was achieved above all thanks to the performance of the energy areas (gas and electricity), owing to the Ascopiave partnership. Positive results were also recorded in the water cycle area, which saw efficiency-enhancing initiatives aimed at resilience and sustainability, and in other services, including public lighting and telecommunications. Operating results rise to 414.7 million euro Operating results increased to 414.7 million euro, up 2.3% compared to the 405.5 million seen at 30 September 2019. Financial operations settled at 79.5 million in the first nine months of 2020, with a 12.4 million change compared to the same period in the previous year due on the one hand to lower financial charges and on the other to higher non-monetary charges, prevalently linked to the Ascopiave transaction. Pre-tax profit remained essentially unchanged at 335.2 million euro. Net profits increase to 244.7 million (+1.1%) Net profits at 30 September 2020 rose to 244.7 million euro (+1.1%) compared to the 242.0 million recorded one year earlier, with profits pertaining to Group shareholders increasing to 233.1 million euro, compared to the 230.8 million seen at 30 September 2019 (+1.0%). These results benefitted from a tax rate coming to 27%, with further improvement compared to the 28.5% recorded during the previous year, thanks in particular to the Group's commitment to making significant investments in technological, digital and environmental transformation, along with the benefits introduced by the government's Relaunch Decree. Operating investments come to 333.6 million euro; net financial position stable During the first nine months of 2020, Hera made operating investments amounting to 333.6 million euro, basically in line with the previous year and respecting the green-oriented projects contained in the Business plan. Investments mainly went to plants, networks and infrastructures, as well as regulatory upgrading in the sewerage and purification areas and a large-scale installation of new-generation gas meters. In addition to financing these investments and paying dividends, the positive cash generation also sustained financial investments, mainly involving the strategic Ascopiave transaction, and purchasing treasury shares based on market opportunities. The Group's solid financial position is reflected by its net debt, which remained unchanged with respect to the 3,274.2 million seen at 31 December 2019, settling after the first nine months of 2020 at 3,284.5 million euro, including the amount of Ascopiave's put option concerning EstEnergy. The Net debt/Ebitda ratio came to 2.97x, improving compared to the 3.02x seen in late 2019. PROFIT & LOSS (M€) 30/09/2020 INC. % 30/09/2019 INC. % CH. CH. % Sales 4,905.9 5,063.2 (157.3) (3.1%) Other operating revenues 355.7 7.3% 366.7 7.2% (11.0) (3.0%) Raw material (2,314.9) (47.2%) (2,504.9) (49.5%) (190.0) (7.6%) Services costs (1,696.9) (34.6%) (1,698.4) (33.5%) (1.5) (0.1%) Other operating expenses (41.8) (0.9%) (45.6) (0.9%) (3.8) (8.3%) Personnel costs (424.0) (8.6%) (418.7) (8.3%) +5.3 +1.3% Capitalisations 22.2 0.5% 23.5 0.5% (1.3) (5.5%) Ebitda 806.2 16.4% 785.8 15.5% +20.4 +2.6% Depreciation and provisions (391.5) (8.0%) (380.3) (7.5%) +11.2 +2.9% Ebit 414.7 8.5% 405.5 8.0% +9.2 +2.3% Financial inc./(exp.) (79.5) (1.6%) (67.1) (1.3%) +12.4 +18.5% Pre tax profit 335.2 6.8% 338.4 6.7% (3.2) (0.9%) Tax (90.5) (1.8%) (96.4) (1.9%) (5.9) (6.1%) Net profit 244.7 5.0% 242.0 4.8% +2.7 +1.1% Attributable to: Shareholders of the Parent Company 233.1 4.8% 230.8 4.6% +2.3 +1.0% Minority shareholders 11.6 0.2% 11.2 0.2% +0.4 +3.6% BALANCE SHEET (M€) 30/09/2020 INC.% 31/12/2019 INC.% CH. CH. % Net fixed assets 6,927.1 109.1% 6,846.3 108.9% +80.8 +1.2% Working capital 67.4 1.1% 87.0 1.4% (19.6) (22.5%) (Provisions) (643.5) (10.1%) (649.1) (10.3%) +5.6 (0.9%) Net invested capital 6,351.0 100.0% 6,284.2 100.0% +66.8 +1.1% Net equity 3,066.5 48.3% 3,010.0 47.9% +56.5 +1.9% Long term net financial debt 3,376.3 53.2% 3,383.4 53.8% (7.1) (0.2%) Short term net financial debt (91.8) (1.5%) (109.2) (1.7%) 17.4 (15.9%) Net financial debts 3,284.5 51.7% 3,274.2 52.1% 10.3 +0.3% Net invested capital 6,351.0 100.0% 6,284.2 100.0% +66.8 +1.1% Results as at 30 september 2020 2013-09-25 For further information Results as at 30 september 2020 The Group closed the first nine months of the year with improvement in the main economic indicators compared to the same period in 2019, offsetting the impact of the Coronavirus emergency. These positive results, in line with the growth foreseen by the Business plan to 2023, were reached through the enlarged scope of operations and the investments made in resilience and sustainability /-/hera-bod-approves-3q-2020-results Press release centrata Results as at 30 september 2020
29/10/2020

Aliplast and NextChem team up for plastics recycling

Accordo Maire Tecnimont S.P.A.e Hera Group Maire Tecnimont S.P.A.andHera Groupannounce today the signing of a strategic agreement between Aliplast, Hera Group’s subsidiary for the collection, recycling and conversion of plastics, and NextChem, Maire Tecnimont Group’s company for the development of projects and technologies for the energy transition. NextChem will provide technology and engineering, procurement and construction services to build a plant which will use proprietary innovative technology MyReplastTMfor upcycling of plastic waste into high value-added polymers. These partners are each leader in their respective sectors. Hera Group’s Herambiente unit – Italy’s pioneer in the treatment of all types of waste – has 90 plants with an important know-how in the management of the entire environmental chain, in which Aliplast contributes with a circular and integrated stronghold in plastic sector. Maire Tecnimont Group is a global leader in process engineering and strongly committed – through its subsidiary NextChem – to developing projects and technologies for the energy transition and circular economy. Maire Tecnimont adopts an innovative industrial approach focused on engineering of transformation processes able to produce polymeric high value-added materials which can replace virgin materials derived from fossil sources. The synergy between skills and resources of these two big players will result in the only plant of its kind in Europe. One of Hera Group’s sites will use the innovative MyReplastTM technology licensed by NextChem and will produce recycled polymers of high quality and purity, with high-level chemical-physical and mechanical performance. The aim of the plant is to treat post-consumer plastic waste to obtain customized recycled products capable of meeting customer requirements and quality market standards, with features and properties on par with virgin polymers from fossil sources. This is a cutting-edge plant engineering experience. Once fully operational, the plant – powered by green sources thanks to Herambiente – will be able to produce up to 30,000 tons of polymers per year. The plant will ensure high security standards and be equipped with innovative features such as processes automation and high digitalization for data analytics, thereby allowing it to maximize energy efficiency, delivering further environmental benefits. Accordo Maire Tecnimont S.P.A.e Hera Group 2013-09-25 For further information Accordo Maire Tecnimont S.P.A.e Hera Group Hera Group’s and Maire Tecnimont Group’s subsidiaries sign strategic agreement to build plant with NextChem’s proprietary MyReplast technology /documents/1514726/4226940/Press+release+NextChem+Aliplast.pdf/2fe1d043-6767-3355-3ec7-75fea6ac6599?t=1603979768825 Press release centrata Accordo Maire Tecnimont S.P.A.e Hera Group
News
28/10/2020

Together to overcome the crisis. Hera Group's measures to protect against the Covid and to support the community

With regard to COVID-19 protection measures, we can reassure citizens, informing them that most of the services throughout our service area are operating normally, as are the emergency services. To protect everyone's health and respond to government requests, we are working with additional measures to counter the spread of the virus as much as possible. We will keep this page up to date with information on the actions taken and offer some useful information for the use of Hera Group's services during the COVID-19 emergency. Enjoy our services while staying at home We encourage you to use our telephone and online contact channels. You can call our customer service on 800.999.500 Most paperwork, including reporting your meter reading, can be handled by telephone by contacting the Customer Service Department Monday to Friday from 8 am to 10 pm, or Saturday from 8 am to 6 pm. The call is free of charge. 800.999.700 for non-domestic users. Online Quick access to services www.servizionline.gruppohera.it Access My Hera You can manage everythings in a simply way. Contact us if you are struggling to pay your bills on time Households and businesses experiencing objective financial problems will be able to ask for the payment of bills falling due for the main services to be postponed by 30 days or for the payment to be made in three instalments over the ensuing three months. For bills over €4,500, specific installment plans will be established. Hera will not charge interest for late payment of bills falling due from 13 March until 30 June 2020, postponed by 30 days or paid in instalments over the ensuing three months. Customers who, when the bill arrives, will be unemployed or in layoffs, and self-employed persons benefiting from income support measures introduced to deal with the Covid-19 crisis, may request an installment payment of the bills up to 6 installments. This possibility is also extended to those activities which, at the time of the request, were subject to closure measures related to the Covid-19 crisis. The facilitations linked to the Covid-19 crisis must be requested by calling the Customer Service. They may be subject to revocation or modification due to the entry into force of new measures issued by the Government and the national regulatory Authority ARERA. Please be reminded that the same rules apply to bins as for objects touched by multiple people, such as banknotes, door handles, staircase handrails, shopping trolleys, snack and coffee machines, ATMs and lift keypads, etc. As in all these cases, we recommend that you follow the instructions given by the scientific authorities, including washing your hands frequently with soap and water or alcohol-based solutions. If you wear disposable gloves or use paper tissues to protect your hands, you can then slip them into the side holes of the mixed waste bin. If you are positive or subject to mandatory quarantine, please follow the recommendations of the Istituto Superiore di Sanità (Italian National Institute of Health): do not separate your waste and put everything (paper, plastic, glass, cans, gloves, masks, etc.) into the mixed waste bin, tightly closed in two or three bags, one inside the other. For citizens who are coronavirus positive or in mandatory quarantine, and already served by door-to-door collection, starting Monday, 23 March the waste collection service will be carried out as established at regional level. In particular, such users must stop separate waste collection and fill their mixed waste bag day by day, placing their waste into two or three bags - including masks, disposable gloves and other medical devices - and close them well before disposing of them. For them alone, and as long as the emergency lasts, Hera will make an additional weekly collection, in addition to the normally scheduled collection. » for more information, click here lease be reminded that the Istituto Superiore di Sanità and the Ministry of Health have issued extensive reassurances on the total safety of drinking water, which can be used with complete peace of mind. For further information on the COVID-19 emergency, please see the provisions on the websites of the Ministry of Health and of the Civil Protection Department. We work while respecting good health Since the beginning of the COVID-19 emergency in Italy, the Hera Group has taken all appropriate measures to protect workers, first and foremost by thoroughly circulating notifications from the Ministry of Health to ensure their safety. Among other initiatives within the Group, we have stepped up cleaning activities in the workplace and provided an e-mail address where colleagues can request information. We have also activated a COVID-19 insurance policy for all employees of the Hera Group who are infected, bearing the corresponding cost. Together to overcome the crisis. 2013-08-28 For further information We are regularly providing most of our local services. We have also put special measures in place to protect the health of our customers and employees /group_eng/who-we-are/hera-group-strategy/quality-safety-and-environment Covid Emergency: find out the initiatives taken to protect employees Together to overcome the crisis. together_110.1588000544.1603887267.png

[Sustainability Report] Banner - SBTi

Pre-Footer Standard

Hera SpA, Viale Carlo Berti Pichat 2/4, 40127 Bologna, Tel.051287111 www.gruppohera.it