Hera at the top of the 2021 Integrated Governance Index
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Hera at the top of the 2021 Integrated Governance Index
The Hera Group leads the overall ranking in this index, which measures the extent to which sustainability is integrated within corporate strategies. Hera is also at the top of the finance category, for the fourth consecutive year, and second in the special ESG Identity survey

In addition to leading the overall ranking, Hera also stands 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.
“This recognition”, remarks Hera Group Executive Chairman Tomaso Tommasi di Vignano, “certifies once again the validity of the direction pursued since our establishment. Sustainability is in fact fully integrated within our activities, across the board, and represents a strategic asset in all respects. As is stated in our Articles of Association, Hera’s growth is accompanied by the generation of shared value for the communities and local areas served, which in turn are priority elements for defining financial and investment policies.”
Sustainability at the heart of the Group’s strategies
For the Hera Group, uninterrupted growth in operating results goes hand in hand with increasing attention to sustainability. In 2016, Hera 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. In 2020, shared value Ebitda rose to 420.0 million euro (+7.2%), equivalent to 37.4% of total Ebitda. This is in line with the path set out by the Business Plan, which projects this value at 50% of total Ebitda by 2024.
Hera gave further evidence of the central role played by creating shared value when it introduced the concept of Purpose in its 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 Articles thus updated – in line with Borsa Italiana’s new Corporate Governance Code and best practices at European level – allow the Group to further strengthen its commitment to the energy transition and the circular economy.
Lastly, as regards sustainable finance, in line with the growing interest shown by investors towards ESG factors, Hera has proven able to act swiftly, adopting innovative models that have led it to play a pioneering role in the sector. It was in fact the first company in Italy to launch a green bond, in 2014, followed by a second issue in 2019. Three years ago, the first sustainable revolving credit line was launched, introducing bonuses linked to achieving specific environmental, social and governance (ESG) goals. These include, for example, additionally reducing the carbon footprint in energy production, reaching new energy efficiency targets and improving sorted waste collection.

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. This year, IGI invited Italy’s top 100 listed companies, companies that publish a non-financial statement, and the top 50 non-listed companies to participate, thus reaching the highest number to date of companies analysed. The index now covers 60% of the companies listed on the FTSE Mib and 50% of Italy’s top 100 listed companies.
Press release
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The multi-utility continues on its growth path and value creation for shareholders and local areas served. Executive Chairman Cristian Fabbri and Chief Executive Officer Orazio Iacono have also been reappointed to the Board of Directors for the next three-year term.
The Ordinary Shareholders’ Meeting of Hera, chaired by Cristian Fabbri, was held this morning in Bologna. It approved the Annual Financial Report as at 31 December 2025, including the Consolidated Sustainability Statement, and the distribution of an increased dividend of 16 eurocents per share, as already announced when the Business Plan to 2029 was presented.
Among the various resolutions adopted, the Shareholders’ Meeting also appointed the members of the Board of Directors and the Board of Statutory Auditors for the next three-year term.
Approval of the 2025 financial statements, with net profit attributable to shareholders up 4%
The Shareholders’ Meeting approved the results as at 31 December 2025, which once again confirm the company’s financial solidity and its increasing value creation for all stakeholders.
The main results include:
- EBITDA of €1,537.2 million, slightly down compared with €1,587.6 million as at 31 December 2024, mainly due to extraordinary margins linked to temporary, non-recurring opportunities recorded in the previous year, relating to last-resort markets and the ecobonus. Net of these effects, the 2025 EBITDA shows growth of 4.5%;
- Net profit attributable to shareholders of €464.3 million, up 3.9% on a like-for-like basis compared with 2024, which benefited from extraordinary items relating to the exercise of the put option by Ascopiave, following which the Hera Group came to hold 100% of EstEnergy, one of the leading energy operators in North-East Italy;
- gross operating investments of €1,028 million, up 19.5%, mainly in the water cycle and waste areas. These investments are dedicated to projects aimed at enabling the energy transition and circular economy, in line with the strategy set out in the Business Plan and with the Net Zero target by 2050, confirming the Group’s ongoing focus on innovation, enhancement and strengthening the resilience of its infrastructure;
- Net debt/EBITDA ratio of 2.57x. The total value of Net financial position amounts to €3,944.4 million, broadly in line with the figures recorded as at 31 December 2024.
- shared-value EBITDA and investments increased respectively to €915.6 million, up 7%, and €810.9 million respectively, equal to 78% of total investments, confirming the commitment to sustainability and value creation in the areas served;
- €672.2 million of investments aligned with the European Taxonomy, equal to 64% of total gross operating investments;
- economic value distributed to stakeholders in the areas served, including shareholders, local communities, public administration, suppliers and employees, amounted to €2,102 million, with more than €11.5 billion expected overall over the five-year period 2025-2029.
All the figures demonstrate the validity of the management policies implemented by the Group, which have made it possible to respond effectively to the complexities of the external scenario, seize new opportunities and generate value for the company and all stakeholders, while at the same time promoting sustainable development in line with the objectives of the UN Agenda.
Distribution of an increased dividend of 16 eurocents per share
The Shareholders’ Meeting approved the proposal of the Board of Directors to distribute a dividend of 16 eurocents per share, before statutory withholding taxes, up 6.7% compared with the last dividend paid and higher than the forecast in the previous Business Plan, which was 15.5 eurocents.
This increase will feed through to the entire dividend policy over the plan period, reaching 19 eurocents per share in 2029.
The ex-dividend date for coupon no. 24 will be 22 June 2026, with payment from 24 June 2026. The dividend will be payable on shares held as at the record date of 23 June 2026. Based on Hera’s share price as at 31 December 2025, the dividend paid corresponds to an annual yield of 4%.
Renewal of the Board of Directors and the Board of Statutory Auditors
The Board of Directors and the Board of Statutory Auditors were also renewed for the next three-year term, expiring with the Shareholders’ Meeting that will approve the 2028 financial statements.
Following the vote, the following directors were appointed:
- Cristian Fabbri, Orazio Iacono, Tommaso Fabbri, Roberta Calderisi, Fabio Bacchilega, Gianni Bessi, Enrico Di Stasi, Fabrizio Toselli, Benedetta Brighenti, Vanessa Camani and Marina Monassi, drawn from majority list no. 1, representing the shareholders’ agreement of Hera’s public shareholders, who together hold 40.91% of Hera’s share capital;
- Francesco Perrini, Paola Schwizer and Alice Vatta, drawn from minority list no. 3, submitted by Studio Legale Trevisan e Associati on behalf of numerous investment fund management companies, which together hold 1.07152% of Hera’s share capital;
- Bruno Tani, drawn from minority list no. 2, submitted by Gruppo Società Gas Rimini S.p.A., which holds 2.065825% of Hera’s share capital.
Tommaso Fabbri, Roberta Calderisi, Fabio Bacchilega, Fabrizio Toselli, Benedetta Brighenti, Vanessa Camani, Marina Monassi, Francesco Perrini, Paola Schwizer, Alice Vatta and Bruno Tani declared that they meet the independence requirements set out in Article 148, paragraph 3, of Legislative Decree 58/1998 and in the Corporate Governance Code.
The curricula vitae of the new directors are available at:
https://eng.gruppohera.it/group_eng/corporate-governance/board-of-directors
As regards the Board of Statutory Auditors, the following auditors were appointed:
- Sonia Dall’Agata and Giovanni Rocco di Torrepadula, standing auditors, and Susanna Giuriatti, alternate auditor, drawn from majority list no. 1, representing the shareholders’ agreement of Hera’s public shareholders;
- Giacinto Gaetano Sarubbi, Chairman, and Silvia Mignatti, alternate auditor, drawn from minority list no. 3, submitted by Studio Legale Trevisan e Associati on behalf of numerous investment fund management companies.
The curricula vitae of the new auditors are available at:
https://eng.gruppohera.it/group_eng/corporate-governance/board-of-statutory-auditors
Pursuant to current legislation and the Articles of Association, gender balance requirements were complied with.
Other resolutions approved
The Shareholders’ Meeting also approved the renewal of the authorisation granted to the Board of Directors to purchase treasury shares, and the methods for disposing of them, up to a rotating maximum limit of 60,000,000 shares and for a total amount of up to €270 million, for 18 months from today’s date, with the related revocation of the previous resolution passed last year for the unexecuted portion. The renewal of the authorisation to use treasury shares was requested in order to pursue the purposes permitted by law and accepted market practices, with a view to increasing value creation for shareholders, including in the context of transactions also carried out by Group companies where investment opportunities arise, and for transactions involving the issue of financial instruments.
Lastly, the Shareholders’ Meeting approved the first section and voted in favour of the second section of the Report on remuneration policy and compensation paid, in line with international best practice.
Executive Chairman, Deputy Chairman and Chief Executive Officer appointed
The inaugural meeting of Hera’s Board of Directors, appointed in the morning by the Shareholders’ Meeting, was held in Bologna in the afternoon. The Board appointed the Chairman, Deputy Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.
Cristian Fabbri was reappointed as Executive Chairman, while Orazio Iacono was reappointed as Chief Executive Officer.
Tommaso Fabbri was appointed Deputy Chairman, in a non-executive capacity. An expert in the sector and in corporate organisation, he is currently Full Professor of Business Organisation at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia (Unimore), where he is Deputy Director of the E4E Doctoral School, Economics and Engineering. In the past, he was Director of the “Marco Biagi” Department of Economics and Director of the PhD programme in Labour, Development and Innovation.