Press releases

Today, Hera’s Board of Directors approved the document also known as the Sustainability Agreement, in an initiative that ranks the Group among the first Italian companies to adopt this innovative tool. The Code reinforces Hera’s commitment to promote a more responsible supply chain, aligning it with the company’s sustainability principles and ethics

​​​​​​​Today, the Board of Directors of the Hera Group, one of Italy’s leading multi-utility companies in the waste management, energy and water sectors, approved its new Code of Conduct for suppliers. This is an innovative “supplier sustainability agreement” that reinforces the Group’s commitment to promoting a supply chain that is increasingly responsible and in line with ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) principles.

This Code was conceived through a participatory process, which actively involved a representative group of suppliers with whom principles and rules on sustainability and business ethics were shared and a true sustainability deal was co-designed, to stimulate the sustainable growth of the entire value chain. With the Code of Conduct, the Hera Group renews its commitment to recognising and valuing companies that adopt high ethical, social and environmental standards, including through the introduction of bonuses in tenders or in the supplier qualification process.
This Code is closely linked to the Hera Group’s Code of Ethics, reflecting its fundamental values of responsibility, integrity, transparency and consistency. Its introduction is thus a further step along the path towards a business model that considers sustainability a driver of growth and competitiveness.

“We are among the first in our sector to implement such a structured and participatory approach to supply chain sustainability. Our new Code of Conduct for suppliers,” comments Marco Del Giaccio, Director of Purchasing and Procurement of the Hera Group, “is not simply a formal document, but a true mutual commitment. It reinforces our role as a “responsible supply chain leader”, supporting suppliers along their path of growth and innovation. We firmly believe that the quality and sustainability of our services also depend on our supplier network. Therefore, investing in sharing sustainability-oriented goals and best practices is strategic and helps us understand our expectations and become more competitive. This is a path of shared growth that allows the Hera Group to achieve excellence along with its suppliers. After all, the Code we have developed is not a simple set of rules, but a real tool for sharing our values with all suppliers”.

Collaboration with suppliers: a strategic element for creating value
The Hera Group has always focused on communication and collaboration with its stakeholders, first and foremost suppliers, as key elements for generating value. Hera, indeed, plays a strategic role in promoting sustainable development, enhancing its supply chain as an essential lever for sustaining the economy. The Hera Group adopts a rigorous approach in selecting its suppliers, which goes far beyond mere economic considerations: it deeply assesses their sustainability profile, actively favouring those who comply with the most stringent environmental and social standards. The company’s commitment, therefore, does not end with the selection, but extends to proactively supporting suppliers to constantly improve their sustainability performance, building a more responsible future together.

Code of Conduct for suppliers: a further element of empowerment for creating shared value in line with the Hera Group’s purpose
The Code of Conduct for suppliers is part of the Group’s broader path towards creating shared value and implementing a business model guided by its Code of Ethics, which was updated in 2023 on the basis of the company’s purpose. Hera also stands out for its collaborative and non-imposing approach to its suppliers, focusing on empowerment and joint growth.
More specifically, within the Code of Conduct the ethical vision and outlook commitments, shared by the Hera Group and its suppliers, are broken down into three sections modelled on ESG (Environment - Social - Governance) factors, proposing in each section a path of growth that begins with a set of minimum mandatory commitments and goes on to suggest the adoption of a series of recommended best practices. On the one hand, the “Obligations and stipulated requisites” represent a set of mandatory requirements. These go beyond legal provisions, including specific binding rules and minimum performances required by Hera, and provide the ethical and operational foundation on which every business relationship with the company is based. On the other hand, the “Good practices and recommended requisites” indicate an outlook of virtuous actions that, while not mandatory, are strongly encouraged. Hera is actively committed to enhancing these initiatives taken by suppliers, recognising their fundamental contribution to achieving the Group’s sustainability objectives.

The Hera_Pro_Empower programme and the “Supplier Sustainability School”
Since 2024, the Hera Group has been engaged in a capacity-building programme called “Hera_Pro_Empower”, born from the awareness that most suppliers, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, need support to meet sustainability challenges. As part of the programme, Hera offers an ecosystem of services at subsidised rates, such as: paths for obtaining management system certifications; services for personnel recruitment and selection; services for energy efficiency; and services for industrial waste recovery.
The Hera Group has also activated its Supplier Sustainability School, a free academy open to all Group suppliers that provides training courses aimed at raising awareness and skills on ESG issues. So far, the school has been extremely well attended, involving over 800 participants and 500 suppliers through four main training programmes. These programmes have covered crucial aspects such as worksite safety, with targeted seminars for supplier managers on the high standards required by Hera, and an introduction to the Group’s sustainability principles and expectations. Also offered were in-depth studies on significant energy issues, partially in view of the new regulations on sustainability reporting (CSRD), and a specific path to guide suppliers in understanding and applying the new Code of Conduct.