Communication, events and solidarity

COMMUNICATION

The Communication Function of the Parent Company directs and coordinates the communication and information strategies and initiatives, of Acea SpA and of the subsidiaries, defining the development of the Group image. The main tool for this activity is the Annual Communication Plan, which is defined and monitored as time progresses. The Function also oversees information coverage by journalists, managing relations with the media and drafting and disseminating non-price-sensitive press releases, the preparation of press reviews and the organisation of press conferences for the various business areas. It also coordinates communication activities and internal dissemination of documents, news and editorial content, brand enhancement, management of corporate identity, creation of institutional, advertising and commercial campaigns, organisation of public or institutional events, development and management of environmental education and solidarity projects, as well as special projects and external events aimed at strengthening the bond between Acea and the territory.
In-house expertise also covers the design and production of photographic and video services, management of the Group's modern and historic documentary and photographic archives, and the promotion of Acea sites/plants for educational and cultural purposes. The Communication Function also defines the digital strategy and digital identity, in line with the strategic guidelines decided by Top Management, the positioning of the Group in the digital ecosystem, through the design, development and management of the institutional website and the websites of the companies aligned with the corporate identity.
It is responsible for the operational management of social media channels to disseminate and enhance, in addition to news and information about the Group, brand awareness, the Group’s values and mission and the initiatives it carries out during the year.
In 2022, the Group’s advertising communication emphasised the key elements of the Communication Plan: sustainability and environment, innovation, and territory. These were the “pillars” of the major institutional campaign on the ecological transition launched in April in the main national and local newspapers, online and in print, intended to highlight Acea’s role in this area, aligned with European and national strategy (see the dedicated box).

The Group’s commitment to sustainability and the environment was also underlined by a water saving campaign by Acea Ato 2, which was on air for three months in the summer across the entire province of Rome in the press, digital and outdoor with over 5,000 posters, and by an energy saving campaign by Areti, focused on the responsible use of air conditioners, on air in August 2022, with digital and outdoor formats in Rome.
Homage was paid to the “territory” by the campaign to spread awareness of the water bonus by Acea Ato 2 (press and digital in April and May 2022), by the digital campaign on the Acea Immersive Museum, online between May and December, and the final campaign of the year dedicated to the “Roma By Light” Christmas contest, the photography competition pair with the Christmas light decorations set up by Acea.
To support the activities of Acea Energia, a communication campaign was launched in April 2022 and continued until early 2023 to improve awareness of the company and the digital channels available to customers. The campaign, developed through targeted and crossing actions, with thousands of radio adverts, press releases and digital strategy, had a significant media response thanks to the involvement of two exceptional testimonials, Emanuela Fanelli and Frank Matano.

In 2022, the Group’s commitment to students continued with Acea School – ProteggiAmo l’ambiente [Let’s Protect the Environment], a training course that allowed young people to discover the best practices, projects and technologies implemented by the Group to manage the activities sustainably, learning about certain aspects such as alternative energy sources (see the dedicated box).

In June and July 2022, Acea Innovation Day was renewed, the event dedicated to the world of innovation and to new frontiers in sustainable development, this year offered as a roadshow with three stops – Terni, Naples and Rome – each of which covered specific topics: smart city, open innovation for the ecological transition, and digital transformation (see the dedicated box in the chapter Institutions and Businesses). The Acea Innovation Tour 2022 was live streamed by 5,000 people and, afterwards, Acea prepared and published a dedicated report on its institutional website.
In September 2022, with the collaboration of Marevivo and Monina Corporate Sailing, Acea organised the second Acea Green Cup, in the area in front of the Port of Cala Galera, a day of sport reserved for Group employees, with the aim of strengthening the sense of team and sharing the projects carried out by the Group companies relevant for sustainability and environmental protection (see box with details).
Lastly, Acea launched the project Itinerari turistici alla scoperta delle acque d’Italia [Tourist trails to discover Italy’s waters] - MIA (Acea Immersive Museum) created by the Communication Function of the Parent Company, by Acea Ato 2 and with scientific support from the Gecoagri Landitaly Cultural Association, inaugurating several interactive totems in Terni/Rieti (see the dedicated box).

The Communication Function manages Acea’s attendance at important events each year. In 2022 the Group attended the Green Med Symposium, a “workshop for green ideas, training and dissemination” (see box for details). It also attended and supported the Maker Faire in Rome – European Edition; centred around technological innovation, the event is now a regular fixture in Acea’s calendar and the chance to show its evolution in this area year after year. Over the three days of the 10th edition, held in Rome from 7 to 9 October 2022 at the Gazometro in Ostiense, Acea presented technological solutions that, applied to its infrastructure and industrial areas, support the development of the circular economy (see the dedicated box in the chapter Institutions and Businesses). In November, Acea also renewed its active presence at Ecomondo, confirming its “green” calling and presenting several particularly innovative and sustainable projects (see the dedicated box in Relations with the Environment, Environmental Sustainability and the Main Challenges).

With the coordination of the Communication Function, Acea opens its plants to students and visitors with a technical/scientific interest, thanks to employees willing to be their guide at the sites. This opportunity, suspended during the health emergency, resumed again in 2022 as soon as it became possible, welcoming 130 people over 3 visits.
As mentioned, communication on the digital channels, web and social media, is handled by the Digital and Corporate Media Unit, in the context of the Communication Function, in line with the Group’s digital strategy and digital identity and reflecting its values, mission and industrial positioning.
The corporate site (www.gruppo.acea.it) explains Acea’s background and how it operates. The site is constantly updated and has a clear organisation of information with corporate content as well as the services and initiatives of Acea, and allows for a fluid and intuitive navigation, with distinctive graphics, consistent with the Group’s brand identity, and a particular focus on visual communication. In 2022, the new “features” homepage was introduced, to highlight the topics and developments of greatest interest located further within the site, bringing the most relevant initiatives of the Group to the fore.
Acea’s commitment to effective communication in terms of transparency and quality of the content present on its institutional site is also recognised through significant rankings in sector classifications.
For example, the company was ranked in the category of “5 star” companies in the most recent study, now available, conducted by Lundquist and Comprend (Webranking Italy 2021-2022).
During the year, the Acea website highlighted the initiatives undertaken to ensure the continuity of services and express closeness to the community, also in the face of the Covid-19 health emergency, through the constant updating of the page dedicated to this information, including the activities of the Acea Vaccine Hub.
Information was given about the main events in 2022, mentioned previously, organised by the Group or in which it took part, highlighting the events to which Acea associates its brand, through sponsorships (see the dedicated paragraph below), such as the Rome Marathon and the Film Festival. During the year the “Events” section underwent restyling and reorganisation to make its navigation more effective and to optimise its positioning in search engines. A search by category feature was introduced to the “Events” main page and, in the detailed pages, a timeline of previous editions was inserted, facilitating the immediate use of older content. Furthermore, in line with the most recent style trends in digital communication, the “Stories” section was renewed, which describes the Group’s commitment to the territory, innovation and sustainability, characterising it with a design that breaks away from the rest of the site, to make it even more distinctive. The work was also centred around the aspects of user experience and user interface, to make the navigation more simple and fluid.
As well as being dealt with in the “Stories” and the reference section “Our Commitment”, sustainability is highlighted on all pages of the website as a key element for the Group's growth and value creation, with references to dedicated initiatives and projects in each area. In 2022, in particular, much visibility was given to topics of social sustainability, including diversity, equity and inclusion, by developing specific content.
Furthermore, the website highlighted the main lighting of monuments or institutional sites by Acea, in coordination with the Public Administration, on particular anniversaries, for example to raise awareness among citizens for the prevention of diseases such as breast cancer or other events with a high social impact.

Every year, on the occasion of the Shareholders' Meeting, the Acea Group's "Navigable Financial Statements" are published on the website, making the Consolidated Financial Statements and Sustainability Report available for viewing in interactive mode, with open data and multimedia content. The online reports present Acea's results, values and projects and allow visitors to grasp the multiple connections that link the two annual reports on one screen. For the first time, in 2022, the navigable version of Acea Ato 2’s Sustainability Report was created.
The website also performs a service function, with the timely publication of notices about any water stoppages affecting the areas where the Company operates. For several years, it has provided data about emissions, monitored in real time, from the Group's two waste-to-energy facilities and the Tor di Valle power plant, and the main parameters of the quality of the water supplied by companies that operate in the industry can be consulted online. In addition, the institutional website has given visibility to the certifications and environmental declarations that illustrate Acea Ambiente’s commitment.

In April 2022, following the company’s rebranding, Areti’s website (www.areti.it) underwent a restyling: it now features information content aimed at electricity distribution users, for example an area devoted to the plan to replace 2G meters, and it offers smooth navigation and an effective user experience as well as quick access, further improved by recent interventions, to the reserved area to manage utilities and services.
Acea Innovation’s mini-site (www.aceainnovation.it), hosted within the Group’s website, was created to introduce the company to a wide audience and as a contact channel for customers interested in the services offered: sustainable mobility, widespread composting and energy upgrading; during 2022 three dynamic forms were created for the acquisition of leads grouped by the three services offered, namely evolutionary techniques that improve user experience, facilitating initial contact with the company.

The Group's website is active on the domain www.gruppo.acea.it. The 2022 figures for page views and access cannot be compared with the 2021 figures because, from last year, accesses and views on the MyAcea reserved area, now grouped by type of service (water and energy) and outside the Group domain, are no longer included in the analysis. In 2022, therefore, the corporate site recorded a total of around 6.1 million page views, equal to around 3.4 million accesses. The desktop connection method still prevails, accounting for around 67% of accesses (2,266,886), followed by mobile phone for around 32% (1,074,678 accesses) and connection via tablet remains low, at 32,083 accesses in the year, or around 1%.
The Acea Energia website (www.acea.it) recorded over 2 million accesses in 2022. In the year in question, the most used device to access the site was mobile phone for the first time, surpassing desktop (52% via mobile and 45% via desktop); tablet access also increased slightly, to 3% (2% in 2021). The website, dedicated to the sale of electricity and gas for the free market, has a user-friendly navigation to help customers, in addition to sections devoted to “guides” and “stories”, where insights are provided on topics such as innovation in the energy sector, wind energy, e-mobility, energy saving, etc., which account for around 27% of total access to the site from Google.
On the website www.servizioelettricoroma.it, dedicated to Acea Energia customers on the standard market service, in 2022 456,754 accesses were recorded, with desktop accounting for 80.3% of the connection method, mobile phone 19% and tablet 0.7%.
Lastly, on Areti’s website (areti.it), over 715,000 page views were recorded in 2022, equal to more than 175,000 accesses; again in this case the connection method via desktop prevailed – around 60% of accesses (105,896) – followed by mobile telephone – around 38% of accesses (67,278) – and by tablet – for around 1% (2,195 accesses).

Chart no. 31 – Acea corporate website 2022: access methods

Acea continues to strengthen its social media presence, increasing the number of followers (see the dedicated box) thanks to an effective storytelling strategy and specific content for each channel, with the aim of highlighting the elements that characterise the Group’s commitment, in line with the communication tone of the institutional website. In 2022, Areti’s LinkedIn page and Waidy Wow’s Instagram channel were also created, and are managed in line with the respective strategies and brand propositions.

The Media Relations and Internal Communication Unit monitors relations with national and local media, in a spirit of mutual respect for roles and cooperation, with the aim of conveying the correct corporate image and position of the Group through the media.
Press releases and press conferences in 2022 disclosed the economic results achieved, the initiatives carried out by the Group and information of public interest relating to the provision of services. Media Relations, together with the Digital and Corporate Media Unit and in coordination with other competent Functions/ Departments of the Holding Company, handles the dissemination of press releases relating to major corporate events, such as the Shareholders’ Meeting and the approval of the financial statement figures. Through press articles, television, radio and web services and “Tg Acea” – published weekly on the intranet, the company’s website and YouTube – the Unit has guaranteed media coverage of the main events and initiatives carried out by the Group, with a particular focus on the development of the content of corporate communication.
The constant interaction with the operating companies allows the Unit to provide feedback on reports of inefficiencies coming from the media, interacting with press editors to have the company’s replies published.
Media Relation manages the national and local press review on a daily basis, making it available through the company's Intranet. This activity is complemented by the transmission of additional and timely information about the Group or relevant to the business managed, thanks to the regular monitoring of press agencies and the web (web news, social media and blogs).
Among the communications that accompanied the initiatives of particular importance during 2022 are, by way of example:

• communication actions on sustainability, including communications on Acea’s evaluation by Gaia Rating, on the improvement achieved in the Bloomberg Gender Equality Index, on the new Sustainability Rating Linked credit facility and on Acea’s entry into the MIB ESG index; the communications on World Energy Saving Day, the event M’illumino di Meno [I will use less light], World Earth Day and World Water Day; the communication with ASviS on the opening of the Sustainable Development Festival, with special lighting of the Cestia Pyramid, and the communications on the Group’s presence at the Ecomondo trade fair in Rimini;
• communications issued in the year regarding the electric mobility sector and Acea Innovation’s agreements for the ecological transition. These include the initiatives with Federdistribuzione, with the ESA, with the Municipality of Scarlino, and with the Municipality of Castel Gandolfo. Plus communications on the launch of works for the Ecological Transition Plan and, for Ecomondo, the communication on Acea Innovation’s new services for electric mobility: “iPads” and “Nose”;
• communications regarding the HR results achieved, such as the positioning in the Top Employers ranking, the agreement signed with UniteImaSapienza, the launch of the service aimed at employees for e-bike rental; the initiatives activated on International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women; the result achieved in the Financial Times and Statista ranking for Diversity & Inclusion and the gender equality certification from RINA;
• communications linked to news and current affairs, with a particular focus in 2022 on the health emergency and rising utility bills. These include the communications regarding the Acea Vaccine Hub, also opened in March to Ukrainian refugees; the note regarding excess profits and the communication on the agreement between Acea Energia and SACE for instalment arrangements for utility bills;
• for Acea Energia, the communication on the launch of the new national campaign dedicated to sustainability and the communications on the extension of the commercial partnership with Wind across Italy;
• the initiatives regarding electricity distribution include the communication on the agreement between Areti and RSE for the decarbonisation of electricity infrastructure and communications on the creation of the new high-voltage power line in south Rome and on the start of consultations for the RomeFlex project;
• the water sector communication on the installation of a water kiosk at the MEF site and the presentation with NTT Data of the Waidy Management System, with press release and dedicated interviews about the agencies; summer communications following media requests about the drought emergency, to reiterate the lack of critical situation in the territory of Rome, for which press releases, responses to newspapers and websites were given, as were interviews with press agencies;
• communications regarding the photovoltaic plants in Basilicata, with the inauguration of the Ferrandina plant, and in Sardinia with the authorisation for the Bolotana plant;
• actions connected to carrying out and promoting the Acea Innovation Tour 2022, with stops in Terni, Naples and Rome, and the communication in April regarding the launch of an Acea digital antenna in San Francisco;
• communications on the consolidation of Acea’s position in the waste recycling and treatment industry, through the acquisitions of plants and companies during the year;
• communications relating to Acea programmes aimed at young people, such as the launch and completion of the school-to-work programme called GenerAzione Connessa and the launch of the new edition of Acea School on a digital platform;
• communication actions for the installation and inauguration of the multimedia totems as part of the project “Itinerari turistici alla sco- perta delle acque d’Italia” [Tourist trails to discover Italy’s waters], tied in with the Acea Immersive Museum;
• corporate communications about the closing of the transaction for the sale to Equitix of a majority stake in the newco acquiring the photovoltaic assets; on the signing of the agreements with Suez for the design and marketing of digital metering systems for the water service; on the closing of the acquisition of certain A2A connections as part of the gas distribution and lastly on the closure of the first stage of the business combination with ASM

The Media Relations and Internal Communication Unit also guaranteed – through press articles, television, radio and web services – media coverage of the main events and initiatives in which Acea partic- ipated or which it held in the field of value liberality and sponsorship.

EVENTS AND SOLIDARITY

The economic value distributed to the community (in terms of sponsorships, trade fairs, conferences, etc.) in 2022 is approximately € 6.3 million¹⁰⁴ (€ 8 million in 2021). Of this amount, some 800 thousand euros have been earmarked for sponsoring cultural, social and sporting events. Allocations by way of donations for major initiatives amounted to approximately € 1.8 million (€ 2 million in 2021).
Acea offers its services, such as the supply of electricity and water or switching on/off public lighting, on the occasion of events and special circumstances of a solidarity and symbolic nature, such as, for example, special lighting/switching off of the Colosseum, in expression of solidarity with the Ukrainian population, as part of the campaign to raise awareness of the fight against the death penalty, on Rare Disease Day, on National Day against Eating Disorders, the M’illumino di meno [I will use less light] event, of the Senate Palace, such as for International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and World Multiple Sclerosis Day, of the Lazio Region Palace, on particular anniversaries, such as during Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October, World Patient Safety Day and World Autism Awareness Day, and the special lighting of the Cesta Pyramid, for the Festival of Sustainable Development. These services, referred to as 'technical sponsorships', had a total economic value of around €274,000 in 2022.

The company participates in the main events related to its business activities and supports, every year, including with sponsorships, initiatives considered of high cultural and social value for the development of the areas it operates in and for the benefit of the community (see also the summary boxes at the end of the section). The Sponsorship and Value Liberality Function advises on and manages requests from the entire region and from the Group’s corporate structures, to submit them for the assessment of the Committee for the Region, a corporate body assigned the tasks of consultation and monitoring in relation to sponsorships and donations, in order to guarantee a sound and virtuous development of relations with the territories in which the Acea Group operates. The applications approved by the Committee for the Region are subject to Integrity Due Diligence, for an ethical and reputational assessment of the applicants, according to best practices.
In 2022, Acea continued to support several hospitals, allocating to them a portion of the funds allocated to sponsorships, in particular the Policlinico Agostino Gemelli and the Policlinico Umberto I, which upgraded and created several wards, and carried out other solidarity initiatives.

The Group also sought to contribute to cultural events and events of social interest, for the relaunch of the territory and the well-be- ing of citizens. The main events held in 2022 included the Van Gogh exhibition open in Rome from October 2022 to March 2023 at Foro Bonaparte, which made some 60 works by the great Dutch painter and other artists in his circle exceptionally accessible. To promote the recovery of theatre, musical and cinema activities, Acea once again joined the Fondazione Teatro dell’Opera di Roma as a private member and sponsored shows by that theatre and by Caracalla. It also sponsored the 2022 editions of the Two Worlds Festival in Spoleto, the 100 Cities in Music initiative, the Film Festi- val at Rome’s Auditorium Parco della Musica, and other similar local initiatives, such as the Etruria Eco Festival 2022 and the Tolfa Jazz Festival 2022.
Alongside entrepreneurial initiatives for young people and the promotion of innovation, Acea sponsored the second edition of the Italian Smart Design 2022 competition and the catalogue that presented the projects.
Among the main sporting events of the year, Acea, as per usual, associated its brand with the two running events of great importance for the capital: the Rome Marathon – Acea Run Rome The Marathon – and the Rome-Ostia Half Marathon, which were held on 27 March and 17 October 2022 respectively, as well as the 2022 Rugby Six Nations, held from 13 February to 12 March at Rome’s Stadio Olimpico. The Group has sponsored numerous other sports initiatives and some teams, such as Virtus Basket Siena, ASD Orvieto Basket and Rugby Perugia, and has supported, as every year, initiatives aimed at children such as Volley Scuola - Acea Trophy (see the dedicated box) and Acea Camp. Started in 2015 from an idea of Carlton Myers and thanks to the support of Acea, every summer, at the end of the school year, the latter event has offered, over time, the opportunity to thousands of children, aged between 6 and 16, to practice individual and team sports, at a sustainable cost for families and accepts, first of all, those in greater economic hardship.

The following boxes describe some of the main events supported by the Acea Group in 2022, through sponsorships or donations.

104 This item also includes expenses incurred for “trade fairs and conference” but not “technical” sponsorships.