Overview

Due to the nature of its business, the Group is potentially exposed to various types of risks, mainly from natural events, climatic changes and financial market risks (external risks) and operational and environmental risks specific to each business sector, Information Technology and Human Resources (internal risks). In order to manage these risks, analyses and monitoring are carried out by each company as part of a structured and coordinated process implemented at a Group level through the integration of two complementary approaches (Enterprise Risk Management and continuous risk management), aimed at assessing and treating the risks of the entire organisation in an integrated logic, consistent with its risk appetite, with the aim of providing management with the information needed to make the most appropriate decisions to achieve strategic and business objectives, to safeguard, grow and create value for the company.

As part of the Enterprise Risk Management Framework, Group companies, also availing themselves of the support and assistance of Acea SpA’s Risk & Compliance Department, periodically carry out risk assessment activities in a structured manner, with the aim of identifying and assessing the main risks that may significantly affect the achievement of business objectives. In this way, a representation of the evolution of the Group’s overall risk profile is achieved, through the mapping and prioritisation of the main risks to which the Group is exposed and the identification of optimal methods for managing them, by preparing a mitigation strategy and monitoring its implementation. In the monitoring phase, Group companies ensure the management of identified risk scenarios, including through the implementation of specific response actions identified to reduce their potential effects.

Due to the continuation of the international geopolitical and economic crisis in 2022, with impacts on several aspects of the real economy, it was deemed expedient to evaluate more frequently the risk scenarios to which the Acea Group is exposed,

also to facilitate adequate monitoring and possible refinement of the planned responses.

Among the tools available to the Group, the Key Risk Indicators (KRI) Framework makes it possible to assess changes in the organisation’s exposure to “operational” risks through the identification, regular updating and integrated reading of “sentinel” metrics.

In order to contain these types of risks, the Group has implemented mitigation and monitoring as summarised below at both a corporate and business sector level.

For Risk Mitigation long ago the Acea Group introduced the development and adoption of a Group Insurance Plan based on the following pillars:

• Third Party Liability;
• Property Damage;
• Employee benefits.

More specifically, the first two pillars transfer the economic and/or asset risk deriving from civil liability – in all its general, professional, environmental and cyber forms – and from events (accidental, culpable or malicious) affecting the Group’s physical and production assets.

The third pillar, on the other hand, aside from transferring economic and financial risk, implements a corporate welfare measure guaranteeing and paying the employees of the Acea Group significant financial support – both to those directly concerned and to those who may be entitled – in case of serious traumatic events related to both the professional and private spheres.

Still on the subject of risk mitigation, most of the companies of the Acea Group have adopted and maintain an Integrated Quality, Environment, Safety and Energy Management System (hereinafter the “System”), which complies with UNI ISO 9001:2015 (Quality), UNI ISO 14001:2015 (Environment), UNI ISO 45001:2018 (Safety) and UNI ISO 50001:2018 (Energy), certified by an accredited external body, as a tool for the prevention of accidents, diseases and pollution, as well as a measure to promote and support the efficiency and effectiveness of the company’s processes, including energy processes, and to achieve continuous improvement in the performance of the System itself and work management.

It should be noted that the main risks and uncertainties that could cause significant effects on the Acea Group’s economic, equity and financial situation present at the time this current Report on Operations was prepared are identified and that, given the continued uncertainties with reference to the international situation, and that any updates will be made when necessary.