Put people at the centre

As at 31 December 2021, the Italgas Group had 3,904 employees (compared to 3,985 in 2020).

Specifically, 93% of the company population are hired on permanent contracts, while apprenticeship contracts account for the remaining 7%. The apprenticeship contracts terminated in 2021 were all transformed into permanent contracts.

In 2021, 221 people joined, of whom 217 were hired on the market and 4 come from internal transfers from affiliate companies.

The increase continues in the absolute value of the number of university graduates, while those who have completed secondary school or other schooling levels, declines.

In 2021, 58.5% of hires regarded resources aged under 30 years old, a percentage that is in line with the objective included in the 2021-2027 Strategic Plan, which envisages the inclusion of more than 60% of resources aged under 30 throughout the plan time-line. The figure is consistent with the trend recorded in 2019-2021 and shows constant growth.

Vice versa, 302 staff left the Group, of whom 298 due to termination of employment contracts and other reasons (mainly for retirement).

Development at Italgas is intended to ensure an increase in the skills required by the business strategies. The Company, in fact, provides all employees and collaborators with career opportunities based on merit, professional and managerial expertise and active participation in company development and improvement processes.

In 2021 the change management process began, which will lead to the identification of the Italgas purpose, vision, mission and leadership model and to the definition of identifying values, which will be the cornerstones on which to create an articulated plan of actions in 2022. More specifically, the leadership model will form the base on which to build a new performance management system and structure the Italgas Managerial Academy. In 2021, the talent strategy project was also started, which will guide development activities in 2022.

The managerial development programme, launched in 2020 to support development of the managerial culture, digital transformation and the significant generational handover continued during 2021. The plan’s logic and pillars are as follows: the management of performance through the continuous feedback culture, the development of staff potential through an assessment and empowerment programme and the consequent development and career plans.

Moreover, the following continued in 2021: the mapping of the managerial potential of newly appointed managers, also for the purposes of updating the Succession Planning and individual Coaching courses for executives and middle managers who have acquired more responsibilities over the year.

In relation to the accelerated career paths, the young engineers hired in 2017 and included in the rotation programme have completed their job rotations and now hold roles as managers/ professionals in the various Group companies.

Training and development courses aimed at empowerment and skills consolidation were also improved, with a focus on digital and managerial skills. A snapshot of the main initiatives is shown below:

• italgas School;
• digitalgas project;
• weLEAD course.

Italgas School

For graduates who had recently joined the Group, the Training and Development Programme (“Italgas School”) combines classroom-based training activities over several modules with activities for developing potential and managerial skills using the self-empowerment methodology. The programme also involves a development centre (in the two junior and expert formats, according to seniority) downstream of which a meeting is organised for each participant to look at their development profile with HR and their line manager.

The second edition of the Italgas School is under way with over 57 participants in 2020, and will conclude in mid-2022. During the second half of 2022, the 3rd edition will be launched. In 2021, the total number of training hours dedicated to this course was 1072.

Digitalgas project

In order to support the ongoing digital transformation in Italgas, the “Digitalgas” programme was developed in 2021, a path by which to develop the innovation and change management skills by the ICT Department and the Technological Innovation Department. The programme is divided into four phases: Define & Ideate, Ethnographic Research, Sharing Insight & Idea Generation and Prototyping Ideas.

WeLEAD course

In November 2021, the “WeLEAD” development path began, aimed at supporting recently-appointed managers in taking up their roles and acquiring the key competences, techniques and tools to manage and develop their team and the business. The pilot involved 19 people for a total of 304 training hours and in 2022, another 60 colleagues will be trained.

The percentage of positions held by in-house candidates has reduced slightly on 2020 insofar as in 2021, the Group increased certain hires on specialised skills acquired by the market.
It is noted that with the Smart Rotation project, the last two months of 2021 have seen 8 positions covered out of a total of 17 positions opened.

The 2021-2027 Strategic Plan pays close attention to the Italgas people and the development of their competences. A key role is therefore played by training, which is giving a further boost to personal reskilling and upskilling.

All employees, regardless of their job description or contract type, plus all new resources, are offered dedicated training and development activities.

In 2021, training continued to focus on digital learning initiatives (provision of 250,000 hours by 2027 of training on the digital transformation): training courses and initiatives were held in virtual remote classrooms, also thanks to Italgas advanced technologies and the introduction of new gamification tools that made it possible to guarantee the continuity and effectiveness of training. The transfer of specialist technical know-how required for maintenance, management and performance of Italgas assets continued in spite of the pandemic.

The specific training paths for various technical and professional figures continued in 2021 in a “digital learning” format, with over 28,000 hours of training and 3,250 attendees.

Training continued of the community of 65 Digital Ambassadors – present in all areas of the main offices and across the territory – who contributed to help the transfer of digital expertise at Italgas with their willingness to carry out the role of internal teachers, participating proactively and with commitment in the training initiatives offered.

On MyLearning, a multimedia platform dedicated to training, various training actions were launched on cybersecurity, the latter intended to promote awareness and maintain the focus on risks associated with the dissemination of company information and, in particular, the cyber attacks and fraud that take place through malicious phishing campaigns.

To foster the knowledge transfer and professional updates on technical systems and the deployment activities of the Digital Factory, digital training was delivered using train-the-trainer procedures and in-depth sessions through shadowing on new digital systems, with the help of expert employees.

In 2021, a total of over 112,000 hours of training were provided and every employee on average received over 28 hours of training.

The average external costs incurred per Italgas resource are around € 280, not including more than 2,000 hours of internal teaching.

In addition to that already described, the main training programmes developed in 2021 were as follows:

• induction of new hires: the training course dedicated to young graduates joining the Group continued in a fully digital format, with specific interventions on the history, culture and skills, values and identity elements of Italgas. Strategic and business lines, fundamentals of economics and finance for the business, sustainability. In preparing the training interventions, use of in-house teachers was preferred, by the Company management team who, through their testimonials shared with their new colleagues information about their own personal and working experience;
• english: in 2021, a widespread training programme aimed at deepening the English language was launched. The course is aimed at the entire corporate population and is delivered by digital learning through videos, reading and writing exercises, listening and listening comprehension, individual or small group conversation lessons, in-depth thematic studies;
• effective communication: In order to enhance soft skills, a programme of training initiatives was launched in 2021 on effective e-mail management, on basic and advanced elements of public speaking, with a focus on digital presentations. The programme will be developed more widely in 2022;
• training for the Integrated Supervision Centre: training and refresher courses for the operators of the Integrated Supervision Centre continued, with the aim of increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of the service provided by the First Aid call centre. The 2021 activities focused on supporting 2 new operators with more experienced operators for a total of over 400 hours;
• training course on Picarro: in support of the Scheduled Search for Leaks, various training initiatives were organised on the technology, use of Surveyor vehicles and portable backpack analysers. The initiatives involved over 450 participants for a total of 2,211 hours. This provided the opportunity to extend the Scheduled Search for Leaks service beyond the company’s boundaries by involving other companies in the sector such as UnaReti;
• training course on Safe and Eco-sustainable Driving: with a view to Italgas’ constant attention to the issues of Safety and Sustainability, an ad hoc preventive, defensive and eco-sustainable safe driving course was designed and created on the Vairano, Sarno and Viterbo circuits. About 300 participants were involved for 2,471 hours with the aim of achieving the best driving safety standards and optimising vehicle management in terms of consumption and maintenance costs. The programme comes under the scope of training on safety carried out in collaboration with the HSEQ department.
• area conventions: in 2021 great attention was paid to management sharing of corporate objectives and challenges through area conventions, held in digital format and aimed at a widespread population.

HSEQ training – traditionally undertaken via classroom teaching, as well as in the field – also continued in the new digital manner, while maintaining the same standards of effectiveness and in accordance with the legislative requirements set out to enable specific activities. In 2021, Italgas then added various initiatives to involve the entire chain of suppliers. This is the context into which the “HSE Partners Lb” and “Communication management in emergency situations” fall, aimed at raising awareness amongst our partners on paying closer attention to improve prevention, increase safety levels, reduce the environmental impacts, stimulate a more efficient use of resources and, at the same time, increase communication skills and awareness in the various situations, so as to be able to offer an ever-better service to the public.

Employee training for safety at work also continued in 2021, with the relative periodic refreshers, as per the State/Regions Agreement, through courses taken in an e-Learning format. All training initiatives are extended to all Italgas Group companies.

In order to attract, motivate and retain the best talents, Italgas promotes employee commitment and performance through the definition and implementation of compensation policies, that are very much focussed on meritocracy and differentiated according to performance and professional and managerial abilities, by considering:

• the responsibilities assigned;
• the results achieved;
• the quality of the professional contribution;
• people’s development potential.

The Italgas Group remuneration policy is to be approved by the Shareholders’ Meeting and is based on the following principles:

• promote the pursuit of the company objectives, its sustainable success and therefore the improvement of its long-term results through a close connection with the corporate strategic plan;
• pursue and promote the creation of value for the various company stakeholders (employees, shareholders, local communities, suppliers);
• attract, retain and motivate people with high professional qualities;
• encourage the commitment of key resources;
• encourage actions and conducts that respect the values and culture of the Company, in compliance with the principles of meritocracy, inclusion and plurality, equal opportunity, enhancement of people’s knowledge and professionalism, fairness, non-discrimination and integrity required by the Code of Ethics.

The 2021 Remuneration Policy has been widely accepted and approved by the Shareholders’ Meeting with 96.4% of votes in favour in regard to the section on the 2021 Policy and 97.3% of votes in favour of the section on fees paid in 2020.

The compensation systems, in particular, are periodically assessed and updated based on a comparison with best practice and the remuneration markets of reference in relation to criteria inspired by meritocracy, internal equality and external competition in order to ensure the recognition of the results achieved is correctly rewarded and aligned with the overall business results, thereby assuring the development, growth, attraction and retention rate of key individuals in order to contribute to the achievement of comprehensive business objectives.

The analysis of the fixed remuneration, which is therefore connected with the nature and responsibilities of the role, highlights the consistency of this approach; the ratio of fixed remuneration paid in 2021 to the CEO and the average fixed remuneration of Italgas employees in 2021 is 1:20, a ratio that remains effectively unchanged on the previous year.

Once a year, Italgas carries out a structured analysis and review of the fixed remuneration of employees with a view to acknowledging personal merits and growth. This process considers both principles of internal fairness and competitiveness towards the external market and the performance and potential of the people themselves. In addition, in order to assure the development of the strategic plan and the achievement of the business objectives, Italgas assigns incentive systems with shortand long-term horizons, based both on monetary instruments and shares. The beneficiaries of these incentive systems are the managerial roles, first and foremost the Chief Executive Officer and Executives with strategic responsibilities.

From time to time, the performance is assessed in relation to the incentive systems that provide for the disbursement of premiums only where the objectives assigned are reached, thereby assuring a strong focus on results and a solid tie between remuneration and performance.

In 2021, thanks to an agreement reached with the main trade union organisations, for all middle managers, an individual target card was introduced, to which 50% of the corporate premium is linked, in a bid to further strengthen the focus on results and assign increasing importance to merit. In addition, just like in 2020, the assessment of the performance of all Group company unit managers, has been confirmed.

In 2021, performance assessment involved 60 executives (11 of whom were women) and 367 non-executives (82 of whom were women), coming to a total of 427 people, divided among the various Italgas Group companies as follows:

• Italgas (29.87%): 135 people, 33 of whom were executives (8 of whom were women) and 102 of which were non-executives (34 of whom were women);
• Italgas Reti (7%): 199 people, 14 of whom were executives (1 of whom was woman) and 185 of which were non-executives (28 of whom were women);
• Medea (13%): 8 people, 1 of whom was a female executive;
• Toscana Energia (7%): 27 people, 5 of whom were executives;
• Seaside (27.3%): 12 people, 2 of whom were executives and 5 women;
• Gaxa (37%): 7 people, 1 of whom was an executive and 1 woman;
• Italgas Acqua (10.5%): 2 people;
• Bludigit (40.2%): 37 people, 4 of whom were executives and 6 women.

In 2021, relations between the Italgas Group and the trade unions saw the involvement and participation of structures at national, local and company levels. During the year, relations with the trade unions were particularly intense and focused on the process of renewing the Group’s RSUs and RSAs by calling for elections in October. Early 2021, the new electoral parameters were defined, taking into account the organisational changes that had taken place during the last two years, and the conditions recognised for being appointed unitary trade union representative and workers’ representatives for health, safety and the environment on a Group level. Trade union communication procedures have also been agreed for the electoral phase and the new tool of the Electronic Union Notice Board launched and regulated. More specifically, significant agreements were reached on the following issues: update of the COVID protocol, launch of the vaccination plan, regulation of collective transfers by means of the Site Plan, final calculation of the Results Premium for 2020 and setting of the productivity and profitability targets for 2021, with specific reference to the definition of an agreement regarding the productivity of the middle managers. In 2021, 116 meetings were held with trade unions, 36 of which at national level and 80 at local level. The figure confirms the constant involvement of representatives at all levels. At the end of 2021, the total number of employees in the Group was 3,904 and the total number of employees registered with a trade union was 1,816; therefore, the percentage of employees registered with a trade union organisation was 46.51%.

To address the Covid-19 health emergency and guarantee employee safety, in 2021 smart working conditions continued to be used, calibrating the maximum number of days to be spent working from home according to the need to maintain distances within the offices and depending on infection and employee vaccination levels. For all operational staff, on the other hand, in order to avoid crowding in the offices, the method of working from home has continued to be implemented.

The lawsuit with employees and former employees of the Italgas Group, although basically stable over time, has decreased on 2020, due to the definition of 17 serial judgements connected with a single dispute relative to various employees of the former AES of Turin.

DISPUTES WITH EMPLOYEES

In 2021, a total of 19 new disputes were brought and 36 were closed. At 31 December 2021, a total of 24 disputes were pending, of which two brought by groups of workers and respectively regarding economic requests relative to holidays and the institution of reduced working hours.

In general, legal action brought against the Group companies (Italgas Reti, Medea and Toscana Energia) mainly referred to the following situations: difference between professional category and related remuneration, economic claims of various types, occupational illness, challenge of disciplinary measures inflicted, including dismissals.

In 2021, with the creation of the Heritage Lab, collaboration began with the cooperative company Il Maringe and the Piedmont Employment Agency in order to actively involve people recognised as “fragile” in the world of work.

Finally, it should be noted that no incidents of discrimination occurred during 2021.

During the year, the Group started various initiatives to design the “new normal” and guarantee its employees a more inclusive, more modern employee experience. Below are the main project started in 2021:

• Co-working – To outline a vision of the new way of working that allows for the alternation of smart working and working in the office, the Group has launched a co-working project, with modular work stations designed to satisfy the various needs of employees heading into the main offices. In 2021, the pilot project began in Turin where, with the restructuring of the building at Largo Regio Parco, 9, it was possible to review the layout of certain spaces, introducing modularity of the areas according to the activities to be carried out and non pre-assigned work stations, but rather which can be booked and that are equipped with the essential tools. This makes it possible to have a workplace that facilitates collaboration and dialogue between colleagues, as well as spaces designed to host new employees and create team building opportunities;
• Employee journey – During the year, a digital room was launched in the Digital Factory, with a twofold objective:
  • to make the employee experience on the digital channels made available to them easy, innovative, personal and smart;
  • to adopt best-in-class tools to identify, involve and enhance the best talents.

More specifically, as the first step of this transformation, a new intranet has been issued, as a central hub of the employee experience, which can put the needs and expectations of colleagues at the centre, simplifying access to communication, information, tools and services, maximising the possibilities of communication and the exchange of know-how.

As second step, the activities of the HR teams have been optimised, starting with the Recruiting & Onboarding process through the introduction of new digital tools, the evolution of the solutions already available and the convergence of the front office experience in the new intranet.

Through these tools, the employee’s journey within the company is completely redesigned, from the application through to when the company is left.

• New Payroll system – During the last few months of 2021, IG SUITE was introduced, the new attendance detection, travel and administrative document consultation system, operative since January 2022 for all Group staff. The new system allows employees to manage all attendance and transfers from a mobile telephone, also enabling a simplification and digitisation of the reporting process.

In Italgas, personal and professional well-being are seen as company assets. Indeed, people are always at the heart of the Italgas Group’s focus and the Welfare Plan, dedicated to all Group employees, stems precisely from the initiatives taken in a bid to improve the quality of life of its people, helping them strike a fair balance between their personal and working lives, creating a lively, active community.

The Welfare Programme is structured into a series of services and initiatives designed to meet the different needs and demands of the population in terms of family management, income support, health and physical well-being, free time and dealing with the day-to-day issues as they arise. The services are available for use by all Group employees on permanent contracts, including part-time workers.

The initiatives implemented evolve constantly and are outlined each time on the basis of the needs and demands expressed by colleagues.

In 2021, in fact, a survey was given out to all Group employees, to which more than 1,300 employees contributed, seeking to analyse needs and demands, with the aim of then structuring an increasingly cutting-edge, complete and inclusive Welfare Plan. On the basis of the main evidence that emerged, a series of new initiatives has been identified, launched in 2021:

• the new Wellgas Platform, which is more dynamic, interactive and user-friendly, available to everyone;
• the Italgas Health Challenges to improve the life-work balance;
• on-line and in-gymnasium training sessions through the collaboration with external partners providing on-line training free of charge and granting discounts on networks of wellness centres/gymnasiums across national territory (280 employees have used the service);
• nutrition programmes: a nutritionist is available to employees and their families with a dedicated diet plan at special rates for the group (45 employees have used the service);
• on-line psychotherapy and “Mind-Body Connection” courses: the importance of mental well-being is now very much acknowledged and this is why Italgas has decided to supplement its Welfare Programme, activating an agreement with an on-line psychology and psychotherapy service, which provides a competent, reliable point of reference in people’s lives, to help improve their psychological well-being, quality of life and personal growth. The course was accompanied by a 4-session webinar, held by a specialist, on the theme “The Mind-Body Connection” (the webinar recorded a total of 421 attendees);
• activation of the healthcare network: in order to complete the services offered in the area of the health and well-being of employees, and to supplement the current healthcare policies in force, during the month of December, Italgas activated a healthcare network that allows employees and their families to benefit from specialist visits throughout the country at discounted rates (170 members as at 31.12.2021).

Apart from the new services introduced in 2021, the Welfare Plan continued on from previous years:

• income and free time support: micro credit, reimbursement of nursery schools, agreements with banks, dedicated purchasing convention portals, legal and tax consultancy;
• family support: reimbursement of nursery schools, summer camps, study aid (loan for the purchase of schoolbooks, study grants, on-line support lessons and guidance courses), agreements with caregiver assistance services;
• support for health and well-being: in addition to the category healthcare funds and the various insurance policies covering illness/life/permanent disability and Covid-19, the free cancer prevention courses have been maintained throughout the national territory in collaboration with LILT (the Italian League for the Fight Against Cancer);
• support to mobility: agreements with the main urban (and other) transport carriers and with sustainable (waterless) car washing;
• Flexible Benefit plan: possibility of converting a share of the Participation Premium into Welfare Credit in the manner governed by the company regulations and current legislation, in order to access welfare services and goods, enjoying tax and social security benefits envisaged by current legislation, as well as the Welfare Bonus guaranteed by Italgas, equal to 18% of the converted share;
• Welfare Day: days – at the main group sites – dedicated to explaining the current welfare programme, opportunity for obtaining answers to requests for clarification and dedicated analyses.

The initiatives implemented in 2021 have proven very popular, with great acceptance, involvement and enthusiasm seen by all Group people: at 31.12.2021, more than 3,500 employees had registered with the portal (+12.6% on 2020) and approximately 7,000 requests for services had been made by users (+69% on 2020).

In line with the Strategic Plan objectives, which envisage a greater dissemination and use of welfare services by 2027 (target: 75% of the company population), in 2021, the number of active users (company population that has used at least one service) is 65.9% of the total company population, recording a significant increase on 2020.

In line with the attention paid to the topics of Diversity & Inclusion in the Strategic Plan, in 2021, female presence in the company improved significantly, also in terms of women holding positions of responsibility. In particular, 22% of Group managers are women, a clear rise on last year (16.7% in 2020), whilst in all, a total of 16.4% of the company workforce are women (15.1% in 2020), also taking into account the traditional male presence in the technical operative areas of the company.

In line with the objectives included in the 2021-2027 Strategic Plan, the Italgas Group includes in its priority commitments, the definition and implementation of policies and processes of inclusion and optimisation of Group diversity, whether gender, age or background.

Through the 2021 creation of a specific structure within the HRO Department in the Talent & Change Management area, and with the establishment of the figure of the Diversity & Inclusion Manager, Italgas’ approach to Diversity & Inclusion in fact received new drive and method, with the launch of a structured awareness-raising and engagement process involving the whole of the company population, with the pursuit of an action plan that will be developed over the next three years.

Some of the main Diversity & Inclusion initiatives carried out in 2021 in Italgas include:

• inclusion of Diversity and Inclusion KPIs among the corporate objectives:
• percentage of female candidacies on the total of candidacies examined to be hired (net of labourers) – 44,7% in 2021;
• percentage of women holding the position of “head of business unit” – 22% in 2021;
• renewal of collaboration – as Supporting Partner – with Valore D, the leading association of businesses in Italy which, for over ten years, has been promoting gender balance and a culture of inclusion, committed to spreading this culture of inclusion within our Country;
• adhesion to STEM By Women, an association of businesses, organisations and people that promotes and encourages women’s careers and studies in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) area;
• participation in a new edition of the Grow Data Girls challenge, facilitated by colleagues in collaboration with the LUISS Business School. The project aims to promote, support and improve the personal and professional growth of the female students at the LUISS Business School, paying particularly close attention to inclusion in the world of work and promotion of the professional career;
• gender equality assessment, which aims both to measure, using elements that are partly qualitative and statistical, effective gender equality in Italgas and to launch concrete actions offering support and improvement over the next three years;
• qualitative listening projects through focus groups with the aim of analysing aspects relative to generational and background diversity present in the Italgas Group, in order to gather further input and contributions on the matter;
• first edition of the female leadership course, with the aim of facilitating opportunities for exchanges, experimentation and inspiration on the distinctive characteristics of female leadership, including through internal networking and a comparison with models of sports excellence;
• first edition of the “Unconscious Bias” course, a time for reflection on the importance of Diversity and Inclusion in the company, with particular attention paid to the effects that the stereotypes and prejudices to which we are all unknowingly subject have on the organisation and decision-making processes;
• participation in the survey “Valorizzare le differenze in azienda” (Optimising differences in the Company), as part of the research project developed by the Catholic University of Milan with the aim of analysing employee perception of the dimensions enabling the processes for optimising differences and inclusion;
• widespread action to raise awareness and engagement throughout the territories and business areas, which took concrete form with the identification of more than 30 Diversity & Inclusion Ambassadors, which will star in the organisational change with the aim of promoting the benefits of a business culture based on principles of diversity and inclusion.

The constant commitment continues to reducing the pay gap between men and women: in 2021, in fact, the difference in the number of training hours aimed at both genders was aligned (see section “Training programmes”) and the difference between the salary received by men and women in all roles was further reduced⁴².

Accessibility of the applications developed

In 2021, the focus was kept on the degree of accessibility of the applications developed by Italgas in all phases of the process. In particular, also thanks to the new proprietary Design System, during all phases of the design and development of technological solutions, specific tests are run on accessibility for blind and poorly-sighted users.

⁴² Due to the type of business, the population of Italgas workers is very much imbalanced towards the male gender, hence the sample is not statistically significant.

The commitment towards health and safety was formalised through the adoption of the Italgas Group Health, Safety, Environment, Quality and Energy Policy (HSEQE), developed on the basis of company policies and in line with the Code of Ethics aimed at enhancing and protecting human resources, essential values for the Company.

Some of the specific commitments on which the Policy is based in fact regard:

• to design, implement, manage and dispose of facilities, constructions and assets, to protect worker health and safety, the environment, energy savings, while aligning with the best technologies available and sustainable economically;
• to conduct and manage activities in order to prevent incidents, accidents and occupational diseases;
• to ensure the information, training, and awareness of personnel for an active and responsible participation in the implementation of the principles and the achievement of the objectives.

In relation to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Italgas Group, from the start of the Covid-19 emergency, has established a Crisis Committee with the task of constantly monitoring the situation and assessing any action to be taken in response to the evolution of the emergency situation and the consequent directives given by the competent Authorities. In 2021, the Crisis Committee met 37 times.

The company has taken proper prevention and protection measures in regard to all its workers, identified to prevent the spread of the virus in the workplace, implementing the measures defined by the reference Authorities that envisage, amongst others, the supply of specific personal protection equipment (e.g. FFP2/3 masks, surgical masks and disposable gloves) and the adoption of organisational measures aimed at minimising people’s travel and fostering social distancing (suspension of transfers, smart working, permits, etc.). In 2021, 10 communications were sent to all staff, through the HSEQ department, containing the protocol adopted by the Company updated according to the indications of provisions issued by the competent authorities.

In 2021, as regards information, meetings with suppliers should be highlighted, which, due to the Covid-19 health emergency, were held over the internet. In all, 24 meetings were held with contractors, during which the data on incidents was examined and commented and awareness was raised on safety topics. In addition, 19 specific digital conventions should be noted with the territorial poles addressed in particular towards raising awareness to injuries, the analysis of incidents, including near misses, and the definition of corrective actions to be implemented.

In 2021, a major reduction was recorded in injuries involving employees, which went from 7 in 2020, to 4. In all cases, an in-depth analysis was performed on the causes so as to identify the corrective action necessary to avoid any repetition of similar incidents. The frequency index, calculated considering only employee injuries, has improved considerably, dropping to 0.61 (1.07 in 2020). The severity index has instead remained constant at 0.01.

The number of injuries involving contractors in the last three years has stayed constant at 8; in 2021, having worked more hours than in previous years, we can see an improvement in the frequency index, which comes to 1.71 (1.94 in 2020). The severity index also improves, dropping to 0.07 (0.10 in 2020).

The comprehensive frequency index, considering the sum of employee injuries and injuries involving contractor staff, has dropped to 1.07 (1.41 in 2020), with the number of injuries declining: 12 as compared with 15 in 2020.li del personale degli appaltatori, è sceso a 1,07 (1,41 nel 2020) con il numero di infortuni in calo: 12 rispetto ai 15 del 2020.