Online CSR dialogue: facts and key words to engage stakeholdersHera Group’s online communications on corporate social responsibility

Filippo M. Bocchi, HERA S.p.A.

2nd Global Seminar Online CSR Communications

Milan, 21 October 2010

1/20

4.2Revenue

billion euros 2.8Gas sold

billion m3

3 Population served

million

6,481Workforce

62% Public shareholders5.1

Waste treated

million tons

257Water sold

million m3

Some important information for 2009: 2/20

Our defining features

In our online communications, as in our CSR reports, we have taken into account the fact that:

Gas

Electricity

Water

Environmental services

we are a multiutility (four services provided)we are addressing a variety of stakeholderswe have close ties to the region

3/20

How we have developed our online CSR communications

In the last three years we have:

changed the publication date of our Sustainability Report to coincide with our Financial Statementsexpanded our CSR contentpublished our CSR content on our entire website

4/20

made our CSR communications more engaging by:

considerably increasing the frequency of new content

showcasing projects and initiatives that are relevant to stakeholders

focusing our attention on concrete targets and results

seeking dialogue with stakeholders, despite only marginal use of social media

… changed the publication date of our Sustainability Report to coincide with our Financial Statements

In 2008 we completely overhauled the interactive version of the Sustainability Report

different navigation levels

CEO video introduction

interactive graphics

extra content

links for further details

Page views have increased tenfold

Key features:

5/20

… expanded our CSR content: now there is more than just the Sustainability Report

Since 2007 our reports have been enhanced by new initiatives, some of which are available exclusively online

“Discover our waste-to-energy plants” sectionSection on drinking water qualityVedoHera sustainability newsletterSection on the recovery and destination of separated waste (under construction)

A few examples:

6/20

… expanded our CSR content: the new “Discover our waste-to-energy plants” section

This section provides information in a more simple and engaging way, with videos and animations on atmospheric emissions and on how each of the Group’s waste-to-energy plants work.

Page views have tripled.

7/20

… expanded our CSR content: the new “Discover our waste-to-energy plants” section

8/20

Focus on atmospheric emissions: half-hour updates and record of daily averages for each plant.

… expanded our CSR content: the new “Discover our waste-to-energy plants” section

9/20

Use of interactive graphics to show how the emissions generated by each waste-to-energy plant compare with the legal and IEA limits.

… expanded our CSR content: section on drinking water quality

“Hera water label” with data on the quality of the water distributed in each municipality we serve

Focus on “In safe waters”, the annual report dedicated exclusively to drinking water quality

10/20

Social responsibility projects and initiatives can now be viewed not only in the CSR section, but also in all the other sections of our website.

The most important projects and initiatives are shown on the website’s home page.

… published our CSR content in all sections of our website

11/20

… published our CSR content in all sections of our website

12/20

Our “Customers” section showcases the CSR projects and initiatives relevant to this category of stakeholder.

… made our CSR communications more engaging: new features in the CSR section

Focus on targets and performance for each category of stakeholder

13/20

FAQs and contacts

Videos on key CSR projects and Sustainability Report presentation events (with testimonials from stakeholders)

Online sustainability newsletter

Focus on local CSR projects

News on CSR initiatives and events

… made our CSR communications more engaging: news and dates for your diary

14/20

In the first nine months of 2010 we published 86 news articles on social responsibility initiatives

We have introduced a section on CSR events involving Hera

We have set up e-mail alerts and RSS feeds for news and upcoming events

… made our CSR communications more engaging: video content

In the CSR section we have uploaded 36 videos of the main Sustainability Report presentation events. In 2009 alone, 750 people and 35 speakers attended these events.

The videos also contain testimonials from stakeholders who spoke at the events.

15/20

… made our CSR communications more engaging:focus on targets and results

We said we would do…, we have done…, we will do…:

every year we set concrete, measurable targets for each stakeholder category

every year we report back on the results achieved in a transparent way

16/20

the targets and results are easily accessible thanks to interactive graphics and brief synopses.

… made our CSR communications more engaging: sustainability newsletter

17/20

Since 2008 we have been publishing VedoHera, our online sustainability newsletter.

To date we have published 8 issues and 12 updates, with a total of 44 articles and 62 brief news items.

It is sent to 60 thousand people.

The newsletter has proved to be an effective tool for dialogue on our CSR projects.

Sustainability Report now available on iPad 18/20

A few statistics about visits to our website 19/20

9In the first

162,000months of 2010 a total of

10%with

of these relating to CSR news

9In the first

months of 2010 a total of

5,800contact forms were filled in

there are 15 contact forms on the website

35,000views of the 184 videos available on

the website and on YouTube

page views were recorded for the news section

3In the last

years

20/20

Thanks for listening!