Key Events
NEW
HEADQUARTERS
After more than three years of work, the Group’s new headquarters was opened in Milan-Bicocca during 2016. Extending over about 22,000 m2, the facility was designed specifically to obtain the international LEED Platinum certification, which sets the standard for the measurement and evaluation of sustainable buildings, considering the reduction of CO2 emissions and the quality of the materials used during the construction phase.
The central theme of the new headquarters is Smart Working, as an innovative and functional approach to the time spent in the working environment, employing: digitalisation, as the promotion of a work place that facilitates the creation and sharing of electronic information; team work and community building, where efficiency and a collaborative spirit are the order of the day; work-life integration, to improve the balance between work and private life via the increased flexibility of working hours; a war on waste and incentives to recycle materials via the separation of waste; the use of recyclable glass bottles to distribute water to employees and guests; a paperless approach, via the further implementation of practices designed to reduce drastically the use of paper and promote respect for the environment.
The headquarters consist of new buildings separated by two full height, glass-covered areas providing sustainable recreation areas that, at the same time, ensure the maintenance of a stable micro-climate via the use of natural light. Internally, the various open spaces encourage interpersonal relations and promote the quality of the work performed.
This approach to sustainability is not limited to structural matters, but also includes good practices: the “Fruit Initiative” makes seasonal fresh fruit available to employees twice each week, while Prysmian provides urban transport passes free to all those who agree not to use polluting vehicles for travel between home and work.
INDEXES, AWARD &
RECOGNITION
• Prysmian has achieved higher rankings in numerous international indices of sustainability, including a marked improvement in the assessment made by the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI). The Group came fourth in the “Electrical Components & Equipment” sector, following an improvement due to the many efforts made in the environmental, social and governance fields. These include tasking the Compensation and Appointments Board Committee with the supervision of sustainability; adopting inclusion and diversity policies; implementing and code of business conduct designed to spread responsible business practices throughout the supply chain; reducing the emission of ozone-depleting substances.
• Once again during 2016, the Group was retained in the FTSE4Good, a prestigious global index comprising firms that stand out for their ethical and transparent management practices, as well as the implementation of sustainable policies. In particular, Prysmian obtained the highest ratings forcorporate governance and social matters, such as health and safety, human rights and the supply chain.
• Group is included in the STOXX®Global ESG Leaders Index, which is an index of sustainability created by STOXX Limited. This index is derived from an assessment process that identifies a selection of global firms based on Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) indicators.
• During 2016, Prysmian celebrated inclusion in the prestigious Carbon Clean 200 report, as the only Italian firm present in forty-ninth place. Produced as a collaboration between As You Sow, a non-profit, and Corporate Knights, the Carbon Clean 200 report assesses the world’s largest firms, in terms of shareholder base, with reference to their revenues derived from green energy. For inclusion, firms must meet certain characteristics, such a share capitalisation in excess of one billion dollars and revenues from green energy that exceed 10% of total revenues.
• For the second consecutive year, Prysmian has placed in the Top 10 of the Comprend Webranking 2016 report, published in Italy by Lunquist. This report shows how and how well firms are able todialogue with their stakeholders via the websites and digital channels available to them. Comprend Webranking Research is considered to be the leading European survey of corporate websites and is the only global classification based on requests from stakeholders. In its 20th edition, this survey assessed more than 800 firms worldwide, measuring how well they meet the expectations of their main stakeholders.
• In 2016, the Group was recognized by the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Singapore (ICCS) as the “Best Italian Multinational in Singapore” at the annual Business Awards ceremony held for the best Italian firm operating in Singapore.
NEW THREE YEAR
PLAN FOR YES
Prysmian has launched a new three-year share participation plan reserved for employees. This plan, named YES – Your Employee Shares, has already generated much interest within the Group and, to date, more than 40% of the Group’s approximately 20,000 employees in 50 countries have become shareholders. “Our objective – explained Valerio Battista – is for employee shareholders to represent 1.5% of the shareholder base by the end of this second three-year period. The alignment of the interests of shareholders and employees is of fundamental importance for a public company like Prysmian”. “However – added Fabrizio Rutschmann, SVP Human Resources & Organization – we don’t just want to offer our employees a financial investment opportunity. Our objective is to promote their involvement and awareness that we all work for a common goal, which is the creation of value for the benefit of all stakeholders, both inside and outside the Group.”
YES represents one of the various programmes for the employees of the Prysmian Group, which constantly promotes policies designed to develop and train our personnel and position the Group among the leaders in People Value Management.
WHISTLE-BLOWING
PROGRAM
The system of values adopted by the Prysmian Group guides the conduct of individuals both within and outside the firm. This system is documented in the Code of Ethics, which establishes the principles to be followed by all and represents an effective tool for preventing irresponsible or illegal conduct by persons who work for and in the name of Prysmian.
Prysmian has decided to take another step forward by launching the Whistle-blowing mechanism at Group level. This tool, which enables stakeholders to report any improper practices, is intended to disseminate further the principles and practice of ethical conduct. The mechanism is consistent with the best practices relating to ethics and compliance, given that Whistle-blowing procedures based on anonymous reporting have been shown to be the most effective way to identify fraud and improprieties. An independent third party (The Network, Inc.) manages the Whistle-blowing channels and ensures their security, with a strict mandate to protect the identity of whistle-blowers and to act as intermediary for the transmission of questions and follow-up replies, as well as to communicate information about the outcome of each case. The Group has also established a specific Whistle-blowing Committee, which will assess all reports carefully, carry out investigations and, if appropriate, take the necessary action.
TECHNOLOGY FOR
HUMAN BEINGS
In collaboration with Human Foundation, the Group has launched the second edition of the Technology for Human Beings contest, which assesses the undergraduate and post-graduate dissertations of engineering, physics and science students enrolled at Italian Universities, on topics relating to the applicability of new technologies to sustainable development. This year, Prysmian chose to focus on Sustainable Development Goals: the theses submitted analysed the following topics from a technical/applications point of view:
• Resilient infrastructure, fair, responsible and sustainable innovation and industrialisation
• Access to information and communications technology
• Sustainable models of production and consumption: sustainable and efficient management of naturalresources
• Technologies and access to economic, reliable, sustainable and modern energy systems
Cash prizes were awarded to 3 first-cycle dissertations and 3 second-cycle dissertations and the winners of each category were offered a six-month internship with the firm. The Scientific Committee consisted of experts on the topics addressed by the competition appointed by Prysmian and Human Foundation. The objective of this project, in line with the Corporate Citizenship and Philanthropy Policy, is to support the study of sustainable technologies with potential practical applications in the sectors in which the Group is active. One of the winners of the previous edition (2015) has been employed by the Group.
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