Hera among the world’s top companies for diversity and inclusion

29/09/2021

Hera among the world's top companies for diversity and inclusion

In the international standing provided by Refinitiv's 2021 "Diversity & Inclusion Index", the Group ranks 42^nd globally, second overall among multi-utilities and third in Italy. Policies promoting diversity, inclusion and people development are increasingly central for investors.

Hera has been confirmed among the listed companies most committed to promoting diversity, inclusion and people development worldwide. This emerges from the 2021 edition of the "Diversity & Inclusion Index" published by Refinitiv, which examined approximately 11,000 companies globally and awarded the Hera Group with 42^nd place in the world ranking, 2^nd best multi-utility in the world and 3^rd best among Italian companies.

The "Diversity & Inclusion Index" was designed and created by the international financial information giant Refinitiv and analyses the performance of companies on the basis of a wide set of sustainability KPIs. It provides one of the main references to investors who look favourably at companies adopting policies oriented towards Diversity & Inclusion (D&I). These issues are becoming increasingly important worldwide, alongside a growing awareness on the part of companies themselves of the benefits linked to ESG factors from an economic and social point of view, in terms of sustainability and wellbeing.

For Hera, this offers further confirmation of the attention the Group has always paid to these issues, focusing on the wellbeing and development of its over 9,000 employees, promoting an inclusive culture both inside and outside the company. The Group was a pioneer in this area, signing the Charter for Equal Opportunities and Equality on the Workplace in 2009 and introducing the position of Diversity Manager in 2011, to promote diversity, equal opportunities and equality on the workplace.

One outstanding example of the Group's personnel policies is its corporate welfare plan, which supports employees and their families, with 4.5 million in services used in 2020 alone. Hera also invests in developing personalised internal career paths, with 32.6% of women in positions of responsibility and, more generally, a 26.7% share of female staff, above the national average for the sector (2020 figures). Investment in training is also crucial, with an average of approximately 26 hours per capita and activities involving 95% of employees last year.

Press release Hera Group on 2021 Diversity & Inclusion Index