Management Systems

In order to guarentee compliance with legislation and at the same time monitor and control the risks, the system is divided into a network of protected areas (resources, technologies, instruments and competencies), partially interconnected according to the objectives/risks to be monitored and designed to ensure the achievement of control objectives.

Antitrust Compliance

The trend in the competition situation on the markets where the Acea Group operates requires growing attention to the matter of compliance with antitrust law and the regulations concerning consumer protection.

Acea believes that competition and consumer protection is a core value for company business activities and pursues its objectives in obersvance of the rules regulating the market. Consistent with the principles set out in the Code of Ethics, the Group specifically abstains from anticompetitive, exploitive and abusive practices and, more generally, from any conduct that might impede the correct functioning of market mechanisms and imply detriment to consumers.

In order to safeguard these values, the Acea Group has adopted an extensive Antitrust Compliance Programme, within the scope of which it has created the role of Antitrust Contact Person (for both the Holding Company and the subsidiaries) and defined organisational policies, rules, measures and control units intended to ensure the compliance of its actions with legislation and promote the development of a business culture oriented towards respect for principles of fair competition and correctness vis-à-vis consumers.
Within this framework, in 2018 the Acea Spa Board of Directors approved:

  • the "Manual of Compliance with Antitrust and Consumer Protection Legislation”, setting out the main points of the legislation and providing a series of behavioural rules, with which all Group staff and third parties acting on behalf of the Group are obliged to comply when carrying out their work;

  • the "Organisational Regulation on Antitrust Compliance and Consumer Protection" which defines the corporate organisation for the purpose of effectively implementing the Compliance Programme.

In 2022, the Programme was revised and updated, with a view to defining and formalising a structured Antitrust Compliance governance model, in line with related domestic and international best practices, which exploits experience gained and the ideas derived from domestic and EU Antitrust Authority application practices and case law.
In this connection, Acea’s Board of Directors approved the “Antitrust Compliance and Consumer Protection Guidelines”, with the aim of making available to subsidiaries, within a shared framework, guidelines for creating their respective Antitrust Compliance Models, each according to their own specifics.
In fact, the Guidelines set out the principles and indications imparted by Acea to the Group Companies, concerning the series of organisational, management and procedural tools designed to prevent, manage and mitigate risks of non-compliance and to promote a widespread culture within the Group on issues pertaining to fair competition and consumer respect.

Privacy Governance Model

Considering the trend in personal data protection regulations, the Acea Group has undertaken to develop and implement effective policies to protect the personal data of employees, customers, suppliers, shareholders, stakeholders, partners, as well as any persons whose personal data, for whatsoever reason, are processed by the Company, adopting a Privacy Governance Model, in accordance with EU data protection Regulation 2016/679 (GDPR).
During 2021, the Privacy Governance Model was revised based on the results of the previous two years and in 2022 the Board of Directors approved the “Privacy Governance Guideline”, which forms part the integrated framework adopted by the Acea Group, for application of the GDPR.
The Group Privacy Governance Model constitutes the organisational and control framework within which both roles and responsibilities and procedures for implementing the basic principles of the Privacy rules are identified, by way of a preventive risk based approach supported by continuous monitoring and periodical reviews.
Acea constantly oversees the various areas progressively emerging that impact privacy and periodically carries out an analysis of the “processing” risks included in the Parent’s register, to enable the updating of associated risks on an ongoing and timely basis.
Regarding the outsourced operations, specific contractual tools are used to regulate the processing of personal data and a continuous monitoring of procurement activities is ensured.
The indications issued by the Italian Data Protection Authority, wherever applicable, are always implemented and privacy-related training sessions are periodically carried out, as well as supplier checks, with a view not only to fulfilling the direction and control obligations, including with regard to personal data processing carried out by third parties on behalf of the Acea Group, but also to always having a vision of the entire reference scenario. Moreover, a second-level governance and monitoring system has been developed, comprising a series of controls consistent with the risks pertaining to privacy security and data protection.
The Data Protection Officer (DPO) at Group Parent and Company level can be contacted at the following address: privacy@aceaspa.it. Some "privacy control units" have also been identified to act as internal reference and liaison points with the DPO.

Management systems

For the sustainability of its operations, Acea acknowledges the following core values:

  • the promotion of a quality culture
  • respect for the environment and safeguarding of ecosystems, also through energy efficiency
  • the valorisation of people also through fairer gender equality
  • health and safety in the workplace (including infection prevention and control)
  • corruption prevention
  • efficient resource management
  • risk assessment
  • responsible management of its economic, social and environmental impacts
  • dialogue with the parties involved
  • promotion of sustainability in the value chain.

The Integrated Certification Systems Unit defines the policies, methods and standards of reference for developing and maintaining the group’s certified management systems: quality, environment, safety and energy and other certifications that are deemed necessary to obtain, via risk assessment activities, the identification of group management system training needs, monitoring of the systems also by conducting internal checks, management of relations with the certification authority, in synergy with the operating companies’ control entities.

Acea Group has implemented the following policies, which set out the company’s principles and commitments: 

  • a Management Systems and Sustainability Policy, which sets out the principles, values and commitments undertaken by the company, including them as part of the framework for the pursuance of sustainable development. This policy is an integral part of the Management Systems compliant with ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001 and ISO 50001 standards;
  • an Infection Control and Prevention Policy, following the decision to obtain certification for the infection prevention management system (Biosafety Trust Certification);
  • an Anti-corruption Policy in line with the Group’s Code of Ethics, outlining the values, criteria, and modalities we are intended to adopt in order to make the system operational and responsible for the compliance to the prevention and management of corruption risk.

The Acea Group is also committed to continuously updating its Management Systems and – for this reason – it constantly tracks and analyses the changes in the internal and external context, and the stakeholders’ expectations as well.

Management of quality, environment, safety and energy are central aspects of our corporate policies, as shown by the number of Group companies that have implemented certified integrated management systems.

Moreover, Acea has developed and certified the Corruption Prevention and Gender Equality Management Systems.

Acea obtains gender equality certification

In December 2022, Acea became the first listed Italian multiutility to obtain UNI/PdR 125:2022 certification, the only domestic standard for gender equality, also envisaged by the National Recovery and Resilience Plan. The UNI/PdR 125:2022 lays down the guidelines for supporting female empowerment as part of the company growth paths.
The recognition of gender equality confirms Acea’s commitment to diversity and inclusiveness issues and its ability to adopt tangible measures in order to reduce the gender gap as regards growth opportunities, equal pay, the protection of parenthood and work-life balance. The certification entity in fact identified an indicator satisfaction level of 90% and particularly appreciated the company welfare and private life – professional life reconciliation initiatives.
In 2022, the Group adopted an Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Policy and set up a Group Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Committee, which will steer the process of evolution towards a corporate culture based on inclusion, the promotion of diversity and the fair treatment of people.

Certificazioni Rina

Certified Management Systems within Acea Group (as at 31/12/2022)

  QUALITY
(ISO9001)
ENVIRONMENT
(ISO14001)
SAFETY
(ISO45001)
ENERGY
(ISO50001)
OTHER
Acea  X   
X X
X UNI/PdR 125:2022
Biosafety Trust certification
WATER          
Acea Ato 2  X X X X  
Acea Ato 5 
X
X X
X  
Gesesa  X X X X  
Acea Molise X X X    
Gori X X X    
GRID          
Areti X X X X  
GENERATION          
Acea Produzione    X X    
Ecogena X   X X UNI 11352
COMMERCIAL          
Acea Energia X X X   Biosafety Trust certification
ENVIRONMENT          
Acea Ambiente 
X X X X EMAS
Aquaser X  X  X   ISO 39001
Acque Industriali  X X X X EMAS
Iseco X X X   ISO 22000
Deco X X X   EMAS
Demap X X X    
Berg X X X   EMAS
Ferrocart X X      
Cavallari X X X    
Ecologica Sangro X X X    
ENGIREERING AREA          
Acea Elabori X X X   UNI 17025
UNI 17020
Biosafety Trust certification
Simam X X X    
TWS X X X    

Highlights

Discover the latest news and initiatives of the Acea Group