Operating with communities in territories

Snam is present in almost all regions of Italy and with its infrastructure network it traverses many local areas and communities that are diverse in terms of values, traditions, and economic, social and environmental conditions.

In this context, Snam’s policy is always to support the development of new projects, adopting a rigorous, transparent and cooperative approach to ensure that establishments are environmentally compatible and to encourage their acceptance by stakeholders.

In relations with local communities, the cultural and educational aspect is considered central. Snam thus pays great attention above all to relations with local institutions, the world of associations and, through school involvement, young people, who represent the population group most involved in the concept of sustainability. During 2011, the programme of events already begun the previous year, which saw elementary and secondary school students among the main participants in different local areas, was continued.

Engagement with the non-profit world

In 2011, besides the usual longstanding philanthropy activities, Snam began a process of more strategic engagement with the non-profit world, continuing on the path already begun in identifying and mapping them.

The objective was to identify the basic elements for building a plan for engagement with non-profit organisations that could share values and help to simplify the dynamics and the issues dealt with daily in the local areas where the Company operates.

As a first step, Snam has identified some simple general principles, guidelines both for the Company and for non-profit organisations, deemed necessary to ensure the representation of general interests:

• Ensure the plurality of opinions and political and cultural orientations
• Guarantee the clarity of attempts and accordingly transparency in managing projects
• Recognise social, cultural and environmental authorities representative of local areas
• Ensure a project’s sustainability over time
• Ensure design capacity and flexibility in articulating processes

The second step, after having scouted out the most reputable non-profits in environmental and social areas, was that of holding an internal combined multifunctional workshop to share objectives and principles.

During two workshop meetings, the relevant topics and the stakeholders affected were identified, leading to the construction of the materiality matrix considering, on a cross-referenced basis, relevance for stakeholders (with particular reference to those reported as having critical issues) and relevance for Snam.

At this point, based on evaluation forms and indicators for the non-profits identified in the scouting process, the most appropriate organisations have been identified in terms of the materiality index.

This process has led to greater awareness of the topic internally, to instituting a series of shared relationships with a good number of non-profits and to the signing of a memorandum of understanding with FEDERPARCHI, an association that joins and represents Bodies managing Italian natural protected areas and operates in the environmental, biodiversity and sustainability fields.

Clean Up the World, participating in and sharing a commitment to the environment

With the now traditional sponsorship of the Clean Up the World initiative, the largest environmental volunteering event worldwide, Snam wishes to reiterate its attention to the environment by supporting an action that is both specific and symbolic.

The Company’s commitment aims to make people aware and involved through a series of actions geared toward promoting and facilitating their participation in environmental volunteering events: the home page of the corporate intranet hosts a dedicated banner; news is published that launches, promotes and support the initiative; posters on environmental volunteering events are affixed in all group sites; and managers present at sites in local areas are involved, becoming active in disseminating paper forms for joining the initiative.

Snam always offers its own people the chance to receive free Clean Up the World kits at the workplace (hat, gloves, bib and bag), a true “currency” for environmental volunteers.

Many people from the four companies joined the initiative and involved their friends. More than 400 kits for volunteers were made, distributed in the weeks prior to the event, a strong increase compared to previous editions of the event, which confirms the growing awareness of Snam people about taking care of their local areas.

In order to be able to share in the meaning and the spirit that has characterised the Clean Up the World event, employees who have participated in the initiative have been asked to photograph the most significant moments. A selection of these snapshots was posted on the intranet site. Every person who sent at least one photo also received an illustrated book as a reward. The tome is a literary classic, an account of the value of personal commitment to the environment, which the Company distributed with the intention of nourishing the culture of respect for nature in this and other ways.

With institutional stakeholders, on the other hand, Snam promotes periodic meetings to illustrate the Company’s activities and operational programmes.

In 2011, it continued strengthening dialogue with different institutional levels, both local and central, through a broad-based activity of presenting corporate initiatives intended to explain new development projects. In addition, by participating in formal hearings before Parliament and at regional and municipal councils, we responded to the need stated by citizens and administrations for more widespread and transparent communication on the Company’s activities, objectives and operations.

Still from the same standpoint of cooperating with local authorities, data were provided regarding gas consumption at the local level, aimed at contributing to the drafting of an action plan for sustainable energy (PAES).