Social aspects

Material topics and risks related to social aspects

Reliability of infrastructures, business continuity and cyber security: Snam works daily to ensure the reliability of its infrastructures and services in order to prevent and/or mitigate potential situations that could compromise the continuity of the business and public safety (e.g. emergencies, cyber-attacks). For more information, please see the chapter “2020 Performance – Maintenance of plant security and quality” of the 2020 Annual Report.

Relations with authorities and quality of services: Snam is committed to providing a quality service capable of meeting the needs and expectations of its customers, ensuring a safe and reliable service over time, in compliance with the principles of fair competition and equal treatment and access to infrastructure; to this end, Snam conducts customer satisfaction analyses to improve the services it offers. Furthermore, Snam promotes constructive relations with regulatory authorities and institutions to develop satisfactory services for customers that are at the same time geared to market needs and demands. For more information see the chapter “Business segment operating performance – Provision and development of regulated services” in the 2020 Annual Report.

Innovation: in view of a more complex and challenging economic outlook, Snam has paid special attention to the search for new technologies from a perspective of increasing efficiency in conducting its business and reducing the impact on the environment. For more information, see the chapter “Towards Net Zero strategy – Innovation for business development” in the 2020 Annual Report.

Economic performance and value creation: economic sustainability and business growth represent key objectives and factors that enable business activities as a whole. To this end, Snam is committed to fostering the creation of shared medium to long-term value for all categories of stakeholders through operational and financial efficiency. For more information, see the chapter “Financial review and Other Information” in the 2020 Annual Report.

Relations with local communities: by creating and supporting projects for local communities, Snam intends to have a positive impact on the social fabric in the areas in which the company operates reinforcing its “licence-to-operate”. For more information, see the chapter “Snam’s Profile – Relations with stakeholders” in the 2020 Annual Report.

Issues relating to the supply chain were not categorised asmaterial as a result of the analysis carried out, but are nevertheless supervised by Snam. The Group has, for some time, adopted policies for selecting suppliers, contractors and commercial partners based on fair and transparent processes which set out the integration of sustainability criteria. For more information see the chapter ‘The power of working together’ in the Sustainability Report 2020.

Brand reputation issues were likewise not categorised as material, but Snam safeguards and values its reputation through constant, proactive and diversified communication, striving for dialogue with its reference public and seeking to expand it further. The company communicates through an integrated multimedia strategy via traditional and digital channels, also engaging its employees and partners as brand ambassadors, and through events and campaigns to confirm Snam’s centrality in the country system and as a player in energy transition, nationally and internationally, with a special focus on the areas and communities in which it operates. For more information see the chapter “The power of working together” in the Sustainability Report 2020.