Sustainability

ERG’s sustainability process is realized through the top-down and bottom-up integration of socio-environmental themes with business ones. In order to define this process there has been a series of preparatory activities:

• review of the Code of Ethics
• definition of socio-environmental responsibility commitments
• planning a dedicated management system and publication of the first Group Sustainability Report in 2007

With the 2008 Report, a more mature, structured and evolved phase has commenced, which responds to the growing demand for transparency, responsibility, effective risk management and the ability to seize opportunities.

From 2010 the report is also available in interactive version on ERG website in order to meet all the users’ needs.

The Sustainability Committee, made up of top managers of ERG, provides the highest level of supervision regarding socio-environmental matters and their integration into the Group’s business plan. Defining policies and guidelines and verifying that the relevant objectives have been met are its main tasks.
For Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) aspects, the system envisages a framework of Committees on different levels: company, departments and sections. This structure is part of the HSE Management Systems, which respond to the requirements of the OHSAS 18001 and ISO 14001 standards. The implementation of these standards at operational level is acknowledged to be effective and efficient in managing these types of risks.

Most of the industrial areas have completed the certification procedure.
As at today’s date, the level of HSE integrated management certification has reached 79% (60% in 2007), in line with the objective of certifying all of the plants by 2010.