The report prepared by the Utilitatis Foundation on behalf of Utilitalia, the Federation of water, environment and energy companies, added value distributed to the various stakeholders (workers, shareholders, public administration, lenders, local communities, as well as what is reinvested in the company) equal to 11.7 billion euros
A total volume of investments of 4.6 billion eurosmainly intended for decarbonisation, digitalisation and the circular economy, and un added value distributed to the various stakeholders (workers, shareholders, public administration, lenders, local communities, as well as what is reinvested in the company) equal to 11.7 billion of Euro. These are the main numbers that emerge from the 2022 sustainability report ‘Italian utilities for the ecological and digital transition’ drawn up again this year by the Utilitatis Foundation on behalf of Utilitalia, the Federation of water, environment and energy companies.
Of the 4.6 billion in investments made in 2021, 1.4 billion were allocated to decarbonisation, digitalisation and the circular economy: 31% of the total, up on the 24% of the previous year. The objective of decarbonisation remains central for utilities, with investments exceeding 861 million compared to over 600 million in 2020 (+43%); the concrete examples are numerous, from the energy produced by sources renewablei (49%) to over 6,000 vehicles with low environmental impact (18% of the total), mainly used for waste collection. Investments in circular economy they are more than 272 million (compared to 182 of the previous year; +50%); thanks to these investments, the recycling rate of separate waste reaches 81.5%, while the recovery rate of sewage sludge exceeds 92.5% (an improvement compared to 87% in 2020). As for the digitization, investments were 297 million (+3% compared to 2020): today 49% of water networks are district-based, while smart gas meters are around 79% of those installed. The annual added value distributed to stakeholders was 11.7 billion euro, up on the 11.0 billion of the previous year. Added to this are a further 12.7 billion in spending on suppliers, of which almost 59% on local businesses.
“Energy, the water cycle and environmental services – explains the vice president of Utilitalia, Filippo Brandolini – are essential for the life of citizens, and the utilities that deal with them are an active and essential part of the country’s progress, as demonstrated in the most acute phases of the pandemic by guaranteeing these services with continuity. Even in 2021, a difficult year still characterized by the pandemic and the onset of the energy price crisis, that of public service companies has confirmed itself as a strategic sector for Italy. A sector whose importance is given both by the economic value generated for the shareholders and by the quality of the services offered to users, whether they are citizens, businesses or local authorities, and, despite the very difficult economic situation, by the quality and volume of investments in course and expected, fully compliant with the European Green Deal strategy”.
The report also highlights the growth of the integration of sustainability into the business model of utilities: 51% of them, often in the absence of regulatory obligations, draw up a sustainability report, 18% have set up a structure dedicated to sustainability and 33% have set explicit sustainability objectives within the business plan. In the specific area of occupational health and safety, 59% of companies monitor near misses and 60% adopt certified occupational safety management systems. In terms of gender equality, there is a percentage of women on the Boards of Directors equal to 37%, up on the 34.2% of the previous year. Utilitalia’s associates increased overall investments in decarbonisation in 2021 (+43%); in circular economy (+50%) and digitization (+3%).
According to the president of the Utilitatis Foundation, Stefano Pareglio, “investing in sustainability not only represents a mandatory path for the ecological transition, but also ensures better business performance and benefits for the communities served. Despite the persistent difficulties related to the increase in the cost of raw materials and the need to guarantee the security of energy supplies, sustainability remains at the heart of the utilities strategy. Circularity, decarbonisation, innovation and social responsibility: these are the watchwords of public service companies, committed to a journey at the service of communities and the development of the country”.
The report dedicates a focus the historical performance series of a significant group of Utilitalia associates. These are 56 companies, which are worth around 37.2 billion euros in revenues (equal to over 90% of the total revenues of all the associates who participated in the 2022 survey). For this group, the trend is available, over a 3-year period, of 15 particularly representative indicators for the water, environmental and energy sectors. Among the main data, it should be noted, in the case of the water cycle, that network losses amounted to 38.6%, down by almost two percentage points compared to 2020 and by three percentage points compared to 2019 (they were at 41.2 %). The share of sewage sludge disposed of in landfills, after an inconsistent trend, decreased to 9% in 2021 (it was 11% in 2019 and 14% in 2020). As regards separate waste collection, the companies in this sample reach 62%, in line with the values of the previous two years (61% in 2019 and 63% in 2020) and with the Italian average for 2020 (63%). On the electricity front, the share produced from renewable sources reaches 49%, a substantial increase compared to 45% in 2020 and 42% in 2019.
Source-www.adnkronos.com