Enel
Focus on a Member - April 2008
Every month, CSR Europe introduces one of its members' key CSR focus areas and activities through a brief interview. This month, Marina Migliorato, Head of CSR and Relations with Associations at Enel, discusses the CSR policies and practices of the Italian energy company.
What is your role in Enel's CSR activity?
I am currently in charge of CSR and Relations with Associations for Enel. Previously, I have worked for Unicef and several NGOs, and as a consultant for various public administrations and private companies. I joined Enel in 1999, working first in Institutional Affairs and then in External Relations.
This means that I have eight years of experience in managing Enel's relations with different interest groups, such as environmental associations, entrepreneurs' organisations and consumer associations, first in Italy - the country of the NIMBY syndrome! - and now at a European level with the internationalisation of Enel's business.
I strongly believe in a broad European approach to CSR issues as a key means to spread the culture of sustainability within Enel and other companies.
Which are the key CSR issues for Enel today?
Enel is committed to high standards of corporate governance and CSR. Our Sustainability Plan for 2008-2012 is intended to disseminate corporate responsibility as a daily business practice and a path toward excellence.
The sustainability plan contains the objectives that each Enel division and company, in each country where Enel is present, must set for itself and specifies the areas of general action. The specific sustainability action plans under the responsibility of the operating units are based on the general plan and inserted in Enel's sustainability control system.
This structured process of planning and control ascertains whether or not the sustainability objectives, both quantitative and qualitative, are achieved. It also supports their further development through appropriate instruments.
Regarding the environmental area, our Environment and Innovation Project provides for a strong investment plan of 6.8 billion euros in total by 2012 for research, renewable resources, development, innovation, and the application of cutting-edge technologies.
The project contributes to the goal of making Enel one of the most efficient and dynamic operators in the European energy market. As such, this is a project of unprecedented scope for Enel and has few parallels anywhere in the world.
Finally, through our Sustainability Report, Enel undertakes to provide a clear, truthful, and fair report of the results obtained in all areas of relations with stakeholders with regard to the principles and commitments assumed in the Code of Ethics, as well as the improvement goals established periodically in its business plan. Enel has published a Sustainability Report since 2002 and an Environmental Report since 1996. We currently follow the GRI-G3 reporting guidelines.
How do you see your involvement in CSR Europe?
During the past years, Enel's CSR commitment has obtained international recognition in a number of ways. We have been admitted to the most important CSR and sustainability indexes, improved our position in the rankings, and received various awards for our sustainability policy. Socially responsible and ethical mutual funds are also increasingly interested in Enel's shares, and our sustainability policies are studied at numerous universities.
As part of our CSR activities in the international arena, since two years Enel participates proactively in CSR Europe's activities, for example by bringing our "solutions" to the European MarketPlace on CSR.
In Italy, Enel is considered a sustainability leader. We are happy to bring this Italian experience, and more in general a Mediterranean point of view, to CSR Europe's network. We hope to contribute to strengthening the European network of CSR professionals for example by sharing our successful ideas and approaches, such as our way of monitoring more than 450 sustainability KPIs or proactively engaging in an open dialogue with stakeholders.
About Enel
Enel is Italy's largest power company and Europe's second-largest utility for installed capacity. It produces and sells electricity and gas across Europe, North and Latin America. After the acquisition of the Spanish utility Endesa, Enel is now established in 21 countries around the world with approximately 80.000 MW of generating capacity and serves about 50 million power and gas customers. For more information, please visit www.enel.com.
More information
For more information about CSR Europe activities in which Enel engages, please contact Carien Duisterwinkel on cd@csreurope.org.
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