Stakeholder Engagement and Dialogue

The Ascopiave Group recognizes stakeholder engagement as a key element for creating sustainable value. Ongoing dialogue with relevant parties-Employees, Institutions and Communities, Customers, Suppliers, Shareholders, and Investors-enables the Group to understand expectations, identify development opportunities, and enhance the social and environmental impact of its business activities.

In 2024, Ascopiave strengthened its sustainability approach through a process that involved both internal and external stakeholders to identify Double Materiality. This principle states that information is material if it reflects both the significant impacts of the company on environmental, social, and governance topics (impact materiality) and the actual or potential financial effects of these topics on the company’s performance (financial materiality), in line with the ESRS.

The company has developed a stakeholder engagement model to ensure transparent reporting through regular communication of results and commitments, with the goal of enhancing trust and collaboration.

In formulating its strategies, Ascopiave takes into account the guidance and expectations of its main stakeholder categories: for each, the specific composition, the most relevant and material topics (defined as those that influence the decisions, actions, and performance of the organization and/or its stakeholders), and the ongoing listening and dialogue activities have been identified.

In 2024, Ascopiave carried out a series of initiatives to strengthen dialogue with its stakeholders:

	Employees: Over 14,000 hours of training delivered for professional development and workplace safety. Ongoing commitment to creating an inclusive work environment, promoting initiatives to support employee well-being. The Group supports its employees and their families by offering targeted benefits to improve work-life balance, thus fostering a more positive and sustainable working environment.
	Customers: Implementation of energy efficiency plans to improve service quality. Digitalized services to ensure greater accessibility and transparency in communications.
	Institutions and Communities: Investments in sustainable distribution networks, with particular attention to safety and methane emission reduction. Support for social and cultural initiatives in the territories where the Group operates. Participation in technical working groups for the development of more sustainable regulations in the energy sector. Collaboration with local authorities for responsible water resource management and infrastructure development for essential services. Implementation of programs to improve air quality and reduce environmental footprint.
	Suppliers: Selection through transparent procedures, using an online supplier register that ensures compliance with general and specific requirements, guaranteeing high environmental and social standards throughout the supply chain. Protection of workers along the value chain, through safety procedures and a whistleblowing system.
	Shareholders and Investors: Alignment of corporate strategy with the principles of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS). Increased transparency in ESG indicator reporting, with the publication of measurable and verifiable data on environmental, social, and governance impacts. Structured corporate governance through an internal control and risk management system that also considers ESG risks.

The Ascopiave Group views stakeholder engagement as an evolving process aimed at ensuring sustainable and shared growth. The Sustainability Plan is included in the 2025–2028 Strategic Plan, which Sets out initiatives aimed at achieving the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda.

The Group will continue to monitor stakeholder expectations in its strategies, adopting a data-driven and verifiable approach to ensure transparency, innovation, and a positive impact on the territory.