The establishment of a collegial company forum between administrators, Hera technicians, local authorities and small shareholders, can create the conditions for a better understanding of the corporate policies and strategies, in the light of more mutually shared information. This sharing of information can be of help to the shareholders, to contribute with full awareness to the decisions of the General Assembly, the sovereign body in which resolutions are voted on and approved and enforced by the BoD.
The principal aims of the association are: to disseminate disclosable company information; to effect documented analysis and evaluations on governance decisions and the relative industrial plan; to advise the members of the most important meetings and deadlines; to accomodate different opinions and evaluations; to gather proxies to vote in shareholder meetings; to promote the diffusion of the culture of participation; to develop active proselytism campaigns among the minor shareholders. In particoular, Azione Hera has the main following aims:
1. Act in the collective interests of the territory aiming to obtain a better public utility service, at minor cost in relation to the environment and work for the local community. In practice, to invest in services and infrastructure using local suppliers, to keep work and know-how in the territory. As well as this, the citizens should be included in the decision making process, both because decisions on state-owned assetts are related to a superior collective interest, and because in a period of crisis for jobs, investments in automation and the chain of recycling and re-use can be a launch pad to create an area in the chain of New Energies and Eco-Packaging, with Hera as the engine of a Consortium, together with local companies. For this, certain decisions would be shared in the local community, and doesn’t leave everything in the hands of management and at times focused on the mere increase of numbers in the balance sheet, on which the relative remunerations are calculated.
2. Institute an organisational method which allows the inclusion of citizens who are shareholders and users in the decision making process, together with management and the local authorities: in real terms, it aims to transform the Hera Group into a true public company, where the individual small shareholders have a voice and can participate in decisions on investments in their territory. The referendum model is in part based on that of California Public Utilities, where decisions on investments and suppliers are made after local area meetings, forums and referendums, with complete transparency, the shared decision making process being published on an agenda / diary of the board, consultable on the internet. The insitution of a co-ordinated representation of the shareholders, made up of many local committees subdivided by geographic area / municipality (within the framework of the existing Territorial Operational Structures, TOS) would be the first small step towards the creation of a community of small shareholders: its strength would be the bringing together as one voice the myriad votes of small shareholders, potentially usable in Assembly, which today are not expressed.
3. Propose concrete motions for company management
to be discussed first at local level in the various TOS jointly with the local authorities, then to be brought to the Assembly where the resoutions are voted on which are finally implemented by the BoD. The motions will veer towards the protection of the collective interest and the environment. This plan for addressing management, would be an initial basis for discussion and for meeting between the participants of the movement: small private shareholders, public bodies and possibly personnel of Hera Spa. It will only deal with a few simple points to launch discussion, to be assessed jointly and always respecting the Company Charter.