Awareness of the social and environmental impacts of the Group’s activities, together with the importance of both a transparent and cooperative approach with its stakeholders and a good reputation led Enel to adopt a Group Code of Ethics.
The Code of Ethics is the pillar of CSR, it summarizes the Group’s commitments and responsibilities in the conduct of its affairs by regulating and harmonizing the behaviour of all employees according to standards based on the utmost transparency and fairness towards the market and the stakeholders.
The principles of the Code range from fairness in the market to the protection of the environment and the safeguard of workers. By specifying the criteria of behavior in relations with the different stakeholders, the Code provides the guidelines and rules that Enel’s employees are obliged to follow in order to observe the general principles and avoid the risk of unethical actions.
Updated in February 2010, the Code of Ethics is binding for the behavior of all employees and applies to all the companies in which Enel has a majority interest. Indeed, every subsidiary must adopt the Code of Ethics and the Zero Tolerance of Corruption Plan by means of a specific resolution of its board of directors at its first meeting after the acquisition. Furthermore, the Group’s main suppliers are required to act in keeping with the general principles expressed in the Code.
The Audit Department is entrusted with the task of seeing that the Code of Ethics is applied and observed. It carries out specific activities to monitor and continually improve the situation by analyzing and assessing the processes of ethical-risk control, as well as receiving and analyzing reports of violations of the Code.
All stakeholders may report violations or suspected violations of the Code of Ethics through dedicated channels. Whoever makes such a report is always protected from any kind of retaliation and is assured that their identity will remain confidential.
The Code of Ethic consists in:
1. General Principles in relations with stakeholders
They define the values which inspire the Group’s actions. In particular, they include honesty, impartiality, confidentiality, safeguarding shareholder value, value of human resources, transparent and complete information, quality of services, environmental protection and responsibility towards the community.
2. Criteria of Conduct in relations with each category of stakeholders
They offers guidelines and rules that employees must observe to comply with general principles and prevent the risk of unethical behaviour. In particular, they include criteria of conduct in relations with shareholders, employees, customers, suppliers, communities.
3. Implementation procedures
They describe the monitoring system that is necessary to ensure compliance with the Code of Ethics.
The Audit Department is entrusted with the task of seeing that the Code of Ethics is applied and observed. To this end it carries out specific activities (for example analyzing and assessing the processes of ethical-risk control, as well as receiving and analyzing reports of violations of the Code). These activities are carried out with the assistance of the corporate departments concerned.
