Fulvio Conti: Over the last five years Enel has cut the frequency index of workplace accidents by 56%. But more needs to be done to reach and maintain a level of zero accidents.
Enels performance also recognised by the Dow Jones Sustainability Index that places it in the lead of all worldwide power utilities.
Rome, November 28th, 2011 Today Fulvio Conti, CEO and General Manager of the Enel Group, inaugurated the International Safety Week 2011 at Romes Auditorium Parco della Musica, where he thanked Italian President Giorgio Napolitano for the medal he received in recognition of the great value of the initiative. In addition to those in attendance at the Auditorium, Enel and Endesa personnel from 40 countries across 4 continents were able to watch the event live via streaming.
In his speech upon conferring the medal, President Napolitano stated I heartily appreciate this initiative, and its strong symbolic value, through which this company has long been active in promoting, with a strong sense of ethical and civil responsibility, a broader awareness of the need to ensure full and effective protection of worker health and safety, through appropriate prevention methods.
As President Napolitano reminds us, underscored Enel CEO and General Manager, Fulvio Conti, safety is an ongoing commitment that means we may never lower our guard and affects us all, regardless of role or position held, employees and contractors alike. This is a vital issue on which Enel must do more to try to achieve and maintain a goal of zero accidents. Thanks to the commitment of all, our strategy has continued to significantly reduce the number of accidents, so much so that, in the last five years, the number of severe and fatal accidents was reduced by 84% among Enel employees and by 64% among contractors.
In 2010, Enel's financial commitment to health and safety activities was approximately 64 million euros, an approximate increase of 13% compared to 2009. Specifically, the company's commitment to employee development, information and training on safety was also rather intense in 2010, with 1,200,000 hours of training provided and approximately 29 million euros spent on info/training activities, an increase of 60% over the previous year.
The initiative, now in its fourth edition, provides a full calendar of events dedicated to safety and health issues, involving over 78,000 employees in 40 countries where the Group operates. These include workshops, documentaries on safety, safety walks, the sharing of best practices and security simulations, the evacuation of buildings for fire drills, as well as opportunities for training with the involvement of the local area, contractors, schools and families. This year, the initiative focuses in particular on health by promoting a healthy and responsible lifestyle.
These achievements were recognized by the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, the first global index that tracks the financial performance of companies that lead the way in sustainability. In 2011, Enel improved its score over 2010 in the category Occupational Health and Safety, ranking well above the average for the electric utility industry worldwide and even closer to best in class levels.
Safety Awards were awarded during the opening day. These are awards for the six best practices aimed at achieving a level of zero accidents, with accounts from the employees involved.
The round table on safety was moderated by Monica Maggioni. On the panel were Enels director of human resources, Massimo Cioffi; Professor of Work Sociology at the University of Rome La Sapienza, Domenico De Masi; member of Endesas bilateral safety commission and Enels European Company Committee, Isabel Garcia Benitez; the CEO of Edilcile Srl, Giulio Boneschi; and the chairman of the Technical Committee on Safety of Confindustria, Samy Gattegno.
The round table on health consisted of Professor of Hygiene and Preventive Medicine of the University of L'Aquila, Sergio Tiberti; the president of Fondazione per il Tuo cuore ONLUS (Foundation for Your Heart), Professor Attilio Maseri; the chairman of Società Italiana di Scienza dell'Alimentazione, Professor Pietro A. Migliaccio, and the director of medical oncology, Sant'Andrea Hospital in Rome, Professor Paolo Marchetti.