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MYTILINEOS GROUP
SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2011 |127
Society
PROTERGIA S.A. is actively concerned about its environmental footprint, an attitude that reflects its commitment to sustainable development. This demonstrates
the Company’s compliance with the environmental laws and the relevant regulations and its appropriate management of the associated risks, in order to ensure
the protection of the environment and of the natural resources.
PROTERGIA S.A. believes that the electricity market in Greece opens up new prospects for businesses and for society, and that business growth must go hand-
in-hand with socially responsible initiatives in order to substantially promote sustainable development.
This assumption, i.e. that the business community needs also to contribute to the economy as well as to the society, is for the Company a core principle which
guides both its long-term strategic decisions and its daily activities.
PROTERGIA S.A. has incorporated the CSR principles in its core strategies and takes pioneering social responsibility action, over and above its statutory
obligations, taking on a role of active corporate citizen at the level of the local communities where its operations are located.
To this end:
• The Company has formally established a process of annual dialogue with all its key Stakeholders (employees, society, business associates etc.).
• It works closely with social organisations and draws up an annual Sustainability Report which it puts forward for discussion, in order to enhance transparency,
build mutual trust and understanding, and ensure the continuous improvement of its corporate social strategy.
• PROTERGIA S.A. makes every possible effort to ensure that the RES projects it develops are acceptable to the local communities. To this end, it implements
a communication strategy targeted at the local communities, whose key elements also include sensitisation and ecological awareness-raising actions, so
that the local communities accept the RES projects as projects of public benefit which also protect the environment.
• It then proceeds to conclude Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with the Municipalities where its projects are developed, according to which the local
community accepts and supports the development of the RES projects concerned. For its part, PROTERGIA S.A. contributes by undertaking the development
of infrastructures as well as actions that strengthen the local cultural and economic life, and also improve the quality of life of the local residents. The
development of RES projects creates significant environmental benefits for the local communities and contributes to the efforts to achieve Greece’s goals to
reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote sustainable development. In parallel, the Company is taking all measures required to prevent or remedy any
environmental impacts, as such measures are mentioned in the decisions of the competent authorities regarding the approval of the Environmental Terms
and the other related studies.
Dialogue with Stakeholders
In 2011, PROTERGIA S.A. planned and implemented for the first time the procedure of communication and open dialogue with its key Stakeholder groups. In
the open dialogue forum held, the discussion focussed on the Company’s key social responsibility policies and on the actions which it took in 2011 in each one
of the four key action lines (People, Society, Environment, Market). The event was attended by many representatives from Social Partners, who showed great
interest in the presentations and put forward their views and proposals.
In summary, the results of the event were the following:
Representatives of State bodies and Local Government
- The importance of investments in the energy sector during periods of economic crisis was analysed. The need to support the investment efforts of MYTILINEOS
Group, especially in the Prefecture of Viotia, was stressed.
- The need was expressed for land planning and for specifying land uses in the Prefecture of Viotia, so as to determine the boundaries of areas suitable for
energy investments.
- The increased interest of the Prefecture’s citizens in the environment was pointed out, as Viotia is growing rapidly into an energy centre.
- Questions were made about the trend in electricity prices, and about on how the development of RES can help reduce prices.
- The national goal to achieve energy savings was discussed, together with the question of whether the reduction of demand for electricity in Greece, as observed
in the last years, is the result of information campaigns and conscious efforts or a natural consequence of the general decline in production and in household
incomes.
PROTERGIA S.A.
