INWIT, a sustainable business model at the centre of the 1st Stakeholder Forum

INWIT’s first Stakeholder Forum was held on 18 May 2021. The importance of a strong governance, the role of digital transition for the fight against climate change and the need to accelerate the achievement of gender equality were the main themes of the event forming part of our sustainability programme.

INWIT’s first Stakeholder Forum took place on 18 May, an event forming part of the sustainability programme launched by the Company last year with the goal of achieving a real paradigm shift towards the creation of a sustainable business model.

Sustainability for INWIT has, in fact, become an integral part of corporate strategies, with the objective of generating long-term value and of contributing to the growth, improvement and social and economic development of the community in which it operates.

The Forum was organised in the knowledge that the creation of value necessarily depends on relations with the stakeholders, seen as an integral part of a responsible and sustainable management of the business.

INWIT and sustainable success

This approach is in line with the indications of the new Corporate Governance Code, which INWIT signed up to in February, and which is applicable starting from the 2021 financial year. The new Code establishes the concept of “sustainable success” in long-term value creation to the benefit of the shareholders, taking account of the interests of other significant stakeholders for the Company, and affirms that the management body has the task of promoting dialogue with these interlocutors in appropriate ways. The Stakeholder Engagement policy, approved by the Board of Directors on 13 May, is a significant step in this direction.

The Forum was opened by our C.E.O., Giovanni Ferigo, who described the important transformation that INWIT has initiated starting from the end of March 2020, when the merger with Vodafone Towers became effective.

It’s a transformation that has put sustainability at the centre of the industrialisation strategy, an element that enables the business plan to aim for the development of a sustainable and transparent business model.

The themes of INWIT’s 1st Stakeholder Forum di INWIT

The Forum was an opportunity to share our sustainability programme with stakeholders, which has involved, among other things, the preparation of the Sustainability Plan 2021 – 2023 and has led us to publish our first Integrated Report, drawn up according to the Integrated Reporting Framework criteria, with which we have wished to give all our stakeholders an integrated view of different company aspects.

Points of reflection were presented to the participants during the day on both global and sector sustainability trends, including the importance of a strong governance, the role of digital transformation for the fight against climate change and the need to accelerate the achievement of gender equality.

The forum ended with a discussion session with the stakeholders regarding important themes for INWIT dealt with in the Integrated Report. Specifically, they were asked to express their views regarding how these themes influence the Company’s ability to create short, medium and long-term value. Thanks to this feedback we will be able to update our materiality matrix, essential for effectively directing company initiatives.

The first Stakeholder Forum was another element of our sustainability strategy, which has the aim of involving our stakeholders and including their expectations in the decision-making processes through an exchange of views that favours reciprocal understanding, trust and cooperation.