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A total volume of investments made in 2022 amounting to 6.2 billion, a third of which are destined for decarbonisation, digitalisation and the circular economy, and an added value distributed to the various stakeholders amounting to 12.7 billion.
These are the data that emerge from the sustainability report "Italian utilities for the ecological and digital transition" prepared again this year by the Utilitatis Foundation on behalf of Utilitalia, the Federation of water, environment and energy companies, on a sample of 89 companies .
Compared to the 4.6 billion in investments made in 2021, in 2022 the figure rose to 6.2 (+35%): of these, 1.8 were allocated to the challenges of decarbonisation, digitalisation and the circular economy ( 29% of the total).
The objective of decarbonisation remains central, with investments exceeding 830 million: from energy produced from renewable sources (81%) to almost 9 thousand vehicles with low environmental impact (22%), mainly used for waste collection.
In the circular economy, investments amount to 514 million (+84% in one year), thanks to which the percentage of recycling of separated waste reaches 92% and the recovery rate of sewage sludge exceeds 88%.
As regards digitalisation, investments were 420 million (+41% on 2021).
The annual added value distributed to stakeholders was 12.7 billion (+18% compared to 11.7 billion the previous year).
Added to this is a further 33.7 billion in expenditure towards suppliers, of which almost 65% towards local entities. 47% of utilities prepare a sustainability report, 17% have equipped themselves with a structure dedicated to sustainability and the 36% have included explicit sustainability objectives within the business plan.
In the specific area of health and safety at work, 56% monitor near misses (near misses) and 53% adopt certified workplace safety management systems.
In terms of gender equality, there is a percentage of women on the boards of directors of 36%.