Case study: Innovability: How Enel combines innovation and sustainability in energy-related projects
As a global leader in energy generation and distribution, operating in more than 30 countries, Enel strives, through a range of collaborations and partnerships, as well as through the active involvement of Enel’s own employees, to combine innovation and sustainability, providing socially and environmentally responsible energy solutions.
This case study is based on the 2015 Sustainability Report by Enel published on the Global Reporting Initiative Sustainability Disclosure Database that can be found at this link. Through all case studies we aim to demonstrate that CSR/ sustainability reporting done responsibly is achieved by identifying a company’s most important impacts on the environment and stakeholders and by measuring, managing and changing.
Enel is implementing a number of innovation projects across the globe, as ‘innovability’, the combination of innovation and sustainability in its products and services, is a key component of Enel’s business strategy and culture. In order to combine innovation and sustainability in energy-related projects, providing socially and environmentally responsible energy solutions, Enel took action to:
- realize already existing projects and launch new projects involving renewables
- develop new energy storage technologies
- build electric transport infrastructure
- innovate in the final uses of energy
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With this case study you will see:
- Which are the most important impacts (material issues) Enel has identified;
- How Enel proceeded with stakeholder engagement, and
- What actions were taken by Enel to combine innovation and sustainability in energy-related projects, providing socially and environmentally responsible energy solutions
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What are the material issues the company has identified?
In its 2015 Sustainability Report Enel identified a range of material issues, such as creation of economic/financial value, sound governance, occupational health and safety, quality in relationships with customers. Among these, ‘innovability’, combining innovation and sustainability in its products and services, stands out as a key material issue for Enel.
Stakeholder engagement in accordance with the GRI Standards
The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) defines the Principle of Stakeholder Inclusiveness when identifying material issues (or a company’s most important impacts) as follows:
Stakeholders must be consulted in the process of identifying a company’s most important impacts and their reasonable expectations and interests must be taken into account. This is an important cornerstone for CSR / sustainability reporting done responsibly.
Key stakeholder groups Enel engages with:
| Stakeholder Group | Method of engagement |
| Employees
| · Intranet · Forums · Interviews · Work groups · Climate survey · Company magazine · Newsletter · Notification channel |
| Financial community | · Investor relations and Corporate Affairs · Roadshows · Investor Day · Direct contacts · Web channel |
| Customers
| · Enel retail points and commercial offices · Online portal · Agents · Consumer associations · Customer focus centers · Surveys · Forums and work groups · Mobile apps · Social networks |
| Companies and category associations
| · Meetings · Work groups · Forums and dedicated meetings · Direct contacts |
| Suppliers and contractors | · Online channel · Forums and dedicated meetings · Work groups · Direct contacts |
| Media | · Press releases · Roadshows · Direct contacts · Dedicated meetings · Social networks |
| Civil society and local communities | · Online · Releases · Direct contacts · Notification channel · Social networks |
| Institutions | · Online · Releases · Direct contacts · Notification channel · Social networks |
How stakeholder engagement was made to identify material issues
In 2015, in order to identify, assess and prioritize issues considered material for both Enel and the company’s stakeholders, Enel took 174 initiatives to engage and listen to stakeholders.
What actions were taken by Enel to combine innovation and sustainability in energy-related projects, providing socially and environmentally responsible energy solutions?
In its 2015 Sustainability Report Enel reports that it took the following actions to combine innovation and sustainability in energy-related projects, providing socially and environmentally responsible energy solutions:
- Realizing already existing projects and launching new projects involving renewables
- In 2015, Enel Green Power realized already existing and launched new renewable energy projects focused on:
- improving the performance of technologies
- developing renewables in urban contexts
- using new renewables, not exploited up to now, particularly sea energy and high-altitude wind
- Developing new energy storage technologies
- Enel is focused, by entering into partnerships with companies in the sector, on developing residential energy storage systems that allow consumers to store self-produced energy.
- Building electric transport infrastructure
- [tweetthis]In 2015, Enel realized various electric transport projects and programs[/tweetthis], including:
- ‘Zem2All’ (Zero Emissions Mobility to all), introducing 200 electric vehicles in Malaga and developing the required recharging infrastructure
- ‘Electric transport in Santiago del Cile’ for the creation of recharging infrastructure, in collaboration with public authorities
- Innovating in the final uses of energy
- Enel is involved in the FLEXICIENCY project, offering end users, through real-time data made available by a smart meter system, the ability to monitor and control their energy consumption.
Which GRI indicators/Standards have been addressed?
The GRI indicators/Standards addressed in this case are:
1) G4-EN4: Energy consumption outside of the organization – the updated GRI Standard is: Disclosure 302-2 Energy consumption outside of the organization
2) G4-EN7: Reductions in energy requirements of products and services – the updated GRI Standard is: Disclosure 302-5 Reductions in energy requirements of products and services
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References:
1) This case study is based on published information by Enel, located at the link below. For the sake of readability, we did not use brackets or ellipses. However, we made sure that the extra or missing words did not change the report’s meaning. If you would like to quote these written sources from the original, please revert to the original on the Global Reporting Initiative’s Sustainability Disclosure Database at the link:
http://database.globalreporting.org/
2) http://www.fbrh.co.uk/en/global-reporting-initiative-gri-g4-guidelines-download-page
3) https://g4.globalreporting.org/Pages/default.aspx
4) https://www.globalreporting.org/standards/gri-standards-download-center/
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