Environment protection
Athena recognises the responsibility attached to being a player in society in a local, national and international context. Therefore, Athena remains attentive towards making targeted efforts to ensure that its core business area and activities are conducted in a financially, environmentally and socially viable manner by both complying with statutory requirements and taking voluntary corporate responsibility initiatives in the countries and communities in which Athena operates. Athena believes that responsible business behaviour is a precondition for long-term value creation for the Company and its stakeholders.
The UN principles on human rights, labour rights, environment and anticorruption form a guiding framework on which Athena’s corporate responsibility efforts are based. In its considerations relating to Corporate Responsibility initiatives, Athena seeks inspiration in the UN Global Compact initiative for corporate social responsibility.
Environment Protection 2017
Clean energy gross production of 434.366 MWh in 2017 equals:
144,789
Power consumption of families in 1 year
592,953
Saving of barrels of oil
230,214
Emission saving of tons of CO2
Climate and environment
Athena directly addresses significant societal challenges through the Company’s core business of producing and selling renewable energy from wind and solar technologies, contributing to reduce the environmental and climate impact.
Based on a durable and profitable portfolio of renewable energy producing assets, Athena strives to generate and distribute clean energy production in order to preserve the environment and to contribute to a world sustainable growth.
Athena contributed production of renewable energy provides immediate environmental advantages in terms of savings of fossil fuels and elimination of CO2 emissions.
Based on a durable and profitable portfolio of renewable energy producing assets, Athena strives to generate and distribute clean energy production in order to preserve the environment and to contribute to a world sustainable growth.
Athena contributed production of renewable energy provides immediate environmental advantages in terms of savings of fossil fuels and elimination of CO2 emissions.
In 2017 Athena’s installed gross capacity provided a clean energy production of 434.4 GWh:
- Equivalent to the power consumption of 144,789 families in 1 year
- Saving 592,953 barrels of oil
- Avoiding the emission of 230,214 tons of CO2.
As Athena offers an alternative to the scarce and polluting power sources providing clean energy without emissions of hazardous particles or greenhouse gases, no special environmental risks are related to Athena’s activities.
The Company, however, do care about the physical impact of its activities. Athena’s projects are subject to environmental permits and at all project stages Athena is governed by comprehensive environmental legislation and rules which, through mandatory surveys and analyses, safeguard the surroundings of the Company’s plants, i.e. flora and fauna, local households and the landscape.
Athena has no significant outstanding environmental issues with authorities, nongovernmental organisations or local households.
As to limit also the environmental impact of the Company’s administrative activities, Athena decided, starting from 2014, not to present the annual report in a printed and bound version, but only electronically.
People
Athena considers diversity an important asset and remains committed to ensuring equal opportunities and rights for employees and therefore does not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on religion, race, ethnicity, gender, age, sexuality, political opinion or other status.
Athena has a diverse workforce with a broad employee composition in terms of geographical and cultural background, gender and age distribution (see the paragraph “Organisation” of Annual Report 2017 for details on the composition of the employees).
Moreover, a safe and healthy workplace continues to be a priority for Athena. Particularly in the Company’s wind and solar plants, severe health and safety procedures are implemented to secure the employees and minimise the risk of occupational accidents. Also in 2017, these provisions have contributed to an injury- and incident-free working environment.
Diversity in management
Athena also maintains focus on encouraging diversity at managerial levels, an initiative which was introduced in 2013 with the policy on equal representation in management centred on gender distribution in the Board of Directors. In line with section 139a of the Danish Companies Act, the Board of Directors, thus, has implemented a target figure for the proportion of women, who currently constitute the underrepresented sex of the Board:
It is the aim of the Board of Directors of Athena that 2 female board members be elected by the General Meeting within 2022.
Athena’s Board of Directors has been ambitious on the topic taking an important step towards its fulfilment with the election of Mrs. Michèle Bellon as member of the Board of Directors at the Annual General Meeting already in April 2014. Despite a continued process and focused effort identifying competent and qualified female candidates, the right match has not been made yet. The target figure, therefore, most likely will not be met as planned. The Board of Directors will, however, continue its efforts towards its fulfilment within the shortest possible time frame, maintaining obviously the primary criteria that the candidates proposed for the Board of Directors are selected considering their suitability based on professional and personals skills and competences.
Athena’s Board of Directors currently consisting of five members – 4 male and 1 female – the ratio of the underrepresented sex on the Board has increased from 14% to 20%.
Additionally, the Company has adopted policies regarding the proportion of gender in the other management levels of the Company:
Athena is still committed to working towards creating and maintaining equal opportunities for women and men at all management levels in the Company. In connection with all recruitment, including recruitment at management level, it is Athena’s policy to fulfil the Company’s requirements for employees with the necessary skills and competences, regardless of gender, age, ethnicity etc.
When choosing between equally qualified candidates, the diversity among the employees shall be taken into consideration. In connection with recruitment for managerial positions it should be ensured, where possible, that the candidates invited for interview include both men and women.
When choosing between equally qualified candidates, the diversity among the employees shall be taken into consideration. In connection with recruitment for managerial positions it should be ensured, where possible, that the candidates invited for interview include both men and women.
At year-end 2017, the managerial positions below top-management level in the Company were covered by respectively 40% male managers and 60% female managers – a totally equal gender representation.
Ethics and Behaviour
Transparency and compliance with national and international regulation and standards are considered cornerstones in Athena’s business behaviour, and the Company is committed to conduct its activities in a lawful and conscientious way and perform its practices responsibly with due consideration and respect of internal and external procedures and guidelines.A code of ethics has been introduced for the majority of the Group companies which addresses relevant issues and prescribes the correct behaviour in interactions with the Company’s internal and external stakeholders. A system to increase awareness and of empowerment among the employees regarding the rules of conduct and business ethics has been implemented. During 2017, the Company did not face any breach of the code of ethic.
Athena operates in an international context, currently in two different European countries (Italy and Spain) which all constitute fairly limited risk factors in terms of businesses’ exposure to human rights violations. Consequently, Athena does not conduct any activities, liaise or contract with business partners or suppliers in countries considered high-risk in terms of negatively impacting human rights. Athena has not prepared a specific policy on human rights as, so far, the Company has not deemed it relevant, considering its business activities and locations.
In the future, Athena will continuously endeavour to expand its corporate responsibility efforts by integrating environmental and social aspects in its planning and decision-making processes. These efforts will be based on the topics most relevant with respect to Athena’s core business and commercial goals as this is the best way in which Athena can contribute through relevant initiatives to the benefit of the Company and of its stakeholders.