Through Legislative Decree No. 24 of 2023, the Government implemented European Directive 2019/1937, which regulates the protection of individuals who report violations of Union law. The recently introduced legislation establishes the obligation to set up reporting systems for conduct that contravenes national legislation and European Union law in specific sectoral areas. The regulatory intervention has also broadened the subjective scope of application of reports, extending protections to additional categories of potential whistleblowers, while simultaneously establishing specific safeguards and support mechanisms for individuals who make such communications and/or reports.
The Company has complied with the requirements set forth by the new regulations by establishing appropriate Internal Systems that allow the transmission of reports concerning relevant violations both in written form and orally, and by appointing a Manager of the Internal Reporting System, identified as the Supervisory Body.
The individual who makes a report, where the necessary requirements are met, is entitled to recognition of the protection measures established by Legislative Decree 24/2023. Specifically, the person making the report is protected against any form of discriminatory conduct and/or retaliation that the Company or entities connected to it might potentially implement against them as "punishment" for having reported the violation they became aware of. Furthermore, the whistleblower who has suffered retaliatory behavior by the Company or entities connected to it may submit a report to ANAC, the Authority competent to conduct necessary investigations and to intervene, where necessary, by imposing administrative sanctions.
