Press Release

Strengthening the prevention of illegal acts and irregularities in the execution of projects in the water, electricity and environmental sectors

Lamberto Giannini, the Prefect of Rome, and Fabrizio Palermo, CEO of Acea, today signed a partnership protocol or the protection of legality and the fight against crime, which will apply to projects that the Group will carry out in the coming years in the territory of Rome, in all the sectors in which it operates: water, electricity and environment.

The three-year agreement follows and implements the "National Framework Tender Protocol" signed last July by the Ministry of Domestic Affairs and Acea. It is a further step in the protection of legality, following the four protocols signed in September 2023 by the Prefecture of Rome and Acea Ato 2, concerning the construction sites of major water works in the capital. 

The purpose of the agreement signed today is to strengthen cooperation in several areas: to reduce the risk of infiltration by organised crime; to prevent the commission of offences and irregularities (including in the field of waste management); to guarantee the safety of workers and workplaces; and to combat organised and common crime phenomena in tenders and on construction sites in the areas in which the Group operates, particularly in relation to the work planned for the coming years, some of which will be implemented under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR).

The Protocol also includes Acea's commitment to promote information and training initiatives for its personnel and to raise awareness of these issues throughout the supply chain - contractors, direct and indirect subcontractors. It also foresees a specific review of the technical, economic and financial requirements of suppliers, as well as the regularity of personnel, in order to avoid any negative impact on health and safety at work and to contribute to environmental protection in a fully sustainable perspective.    

"Today's signature marks a very important step forward in the process of reaffirming the values of legality in public procurement," said the Prefect of Rome, Lamberto Giannini. “Thanks to the protocol that has just been signed with the Acea Group, the Group is implementing its system of transparency, regularity and prevention of criminal phenomena that could infiltrate at any stage during the execution of the works that will be carried out in the coming years, with important implications also in terms of workers' health and safety and environmental protection".    

"Signing this Protocol confirms Acea's strong commitment to ensuring legality and transparency at all stages of work carried out in the Group's main businesses," said Fabrizio Palermo, CEO of Acea. "It is a unique agreement that aims to establish, through a public-private partnership, continuous cooperation and a constant exchange of information in order to prevent any infiltration by organised crime or the perpetration of illegalities and irregularities that could become an obstacle from the start of the projects to the realisation and management of the infrastructure".