Letter by the Management Board

This is now the third report we have published to provide non-financial information from the Energie AG Group, Upper Austria’s largest utility company. The topics covered in this report have increasingly gained strategic importance in light of the intensifying discussions about the security of supply and waste management as well as climate protection, making it imperative for Energie AG to employ a clear and uniform approach.

The second half of the past fiscal year was a very challenging and demanding time for all of us. The novel “SARS-CoV-2” virus triggered a global pandemic that entailed far-reaching and disruptive consequences. Not only did all of us have to deal with changes to our daily lives, many have also been affected at the core of their existence and had to overcome severe strokes of fate. In light of the circumstances we are facing, Energie AG understands the special duty of care that the Company as an operator of critical infrastructure owes to its customers, employees and the society at large.

The highest priority in all of this must be afforded to warranting the security and quality of supply for our customers. We have firmly committed ourselves to this responsibility with the objective of laying the foundations for economic growth, secure jobs and a high quality of life. The Group lives up to this responsibility by permanently investing in the expansion of our grid and sustainably optimising their reliability and quality.

The targets set by the Austrian Federal Government and the European Commission with regard to climate neutrality reinforce the strategy pursued by Energie AG for many years. In the year under review, the importance of energy efficiency and resource preservation is once again reflected in the analysis of the greenhouse gases emitted by the Group. These emissions declined by more than 10% from the previous year, and are representative of the course charted for achieving the Group's strategic objective of decarbonising its business operations.

Another focus of Energie AG is the promotion of diversity in general and gender diversity in particular. The year under review once again saw the implementation of specific measures in the form of scholarships awarded to female technicians and a recently concluded trainee programme that focused on our female colleagues. We are confident that these measures will have a positive effect on our corporate culture and ultimately contribute to the Group's economic success.

In these challenging times, we are once again reminded that employees are a company's most valuable resource. By holding competitions for the best ideas and establishing a platform for suggestions for improvements, we seek to encourage every single one of our colleagues to contribute to our goals, harness their full potential and jointly support their personal development and the development of our company.

Energie AG consistently seeks to put environmental, social and public welfare issues at the forefront of our agenda. We hope that this report on non-financial information gives you an opportunity to find out more about our activities and we look forward to working together with you as we continue to pursue sustainable development.

The Management Board of Energie AG Oberösterreich