Italians and Slovaks swap best practices

MULTINATIONAL companies have learned that there are multiple benefits when they share business models and best practices between their member companies. Subsidiaries of multinational companies know that being part of a global business can bring advantages in terms of knowledge and know-how. The Slovak Spectator spoke with Michele Bologna, the director of external relations for Slovenské Elektrárne (SE), 66-percent owned by Enel, an Italian energy provider and the third largest energy firm in Europe by market capitalisation; and to Zuzana Ďuďáková, spokesperson of UniCredit Bank Slovakia, a member of UniCredit Group, an Italian-based leader in European banking, about their companies’ experiences in sharing business models and best practices.

The 'guts' of the Mochovce nuclear power station. The 'guts' of the Mochovce nuclear power station. (Source: SME)

MULTINATIONAL companies have learned that there are multiple benefits when they share business models and best practices between their member companies. Subsidiaries of multinational companies know that being part of a global business can bring advantages in terms of knowledge and know-how. The Slovak Spectator spoke with Michele Bologna, the director of external relations for Slovenské Elektrárne (SE), 66-percent owned by Enel, an Italian energy provider and the third largest energy firm in Europe by market capitalisation; and to Zuzana Ďuďáková, spokesperson of UniCredit Bank Slovakia, a member of UniCredit Group, an Italian-based leader in European banking, about their companies’ experiences in sharing business models and best practices.



The Slovak Spectator (TSS): What business models or best practices have you brought to Slovakia from your parent company?


Michele Bologna (MB): Currently Enel Group operates in more than 40 countries around the globe and I can say that it is more international than Italian. For that reason we naturally incorporate into our everyday activities the multicultural dimension because we use the best experiences from colleagues in other countries within so-called best-practice sharing, beginning with production methods, in technologies, and up to management skills.

We develop this undoubtedly great competitive advantage within the Enel Group via our International Mobility Programme within which we enable talents from the whole world to work either in the headquarters in Rome or in other countries as well.

As a member of the Enel Group, Slovenské Elektrárne is part of many important programmes focused on enhancing effectiveness, continuous improvement and also corporate social responsibility. With regards to the latter, I can mention, for example, two projects which are just culminating – a competition for children from primary and secondary schools called ‘Play Energy’ which develops knowledge about energy and environmental protection and our ‘Sport Day without Barriers’ that will take place in Bratislava on June 22.

Zuzana Ďuďáková: The global network of UniCredit Group covers approximately 50 markets and is represented by over 9,600 branches; in continental Europe UniCredit Group operates the most extensive banking network – in 22 countries.

Globalisation in doing business means an increasing level of cross-border economic activities. These days almost every company needs to trade and carry out transactions with others abroad. Those which are able to adapt to constant change and are able to apply global solutions to local conditions pull away from the competition.

The strategy of UniCredit Group is to synchronise business models at the supra-national level. The aim of our professional engagement is to understand individuals, firms and real life situations as well as the needs of local communities and to give concrete answers and provide real benefits.

UniCredit Bank Slovakia belongs among the leaders in the corporate banking segment in Slovakia. It serves mid-sized as well as large international companies. We enjoy the advantage of being part of the biggest banking group in central and eastern Europe. Thanks to this we can implement the concept of enabling harmonisation of trade conditions and servicing of corporate clients. This means that we are able to serve these clients at the same level and in the same way as they are accustomed in their home countries while having an excellent knowledge of the local market.

Global Transaction Banking (GTB) is a model that has the goal of providing clients of UniCredit Bank Slovakia with bank transactions and banking products and services in the same form they know from other countries where UniCredit operates.

GTB maintains a deep knowledge of the needs of individual markets as well as the needs of international companies and that enables it to integrate the actual local offer into the environment of international platforms. This standardisation of processes enables a smooth flow of information and knowledge within the group, placement of global products in regions and improved communication in the network. Among its basic product pillars are cash management, ebanking, export finance and securities services.



TSS: Are there any Slovak models, best practices or other positive experiences that your parent company or other affiliates have adopted from you?


MB: Currently the most significant field of know-how sharing is in nuclear energy. The successful operation of nuclear reactors by Slovenské Elektrárne, continuous improvement in safety, modernisation projects, cooperation with the Slovak Academy of Sciences and the Slovak University of Technology, and so on are the base for the creation of Enel Group’s Centre of Excellence for nuclear energy.



TSS: What are your company’s plans for investment and business development in Slovakia over the next one or two years?


MB: The most significant and simultaneously the biggest investment project of SE is the investment of over €2.7 billion for completion of the third and fourth units of the nuclear power station in Mochovce. Last year we also completed a modernisation programme and increased the power output of the nuclear power plant in Jaslovské Bohunice. We invested €500 million for improved safety and operating reliability for the whole power station. This year we will also complete modernisation of the facility's warning system, a system of sirens within a radius of 21 kilometres around the nuclear power station. By using the most modern technology we will build the biggest independent warning system in Slovakia.

SE continues making investments in the reconstruction of the thermal power stations in Nováky and Vojany as well as in renewable resources. In 2009 we launched a project for co-combustion of biomass for boilers in Vojany. So far, through our 5-percent use of wood chips, we have been able to prevent 21,000 tons of CO2 from entering the environment each year. This is an excellent result and we have already met targets that were established only for future years.

We have significant plans for the thermal power station in Nováky, where we are analysing the possibility of installing new boilers for combustion of biomass as well as municipal waste collected from the vicinity. In this way our contribution to the environment will be doubled.

We also plan implementation of various renewable energy technologies that will have a positive impact on the environment, enhancement of the effectiveness of our hydro-power stations, and construction of some smaller hydro-power stations – continuously raising the amount of power generated from renewable resources.


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