Relations with local communities

[G4-DMA Local Communities] TIM undertakes on a daily basis to ensure that its relations with public administration and local government bodies are lasting and satisfactory, in the belief that this is the only way to create the conditions for both parties to grow, allowing local authorities to improve the quality of life of their citizens and TIM to achieve its business objectives.

In order to achieve this, TIM prioritises respect for the rights of local communities in its operations and offers to provide solutions suited to the needs expressed by local authorities on issues related to communication technologies, identifying requirements that arise spontaneously and informing local authorities about technological innovations that can improve quality of life and the dissemination of the digital cultur.

TIM has a central department entirely dedicated to managing relations with local authorities which, amongst other things, coordinates relations between local offices and local authorities, particularly through the “local accounts”. Furthermore, working with other relevant sectors in dealing with specific issues, this central department:

• determines the criteria used to select the local authorities with which to establish relations, and the ways in which these relations are to be managed;
• assesses the risks and opportunities arising from such relations;
• establishes priorities;
• contributes to drawing up agreements with local authorities;
• listens systematically to all requests and reports from local authorities and directs them correctly to the relevant departments within TIM;
• organises listening sessions and information meetings;
• supports the other departments of TIM if they need to implement a project that has a local impact;
• organises sessions with local accounts to share information about relevant matters;
• performs a facilitating role for the implementation of projects.

As the primary mission of TIM is to supply ICT services, specific attention is paid to organisations that are involved in these services, in particular those dealing with:

• upgrading and developing networks;
• improving public ICT services;
• broadband coverage;
• digital inclusion of a social type;
• implementing the Digital Agenda;
• management of public funds;
• development of an urban local development agenda.

Joint projects between TIM and local authorities are managed in a way that specifies the roles and duties of each party, formal control mechanisms and measurement tools. TIM promotes the formation of joint control committees, i.e. committees formed of representatives of all the parties involved. The composition and objectives of the committees are determined according to the specific requirements of the project and provide for the presence of stakeholders without any kind of discrimination, in particular without gender discrimination.

In full compliance with the principles of transparency and accountability, TIM responds flexibly to requests, regardless of how they are received.

[G4-SO1]  Given the ubiquity of its network, the TIM Group has relations with local authorities in all regions and always assesses the impacts of its operations and development plans, regardless of the type of intervention, which in any case is always carried out in full compliance with current legislation and with the needs of local communities.

[G4-SO2] The potential negative impacts arising exclusively from excavations for installing cable ducts or positioning radio base stations, are mitigated through the use of low environmental impact technologies, such as mini-trenches, and thanks to prior agreements with local authorities, e.g. regarding aerial installation sites. In Brazil, in particular, environmental protection institutions are regularly consulted when deciding on where radio base stations should be positioned and multifunctional structures are used which improve the data transmission quality and can be used for public lighting and video surveillance at the same time¹.

¹ TIM Brasil has launched the Biosite, a metal pole that supports all the equipment needed to install a Radio Base Station inside its own structure as better explained in the Environmental Protection chapter.