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Pirelli & C. S.p.

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FY2015 Annual Report · Pirelli & C. S.p.
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“For more than 140 years Pirelli 

has been anticipating 

customer needs, 

bringing to the market high-end 

products on the pillars of innovation 

and technical excellence. 

It starts with the inspiration, 

ambition and sense of belonging 

of our people, who each leave their 

unique mark by turning innovative 

ideas into reality. 

Today Pirelli delivers complete 

solutions to its customers 

– a combination of premium tyres 

and related services. 

And now that new changes 

and challenges are on the horizon, 

such as new mobility 

and digital technology, 

we are ready to seize 

these new opportunities 

with the same passion, 

imagination and commitment.„

In cover: Pokras Lampas (3x3.30 m)

PIRELLI & C. S.p.A. - Milan

contents

LETTER FROM CHAIRMAN 

LETTER FROM CEO 

PREsENTATION OF 2015 PIRELLI INTE gRATEd REPORT 

01.

directors’ 
report 
on operations  

MACROECONOMIC ANd MARkET sCENARIO 

2

 sIgNIFICANT EvENT s 2015 

gROuP PERFORMANCE ANd REsuLT s 

 REsEARCH ANd dEvELOPMENT ACTIvITIEs 

HIgHLIgHT s OF OTHER ACTIvITIEs 

HIgHLIgHT s PARENT COMPANy 

RIsk FACTORs ANd uNCERTAINTy 

sIgNIFICANT EvENT s subsEquENT TO THE ENd OF THE yEAR 

ALTERNATIvE PERFORMANCE INdICATORs 

OTHER INFORMATION 

02.report 

on value chain 
responsible 
management  

pag. 

pag. 

pag. 

4

6

8

pag. 

pag. 

pag. 

pag. 

pag. 

pag. 

12

14

18

21

35

37

pag. 

38

pag.   40

pag. 

50

pag. 

51

pag. 

52

pag. 

54

Contents  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

ECONOMIC dIMENsION 

ENvIRONMENTAL dIMENsION 

sOCIAL dIMENsION 

03.

consolidated 
Financial 
statements  

FINANCIAL sTATEMENT s FORMATs 

04.

ExPLANATORy NOTEs 

sCOPE OF CONsOLIdATION 

parent 
Financial 
statements  

FINANCIAL sTATEMENT s FORMATs 

ExPLANATORy NOTEs 

ANNExEs TO THE ExPLANATOR y NOTEs 

REPORT OF THE bOARd OF s TATuTORy AudITORs TO THE sHAREHOLdERs MEETINg 

05.
06.

resolutions  
certiFications  

INdIPENdENT AudITOR’s REPORT ON THE CONsOLId ATEd FINANCIAL sTATEMENT 

INdIPENdENT AudITOR’s REPORT ON THE PARENT FINANCIAL sTATEMENT 

susTAINAbILITy AssuRANCE sTATEMENT 

suMMARy TAbLEs gRI g4 + uNgC 

pag. 

64

pag. 

pag. 

79

95

pag. 

130

pag. 

132

pag. 

140

pag.  210

pag.  220

pag.  222

pag.  228

pag.  262

pag.  270

pag.  278

pag.  282

pag.  284

pag.  286

pag.  288

pag.  292

3

directors’ 

report 

on operations  

MACROECONOMIC ANd MARkET sCENARIO 

 sIgNIFICANT EvENT s 2015 

gROuP PERFORMANCE ANd REsuLT s 

 REsEARCH ANd dEvELOPMENT ACTIvITIEs 

HIgHLIgHT s OF OTHER ACTIvITIEs 

HIgHLIgHT s PARENT COMPANy 

RIsk FACTORs ANd uNCERTAINTy 

sIgNIFICANT EvENT s subsEquENT TO THE ENd OF THE yEAR 

ALTERNATIvE PERFORMANCE INdICATORs 

OTHER INFORMATION 

pag. 

pag. 

pag. 

pag. 

pag. 

pag. 

12

14

18

21

35

37

pag. 

38

pag.   40

pag. 

50

pag. 

51

pag. 

52

4

Dear Stakeholders,This is the first time that I am speaking to you in my role as Chairman of Pirelli and it is something I take great pride in. It is the pride of someone who, together with you, will be part of the future of a company that represents Italian excellence in the world thanks to those elements that have always distinguished it: the quality of its people, its capacity to innovate and its technology. From the beginning, the Vice Chairman and CEO, Marco Tronchetti Provera, and I were united in the conviction that the sustainable growth of a company is based on product inno-vation, attention to one’s clients and team work. Pirelli will continue to focus on these values, now also able to count a strong industrial partner in ChemChina, alongside Camfin and Lti, in its shareholder structure, it will in fact give additional impetus to the company, which is already a leader, enabling it to strengthen its overall position in a strategic market like Asia and, in the Industrial segment, to become one of world leaders through the union of its assets with those of Cnrc, ChemChina’s tyre unit. In China alone, there were 279 million vehicles at the end of last year and it is foreseen that the 107 people per thousand who today own a vehicle will rise to 257 per thousand by 2024. The country aims to meet this growth by encouraging demand for alternative energy vehicles and therefore also stimulating demand for “green” tyres. It is a great opportunity for a company like Pirelli, whose Green Performance tyres last year accounted for 48% of tyre sales.Pirelli remains entrusted to the ability demonstrated over the years by its management, whose values I share. These include passion, multi-culture and care for employees, all of which I fervently believe in and which each year, among other things, bring me to personally visit the BlueStar International Summer Camps, a gathering of employees’ children from around the world. Working together also means each of us learning LETTER FROMCHAIRMANLetter from Chairman  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT5

from the strengths of the others, contributing not only to the development of Pirelli, but to the responsible growth of the global economy in a world which is becoming ever bigger. ChemChina’s international alliances are based on a strategic, long term vision. This is what has made them success stories and which will enable us to build Pirelli’s future.                  The Chairman                           Ren JianxinLetter from Chairman  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT6

LETTER FROM CEODear Stakeholders,in 2015 we laid the foundations to guarantee further growth for Pirelli. The agreement signed by our shareholders in Marco Polo Industrial Holding reconfigured the group’s profile, rein-forcing the company structure, further enlarging its international footprint and also offering new and significant perspectives for growth. The partnership will allow us to make the Industrial segment stronger, following a long search for a partner of the right international and production scale to enable us to tackle the challenges of the market. As well, even the Consumer segment will benefit from the new industrial link, which brings Pirelli the full potential of a fast growing market like Asia. We will devote 2016 to taking advantage of all the opportunities offered by the new alliance, after managing in 2015 to meet all the operational targets we had set, notwithstanding global economic instability. Our widespread international presence enabled us to offset the economic weakness of areas like Latin America with positive performances in the Nafta, Apac and European markets, where the demand for tyres, above all high end and very high end, was sustained. The profitability of the Consumer business grew to 16.2%, above target, while Premium revenues climbed above 60% of total Consumer revenues, exceeding the goals set in the Industrial Plan presented in London in 2013. The performance of the Industrial business, despite the difficult macro-economic conditions, above all in South America, achieved profitability in line with our expectations, with an Ebit margin of 8.8%. We will set off from these positive results to tackle a new year full of opportunities. We will continue to rely on our people, technology, inno-vation and the sustainable management of our products and processes to ensure our company a solid future. Facing Letter from CEO  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT7

and overcoming challenges with passion, as we do every day in the many sporting competitions in which we take part, beginning with Formula 1 where we will continue to be the exclusive supplier for the next three years.Thank you again to all our Stakeholders.                The Chairman and CEO                Marco Tronchetti ProveraLetter from CEO  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORTPresentation of 2015 Integrated Report  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

presentation  
oF 2015 integrated 
report

The Pirelli 2015 integrated report (Annual Report 2015) aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the process 

of creating value for the Company’s Stakeholders, as resulting from the integrated management of the financial, 

productive,  intellectual,  human,  natural,  social  and  relational  capitals.  Reporting  reflects  the  business  model 

adopted by Pirelli, which is inspired by the United Nations’ Global Compact, the principles of Stakeholder En-

gagement set forth by the AA1000, and the Guidelines of ISO 260001.

The financial capital, which comprises the company’s financial resources, drives the sustainable management 

8

of the other capitals and is in turn influenced by the value created by the latter. In 2015, the management of the 

business produced an EBIT before non-recurring and restructuring expenses equal to euro 918.5 million (14.6% 

the EBIT Margin), with a growth of 6% as compared to the previous year and a return on investment (ROI) exclud-

ing financial assets and before restructuring costs equal to 24%, which represents an increase of two percentage 

points as compared to 2014.

In turn, the Company’s productive capital, which includes 20 tyre factories in four continents, is managed in a 

perspective of reducing environmental impacts, with targets by 2020 in terms of an increase in waste recovery 

and a reduction of the specific indices of energy consumption, emissions and water withdrawal. In this regard, 

the Company’s efforts in 2015 made it possible to contain the energy and emission inefficiency stemming primar-

ily from the drop in volumes in Brazil. At the same time, investment in renewable resources continued through 

projects employing biomass for the production of steam (Brazil) and the use of wind energy (Mexico). A reduction 

in the specific water withdrawal was then recorded, alongside an increase in the rate of waste recovery. All this 

has helped to achieve efficiencies on costs amounting to 94.4 million euro in total.

The research and development activities, which have always been at the heart of Pirelli’s strategy, contribute 

substantially to the improvement of environmental efficiency along the entire product life-cycle, from the inno-

vative raw materials to the process, distribution, use and up to the end of life of tyres. In 2015, Pirelli invested 

214.4 million euro in research and development, i.e. 5.8% of premium revenues and 3.4% of total revenues. In turn, 

Presentation of 2015 Integrated Report  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

Pirelli’s Green Performance products, which combine performance and respect for the environment, at the end of 

2015 represent 48%2 of total tyre turnover (46% in 2014 and 43% in 2013). The strong investment in innovation also 

supplies Pirelli’s intellectual capital, which comprise a total portfolio of approximately 5,000 patents concerning 

innovations of product, process and materials, as well as copyright, software, and a brand recognised worldwide.

The evolution of the cited capitals is closely related to human capital, at the heart of the Company’s growth. Merit, 

rules, ethics and sharing of strong values and clear policies, attention to welfare and diversity are accompanied 

by advanced instruments to attract and retain the best talents. The investment in the “culture of health and safety 

at work” and in training is fundamental, with an injury frequency index that in 2015 decreased by 6% compared 

to 2014 and an investment in training that reached 8.3 average days per employee, thus surpassing for the third 

consecutive year the target of 7 average-per-capita days as envisaged by the Industrial Plan only as from 2015.

Pirelli’s social and relational capitals are based on the continuous and transparent dialogue that the Company 

maintains with its stakeholders. This dialogue has led to the mapping of the Company’s materiality, which is 

being  upgraded  during  2016  and  analyses  the  expectations  of  Pirelli’s  main  stakeholder  on  issues  related  to 

sustainable growth (see Section “Report on Value Chain Responsible Management”).

In methodological terms, the drafting of the Annual Report 2015 took into consideration the Integrated Reporting 

principles contained in the framework of the International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC), the Financial 

Statements and Consolidated Financial Statements were drawn up according to IFRS international accounting 

standards, and socio-environmental performance meets the Sustainability Reporting Guidelines of the Global 

Reporting  Initiative  (version  GRI-G4  -  Comprehensive  option).  The  Summary  Tables,  found  at  the  end  of  the 

9

report, link the specific GRI-G4 indicators with the principles of the Global Compact and the topics discussed in 

the Annual Report.

1  Compliance of the Pirelli Sustainability Model with the AA1000 Principles and ISO26000 Guidelines was audited by a third party once again in 
2015, as certified by the SGS Assurance Statement at the end of this report. The application of the requirements of Standard SA8000® by Pirelli 
and the Group’s Suppliers is subjected to external and internal audits.
2  Figure obtained by weighing the value of sales of Green Performance tyres on the total value of sales of Group tyres. Green Performance prod-
ucts identify the tyres that Pirelli produces throughout the world and that fall under rolling resistance and wet skid resistance classes A, B, C 
according to the labelling parameters set by European legislation.

General Information  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

10

board oF directors 1

Chairman

Executive vice Chairman and CEO 

director :

General Information  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

Ren Jianxin

Marco Tronchetti Provera

yang xingqiang

Carlo Acutis

bai xinping

gustavo bracco

giorgio Luca bruno

Ze'ev goldberg

Andrey kostin

Jiao Chonggao

Emerson Milenski

Luca Rovati

Igor sechin

yang xun

Wang dan

Zhang Haitao

secretary of the board

Anna Chiara svelto

11

board oF statutory auditors 2

Chairman

statutory Auditor:

deputy Auditor:

independent auditing F irm 

general m anager 

Francesco Fallacara

Fabrizio Acerbis

Fabio Artoni

giovanni bandera

david Reali

Fabio Facchini

giovanna Oddo

Reconta Ernst & young s.p.A.

Maurizio boiocchi (Technology)

gregorio borgo (Operations)

1 Appointment: March 15, 2016. Expiry: Shareholders’ Meeting convened for the approval of the Financial Statements at December 31, 2018. 
2  Appointment: May 14, 2015. Expiry: Shareholders’ Meeting convened for the approval of the Financial Statements at December 31, 2017 (David Reali, Giovanni Bandera e 

Fabrizio Acerbis appointed on March 15, 2016)

12

Directors’ Report on Operations  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORTdirectors’ report on operations01.MacroeconoMic 
and Market 
scenario

  The international economy  

Global economic activity continued to show signs of weakness in 2015, with 2.5% GDP growth, a slowdown compared to the previous 
two years. The good performances of Europe and North America only partially offset the lower than expected growth in emerging 
markets, which were impacted by a sharp drop in the prices of raw materials, the high volatility of financial markets and a reduc-
tion in capital flows and trade.

Growth Global GDP, (annual change in %)
Source: IHS, January 2016

2013

2014

2015

14

5

4

3

2

1

0

-1

-2

-3

World

Europe

NAFTA

Latam

CIS

MEA

APAC

The analysis of the dynamics of the various geographical areas, revealed that the recovery in economic activity in Europe had con-
tinued and had resulted in a GDP growth that for 2015 was expected to attain +1.8% (+1.4 in 2014), thanks to the positive performances 
of the United Kingdom, Spain and Germany. 
Economic activity was driven primarily by private consumption, which benefited both from the reduction in energy prices and from 
an improvement in the conditions of the financial markets - followed by the introduction in January 2015 of the quantitative easing 
program of the ECB. The weakening of the Euro against the US Dollar finally had the effect of improving the competitiveness of 
exports of goods and services.
Inflation continues to be a reason of concern; in fact, the reduction in raw material prices continued in the last quarter of 2015 con-
tributing to an inflation rate of zero in the Eurozone for 2015. In this context, the European Central Bank cut interest rates twice 
during the year bringing the interest rate on deposits with the ECB to -0.30% in December 2015, and also extended the government 

Directors’ Report on Operations  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORTsecurities purchase program by six months, until March 2017. 
In  the  USA,  GDP  growth  continues  apace  with  +2.5%  in  2015, 
supported  by  improved  labour  market  conditions  and  despite 
the negative impact of the US Dollar appreciation on foreign de-
mand. The reduction in the unemployment rate (5% in Decem-
ber 2015 compared to 5.6% in the same month of 2014) and signs 
of increases in wages provided the elements to the Federal Re-
serve to start an upward cycle of interest rates with an increase 
of 25 basis points in December 2015 (first increase since 2006).
The economic crisis that hit Brazil and whose economy is ex-
pected to decline by more than 3% in 2015 was inevitably re-
flected in the other countries of Latin America by contributing 
to an overall decline in GDP in the area. In addition to the sharp 
depreciation of raw materials, Brazilian economic activity was 
affected by the political crisis and the downgrade of the rat-
ing  of  government  securities,  together  with  the  slowdown  in 
China, its first export market outlet. Argentina’s economy has 
responded  better  (+1.6%  GDP  in  2015  -  IHS  estimate),  thanks 
to the containment of public spending implemented before the 
autumn elections. Venezuela also closed the year in recession, 
hit hard by the fall in oil prices, resulting in greater difficulty 
for economic operators in obtaining “strong” currency for im-
porting the industrial goods required for production. 
In China, the volatility of financial markets in the summer and 
the devaluation of the Renminbi have highlighted the risks of 
an excessive economic slowdown linked to a retreat from the 
high levels of investment and borrowing that characterised the 
years of strong growth and the transition towards the great-
er importance of domestic consumption. The year 2015 closed 
with a growth of 6.9%, in line with expectations although lower 
than the 7.3% in 2014, confirming the soft landing scenario.

  Exchange rates  

Currency markets in 2015 were characterized by the strength-
ening of the US Dollar, also as a result of expectations of a rise 
in interest rates that materialized only in December. The appre-
ciation of the US Dollar against the Euro was more pronounced 
in the first half of 2015, coinciding with the beginning of the 
program to purchase sovereign bonds by the ECB; overall, the 
Euro/US Dollar listing recorded an average of 1.11 US Dollars 
per Euro in 2015 as compared to 1.33 in the previous year, rep-
resenting a depreciation of the Euro of 16%. 

Even the Japanese currency was affected by the continuation of 
the expansionary monetary policy of the Central Bank in 2015, 
reaching an average of 121 Yen per US Dollar, down 13% as com-
pared to the 2014 average.
Also in decline as compared to the US Dollar in 2015 were the 
currencies of the main emerging countries, especially countries 
exporting raw materials. 
The Brazilian Real stood at an average of 3.34 Real per US Dol-

lar in 2015, -30% over the previous year, affected by the down-
grade by rating agencies of political uncertainties. 
Despite the volatility recorded in August, linked to the expan-
sion of the trading band, the average price of the Renminbi in 
2015 amounted to 6.23 against the US Dollar, down 1.4% com-
pared to the average of the previous year.

Exchange rate: US Dollar per Euro 
Source: European Central Bank, monthly data up to 31 December 2015

2012 avarage:
2012 avarage:
1.28
1.28

2013 avarage:
2013 avarage:
1.33
1.33

2014 avarage:
2014 avarage:
1.33
1.33

2015 avarage:
2015 avarage:
1.11
1.11

1.5
1.5

1.4
1.4

1.3
1.3

1.2
1.2

1.1
1.1

1.0
1.0

2012
2012

2013
2013

2014
2014

2015
2015

Exchange rate: Brazilian Real per USD
Source: European Central Bank, monthly data up to 31 December 2015

2012 avarage:
2012 avarage:
1.95
1.95

2013 avarage:
2013 avarage:
2.16
2.16

2014 avarage:
2014 avarage:
2.35
2.35

2015 avarage:
2015 avarage:
3.34
3.34

15

4.5
4.5

4.0
4.0

3.5
3.5

3.0
3.0

2.5
2.5

2.0
2.0

1.5
1.5

1.0
1.0

2012
2012

2013
2013

2014
2014

2015
2015

Automotive mArkets

The global auto market recorded an increase in registrations 
of around 2% in 2015; the good trend in demand in the United 
States,  in  Western  Europe  and  in  China  more  than  offset  the 
weakness of the Brazilian and Russian markets, which were af-
fected by a general decline in economic activity and in particu-
lar a propensity towards purchasing durable goods. According 
to IHS, the Premium segment, which includes the cars of the 
most  prestigious  brands  and  is  the  most  interesting  segment 
for Pirelli, confirmed a growth rate higher than the market rep-
resenting  up  to  10%  of  cars  sold.  This  trend,  which  results  in 
continuous improvement of the vehicle fleet in circulation, has 
been supported both by the markets with high incidence of tra-
ditionally high range vehicles, in particular Europe and North 
America, and by emerging countries like China where growth 
in the Premium segment is among the highest in the world. 

Directors’ Report on Operations  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT 
The car market in Europe recorded growth in registrations of 9% as compared to 2014, in response to strong demand for renewal of 
the car fleet in Portugal, Spain, Ireland and Italy, which recorded double-digit growth; Germany, France and the UK recorded growth 
rates above 5%.
In Latin America, the performance of the sector was strongly affected by a slowdown in economic activity and which led to a drop in 
registrations in almost all markets. In Brazil, for example, which is the main market of the region, registrations were down by 24%. 
Instead, the trend in the automotive market in China was favourable and where the pace of sales accelerated in the fourth quarter 
due to a reduction in taxation.
Comparing the very favourable trend of 2014, in anticipation of the increase in consumption tax, penalized the trend of car registra-
tions in Japan, which closed 2015 with a -10%. 
Global demand for commercial vehicles declined by about 7% in 2015 (IHS estimates): the upward trend in the NAFTA region (+13% 
growth in registrations, in line with 2014) and the recovery of the European market (+16% of the segment > 3.5 tons) mitigated the de-
cline in Russian markets (-40%), and Brazil (-48%); the drop in sales in Russia and Latin America relates to the slowdown in economic 
activity. Sales of commercial vehicles in China decreased by approximately 25% in 2015.

tYre mArkets

In 2015, the Car tyre market recorded a growth in volumes of 1.5%, which was slower than the +3.7% growth recorded for 2014. The 
Premium segment (tyres with a rim diameter of 17-inch or more) was confirmed as increasing at a much higher rate, equal to 9%, 
which in 2015 represented approximately a quarter of the total Car tyre market; growth in the Premium segment was stable for the 
main markets of Europe, North America and Asia Pacific. As far as the radial segment of the Industrial tyre market is concerned 
(Truck and Bus), 2015 recorded a decline of 1.0% as compared to 2014. 

tyre sales, consumer market (annual change in %)

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

16

Europe*

NAFTA

Latam**

China

Japan

Original Equipment 

Replacement

Original Equipment 

Replacement

Original Equipment 

Replacement

Original equipment

Original Equipment 

Replacement

3

3

10

-1

2

7

2

-13

8

-9

-12

17

-5

0

1

7

19

-1

0

0

5

-1

6

9

17

-4

4

4

2

5

3

-17

5

9

2

4

* Including Turkey, excluding Russia; ** Argentina, brazil and venezuela. 
Note: the data excludes imports except for Latin America where the replacement segment includes imports. source: Pirelli estimates

tyre sales, industrial market (annual change in %)

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

Europe*

NAFTA

Latam**

China

Japan

Original Equipment

Replacement

Original Equipment

Replacement

Original Equipment

Replacement

Original Equipment

Original Equipment

Replacement

32

-1

55

3

11

2

-15

-2

7

-8

-17

5

-11

-29

-4

-19

15

-4

6

7

-4

2

29

9

17

1

6

-4

2

16

10

-23

-3

 -5

 4

6

* Including Turkey, excluding Russia. ** Argentina, brazil and venezuela.
Note: the data excludes imports except Latin America where the spare parts segment includes imports. source: Pirelli estimates

7

4

2

4

-20

3

7

-6

-4

11

5

7

1

-48

-10

 -23

-3

-3

Directors’ Report on Operations  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORTThe positive trend in economic activity in Europe and North America and continued growth of the economy in China, albeit at 
lower rates, supported tyre market performance in 2015. The decline of the original equipment tyre market in Latin America can 
be related to the difficult macroeconomic environment and led to a significant drop in vehicle production; the trend in the replace-
ment channel of the Consumer segment in Latin America was positive due to the growth and improvement of the mix of vehicles in 
circulation which occurred in recent years.
In Russia, sales of tyres were affected by the general economic slowdown, which was adversely impacted by the collapse in oil 
prices and the impact of the geopolitical tensions in the area on economic activity. 

  Raw Materials  

In the course of 2015, the prices of the main raw materials declined further through being affected by the oil price. During the year, 
Brent ranged from values of less than $ 50 per barrel in January to as high as $ 65 per barrel in May, before falling back in autumn 
and ending the year below $ 40 per barrel; the average price of Brent in 2015 ($ 54 per barrel) represents a decrease of 46% as com-
pared to the average for the previous year ($ 99 per barrel). This trend was due to the increase in supply, supported by the production 
of shale oil in the US and by the failure by OPEC to agree production cuts and weakening global demand.
The reduction in oil prices and uncertainties about the prospects of global demand also weighed on prices of natural rubber, which 
continued the decline begun in 2011. Purchase prices (reference TRS20 Sicom) stood at an average of $ 1,369 per ton in 2015, down 
20% as compared to the average price of 2014 ($ 1,711 per ton). Volatility in prices of butadiene, the main raw material for the produc-
tion of synthetic rubber was high: the rise in prices during the summer due to reduced supply, was followed by a decline in Septem-
ber that helped bring the annual average of euro 656 per tonne in 2015, down 31% as compared to 2014 (euro 944 per ton).

Prices of Raw Materials 
Source: IHS

160

140

120

100

80

60

40

20

0

5,000

4,000

3,000

2,000

1,000

0

3,000

2,500

2,000

1,500

1,000

500

0

2012

2013

2014

2015

2012

2013

2014

2015

2012

2013

2014

2015

BRENT 
BRENT
us$/barrel
US$/barrel

NATURAL RUBBER TSR20 
us$/metric ton

NATURAL RUBER TSR20
US$/Metric ton

BUTADIENE 
BUTADIENE
Euro/metric ton
Euro/Metric ton

17

Directors’ Report on Operations  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORTsiGniFicant   
eVents in 2015

On January 9, 2015, Pirelli signed a contract for a new revolving credit facility (euro 800 million) and a ‘multicurrency term loan’ 
(euro 200 million) for a total value of euro 1 billion and a five-year term. The contract replaced the previous revolving credit facility 
for euro 1.2 billion maturing in November 2015, which was thus terminated in advance. On February 13, 2015, an additional con-
tract was signed for a new credit line for a total value of euro 200 million for a five-year term, with conditions essentially in line 
with those of the credit line above.

On January 27, 2015, a special Meeting of Shareholders of Pirelli & C. S.p.A. savings shares appointed Angelo Cardarelli as common 
representative for the years 2015, 2016 and 2017. 

18

On February 6, 2015, the sale was completed of the steelcord activities of Pirelli in Turkey (Izmit) to Bekaert and on March 27, 2015, 
with the sale of the steelcord activities in China (Yanzhou), the transfer was completed to Bekaert of all the Pirelli steelcord activi-
ties. In line with what had already been disclosed to the market in February 2014, along with the announcement of the transaction, 
the total value (Enterprise value) for 100% of the steelcord business was confirmed as euro 255 million. 

On February 12, 2015, the Pirelli & C. S.p.A. Board of Directors examined the preliminary results of 2014 operations. On March 
31, 2015, the Board of Directors of Pirelli & C. S.p.A. approved the financial statements for the year 2014, which closed with a total 
net profit of euro 332.8 million (+8.6% as compared to the corresponding period in 2013) and a net profit for the parent company of 
euro 258.0 million, up 34.4% as compared to the corresponding period in 2013.
The Board of Directors proposed to the Shareholders’ Meeting of May 14, 2015, distributing a dividend of Euro 0.367 per ordinary 
share (0.32 in the previous year) and euro 0.431 per savings share (0.39 in the previous year). On May 13, 2015, the Pirelli & 
C. S.p.A. Board of Directors approved the results at March 31, 2015, which closed with a further evident strengthening of the 
Premium segment.

On March 22, 2015, China National Tire & Rubber Co. Ltd (CNRC), a subsidiary of ChemChina (ChemChina), Camfin S.p.A. (Camfin) 
and the shareholders of Camfin (Coinv S.p.A. and Long-Term Investments Luxembourg S.A.) signed a binding agreement for a long-
term industrial partnership related to Pirelli. The objective of the partnership is to strengthen the development plans of Pirelli, its 
presence in geographically strategic areas and a substantial doubling of volumes in the Industrial segment through the future in-
tegration of the Industrial segment of CNRC and Pirelli assets. The centrepiece of the agreement is the continuity and independence 
of the current management structure of the Pirelli Group. Pirelli HQ and know-how will be kept in Italy: reinforced majorities are 
required to authorise any move of the Headquarters and transfer to third parties of Pirelli know-how. 

On April 16, 2015, Under a Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2014, Pirelli and Rosneft, identified Synthos, a company 
based in Poland and which is a leading manufacturer of chemical raw materials, as the technology partner with which to develop 
research, production and supply of synthetic rubber in Nakhodka, in the context of the FEPCO (Far East Petrochemical Company) 
petrochemical hub. Pirelli, Rosneft and Synthos therefore signed a Memorandum of Understanding to conduct feasibility studies 
related to activities concerning the requirements of the engineering and operational design of plants, as well as market studies, 
investments and estimates of operating costs.
The  three  groups  also  intend  to  use  the  FEPCO  petrochemical  centre  to  produce  synthetic  rubber  with  the  aim,  inter  alia,  of 

Directors’ Report on Operations  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORTsupplying Pirelli factories located in the APAC region. On Oc-
tober 22, 2015, the three companies signed a further memo-
randum of understanding related to the positive results of the 
feasibility study begun in April and future cooperation in the 
development  of  a  project  for  the  construction  of  a  synthetic 
rubber plant in Nakhodka. On June 19, 2015, Pirelli and Ros-
neft signed a cooperation agreement that extends the existing 
partnership  between  the  two  companies  in  commercial  and 
marketing areas. 

On April 20, 2015, Pirelli announced that - in connection with 
the Ordinary Shareholders’ Meeting of Pirelli & C. S.p.A. - two 
lists of candidates have been filed for the appointment of stat-
utory auditors by Camfin S.p.A. and its subsidiary Cam 2012 
S.p.A., as well as by a group of asset management companies 
and  financial  intermediaries.  The  company  also  announced 
that Camfin S.p.A., concerning the agenda of the Shareholders’ 
Meeting on the appointment of the six members of the Board of 
Directors, would move that the Shareholders’ Meeting confirm 
the appointment of the directors Igor Sechin, Didier Casimiro, 
Andrey Kostin (independent), Ivan Glasenberg (independent), 
Petr Lazarev and Igor Soglaev - already co-opted on July 10, 
2014 - thus leaving the number of members of the Board of 
Directors unchanged at fifteen. 

On  May  14,  2015,  the  Shareholders’  Meeting  of  Pirelli  &  C. 
S.p.A., approved the 2014 financial statements that closed with 
a consolidated net profit of euro 332.8 million and a net profit 
of the parent company of euro 258.0 million, resolving distri-
bution of a dividend of euro 0.367 per ordinary share and euro 
0.431 per savings share. 
Furthermore,  the  Shareholders’  Meeting  approved  the  pro-
posal  of  Camfin  S.p.A.  regarding  confirmation  in  office  of 
directors already co-opted in July 2014 and appointed a new 
Board of Auditors composed of Francesco Fallacara, who was 
appointed Chairman (taken from the minority list), Antonella 
Carù and Fabio Artoni as Regular Auditors and Andrea Loren-
zatti (taken from the minority list), Fabio Facchini and Giovan-
na Oddo as Alternate Auditors. Lastly, the Meeting authorized 
the  Board  of  Directors  to  purchase  and  dispose  of  treasury 
shares,  not  exceeding  10%  of  capital,  for  a  maximum  period 
of eighteen months thus renewing the previous authorisation 
resolved on June 12, 2014.

On June 23, 2015, the Board of Directors of Pirelli & C. S.p.A. 
entrusted the role of financial advisors to support the evalua-
tions of the Board of Directors will be called upon to express 
in  relation  to  the  transaction  between  Camfin  S.p.A.,  China 
National Chemical Co. and China National Tire & Rubber Co. 
Ltd announced by Camfin on March 22, 2015 to Deutsche Bank 
and Goldman Sachs International. The independent directors 
of Pirelli also informed the Board of Directors of the appoint-

ment of Citigroup Global Markets Ltd as independent expert 
related to the opinion required under article 39-bis, paragraph 
2, Issuers Regulations. 

On August 6, 2015, the Board of Directors of Pirelli & C. S.p.A. 
approved the results at June 30, 2015 showing a growth in Pre-
mium volume of 10.4%

On August 11, 2015 - after the acquisition by Marco Polo In-
dustrial Holding S.p.A., of subsidiary of CNRC and the associ-
ate Camfin, of 20.34% of Pirelli & C. S.p.A. by Camfin S.p.A. and 
the signing of the Pirelli shareholder agreement concerning, 
in addition to share purchased, also the 5.85% stake held in-
directly by Camfin S.p.A. in Pirelli through Cam S.p.A. 2012 
- Marco Polo Industrial Holding S.p.A. launched a mandatory 
public purchase offer for all the ordinary shares of Pirelli of 
euro 15 per share and a voluntary public purchase offer on all 
the savings shares of euro 15 per share. On October 13, 2015, 
at the end of the acceptance period of the public purchase offer 
begun  on  September  9,  2015,  Marco  Polo  Industrial  Holding 
S.p.A. announced it held 413,807,381 ordinary shares of Pirelli, 
being  86.982%  of  the  ordinary  share  capital  and  84.798%  of 
the  entire  share  capital.  Marco  Polo  Industrial  Holding  also 
announced a reopening of the terms of the offer between Octo-
ber 21 and 27, at the conclusion of which, on October 30, 2015, 
it  announced  that  it  held  in  total  -  also  including  treasury 
shares - 96.043% of the ordinary share capital of Pirelli. On 
November 6, 2015, the offerer launched the joint procedure 
for the acquisition of the remaining shares, after which it held 
the  remaining  3.957%  of  the  ordinary  share  capital.  On  the 
same date the shares were delisted. Extracts of the sharehold-
er agreements relating to the partnership are available on the 
Pirelli website.

Also on August 11, 2015, as a result of changes in the share-
holding structure of Pirelli, the directors Paolo Fiorentino and 
Gaetano Miccichè resigned from the Board of Directors of the 
Company,  in  replacement  of  whom  -  on  September  2,  2015 
- the Board of Directors co-opted Ze’ev Goldberg and Bai Xin-
ping, qualified by the Board as “non-independent”. 

On September 10, 2015, the Bondholder meeting of Pirelli In-
ternational Plc related to the bond issued by the company for a 
total of euro 600 million guaranteed by Pirelli Tyre S.p.A. and 
maturing in 2019, did not reach the quorum and therefore, the 
Extraordinary Resolution in order to make some amendments 
to the change of material shareholding clause of the bond reg-
ulation was not approved, and the latter therefore remains not 
amended. 
On  September  24,  2015,  the  Bondholder  meeting  of  Pirel-
li  &  C.  S.p.A.  related  to  the  bond  issued  by  the  company  for 
a total of euro 500 million, guaranteed by Pirelli Tyre S.p.A. 

19

Directors’ Report on Operations  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORTOn November 11, 2015, the Board of Directors of Pirelli & C. 
S.p.A. approved the results as at September 30, 2015, with rev-
enues of euro 4,711.9 million, an increase of 4.0% as compared 
to euro 4,528.7 million at September 30, 2014 and a strength-
ening in the Premium segment, which increased by 17.0% over 
the previous year.

On November 23, 2015, the Pirelli Board of Directors decided 
to convene 2016 an extraordinary meeting for February 15, to 
resolve  on  the  mandatory  conversion  of  savings  shares  into 
unlisted shares of a newly issued special category without vot-
ing rights, adoption of new Articles of Association and merger 
with the parent company Marco Polo Industrial Holding S.p.A..

On December 22, 2015, the Board of Directors of Pirelli & C. 
S.p.A. and Marco Polo Industrial Holding S.p.A. approved the 
proposed merger. The merger between the two companies will 
take place through the incorporation of Marco Polo Industrial 
Holding S.p.A. into Pirelli & C. S.p.A.. It is also noted that, the 
Board  of  Directors  also  approved  early  closure  of  the  2014-
2016 Long-Term Incentive Plan in view of the delisting of the 
ordinary shares.

20

and maturing in 2016 approved the extraordinary resolution, 
which  provides  for  the  amendment  of  the  Bond  Regulations, 
in particular with reference to the provisions relating to the 
change  of  material  shareholding  determined  following  the 
transfer of approximately 20.34% of the ordinary share capital 
of Pirelli & C. S.p.A. by Camfin S.p.A. to Marco Polo Industrial 
Holding S.p.A. The amendments to the Regulations will allow 
reimbursement by Pirelli & C. S.p.A. at the natural expiry in 
February 2016, through financial resources already available. 

On October 11, 2015, Pirelli announced that it had reached a 
commercial agreement to remain in Formula 1 until 2019. De-
tails will follow in accordance with the procedure established 
by the FIA.

On October 13, 2015, following an overrun of the threshold 
of 50% of the ordinary share capital of Pirelli & C. S.p.A. by 
Marco Polo Industrial Holding S.p.A., Pirelli announced that 
with payment of the shares by the Bidder (October 20, 2015), 
there  was  a  “Change  of  Control”  under  two  loans  of  Pirelli 
International Plc that were guaranteed by Pirelli & C. S.p.A. 
and Pirelli Tyre S.p.A.. Following this event, the lenders of the 
“USD Private Placement” loans, amounting to 150 million US 
Dollars, and a “Schuldschein”, for a residual amount of euro 
37 million, will have the right to request early redemption for 
a total amount equal to the nominal value at the time of re-
demption and any other ancillary costs related to the nature 
of the contracts.

On October 14, 2015 - with effect October 19, 2015 - the di-
rectors Anna Maria Artoni, Didier Casimiro, Ivan Glasenberg, 
Petr Lazarev and Igor Soglaev have resigned from the Board 
of Directors of the company. 

On  October  20,  2015,  the  Board  of  Directors  of  Pirelli  &  C. 
S.p.A. co-opted Ren Jianxin, Yang Xingqiang, Wang Dan, Tao 
Haisu and Zhang Junfang in replacement of the Directors who 
resigned  on  October  14,  2015.  Following  the  resignations  of 
Marco Tronchetti Provera as Chairman and Alberto Pirelli as 
Vice Chairman, the Board of Directors appointed Ren Jianxin 
as Chairman, granting him legal representation of the compa-
ny as well as all other powers conferred upon the Chairman 
under the current by-laws, without prejudice to the powers and 
prerogatives of the Board of Directors, and Marco Tronchetti 
Provera, already CEO, to Executive Vice Chairman, confirm-
ing the allocation of powers for the operational management 
of  Pirelli,  already  delegated  to  him.  Given  its  new  composi-
tion,  the  Board  of  Directors,  which  established  the  new  Re-
lated-Party  Committee,  proceeded  to  a  reorganization  of  the 
members of the Board Committees responsible for fact find-
ing, advice and proposals. 

Directors’ Report on Operations  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORTGroUP PerF orMance 
and resULts

In this document, in addition to the financial figures provided by the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), alternative 
performance indicators derived from IFRS are used in order to allow a better assessment of Group operations. These indicators 
are: Gross Operating Margin, Fixed assets, Provisions, Operating Working Capital, Net Working Capital and Net Financial Position. 
Reference is made to the paragraph “Alternative Performance Indicators” for a more detailed description of these indicators.

It is to be noted that as at December 31, 2015, Pirelli proceeded with the accounting deconsolidation of the Venezuelan subsidiary 
(which is 96.22% owned), and with the recognition of the investment at fair value (equal to 18.9 million euro). The increasing and 
permanent restrictions on foreign currency conversion and the continued reduction in the availability of the US Dollar in Venezuela 
impeded, with an evident trend that could not be considered temporary, the payment of dividends, royalties and trade payables to 
other companies of the Group. To these restrictions further regulatory restrictions were added, (for example, the control of sales 
margins and particularly stringent labour regulations), which were also permanent, and which in fact did not permit the Group 
to implement their business decisions onto the subsidiary’s business activities or to govern the subsidiary’s relative assets. Based 
on this scenario, which is expected to endure for the near future, as confirmed as well by the latest official statement made by 
President Maduro on February 17, 2016 according to which the SIMADI exchange rate currently at approximately 200 Bolivares 
per US dollar will replace the SICAD exchange rate of 13.5 Bolivares per US dollar, and consistent with what other multinationals 
had already done, it was decided that the requisite conditions had not been met in order for an accounting control to be carried out 
on the subsidiary. The financial results of the Venezuelan subsidiary were consolidated for the entire financial year of 2015. The 
deconsolidation of the subsidiary resulted in the recognition of a negative impact on the Income Statement to the amount of euro 
559.5 million, which includes the derecognition of the Net Financial Position of the company, which as at December 31, 2015 was 
positive to the amount of euro 277.7 million.

As a consequence of the deconsolidation, the group’s results will no longer include the results of the Venezuelan unit, and therefore 
will no longer bear the impact of the recurring devaluations which we have seen in recent years, both at the level of results and 
the net financial position. In addition, no further losses are foreseen linked to new supplies to the country; Pirelli could eventually 
recoup part of the value which was almost totally devalued on December 31, 2015.

21

Directors’ Report on Operations  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORTPirelli closed 2015 with results in line with operational targets:

  Net sales amounting to euro 6,309.6 million, with an annual growth of 4.8% (> euro 6.25 bln target 2015 ~ +4% as compared 
to 2014), supported by a strong improvement in the price/mix component (+7.1% as compared to the target of ≥ 5.5%) result-
ing from price increases, higher sales in the Replacement segment and different geographical and product mix. This trend 
more than offset the decline in volumes (-1.6%, mainly in emerging markets and in Industrial business) and the volatility of 
exchange rates (-0.6%);
  the Premium trend was higher than expected with a growth of +12.7% volume (≥ +10% target) and an incidence on Consumer 
revenues up to 60% (55% in 2014). 
  profitability was up 5.7% as compared to 2014 with an EBIT before non-recurring and restructuring expenses amount-
ed to euro 918.5 million (euro 925 million 2015 target) and a margin of 14.6% (14.4 % in 2014). This result benefited from the 
achievement of efficiencies for euro 94.4 million as a continuation of the four-year plan (2014-2017) and from euro 350 million 
announced in November 2013 (euro 92,4 million efficiencies achieved in 2014);
  net financial position negative for euro 1,199.1 million, euro 921.4 million excluding the impact of the deconsolidation of the 
Venezuelan subsidiary. Compared to the target of euro 850 million, the net financial position at December 31, 2015 was affected 
by the postponement of the sale of certain financial investments totalling approximately euro 120 million which were included 
in the annual target.

22

Directors’ Report on Operations  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT12/31/2015

12/31/2014

The consolidated financial statements of the Group can be summarised as follows:

(in millions of euro)

Net sales
gross operating margin before non-recurring and restructuring expenses
% of net sales

Operating income before non-recurring and restructuring expenses
% of net sales

Non-recurring and restructuring expenses

Operating income (loss)
% of net sales

Net income (loss) from equity investments
Financial income/(expenses)

Net income (loss) before tax adjusted (*)
Loss from deconsolidation of venezuela

Total net income (loss) before tax
Tax expenses
Tax rate % on net income (loss) before tax adjusted
Impairment of deferred tax assets

Net income (loss) from continuing operations 
Net income (loss) from discontinued operations 
Total net income (loss)
Net income (loss) adjusted (**)

Net income attributable to Pirelli & C. s.p.A.
Total net earnings per share attributable to Pirelli & C. s.p.A. (in euro)

Operating fixed assets
Inventories
Trade receivables
Trade payables

Operating Net working capital related to continuing operations
% of net sales

Other receivables/other payables

Total Net working capital related to continuing operations
% of net sales

Net invested capital held for sale 
Total Net invested capital
Equity
Total Provisions
of which provisions held for sale

Total Net financial (liquidity)/debt position 
of which Net Financial (liquidity)/debt position held for sale 

Equity attributable to Pirelli & C. s.p.A.

Equity per share attributable to Pirelli & C. s.p.A. (in euro)

Investments in property, plant and equipment and intangible assets

Research and development expenses
% of net sales

Research and development expenses - Premium
% on sales Premium

6,309.6 
1,242.7 
19.7%

918.5 
14.6%

(68.2)

850.3 
13.5%

(41.4)
(328.2)

480.7 
(559.5)

(78.8)
(182.5)
(38.0%)
(107.6)

(368.9)
(14.6)
(383.5)
298.2 

(391.4)
(0.802)

3,780.5 
1,053.9 
676.2 
(1,313.1)

417.0 
6.6%

(107.6)

309.4 
4.9%

 - 
4,089.9 
2,343.5 
547.3 
 - 

 1,199.1 
 - 

2,280.1 

4.672 

391.4 

214.4 
3.4%

176.5 
5.8%

Headcount (number at end of period)
Industrial sites (number)
(*) excluding the impact from deconsolidation of the venezuelan subsidiary
(**)  excluding the impact from deconsolidation of the venezuelan subsidiary, impairment of deferred tax assets and net income (loss)  

36,753
19

from discontinued operations

23

6,018.1 
1,168.0 
19.4%

869.2 
14.4%

(31.3)

837.9 
13.9%

(87.0)
(262.4)

488.5 
 - 

488.5 
(173.3)
(35.5%)
 - 

315.2 
 17.6 
 332.8 
 315.2 

319.3 
0.654 

3,874.0 
1,055.0 
673.8 
(1,394.4)

334.4 
5.6%

33.9 

368.3 
6.1%

 30.8 
4,273.1 
2,611.5 
682.0 
5.2 

979.6 
(5.8)

2,548.3 

5.222 

378.1 

205.5 
3.4%

174.5 
6.9%

37,561
19

Directors’ Report on Operations  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORTFor a better understanding of the performance of the Group, here below is the economic data broken down by business segment.

(in millions of euro)

a

b

a+b = c

d

c+d = e

consumer

industrial

total tyre

other  
business

total group

2015

2014

2015

2014

2015

2014

2015

2014

2015

2014

Net sales

5,048.2 

4,610.3 

1,252.6 

1,397.2  6,300.8 

6,007.5 

8.8 

10.6 

6,309.6 

6,018.1 

gross operating margin 
before non-recurring  
and restructuring expenses

Operating income (loss) 
before non-recurring  
and restructuring expenses

Non-recurring  
and restructuring expenses

1,084.4 

934.7 

165.1 

242.2 

1,249.5 

1,176.9 

(6.8)

(8.9)

1,242.7 

1,168.0 

816.2 

697.2 

110.6 

183.2 

926.8 

880.4 

(8.3)

(11.2)

918.5 

869.2 

(53.3)

(20.8)

(13.0)

(7.0)

(66.3)

(27.8)

(1.9)

(3.5)

(68.2)

(31.3)

Operating income (loss)

762.9 

676.4 

97.6 

176.2 

860.5 

852.6 

(10.2)

(14.7)

850.3 

837.9 

Group net sales at December 31, 2015 amounted to euro 6,309.6 million, up 4.8% as compared to the euro 6,018.1 million for the 
2014 financial year. Sales performance was supported by Consumer business (+9.5% overall growth, +7.9% organic change) while 
the Industrial business (-2.6% organic change) was affected by a significant deterioration in the market in South America and the 
adverse impact of exchange rates which were accentuated especially in the second half (-0.6% impact of exchange rates on Group 
revenues, +1.6% on Consumer revenues, -7.7% on Industrial revenues). 

24

Tyre business net sales amounted to euro 6,300.8 million, with organic growth of 5.5% over the previous year (+4.9% including 
the impact of exchange rates).

Net sales of the Premium segment (tyres with a rim diameter equal to or greater than 17 inches for the car business, and radial 
tyres, X-ply custom touring tyres, off-road and Sport Touring tyres with a speed rating of ≥H for the motorcycle business) totalled 
euro 3,017.1 million (+19.0% as compared to euro 2,536.0 million in 2014), with an impact on turnover for Consumer business, in-
creasing to 60% (55% in 2014) and with volumes up by 12.7%. 

The following table outlines the drivers of the Tyre sales performance:

1 Q

2 Q

3 Q

4 Q

cumulative  
at 12/31

2015

2014

2015

2014

2015

2014

2015

2014

2015

2014

volume

of which Premium volume

Price/mix

Change on a like-for-like basis

Translation effect

Total change

-1.3%

10.0%

3.7%

2.4%

3.8%

22.2%

4.6%

8.4%

4.1%

-10.8%

6.5%

-2.4%

0.6%

11.0%

3.4%

4.0%

2.4%

6.4%

-0.2%

20.9%

6.0%

5.8%

-3.3%

12.2%

7.0%

3.7%

-9.4%

-4.2%

-3.6%

-0.5%

3.1%

17.3%

3.3%

6.4%

-3.1%

3.3%

-2.5%

18.3%

14.4%

11.9%

1.6%

10.7%

2.8%

4.4%

-1.6%

12.7%

7.1%

5.5%

2.0%

17.8%

4.2%

6.2%

-4.6%

-3.1%

-0.6%

-6.6%

7.3%

1.3%

4.9%

-0.4%

The total volumes were down 1.6% for the full year 2015, but with opposing trends between Consumer (+0.3%) and Industrial (-7.9%) 
and between mature markets (+5.7%) and emerging ones (-4.8%). 
The volume trend in the Consumer segment was supported by Premium growth in all markets (+12.7% overall growth as compared 
to 2014, +18.3% in the fourth quarter) while Non-Premium (-6.7% volumes) was affected by weak demand in Latam and Russia, in 
particular in the Original Equipment channel (car market in Latam -20%; car market in Russia -28%). 

Directors’ Report on Operations  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORTThe trend in Industrial volumes (-7.9%) reflects worsening demand in South America (truck market down 48% in Original Equip-
ment and 10% in the replacement channel) and a slowdown in the Original Equipment channel in China (market -23%).
An improvement in the price/mix (+7.1% in 2015, +14.1% in the fourth quarter) affected both the Consumer business (+7.6% in 2015, 
+14.1% in the fourth quarter) and the Industrial business (+5.3% in 2015, +15.4% in the fourth quarter) thanks to:

  price increases, especially in South America in the face of the high volatility in exchange rates; 
  higher sales in the Replacement channel; 
  a different geographic mix with sales in markets with the highest average price (APAC and mature markets in Consumer busi-
ness; Europe for Industrial business); 
  an improvement of the product mix (Premium over Consumer, increased sales of the 01 Series in Truck, especially in South 
America). 

The breakdown of Tyre business net sales by geographical area and product category is as follows:

geographical area

2015

2014

Europe

Russia and CIs

NAFTA

south America

Asia\Pacific (APAC)

Middle East\Africa\India (MEAI)

TOTAL

product

Car 

Motorcycle 

Consumer

Truck 

Agriculture 

Industrial

TOTAL

Euro\mln

 2,200.2 

 192.5 

 861.1 

 1,808.2 

 706.0 

 532.8 

 6,300.8 

Euro\mln

 4,658.0 

 390.2 

 5,048.2 

 1,123.0 

 129.6 

 1,252.6 

 6,300.8 

yoy

7.0%

-19.1%

21.7%

-7.9%

26.4%

10.2%

4.9%

34.9%

3.1%

13.7%

28.6%

11.2%

8.5%

34.2%

4.0%

11.8%

32.7%

9.3%

8.0%

100.0%

100.0%

2015

2014

25

yoy

10.3%

1.1%

9.5%

-9.1%

-19.6%

-10.3%

4.9%

73.9%

6.2%

80.1%

17.8%

2.1%

19.9%

70.3%

6.4%

76.7%

20.6%

2.7%

23.3%

100.0%

100.0%

The operating income (loss) (EBIT) of the Group, amounted to euro 850.3 million, up 1.5% as compared to euro 837.9 million in 
2014. The improvement by euro 12.4 million is due to euro 7.9 million in tyre business and euro 4.5 million to the other businesses.

Operating profit was affected by non-recurring and restructuring expenses totalling euro 68.2 million related primarily to:

  a continuation also in 2015 of actions to rationalize facilities (euro 23.5 million)
  the project for Business Industrial separation (euro 17.3 million) for future integration with CNRC tyre assets 
  the early termination of the management Long Term Incentive Plan 2014 - 2016 (higher charges of euro 24.1 million) as a result 
of the delisting of ordinary shares. 

Directors’ Report on Operations  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORTSpecifically, the trend in the operating income from the Tyre business shows the following trend: 

(in millions of euro)

1 Q

2 Q

3 Q

4 Q

cumulative 
at 12/31

2014 Operating income (loss)

 204.9 

 229.1 

 206.3 

Foreign currency translation from consolidation

Price/mix

volumes

Cost of prodution factors (commodities)

Cost of prodution factors (labour/energy/others)

Efficiencies 

Amortisation, depreciation and other 

Non-recurring and restructuring expenses

Change

9.4 

31.0 

(7.6)

16.4 

(34.6)

21.1 

(30.6)

3.3 

8.4 

4.8 

25.2 

3.1 

8.5 

(34.3)

24.7 

(28.4)

5.5 

9.1 

2015 Operating income (loss)

213.3 

238.2 

(10.9)

48.4 

(16.7)

(0.2)

(25.0)

26.8 

(25.7)

1.0 

(2.3)

204.0 

 212.3 

(11.0)

112.6 

(13.0)

(7.2)

(54.2)

21.8 

(8.0)

(48.3)

(7.3)

205.0 

 852.6 

(7.7)

217.2 

(34.2)

17.5 

(148.1)

94.4 

(92.7)

(38.5)

7.9 

860.5 

Operating income of the Tyre business in 2015 amounted to euro 860.5 million (euro 852.6 million in 2014), with an EBIT margin 
of 13.7% (14.7% before non-recurring charges and restructuring costs) which was a slight decrease over the previous year due to 
higher non-recurring and restructuring expenses. 
Overall, the trend in Consumer business more than offset the decline in Industrial business profitability that was affected by a 
difficult macroeconomic environment in Latin America.

26

The improvement in operating income was affected by:

  a positive contribution of the price/mix component (euro +217.2 million) and efficiencies (euro +94.4 million), which more than 
offset a decline in volumes in emerging markets (euro -34.2 million the impact on Ebit) and an increase in depreciation and 
other costs (euro -92.7 million, of which 31.0 million for higher depreciation, 31.5 million of higher costs partly related to the 
development of the Premium segment, euro 28.6 million related to the different procurement methods of steelcord and euro 1.6 
million for other costs);
  a lower cost of raw materials (euro +17.5 million);
  inflation increases in other factors of production which had a negative impact of euro 148.1 million and the negative impact of 
foreign exchange (euro -7.7 million in the total year, euro -21.9 million in the second half);
  the aforementioned higher non-recurring and restructuring expenses of euro 38.5 million.

Geographically, APAC (11.2% of tyre revenues, +1.9 percentage points over 2014) is confirmed as the area of greatest growth (+26.4% 
revenues, +12.9% net of exchange rates) and among the most profitable with an EBIT margin before non-recurring and restructur-
ing expenses of over 20%, which was an increase over the previous year. The Premium segment is the main development driver 
with an increase in revenues of 33.7% and an increase in market share in particular in Replacement and in the Super Premium 
segment (tyres with rim diameter ≥18 inches). This result reflects how much Pirelli is positioned in the first equipment of Premium 
car manufacturers produced in the area and the subsequent pull-through effect on the replacement channel, which are supported 
by progressive growth in the distribution network in the geographical areas with the greatest market potential.

NAFTA (13.7% of revenues from tyre) recorded an increase in revenues of 21.7% in 2015 (+4.1% growth, net of exchange rates), which 
was particularly marked in the fourth quarter with +28.3% (+11.9% organic growth). Revenue performance reflects the positive trend 
in volume growth in excess of market trends, an improvement in the product mix thanks to the successful launch of new lines spe-
cifically developed for customers in the area, such as the PZero AS+, and a greater weight of sales in the replacement channel. The 
present scenario of foreign exchange and the downward trend in raw material prices have led to a partial price adjustment, while 
maintaining placement in segments of greater value unchanged. 
Pirelli growth has been higher than the market trend in the Premium and Super Premium segments (+24.3% overall Premium reve-

Directors’ Report on Operations  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORTnues), which benefited from an expansion of the FasTrack net-
work, growth in the sales channel of car dealers and geo-mar-
keting  tools  capable  of  optimising  management  of  customer 
inventory. Profitability (EBIT margin before restructuring ex-
penses) was significantly higher, being in the “low-twenties” 
(“mid-teens” profitability of 2014).

MEAI  (8.5%  of  tyre  revenues)  recorded  revenue  growth  of 
10.2% (8.8% net of exchange rates) with profitability before re-
structuring expenses in the “high-teens” and so stable as com-
pared to 2014 which was a confirmation of it being one of the 
areas of highest profitability. This performance was supported 
by the development in the Premium segment growing above 
the market trend, especially in the Super Premium segment 
and in countries of the Gulf area.

Europe  (34.9%  of  revenues  from  the  tyre  business)  ended 
2015  with  a  growth  in  revenues  of  7.0%  (+5.7%  net  of  ex-
change rates) thanks to the good performance of the Premi-
um  segment  (+11%)  especially  in  the  second  quarter  (+11.9% 
sales in the third quarter, +22.1% in the fourth quarter) and a 
gradual improvement in the price/mix component. The pos-
itive  trend  was  supported  by  the  greater  weight  of  the  Car 
Dealer channel and better retail coverage. Profitability, net of 
restructuring expenses, was in the “mid-teens” and so stable 
as compared to 2014. 

Russia  (3.1%  of  tyre  revenues,  -0.9  percentage  points  com-
pared  to  2014),  despite  an  unfavourable  scenario,  displayed 
organic  growth  in  sales  of  5.6%  (-19.1%  after  the  impact  of 
exchange  rates).  In  a  market  in  sharp  decline  (Replacement 
-20%, Original Equipment -28%), Pirelli volumes were in lim-
ited  decline  (-4.1%)  with  a  resulting  improved  market  share. 
Profitability  before  restructuring  expenses  was  in  the  low 
single-digits,  which  represented  a  decrease  as  compared  to 
the 2014 financial year (high single-digits), and was affected 
by a deterioration in exchange rates and the trend in volumes 
which was mitigated by a significant improvement in the mix, 
the efficiencies program and the increase in exports. 

South America (28.6% of tyre revenues, -4.1 percentage points 
as compared to 2014) recorded a reduction in revenues of 7.9% 
(+2.9% excluding the impact of exchange rates). The continua-
tion of the difficult market situation in the area, especially in 
Original Equipment (market volume car -20% and truck -48%), 
was reflected in the trend in sales volumes which were down 
overall by 12.5%.
The negative trend in Original Equipment volumes was mit-
igated  by  a  slight  increase  in  the  Car  Replacement  channel, 
thanks to continued growth in the fleet and a good Premium 
trend (volumes +12%, higher than the market trend). The trend 
in revenues was supported by continued growth in the product 

mix, price increases in Consumer (as of the first quarter) and 
Industrial  (from  the  second  quarter)  counteracting  volatility 
of exchange rates. 
Profitability, before restructuring expenses, was “double-dig-
it”, a decrease as compared to 2014 due to the market down-
turn and consequently higher costs of saturation, as well as 
high volatility of exchange rates.
To deal with this scenario, Pirelli is activating new efficiency 
and restructuring plans and further price increases, and pro-
gressive growth in exports from the area.

The net income (loss) from Group equity investments was 
unfavourable for euro 41.4 million (euro -87 million in 2014) 
and relates mainly to:

  the  negative  impact  deriving  from  consolidation,  using 
the equity method, of results of the associated company 
Prelios S.p.A. of twelve months (Euro 6 million relative to 
the pro-rata loss of the fourth quarter 2014 and the first 
nine  months  of  2015),  and  Indonesian  Joint  Venture  PT 
Evolution Tyres (euro 4.8 million related to the pro-rata 
loss for the year 2015);
  the negative impact of impairments on equity investments 
in Prelios S.p.A. (euro 7 million), GWM Renewable Energy 
II  S.p.A.  (euro  14.1  million),  RCS  MediaGroup  S.p.A.  (euro 
7.3 million) and Alitalia - Compagnia Aerea Italiana S.p.A. 
(euro 7.2 million), in order to align the carry value to the 
fair value;
  the  positive  impact  deriving  from  the  collection  of  divi-
dends for euro 6 million.

The balance for net financial income (expenses) is negative 
for euro 328.2 million at December 31, 2015 and shows an in-
crease of euro 65.8 million as compared to the 2014 financial 
year (negative for euro 262.4 million) essentially attributable 
to accounting for rising inflation in Venezuela. The strong in-
crease  recorded  in  the  price  index  in  Venezuela  (estimated 
at  +189.9%  at  the  end  of  December  2015)  in  fact  generated  a 
loss of implicit value in monetary assets to the amount of euro 
143.4  million  (an  impact  of  euro  28.9  million  in  2014)  which 
is representative of the reduction in purchasing power. These 
greater costs were partially offset by lower financial charges 
relating to losses on exchange rates on trade payables for the 
Venezuelan subsidiary (costs of euro 24.0 million for the 2015 
financial  year  as  compared  to  costs  of  euro  72.1  million,  for 
2014 financial year).

Excluding this effect, net financial expenses were essentially 
stable as compared to the previous year and the average cost 
of debt for the period was 5.90% (6.05% in 2014).

As described at the beginning of this section, the Group con-
sidered that at December 31, 2015 the requisite conditions of 

27

Directors’ Report on Operations  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORTTotal net income was negative to the amount of euro 383,5 
million  as  compared  to  the  2014  financial  year  which  was 
positive for euro 332.8 million; the share of net income at-
tributable to Pirelli & C. S.p.A. was negative at euro 391.4 
million  (euro  0.802  per  share)  as  compared  to  the  positive 
result  of  euro  319.3  million  for  the  previous  financial  year 
(euro 0.654 per share).

The adjusted net income, would have been positive for euro 
298.2  million  as  compared  to  the  positive  outcome  for  2014, 
to the amount of euro 315.2 million , excepting the impact de-
riving from the deconsolidation of the Venezuelan subsidiary, 
the impairment of the deferred tax assets and the results from 
discontinued operations.

Equity went from euro 2,611.5 million as at December 31, 2014 
to euro 2,343.5 million as at December 31, 2015.

Equity attributable to Pirelli & C. S.p.A. as at December 31, 
2015 amounted to euro 2,280.1 million (euro 4.672 per share) 
compared  to  euro  2,548.3  million  as  at  December  31,  2014 
(euro 5.222 per share).

The  change,  which  is  analytically  represented  in  the  table 
below, relates essentially to, the loss for the financial year, to 
the positive effect of high inflation on the Venezuelan sub-
sidiary, to the positive fair value adjustment of financial as-
sets which were offset by the negative exchange rate effect 
related to the translation of assets in foreign currency into 
Euros, and to dividends paid. 

28

IFRS 10 for implementing an accounting control on the Vene-
zuelan subsidiary had no longer been met. The deconsolida-
tion  of  the  Venezuelan  subsidiary  was  therefore  proceeded 
with, effective as of December 31, 2015, which simultaneously 
revealed a loss for the deconsolidation of the Venezuelan 
subsidiary to the amount of euro 559.5 million, mainly due 
to the Net Financial Position which was positive for euro 277.7 
million  and  the  impairment  of  receivables  which  the  Group 
held towards the Venezuelan subsidiary to the amount of euro 
225.5 million. 

The  tax  expenses  for  the  2015  financial  year  amounted  to 
euro 182.5 million (euro 173.3 million in 2014) with a tax rate 
on the income adjusted by the impact of the deconsolidation 
of the Venezuelan company of 38.0% (37.3% net of the consol-
idation  into  shareholder  equity  of  the  associated  companies) 
as compared to 35.5% in 2014. The increase was mainly due 
to higher non-deductible expenses incurred by the subsidiary 
in  Venezuela,  attributable  to  the  effect  of  the  high  inflation 
recorded  in  the  country  and  the  impairment  of  trade  items 
(euro 66.3 million higher costs compared to 2014), which had 
impacted on the tax rate by an amount equivalent to 4.6 per-
centage points (a tax rate of 33.4% excluding this effect);

Of final note, the impairment of deferred tax assets on tax 
losses mainly carried out by the Parent company (euro 103.0 
million) was attributable to the revision of the medium term 
time-frame forecasts for the future taxable income of the com-
panies participating in the Italian Tax Grouping (tax consoli-
dation),  for  which  a  significant  reduction,  over  the  course  of 
this period, was expected due to the effect of the new financial 
structure that the Group will assume as a consequence of the 
merger with Marco Polo Industrial Holding S.p.A. and which 
will come into effect in the first half of 2016. Also of note is 
that the tax losses attributable to the Italian companies of the 
Group can be carried forward without limit. 

The net income (loss) from continuing operations was neg-
ative for euro 368.9 million (positive for euro 315.2 million in 
2014). The downturn, as compared to 2014 for euro 684.1 mil-
lion, can be attributed to the non-recurring impacts mentioned 
(deconsolidation of the Venezuelan subsidiary, impairment of 
the deferred tax assets related to tax losses)

The  net  income  (loss)  from  discontinued  operations  for 
2015 was negative for euro 14.6 million. This result was main-
ly due to exchange rate losses from the translation into Euro of 
the financial statements of the Turkish subsidiary accrued in 
previous financial years, recorded in equity and reclassified 
to the Income Statement for the first quarter of 2015 following 
the sale of the steelcord business in Turkey in February 2015.

Directors’ Report on Operations  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT(in millions of euro)

Equity at 12/31/2014

Translation differences

Net income (loss) 

Fair value adjustment of other financial assets/derivative instruments

Actuarial gains/(losses) on employee benefits

dividends paid

venezuela inflation effect

deconsolidation of venezuelan subsidiary

Other changes 

Total changes

Equity at 12/31/2015

group

non-controlling 
interests

total

2,548.3 

(14.0)

(391.3)

24.9 

12.5 

(179.6)

280.3 

 - 

(1.0)

(268.2)

2,280.1 

63.2 

(2.7)

7.8 

 - 

 - 

(6.7)

11.0 

(8.5)

(0.7)

0.2 

63.4 

2,611.5 

(16.7)

(383.5)

24.9 

12.5 

(186.3)

291.3 

(8.5)

(1.7)

(268.0)

2,343.5 

The following is the reconciliation statement between the equity of the Parent Company and the consolidated equity of the 
Parent Company shareholders.

(in millions of euro)

share  
capital

treasury 
reserves

net income 
(loss)

total

Equity of Pirelli & C. S.p.A. at 12/31/2015

1,343.3 

Net income (loss) of consolidated companies  
(before consolidation adjustments)

share capital and reserves of consolidated companies 
(before consolidation adjustments)

Consolidation adjustments:

  carrying amount of equity investments  
in consolidated companies

  intercompany dividends

  others

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

Consolidated equity of Group at 12/31/2015

1,343.3 

572.3 

- 

1,759.7 

(1,141.9) 

167.3 

(29.2) 

1,328.2 

(1.7)

(244.5) 

- 

- 

(167.3) 

22.1 

(391.4) 

1,913.9 

(244.5) 

1,759.7 

(1,141.9) 

- 

(7.1) 

2,280.1 

29

As at December 31, 2015, the net financial position of the Group was negative for euro 1,199.1 million as compared to euro 979.6 
million as at December 31, 2014, and was as follows:

(in millions of euro)

Current borrowings from banks and other financial institutions

Current derivative financial instruments 

Non-Current borrowings from banks and other financial institutions

Total gross debt continuing operations

Cash and cash equivalents

securities held for trading

Current financial receivables

Current derivative financial instruments 

Non-current financial receivables

Total financial receivables and cash 

A

B

Net financial (liquidity)/debt position continuing operations

Net financial (liquidity)/debt position discontinued operations

A+B Total net financial (liquidity)/debt position

12/31/2015

12/31/2014

1,138.6 

15.1 

1,275.7 

2,429.4 

(1,082.7)

(78.2)

(11.9)

(6.8)

(50.7)

(1,230.3)

1,199.1 

 - 

1,199.1 

530.9 

4.6 

1,781.7 

2,317.2 

(1,166.7)

(61.4)

(41.5)

(6.1)

(56.1)

(1,331.8)

985.4 

(5.8)

979.6 

Directors’ Report on Operations  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORTThe structure of the gross financial debt, which amounted to euro 2,429.4 million, was as follows:

(in millions of euro)

use of committed credit facilities

bond 5,125% - 2011/2016

bond 1,750% - 2014/2019

EIb loans

usd private placement

schuldschein

Other loans

Financial 
statements 
12/31/2015

maturity date

2016

2017

2018

2019

 379.5 

 500.0 

 600.0 

- 

500.0 

- 

 150.0 

100.0 

 137.8 

 37.0 

 625.1 

- 

37.0 

511.3 

- 

- 

- 

20.0 

13.8 

- 

79.9 

113.7 

4.7%

- 

- 

- 

20.0 

- 

- 

25.3 

45.3 

1.9%

- 

- 

600.0 

10.0 

27.6 

- 

1.5 

639.1 

26.3%

2020 and 
beyond

379.5 

- 

- 

- 

96.4 

- 

7.1 

483.0 

19.9%

Total gross debt continuing operations

 2,429.4 

1,148.3 

47.3%

At December 31, 2015, the Group had a liquidity margin of euro 1,981.4 million made up of euro 820.5 million of unused credit facil-
ities (euro 1.2 billion of committed lines) and euro 1,160.9 million of cash, cash equivalents and securities held for trading. 

30

As also reported in the section on significant events of the year, it is reported that on October 13, 2015, as a result of exceeding the 
threshold of 50%, by reason of the Public Offer, there was a “change of control” event on the “USD Private Placement” loans and 
“Schuldschein”. In respect of the “USD Private Placement” for an aggregate of USD 150 million, it is here pointed out that the “change 
of control” event, in accordance with contract provisions, led to the making of an offer for redemption from underwriters by Pirelli 
International Plc, to which no sign-ups were received. Therefore, the original maturity date of the loan has been kept unchanged in 
preparing the financial statements as at December 31, 2015. In respect of the “Schuldschein”, for a residual amount of euro 37 mil-
lion, it is here mentioned that only one investor holding euro 7 million of the security at December 31, 2015 had the right to request 
early redemption for an amount equal to the nominal outstanding and interest accruing at the time of redemption and any other 
ancillary costs related to the nature of the contract.

Directors’ Report on Operations  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORTThe trend in cash flows for the financial year was as follows:

(in millions of euro)

1 Q

2 Q

3 Q

4 Q

total

2015

2014

2015

2014

2015

2014

2015

2014

2015

2014

Operating income (loss) before  
non-recurring and restructuring expenses

213.4 

206.7 

238.0 

232.2 

205.8 

208.9 

261.3 

 221.4 

918.5 

869.2 

Amortisation and depreciation

78.5 

70.6 

79.7 

73.3 

78.0 

76.0 

88.0 

 78.9 

324.2 

298.8 

Investments in property, plant  
and equipment and intangible assets

(85.6)

(65.3)

(103.2)

(78.3)

(73.0)

(101.1)

(129.6)

 (133.4)

(391.4)

(378.1)

Change in working capital/other

(895.2)

(686.6)

151.6 

77.4 

(113.7)

(155.0)

707.4 

 714.6 

(149.9)

(49.6)

Operating net cash flow

(688.9)

(474.6)

366.1 

304.6 

97.1 

28.8 

927.1 

881.5 

701.4 

740.3 

Ordinary financial income/(expenses)

(52.1)

(43.3)

(61.3)

(48.8)

(67.1)

(43.6)

(147.7)

(126.7)

(328.2)

(262.4)

Ordinary tax expenses

(54.1)

(53.5)

(63.7)

(61.3)

(52.4)

(49.5)

(119.9)

(9.1)

(290.1)

(173.3)

Ordinary net cash flow 

(795.1)

(571.4)

241.1 

194.5 

(22.4)

(64.3)

659.5 

745.9 

83.1 

304.6 

Financial investments/disinvestments

(14.4)

(3.7)

Other dividends paid to third parties

(7.6)

(0.5)

Cash Out for restructuring 

(6.4)

(12.9)

 - 

 - 

(12.1)

6.6 

(6.4)

(8.2)

(19.4)

 - 

 - 

 - 

(10.1)

(3.7)

(8.0)

(15.4)

(4.3)

(28.1)

(3.4)

(31.1)

2.8 

(2.9)

(5.9)

 - 

 - 

 - 

(0.4)

(2.5)

(2.6)

14.2 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

(8.7)

9.1 

 - 

(12.2)

 - 

 - 

 - 

0.7 

72.1 

24.0 

72.1 

107.6 

(30.2)

107.6 

(30.2)

 - 

 - 

 - 

(12.2)

(4.3)

 - 

 - 

 - 

31

10.5 

 - 

2.5 

Reversal of impairment in venezuela 
included in financial expenses

deferred taxes included in financial 
expenses

Exercise of Fenice share options

Net cash flow from discontinued 
operations

differences from foreigh currency 
translation/other

45.8 

(46.0)

(37.4)

(11.9)

22.5 

13.2 

5.1 

63.7 

36.0 

19.0 

Net cash flow before dividends paid

(777.7)

(643.2)

212.4 

187.2 

(6.7)

(68.7)

764.1 

836.5 

192.1 

311.6 

dividends paid by Parent Company

deconsolidation of venezuelan subsidiary

Impact steelcord units disposal

 - 

 - 

24.4 

 - 

 - 

 - 

(179.5)

(156.7)

 - 

35.6 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

(14.4)

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

(277.7)

 - 

 - 

(179.5)

(156.7)

(277.7)

 - 

 - 

187.9 

45.6 

187.9 

Total net cash flow

(753.3)

(643.2)

68.5 

30.4 

(21.1)

(68.7)

486.4 

1,024.3 

(219.5)

342.8 

The operating net cash flow for the year was positive at euro 701.4 million, from euro 740.3 million in 2014. In the last quarter, 
operating net cash flow was positive at euro 927.1 million (euro 881.5 million in 2014) for the seasonality of working capital. 

Total investments were made for euro 391.4 million (euro 378.1 million in 2014), mainly for an increase in Premium capacity in 
Europe, NAFTA and China and an improvement in the mix.

Net cash flow (before dividends paid, deconsolidation of the Venezuelan subsidiary, and steelcord disposal) was positive for 
euro 192.1 million (euro 311.6 million for 2014). As regards cash flow for the year, the partial divestiture of financial investments had 
been expected, but which have been postponed until 2016 in view of the aforementioned transactions involving the Group in 2015. 

Total net cash flow was negative for euro 219.5 million which included the payment of Parent Company dividends to the amount of 
euro 179.5 million, and the deconsolidation of the net financial liquidity position of the Venezuelan subsidiary to the amount of euro 
277.7 million, which was partially offset by the positive effect deriving from the sale of the steelcord business for euro 45.6 million. 

Directors’ Report on Operations  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORTEmployees of the Group at December 31, 2015 totalled 36,753 as compared to 37,561 at December 31, 2014 due to the effect of effi-
ciencies especially in South America.

geographical area

12/31/2015

12/31/2014

Europe

Russia and CIs

NAFTA

south America 

Middle Est/Africa/India (MEAI)

Asia/Pacific (APAC)

type

Executives

White collar

blue collar

Temps

11,498

3,319

1,720

13,041

3,319

3,856

31.3%

9.0%

4.7%

35.5%

9.0%

10.5%

36,753

100.0%

11,253

3,483

1,455

13,996

3,226

4,148

37,561

12/31/2015

12/31/2014

319

6,783

27,885

1,766

36,753

0.9%

18.5%

75.9%

4.8%

100.0%

313

7,024

27,776

2,448

37,561

30.0%

9.4%

3.9%

37.3%

8.6%

11.0%

100.0%

0.8%

18.7%

74.0%

6.5%

100.0%

The total at December 31, 2015 includes employees of the subsidiary Pirelli de Venezuela C.A..

32

CoNsumer BusiNess

The table below shows the results compared with the corresponding period of 2014:

(in millions of euro)

Net sales

yoy

gross operating margin 
before non-recurring  
and restructuring expenses

1 Q

2 Q

3 Q

4 Q

total

2015

2014

2015

2014

2015

2014

2015

2014

2015

2014

1,237.4 

 1,128.7 

1,284.3 

 1,159.6 

1,239.9 

 1,178.0 

1,286.6 

 1,144.0 

5,048.2 

 4,610.3 

9.6%

10.8%

5.3%

 -  

12.5%

 - 

9.5%

 - 

246.3 

 219.4 

276.8 

 245.1 

255.9 

 228.0 

305.4 

 242.2 

1,084.4 

 934.7 

% of net sales

19.9%

19.4%

21.6%

21.1%

20.6%

19.4%

23.7%

21.2%

21.5%

20.3%

Operating income (loss) 
before non-recurring  
and restructuring expenses

182.0 

 162.7 

210.0 

 186.8 

190.4 

 167.3 

233.8 

 180.4 

816.2 

 697.2 

% of net sales

14.7%

14.4%

16.4%

16.1%

15.4%

14.2%

18.2%

15.8%

16.2%

15.1%

Non-recurring and 
restructuring expenses

(1.6)

(3.9)

(1.5)

(5.5)

(3.2)

(3.1)

(47.0)

(8.3)

(53.3)

(20.8)

Operating income (loss)

180.4 

 158.8 

208.5 

% of net sales

14.6%

14.1%

16.2%

 181.3 

15.6%

187.2 

15.1%

 164.2 

13.9%

186.8 

14.5%

 172.1 

15.0%

762.9 

 676.4 

15.1%

14.7%

Directors’ Report on Operations  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORTThe table below provides a detailed breakdown of the market trend:

Original Equipment

Replacement

Original Equipment

1 Q

2 Q

+6.7%

+2.5%

+1.6%

+6.6%

+3.4%

+2.5%

Replacement

+2.0%

+5.0%

Original Equipment

-14.9%

-15.5%

Replacement

+2.4%

+1.7%

Europe (*)

NAFTA (**)

south 
America

China

Original Equipment

+9.8%

+4.0%

The figures exclude import except for south America
(*) including Turkey; excluding Russia
(**) the figures for NAFTA exclude Mexico

cumulative 
at June

3 Q

cumulative  
at s eptember

4 Q

total 
year

+6.7%

+9.9%

+3.0%

-0.8%

+2.1%

+3.8%

+3.6%

+5.7%

-15.2%

-21.0%

+2.1%

+5.3%

+6.9%

-6.0%

+7.6%

+1.6%

+5.8%

+11.2%

+2.6%

+1.8%

+4.4%

+3.3%

+7.3%

+3.6%

+2.4%

+4.1%

-17.2%

-28.6%

-20.0%

+3.2%

+2.0%

+2.7%

+16.4%

+2.8%

+6.6%

Net sales in 2015 totalled euro 5,048.2 million (annual target of euro > 5.0 billion, ~+4% as compared to 2014), with an organic 
growth of 7.9% (+9.5% including the foreign exchange impact, which was higher than the target of > +8%) thanks to:

  an improvement in the price/mix (+7.6%) due to the increasing impact of the Premium segment (60% of Consumer revenues in 
2015 as compared to 55.0% for 2014), higher sales in the Replacement channel, and price increases in South America and Russia 
which offset the trend in exchange rates;
  the positive contribution of the volume component of +0.3%, with growth in APAC, NAFTA, Europe and MEAI which offset the 
decline in South America and Russia (Original Equipment market -20% in Latam; -28% in Russia). 

Premium net sales totalled Euro 3,017.1 million, which represented a total growth of 19.0% over the previous year (+11.7% excluding 
the exchange rate impact), with growth in emerging markets of 29.4% and 15.0% in mature markets.

33

Organic growth in revenues in the fourth quarter was higher than in previous quarters (+14%) with the following dynamics: 

  +14.1% price/mix, which reflects the aforementioned price increases and a greater weight in Premium and also a different geo-
graphical mix (higher sales in APAC, NAFTA and Europe) and channel mix (higher sales in the Replacement channel);
  -0.1% in volumes were affected by the continuation of the market downturn in Latin America and Russia.

Below is the analysis of the change in sales:

1 Q

2 Q

3 Q

4 Q

cumulative  
at 12/31

2015

2014

2015

2014

2015

2014

2015

2014

2015

2014

volume
of which Premium volume

Price/mix

Change on a like-for-like basis

Translation effect

Total change

0.4%
10.0%

4.7%

5.1%

4.5%

9.6%

5.9%
22.2%

4.4%

10.3%

-9.2%

2.2%
11.0%

4.1%

6.3%

4.5%

1.1%

10.8%

4.3%
20.9%

5.8%

10.1%

-8.3%

1.8%

-1.4%
12.2%

7.8%

6.4%

-1.1%

5.3%

5.3%
17.3%

3.1%

8.4%

-3.5%

4.9%

-0.1%
18.3%

14.1%

14.0%

-1.5%

12.5%

4.5%
10.7%

2.5%

7.0%

-3.0%

4.0%

0.3%
12.7%

7.6%

7.9%

1.6%

9.5%

5.0%
17.8%

3.9%

8.9%

-6.0%

2.9%

Profitability improved during 2015 with an operating income before non-recurring and restructuring expenses of euro 816.2 
million (+17.1% as compared to 2014) and a margin of 16.2% (15.1% in 2014) and in line with the 2015 target (~16%). In the fourth quar-
ter, profitability recorded a growth of 29.6% and a margin of 18.2% (+2.4 percentage points as compared to the same period of 2014) 
thanks to the strong contribution of the price/mix component.. 

Operating income amounted to euro 762.9 million (with a marginality of 15.1%), an increase of euro 86.5 million as compared to 
euro 676.4 million in 2014 (14.7% marginality) thanks to the aforementioned dynamics and progressive achievement of internal 
efficiencies.

Directors’ Report on Operations  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORTiNDustriAL BusiNess

The table below shows the results compared with the corresponding period of 2014:

(in millions of euro)

1 Q

2 Q

3 Q

4 Q

total

2015

2014

2015

2014

2015

2014

2015

2014

2015

2014

Net sales

yoy

327.9 

 340.8 

-3.8%

324.1 

-7.8%

 351.7 

291.4 

 361.2 

309.2 

 343.5 

1,252.6 

 1,397.2 

-19.3%

 - 

-10.0%

 - 

-10.3%

 - 

gross operating margin 
before non-recurring  
and restructuring expenses

47.2 

 60.9 

42.3 

 63.6 

29.5 

 59.2 

46.1 

 58.5 

165.1 

 242.2 

% of net sales

14.4%

17.9%

13.1%

18.1%

10.1%

16.4%

14.9%

17.0%

13.2%

17.3%

Operating income (loss) 
before non-recurring  
and restructuring expenses

33.3 

 47.6 

29.7 

 49.3 

17.4 

 44.4 

30.2 

 41.9 

110.6 

 183.2 

% of net sales

10.2%

14.0%

9.2%

14.0%

6.0%

12.3%

9.8%

12.2%

8.8%

13.1%

Non-recurring and 
restructuring expenses

(0.4)

(1.5)

 - 

(1.5)

(0.6)

(2.3)

(12.0)

(1.7)

(13.0)

(7.0)

Operating income (loss)

% of net sales

32.9 

10.0%

 46.1 

13.5%

29.7 

9.2%

 47.8 

13.6%

16.8 

5.8%

 42.1 

11.7%

18.2 

5.9%

 40.2 

11.7%

97.6 

7.8%

 176.2 

12.6%

The table below provides a detailed breakdown of the market trend:

34

1 Q

2 Q

cumulative 
at June

3 Q

cumulative  
at s eptember

4 Q

total 
year

Europe (*)

NAFTA (**)

south 
America

Original Equipment

+5.0%

+13.0%

Replacement

-1.0%

+6.0%

+9.0%

+10.0%

+3.0%

+9.0%

Original Equipment

+21.0%

+12.0%

+16.0%

+3.0%

Replacement

+5.0%

+4.0%

+4.0%

-2.0%

+10.0%

+17.0%

+5.0%

+4.0%

+12.0%

-6.0%

+2.0%

+0.0%

Original Equipment

-39.0% -42.0%

-43.0% -53.0%

-46.0% -58.0%

Replacement

-8.0%

-12.0%

-10.0%

-7.0%

-9.0%

-14.0%

China

Original Equipment

-29.0%

-31.0%

-30.0% -23.0%

-28.0%

-6.0%

+11.0%

+5.0%

+7.0%

+1.0%

-48.0%

-10.0%

-23.0%

The figures exclude import except for south America
(*) including Turkey; excluding Russia
(**) the figures for NAFTA exclude Mexico

The performance of the business has been affected by a negative economic situation in South America (50% weight of the regions 
on business sales) characterized by a drop in Brazilian GDP of over 3% in 2015, a decline in industrial production and rising un-
employment. In this context, the truck and agro market demand declined sharply with volumes respectively down by 48% in truck 
Original Equipment and 10% in truck Replacement.

Net sales totalled euro 1,252.6 million (euro ~1.25 billion target), a decrease of 10.3% as compared with 2014 (euro 1,397.2 million), -2.6% 
excluding foreign exchange. The decline in volumes (-7.9%) was affected by the aforementioned decline in the market in Latin America 
and a slowdown of the truck original equipment market channel in China (-23%). The trend in the price/mix component (+5.3%) was 
positive thanks to an improved product and channel mix and progressive price increases in South America. These increases only par-
tially offset the foreign exchange impairment, considering high volatility in currencies, particularly the Brazilian real.

Directors’ Report on Operations  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORTIn the fourth quarter, the trend in organic sales was positive by 4.9% (-10.0% including the exchange rate effect) with volumes down 
10.5% due to deterioration in demand in emerging markets (South America truck Original Equipment -58%, Replacement -14%, Chi-
na Original Equipment -6%) and a price/mix improvement of 15.4% due to increased prices and an improved channel mix.

Below is a breakdown of the change in sales:

1 Q

2 Q

3 Q

4 Q

cumulative  
at 12/31

2015

2014

2015

2014

2015

2014

2015

2014

2015

2014

volume

Price/mix

Change on a like-for-like basis

-6.7%

-0.1%

-6.8%

5.4%

3.2%

Translation effect

Total change

3.0%

-15.4%

-3.8%

-12.2%

1.3%

-3.4%

-4.4%

-7.8%

-9.7%

4.8%

-4.9%

6.5%

-5.7%

-12.4%

-14.4%

-3.6%

-10.5%

4.0%

0.4%

-1.8%

15.4%

4.9%

-14.9%

-7.3%

3.9%

-3.4%

-3.3%

-7.9%

5.3%

-2.6%

-6.5%

5.0%

-1.5%

-7.7%

-8.5%

-18.1%

-19.3%

-1.4%

-10.0%

-6.7%

-10.3%

-10.0%

-2.2%

-4.7%

-12.2%

Operating income before non-recurring and restructuring expenses attained euro 110.6 million, amounting to 8.8% of sales 
(>+8% target) and a decrease as compared to euro 183.2 million in 2014 (13.1% of sales). 

The operating income amounted to euro 97.6 million (euro 176.2 million in 2014), with a margin of 7.8% as compared to 12.6% in 
2014 (11.2% 2014 result excluding the total steelcord business and not just those relating to supplies to third parties). 

The trend in profitability was affected by:

  a decline in volumes; 
  the negativity of exchange rates, which worsened further in the third and fourth quarter (respectively -14.4% and -14.9%); 
  the impact from the different source of procurement for steelcord;
  inflation of cost factors for production in Latin America and costs associated with the lower utilization of the production capacity 
in the area. In this regard, new efficiencies and restructuring plans have been implemented to mitigate current impacts, while 
further price increases were planned for the last quarter of the financial year.

35

researcH  
and deVeLoPMent  
actiVities

The Pirelli Group has always placed the ability to innovate products, processes and materials at the centre of its growth strategy. 
In 2015, expenses on research and development totalled euro 214.4 million corresponding to 3.4% of sales, of which euro 
176.5 million related to Premium (5.8% of Premium revenues). 
Research and development focused on high-end products with significant results in terms of approvals. In 2015, Pirelli confirmed its 
leadership in Original Equipment for high range, bringing approvals achieved to over 2,000. Special attention was paid to the products 

Directors’ Report on Operations  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT36

marked with obtaining new P Zero approvals on new models of 
the most technologically advanced vehicles, such as the Porsche 
911, Lamborghini Aventador, McLaren MP4-12C, the result of a 
joint development between Pirelli researchers and engineers of 
manufacturers. Since 2007, P Zero approvals have been 250 in 
number. In particular, the P Zero Corsa System is in original 
equipment  on  the  most  prestigious  super  sports  cars:  Aston 
Martin, Audi, BMW-M, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Lotus, Maserati, 
McLaren, AMG-Mercedes and Porsche GT. 
Electronics  in  the  tyre  (like  the  microchip  contained  in  the 
Cyber Tyre, which allows reading of different road conditions 
by sending information critical to trim and driving safety to 
the vehicle) is a strategic guideline of Premium innovation by 
Pirelli. CYBER FLEET™ is the innovative monitoring system 
developed by Pirelli for truck fleets. Indeed, thanks to a tele-
matic box and special sensors applied to the inner surfaces of 
tyres the system transmits values of the state of the tyres to 
the  central  infrastructure.  This  way,  they  monitor  the  main 
operating  parameters  such  as  pressure  and  temperature  in 
real time and report the situation to the fleet manager, while 
also giving an alert in the event of a puncture or other hazard-
ous event, which might impact mobility and road safety.
The  activity  traditionally  focused  on  the  development  of  new 
Premium  and  high-end  products  has  now  been  accompanied 
by increasing attention paid to reducing environmental impact. 
Leadership  in  green  materials  is  developed  mainly  through 
research in biomaterials (silica from rice, natural rubber from 
sources that are alternative to tree rubber) and recycling. 
In particular, Guayule, a tree belonging to the Asteraceae fam-
ily, has also been introduced into the south of Europe, where 
its cultivation is being tested, and has unique properties. The 
natural rubber of Guayule is, in fact, a valid alternative to the 
one extracted from Hevea Brasilianensis but it has never been 
used for the production of high performance tyres.
This  has  happened  thanks  to  Versalis  (ENI),  which  in  2013 
signed an agreement with Pirelli for the exclusive supply of 
natural rubber from guayule in the production of tyres. Pirel-
li, with its center for research and experimentation, has creat-
ed a prototype tyre which has been tested on a Maserati Ghib-
li, a car with extremely high performance, which has darted 
along the testing circuits of Vizzola and Balocco. 
After only two years of laboratory experimentation, which al-
lowed  their  behaviour  on  the  road  to  be  predicted,  the  new 
prototype containing Guayule was tested in all the most ex-
treme conditions and recorded the same level of performance 
as apply to approvals achieved with synthetic polymers from 
petroleum sources: replacing these polymers with alternative 
and renewable raw materials is the objective of the research 
and development of Pirelli, which for years has been a leader 
in solutions for more sustainable mobility.
Patents, nearly a hundred a year for a total portfolio of 5000, 
are the subject of the “Pirelli Invention Prize”. Award-winning 

inventions are not all those covered by a patent (granted with 
a merit exam), but only those that have been shown to be asso-
ciated with a competitive advantage for the company.
At the end of the last edition of the gold plates, the updated fig-
ures witnessed 177 award-winning inventions, 376 Gold Plates 
given and 135 inventors awarded over the years. 
Pirelli’s presence in the racing world involves more than 300 
championships in 40 countries.
Pirelli has been confirmed as sole supplier for the FIA Formu-
la One World Championship, a position it held from 2011 until 
2016, and is now working for the 2017-2019 three-year period. 
The experience in Formula 1 has allowed development within 
Pirelli R&D of new simulation models that allow a further reduc-
tion of the ‘time-to-market’ and an improvement in the quality 
of designs related to road products to be achieved, so making 
them more highly performing and in line with the highest re-
quirements set, and improving dynamic understanding based 
on working temperature and the behaviour of materials. 
In the area of car tyres, Pirelli also launched the new Cintura-
to All Season tyre in 2015. 
The new product is a fine addition to the Pirelli range offering 
a viable year round solution, in full compliance with local or-
dinances and the highest standards of safety in all road condi-
tions: perfect in the summer, without the loss of performance 
typical  of  winter  tyres  with  heat;  optimal  for  non-extreme 
winter  conditions,  so  typical  of  an  urban  context,  making  it 
possible to avoid the traditional seasonal changeover of tyres 
and, especially, even in the event of a puncture, so allowing a 
trip to continue without any need to stop and replace it, thanks 
to the unique Seal Inside self-sealing technology.
The new Pirelli tyre is intended for medium or small capac-
ity recently registered cars and is available in 15, 16 and 17 
inch diameters.
The great challenge that Pirelli technicians had to face in de-
veloping this new tyre was to submit a product that included 
the  best  of  a  summer  tyre  and  the  best  of  a  winter  tyre.  To 
obtain this result, Pirelli engineers started from a directional 
tread  pattern,  which  allows  optimization  of  water  expulsion 
capacity, through two wide longitudinal and lateral channels, 
so greatly reducing the phenomenon of aquaplaning.
Thanks to its innovative design, noise has been reduced, both 
outside the vehicle, in full compliance with the increasingly 
stringent European regulations on noise pollution, and within, 
to the benefit of the pleasure of driving. 
A further distinctive feature of the new Cinturato All Season 
is  represented  by  3D  siping  technology:  the  tread  pattern  of 
the All Season is, in fact, designed in such a way that on dry or 
wet surfaces the 3D sipes, by optimizing the movement of the 
dowel,  ensure  the  best  braking  and  cornering  performance 
possible, so evening out the tyre wear profile and lengthening 
its life. In cases of snowy roads, however, opening up, by the 
dowels allows snow crystals to be captured, offering excellent 

Directors’ Report on Operations  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORTroad holding. Not surprisingly, the All Season is characterized by winter certification 3PMSF (three-peak-mountain with snow-
flake), which is the symbol with a mountain with 3 peaks and a snowflake applied on the side of the tyre and also the symbol M+S, 
that certifies absolute safety in winter conditions. The final development step on which the work of the Pirelli technicians focused, 
involved the tread compound. Thanks to Full Silica technology, they were able to obtain a compound capable of performing at its 
best under a wide range of temperatures and weather conditions: the optimum dispersion of silica within the compound and the 
use of the latest generation functionalized polymers has in fact, allowed heat capacity of the type to be greatly enhanced. All these 
technological innovations earned the victory of the new Pirelli Cinturato All Season victory, at its first outing in one of the most 
prestigious tests of the international specialist press. The new All Season indeed tookfirst place in the authoritative German mag-
azine Autobild tests, earning a mark of “Exemplary”, thanks to “stable lateral grip and excellent road-holding in the wet”. The new 
Cinturato is also the only All Season tyre with Seal Inside technology available on the replacement market. In the most important 
measurements, the Cinturato All Season is equipped with this new construction technology which allows driving to continue with-
out air leakage even in cases of punctures of up to 4 mm. In such cases, in fact, the sealant mastic present inside the tyre forms a 
sheath that wraps around the foreign body from the moment it penetrates, thus preventing leakage of air and consequent loss of 
pressure. When the object is extracted, the mastic itself seals the exit hole. The mastic is itself covered by an exclusive film which 
serves to protect it even before mounting the tyre on the rim. 
The Seal Inside technology represents an additional benefit for the consumer while ensure greater safety and peace of mind: just 
think that about 85% of accidental causes of pressure loss is due precisely to puncture by external objects. Moreover, this technology 
can be used on any type of vehicle and does not require a dedicated rim or pressure monitoring systems.

HiGHLiGHts  
oF otHer actiVities

37

Other activities include Pirelli Ambiente, PZero and Pirelli Design with the following breakdown:

(in millions of euro)

pirelli ambiente

pZero/pirelli 
design

total other 
business

2015

2014

2015

2014

2015

2014

Net sales

gross operating margin before  
non-recurring and restructuring expenses

Operating income (loss) before  
non-recurring and restructuring expenses

Non-recurring and restructuring expenses

Operating income (loss)

5.3

(0.4)

(1.4)

 -  

(1.4)

4.9

(2.2)

(3.8)

(0.8)

(4.6)

3.5

(6.4)

(6.9)

(1.9)

(8.8)

5.7

(6.7)

(7.4)

(2.7)

(10.1)

8.8

(6.8)

(8.3)

(1.9)

(10.2)

10.6

(8.9)

(11.2)

(3.5)

(14.7)

Net sales in 2015 amounted to euro 8.8 million as compared to euro 10.6 million in the same period of 2014.

The operating income (loss) shows a loss of euro 10.2 million, reflecting restructuring expenses of euro 1.9 million and a decrease 
as compared to the loss of euro 14.7 million in 2014.

Directors’ Report on Operations  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORTHiGHLiGHts  
Parent coMPanY

The table below shows the summary of key economic and financial data:

(in millions of euro)

Operating income (loss)

Financial income/(expenses)

Net income (loss) from equity investments

38

Tax expenses

Net income (loss)

Financial assets

Equity

Net financial (liquidity)/debt position

12/31/2015

12/31/2014

 (2.4)

 (13.9)

 122.3 

 (107.7)

 (1.7)

 1,475.3 

 1,913.9 

(346.7)

 28.6 

 (10.0)

 192.7 

 46.7 

 258.0 

 1,439.6 

 2,056.2 

(389.1)

The operating income (loss) was negative for euro 2.4 million due to higher non-recurring and restructuring expenses compared 
to the previous financial, and mainly due to costs in connection with the separation of Industrial Business costs tied to the early 
closure of the Long-Term Incentive plan following the delisting of ordinary shares.

The net income (loss) from equity investments was positive for euro 122.3 million as compared to euro 192.7 million for 2014; 
and mainly includes dividends of euro 174.7 million, which were partially offset by the impairment of investments to the amount of 
euro 52.3 million attributable mainly to Pirelli & C. Ambiente S.r.l. (euro 18.8 million), to Prelios S.p.A. (euro 14.1 million), to Alitalia 
– Compagnia Aerea Italiana S.p.A. (euro 7.1 million) and to the RCS MediaGroup S.p.A. (euro 7.3 million).

Tax expenses include euro 103.0 million relating to impairment of deferred taxes directly attributable to the revision of forecasts 
of the future taxable income of the companies participating in the Italian Tax Grouping (tax consolidation) for which a significant 
reduction is expected due to the effect of the new financial structure that the Group will assume as a consequence of the merger 
with Marco Polo Industrial Holding S.p.A. and which will come into effect in the first half of 2016.

Directors’ Report on Operations  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORTThe following table summarizes the values of the main financial assets at December 31, 2015:

(in millions of euro)

Equity investments in subsidiaries

  Pirelli Tyre s.p.A.

  Pirelli Ltda - brasil

  Pirelli & C. Ambiente s.r.l.

  Pirelli Labs s.p.A.

  Pirelli uk Ltd

  Pirelli group Reinsurance Company s.A.

  Pirelli servizi Amministrazione e Tesoreria s.p.A.

  Other

Total equity investments in subsidiaries

Equity investments in associates and other financial assets

  Eurostazioni s.p.A.

  Prelios s.p.A.

  Fenice s.r.l.

  gWM Renewable Energy II

  Mediobanca s.p.A.

  RCs Mediagroup s.p.A.

  Fin. Priv. s.r.l.

  Real Estate Investment Fund - Anastasia

  European Institute of Oncology (Istituto Europeo di Oncologia s.r.l.)

  Other

Total equity investments in associates and other financial assets

Total financial assets

12/31/2015

 1,090.8 

 9.7 

 2.9 

 4.1 

 21.8 

 6.3 

 3.2 

 3.1 

1,141.9 

 52.9 

 41.9 

 28.2 

 11.2 

 140.0 

 14.4 

 18.8 

 14.5 

 5.8 

 5.7 

 333.4 

 1,475.3 

39

Equity  went  from  euro  2,056.2  million  to  euro  1,913.9  million  especially  for  the  distribution  of  dividends  to  shareholders.  The 
change is shown in the following table:

(in millions of euro)

Equity at 12/31/2014

Net income (loss)

dividends paid

gains/(losses) recognised directly in Equity

Equity at 12/31/2015

2,056.2 

(1.7)

(179.6)

39.0 

1,913.9 

Directors’ Report on Operations  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORTThe following table shows the composition of equity at December 31, 2015 and the comparison with the previous year:

(in millions of euro)

share capital

Legal reserve

Merger reserve

IAs reserve

Retained earnings

Net icome (loss)

12/31/2015

12/31/2014

1,343.3 

152.1 

12.4 

96.5 

311.3 

(1.7)

1,913.9 

1,343.3 

139.2 

12.4 

57.5 

245.8 

258.0 

2,056.2 

risk Factors  
and UncertaintY

40

Volatility in the macroeconomic context, financial market instability, complexity management processes and continuous legislative 
and regulatory developments demand renewed capacity to protect and maximise the tangible and intangible sources of value that 
characterise the corporate business model. Pirelli adopts a pro-active risk management system which, by systematically identify-
ing, analysing and assessing risk-prone areas, provides the Board of Directors and management with decision-making tools so that 
they can anticipate and manage the effects of these risks guided by an awareness that an assumption of risk is a fundamental part 
of business management and which allows the proactive reporting of possible risks or factors of opportunity that are generated 
during the financial year and from a standpoint of continuous improvement in risk management practices.
The Pirelli Risk Model systematically assesses three categories of risk: the risks of the external environment, strategic risks and 
operational risks, and which periodically are submitted to the Audit, Risks, Sustainability and Corporate Governance Committee. 

1. exterNAL CoNtext risks

Risks whose occurrences are outside the sphere of influence of the company. This category includes risks related to macroeconomic 
trends, changes in demand, competitor strategy, technological innovation, the introduction of new regulations, and country-specific 
risks (economic, security, political and environmental risks).

2. strAtegiC risks

Risks that are typical for a specific business sector. Proper management of these risks is a source of competitive advantage or, on 
the contrary, a cause for failure to achieve plan targets (three-yearly and yearly). This category includes market risk, product inno-
vation and process risk, human resources, raw material price risk, production process risk, financial risk and M&A risk.

Directors’ Report on Operations  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORTTo enable certification by the Chief Financial Officer, the com-
panies and relevant processes that feed and generate econom-
ic, equity or financial information have been mapped. Identifi-
cation of the Group companies and relevant processes is done 
annually on the basis of quantitative and qualitative criteria. 
The quantitative criteria involve identifying Group companies 
that, in connection with selected processes, represent an ag-
gregate value exceeding a certain threshold of materiality. 
Qualitative criteria involve the examination of processes and 
of companies that, in the opinion of the Chief Financial Officer, 
may present potential areas of risk, even if not included in the 
quantitative parameters described above. 
For  each  selected  process,  the  risk  /  control  objectives  have 
been identified related to preparing Financial Statements and 
related disclosures as well as the effectiveness / efficiency of 
the internal control system in general. 
For each control objective verification activities have been im-
plemented and specific responsibilities have been assigned.
A supervisory system has been implemented on controls per-
formed by a mechanism of chain certifications; any problems 
that come to light in the evaluation process are the subject of 
action plans whose implementation is verified in subsequent 
closings. 
Lastly,  a  quarterly  release  has  been  scheduled  by  the  Chief 
Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of subsidiaries 
of  a  declaration  of  reliability  and  accuracy  of  the  data  sent 
for the purpose of preparing the consolidated Group Financial 
Statement. 
Around the dates of the Board of Directors meetings for ap-
proving consolidated data at 30 June and 31 December, the re-
sults of the verification activities are discussed by the Sectors 
Chief Financial Officers with the Chief Financial Officer
In  summary,  a  system  has  been  adopted  for  continuous  and 
systematic  control  that  provides  a  reasonable  assurance  re-
garding  the  reliability  of  the  information  and  economic  and 
financial reporting. 
The Internal Audit Department performs regular audits aimed 
at verifying the adequacy of the design and operation controls 
by sample on companies and processes, selected on the basis 
of materiality. 
On the basis of regular reports, the Chief Financial Officer has 
reported to the Board of Directors on the effectiveness of the 
System, through the Audit, Risks, Sustainability and Corpo-
rate Governance Committee. 

41

3. operAtioNAL risks

Risks generated by the organization and by business process-
es, which do not involve any competitive advantage. This type 
of  risk  includes  Information  Technology,  Business  Interrup-
tion, Legal & Compliance, Health, Safety & Environment and 
Security risks.

Cutting  across  the  risks  mentioned  above  are  social,  envi-
ronmental  and  business  ethics  responsibility  risks  and 
reputational risks. 

Risks associated with social-environmental responsibility and 
business ethics are risks associated with non-compliance with 
local  and  international  regulations  and  corporate  policies  re-
garding respect for human and labour rights, for the environ-
ment and for business ethics and can be generated both by the 
organization and as part of its value chain, and even within the 
supply chain. These risks can in turn lead to reputational risks.
Reputational risks relate to actions or events that could engen-
der a negative perception of the Company by its main stake-
holders.  The  main  areas  of  risk  in  this  category,  in  addition 
to  the  aforementioned  risks  related  to  social-environmental 
responsibility and business ethics, are also the inherent risks 
of leadership, quality and the level of product innovation.

System of risk management and internal control relative 
to the financial reporting process. 

The Company has implemented a specific and detailed system 
of risk management and internal control, supported by a dedi-
cated IT application, in connection with the process of prepar-
ing financial half-year and annual separate and consolidated 
statements.
In  general,  the  internal  control  system  implemented  by  the 
Company aims to ensure the safeguarding of equity, compli-
ance with laws and regulations, the efficiency and effective-
ness of business operations as well as the reliability, accuracy 
and timeliness of financial reporting.
In particular, the process of preparing financial information 
takes  place  via  appropriate  administrative  and  accounting 
procedures that have been drawn up in accordance with crite-
ria established in Internal Control - Integrated Framework is-
sued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of Trade-
way Commission.
The  administrative/accounting  procedures  for  the  prepara-
tion  of  Financial  Statements  and  all  other  financial  reports 
are prepared under the responsibility of the Chief Financial 
Officer, who periodically attests to (in any case in the annual/
consolidated Financial Statements) their adequacy and effec-
tive application.

Directors’ Report on Operations  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT42

1.  externaL  

context risks

  Risks associated with general economic 
  conditions and changing demand  
  in the medium term  

Pirelli  expects  the  recovery  in  global  economic  activity  to 
continue  gradually,  driven  by  perspectives  related  to  robust 
growth in the US economy and, to a lesser extent, the Europe-
an and Japanese economies. This recovery will still be uneven 
because  emerging  markets  (particularly  those  of  oil  export-
ers) will continue to represent a real risk factor for the world 
economy, due to a geopolitical scenario that is still highly un-
certain, especially in the Middle East area. Further elements 
of  uncertainty  may  arise  not  only  from  a  worsening  of  the 
current phase of Chinese economic slowdown (and subsequent 
repercussions on the financial markets), but also from a signif-
icant worsening of the current recession that is characterizing 
the Latin American continent.

  EUROPE: IMPROVING OUTLOOK

The economic recovery should not only continue, but also ac-
celerate in 2016, while remaining at historically modest levels. 
This  growth  forecast  is  supported  by  four  main  factors:  the 
current bearish trend in raw materials, the continuation of ex-
pansionary monetary policy by the ECB, a weak Euro and a re-
duction in the fiscal austerity measures. While on one hand, the 
risks related to a Greek exit from the Eurozone have decreased 
considerably in recent months there is, on the other, always the 
uncertainty linked to the Middle East crisis and possible social, 
political and economic repercussions for Europe. 

  UNITED STATES: EXPECTATIONS  
FOR SUSTAINED GROWTH 

Even  with  respect  to  a  change  in  monetary  policy,  the  fun-
damentals underlying the US economy remain solid and 2016 
should confirm the economic recovery glimpsed during 2015. 
Household consumption (which is expected to grow by about 
3%)  and  the  housing  market,  will  remain  the  key  drivers  of 
economic recovery, which will include, last, but not least, gov-
ernment  spending,  which  after  being  a  deductive  factor  for 
two  consecutive  years,  will  return  to  making  an  important 
contribution in 2016. The current trend in the US Dollar, com-
bined with increasing geopolitical uncertainty could limit the 
contribution made by foreign demand.

  CHINA: FURTHER SLOWDOWN IN GDP
In line with the main market operators, Pirelli expects eco-
nomic growth of the People’s Republic of China to slow further 

in 2016, probably slightly below the government target (6.5% 
-6.6% average growth in 2016-2020). A now endemic oversup-
ply, combined with high levels of debt and low rates of return 
in key sectors such as heavy manufacturing, utilities and the 
mining  sector,  will  continue  to  be  one  of  the  main  obstacles 
to growth in the short to medium term. This structural slow-
down  is  not  without  risks,  however,  as  demonstrated  by  the 
recent increase in volatility in the Chinese financial market.

  SOUTH AMERICA:  
OUTLOOK STILL UNCERTAIN

The  outlook  for  the  Latin  American  continent  also  remains 
negative  in  2016  (-1.3%  in  2015),  in  line  with  market  expec-
tations for a growth rate substantially at zero and increasing 
risks for a second year of recession. The Brazilian economy, 
which significantly influences the regional average, is about 
to  experience  another  year  of  decline,  coupled  with  a  crisis 
of  confidence  among  consumers  and  businesses  caused  by 
strong political uncertainty, high interest rates and inflation-
ary pressure (linked to the current trend of the BRL). The cur-
rent  difficulty  in  implementing  the  fiscal/structural  policies 
the country needs, provide a glimpse of additional significant 
risks in the short to medium term. As for the other two major 
economies of the Latin American area (Argentina and Vene-
zuela), the latter deconsolidated as of December 31, 2015, the 
macroeconomic  scenario  continues  to  be  highly  uncertain 
both in terms of growth rates and currency profile.

  RUSSIA: A SCENARIO  
OF ONGOING RECESSION 

The year 2016 should confirm, although to a slightly lesser ex-
tent,  the  recessionary  forces  that  led  the  Russian  Federation 
growth  rate  into  negative  territory  during  2015.  The  Russian 
economy will face not only a highly critical exogenous setting 
(low raw material prices/rising geopolitical tensions), but also 
the unfavourable domestic content given by a fall of the index of 
business confidence, growing inflationary pressure and high in-
terest rates. To this can then be added virtual isolation of Russia 
in Western capital markets because of international sanctions. 

  Country risk  

Pirelli  has  adopted  a  “local  for  local”  strategy  creating  pro-
ductive presences in rapidly developing countries to respond 
to  the  local  demand  with  competitive  industrial  and  logis-
tics costs. This strategy increases the competitiveness of the 
Group by also allowing an overcoming of the phenomenon of 
strengthening “trading blocs” and the increasing protectionist 
measures (customs barriers or other measures such as tech-
nical prerequisites, product certification, administrative costs 
related to import procedures, etc.).

Directors’ Report on Operations  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORTIn  the  context  of  this  strategy,  Pirelli  operates  in  countries 
(Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Russia, China, Egypt, Turkey, Ven-
ezuela and Indonesia) where the general economic and politi-
cal context and tax regime may prove unstable in the future. 
In fact, structural elements of risk persist in the LatAm area, 
identifiable  especially  in  the  political-economic  scenario  of 
Venezuela,  and  in  Egypt,  where,  to  date,  political  and  social 
instability is still high, and has led over the past few years, 
to  an  alteration  in  normal  market  dynamics  and,  more  gen-
erally, in the operating conditions of business which brought 
about the deconsolidation of the Venezuelan company Pirelli 
de Venezuela C.A. as of December 31, 2015. To these scenari-
os of uncertainty, the current economic and political crises in 
the region Ukraine was then added, whose implication in the 
medium to long term remains to this day still very uncertain. 

The Group constantly monitors the evolution of risks (political, 
economic / financial and security) connected with the coun-
tries in which it operates in order to continue to adopt timely 
(and if possible in advance) measures to mitigate the potential 
impacts of changes in the local context. Moreover, in situations 
of underutilization of the capacity of some factories, shifts in 
production between Group plants are possible. 

  Risks related to changes in demand  
  in the long term  

Over  the  last  few  decades,  some  social  and  technological 
trends have emerged that might have a material impact over 
the medium-long term on the automotive sector and indirectly 
on the tyre market. On the one hand, these are represented by 
growing urbanisation (according to United Nations estimates, 
about 70% of the global population will live in urban areas in 
2050) and, on the other, by changes in the values and behav-
iour of younger generations (increase in the average age when 
a driver’s license is obtained, loss of the importance of owning 
a car, increased recourse to various types of car sharing). 
These factors will be complemented by the spread of informa-
tion technologies, with a concurrent expansion of e-commerce 
and/or  telecommuting,  and  frequent  regulatory  changes  in 
both mature and emerging economies to limit the presence of 
polluting vehicles within and near metropolitan areas. These 
dynamics may be followed by an evolution in automotive sec-
tor  demand  (from  changes  to  vehicle  dimensions  or  type  of 
propulsion  system  to  possible  resizing  of  cars  to  satisfy  the 
transportation preferences of citizens), with contingent impact 
on tyre sector dynamics. 
Pirelli  constantly  monitors  the  evolutionary  changes  taking 
place  in  automotive  sector  demand  by  actively  participating 
in  international  working  groups,  such  as  the  one  engaged 
in  the  Sustainable  Mobility  2.0  (SMP  2.0)  project,  sponsored 
by  the  World  Business  Council  for  Sustainable  Development 

(WBCSD). The principal aim of SMP 2.0 is to study the possible 
long-term evolution in urban mobility and promote solutions 
that  may  improve  the  social,  environmental  and  economic 
well-being of the urban population. 

2. strateGic risks

  Risks related to the trend in prices  
  and availability of raw materials  

Natural rubber, synthetic rubber and raw materials related to 
oil (in particular chemicals and carbon black) will continue to 
be a factor of uncertainty in the cost structure of the Group, 
given their strong volatility in recent years and their impact 
on the cost of the finished product. 
For the main raw materials purchased by the Group, possible 
price scenarios are constantly simulated based on historical 
volatility and/or the best information available on the market 
(e.g. forward prices). Based on different scenarios, increases in 
selling prices and/or the different internal actions for recov-
ery of cost efficiency (use of alternative raw materials, reduc-
tion  in  product  weight,  improvement  in  process  quality  and 
reduction in waste levels) are identified and are necessary to 
ensure the levels of profitability expected.

  Financial risks  

The Group is exposed to financial risks, mainly related to the 
exchange  rate,  obtaining  financial  resources  in  the  market, 
fluctuations in interest rates, the ability of customers to meet 
their obligations to the Group and the price of financial assets 
held  in  portfolio.  Financial  risk  management  is  an  integral 
part of Group business management and is handled directly 
by headquarters in accordance with guidelines issued by the 
Finance Department on the basis of general risk management 
strategies identified by the Managerial Risk Committee.

  Exchange rate risk  

The geographical distribution of Pirelli production and com-
mercial activities entails exposure to “transaction” and “trans-
lation” exchange rate risk.
The  transaction  exchange  risk  is  generated  by  commercial 
and  financial  transactions  made  in  individual  companies  in 
currencies other than the functional one, due to fluctuations 
in  exchange  rates  between  the  time  when  the  commercial/
financial relationship originates and when the transaction is 
completed (collection/payment).
The  policy  of  the  Group  is  to  minimize  the  impact  of  trans-
action exchange rate risk related to volatility; for this, Group 
procedures  make  Operating  Units  responsible  for  collecting 

43

Directors’ Report on Operations  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT 
44

complete information about the assets and liabilities that are 
subject to transaction exchange rate risk (mainly represented 
by  receivables  and  payables  in  foreign  currency).  This  risk 
is hedged with forward contracts made, where possible, with 
Group Treasury. 
The  managed  positions  subject  to  exchange  rate  risk  are 
mainly represented by receivables and payables denominated 
in foreign currency.
The Group Treasury is responsible for hedging the net position 
for each currency and, in accordance with established guide-
lines  and  restrictions,  it  closes  all  risk  positions  by  trading 
derivative  hedging  contracts  on  the  market,  which  typically 
take the form of forward contracts.
Furthermore, as part of the annual and three-year planning 
process,  the  Group  makes  exchange  rate  forecasts  by  using 
the best information available in the market. Any fluctuation 
in  the  exchange  rate  between  the  time  of  planning  and  the 
time when a commercial or financial transaction originates re-
sults in an exchange risk on future transactions with respect 
to the objectives communicated to the market.
From time to time, the Group assesses the need to engage in 
hedging transactions on future transactions for which it typi-
cally uses both forward and optional purchase or sale transac-
tions such as risk reversal (i.e., zero cost collar).

Pirelli  owns  controlling  interests  in  companies  that  prepare 
their Financial Statements in currencies other than the Euro, 
which is used to prepare the consolidated Financial Statement. 
This  exposes  the  Group  to  currency  translation  risk,  due  to 
the conversion into Euro of the assets and liabilities of subsid-
iaries operating in other currencies. The principal exposures 
to currency translation risk are constantly monitored and it 
is not currently deemed necessary to adopt specific policies to 
hedge this exposure.

The year 2015 saw a significant depreciation of the main cur-
rencies of emerging countries of interest to Pirelli against the 
US  Dollar  (USD),  especially  the  Argentine  Peso,  the  Turkish 
Lira, the Brazilian Real and the Egyptian Pound. This gener-
al trend of depreciation of emerging currencies, partly due to 
exogenous factors - such as the monetary policy of the US Fed-
eral Reserve - and specific internal macroeconomic conditions, 
resulted in an overall negative effect for the Group. 

As for 2016, Pirelli - in line with the main market operators 
-  expects  a  continuation  of  the  current  trend  of  depreciation 
of  the  main  currencies  of  emerging  countries  attributable, 
once again, to the effect of the change in monetary policy by 
the Federal Reserve and specific elements of country risk. In 
particular,  the  Group  expects  strong  volatility  in  the  foreign 
exchange market and a persistence of situations of weakness 
or further devaluation of the currencies of emerging countries 

where Pirelli operates, both against the Euro and the US Dollar.

Finally,  as  regards  the  Euro/US  Dollar  exchange,  Pirelli  ex-
pects  a  weaker  Euro  as  compared  to  the  levels  at  the  end  of 
2015.  Also  in  this  case,  significant  elements  of  uncertainty 
remain such as, among other things, the timing at which the 
Federal Reserve will implement a rise in future interest rates 
and any measures that the European Central Bank will adopt to 
fine tune the Quantitative Easing program launched this year. 

  Liquidity risk  

The principal instruments used by the Group to manage the 
risk of insufficient financial resources being available to meet 
financial and commercial obligations in the terms and dead-
lines  established,  comprise  by  its  annual  and  three-year  fi-
nancial and cash-pooling plans. These allow complete and fair 
detection  and  measurement  of  incoming  and  outgoing  cash 
flows. Differences between plans and actual data are constant-
ly analysed.
The  Group  has  implemented  a  centralised  cash  pooling  sys-
tem  for  the  management  of  collection  and  payment  flows  in 
compliance with various local currency and tax laws. Banking 
relationships are negotiated and managed centrally, in order 
to ensure coverage of short and medium-term financial needs 
at the lowest possible cost. The procurement of medium and 
long-term  resources  in  capital  markets  is  also  streamlined 
through centralised management.
Prudent management of the risk described above requires the 
maintaining of an adequate level of cash or cash equivalents 
and/or highly liquid short-term financial instruments, and the 
availability of funds through an adequate amount of commit-
ted credit facilities and/or recourse to capital markets.
In  addition  to  the  available  portion  of  the  two  committed 
credit facilities of Euro 1.2 billion in the aggregate, which in 
December  2015  had  been  used  for  Euro  379.5  million  in  the 
aggregate, the Pirelli Group resorts to capital markets diver-
sifying products and deadlines to seize the best opportunities 
available each time. 
It  is  hereby  additionally  mentioned  that  an  extraordinary 
general meeting of Pirelli shareholders on 15 February 2016 
approved the project for merging by incorporation of the con-
trolling  company  Marco  Polo  Industrial  Holding  S.p.A.  into 
Pirelli. The effect of this merger will be that Pirelli will hold 
the debt of Marco Polo Industrial Holding S.p.A. subscribed to 
for the acquisition of Pirelli and amounting to about 4.2 bil-
lion. On 16 February 2016, the Board of Directors of Pirelli & 
C. S.p.A. approved the essential outlines of the of refinancing 
plan in respect of a counter value of up to a maximum of euro 
7 billion, being the gross indebtedness of Pirelli as at 30 Sep-
tember 2015 (euro 2.67 billion) including the effects foreseen 
in respect of the merger with Marco Polo Industrial Holding 

Directors’ Report on Operations  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORTS.p.A. (debt amounting to about euro 4.2 billion).

This outline for financing aims to extend the maturity of the 
debt and optimise its structure thanks to recourse to bond and 
banking markets. The terms and conditions of the refinancing, 
including any guarantees required, will be defined in the light 
of  market  conditions  and  practices  of  reference,  also  taking 
into account the rights incorporated into the Terms and Condi-
tions for the benefit of holders of bond loans issued by Pirelli 
International plc and guaranteed by Pirelli Tyre S.p.A. for an 
aggregate of euro 600 million maturing in 2019 and which, as 
already stated, will remain in force until its natural maturity.

The  plan  of  refinancing  approved  today  leaves  the  right  for 
Pirelli to activate as an alternative, if worthwhile, the Mergeco 
Facility loan, already made available to the company by a pool 
of banks in the area of the purchase offer made by Marco Polo 
Industrial Holding S.p.A. in respect of Pirelli unchanged.

  Interest rate risk  

Fluctuations  in  interest  rates  affect  the  market  value  of  fi-
nancial  assets  and  liabilities  of  the  Group  and  net  financial 
expenses. 
Group policy aims to maintain the following ratio between fixed 
rate and variable rate exposures: 70% fixed and 30% variable.
In order to maintain this trend ratio, the Group enters into de-
rivative contracts, typically interest rate swaps.

  Price risk associated with financial assets  

The Group is exposed to price risk only regarding the volatil-
ity of financial assets such as listed and unlisted stocks and 
bonds, 3.7% of total assets of the Group. Derivatives hedges are 
not normally set up to limit the volatility of these assets.

  Credit risk  

Credit  risk  represents  Group  exposure  to  contingent  losses 
resulting from default by commercial and financial counter-
parties. 
Regarding  commercial  counterparties,  in  order  to  limit  this 
risk, Pirelli has implemented procedures to evaluate the po-
tential and financial solidity of its customers, monitor expect-
ed  incoming  cash  flows  and  take  credit  recovery  action  if 
necessary. The aim of these procedures is to define customer 
credit limits, which if exceed blocking of supplies is applied. 
In certain cases, customers are asked to provide guarantees, 
mainly bank sureties issued by parties with the highest credit 
or personal standing,
Less frequently, mortgage guarantees may be requested.
Another tool used for risk management of commercial receiv-

ables are insurance policies: as of January 2012 the company 
has  signed  a  master  agreement  expiring  in  December  2016 
with  a  leading  insurance  company  for  worldwide  coverage 
(Egypt  and  Venezuela  are  excluded  from  the  policy)  of  the 
credit risk mainly related to sales of the spare parts segment 
(with about 70% of acceptance rate in December 2015).
In the course of 2015, the general situation of trade receiva-
bles remained essentially in line with the closing of the pre-
vious year.
The Group operates only with highly rated financial counter-
parties for the management of its temporary cash surpluses or 
trading in derivative instruments.
Pirelli does not hold public debt instruments from any Euro-
pean country, and constantly monitors its net credit exposure 
to the banking system and does not have significant concen-
trations of credit risk. 

3. oPerationaL risks

  Environmental risks  

Activities and products of the Pirelli Group are subject to nu-
merous environmental regulations related to the specificity of 
the different countries in which the Group operates. These reg-
ulations have in common their tendency to evolve in an ever 
more restrictive manner, also because of the growing concern 
of the international community over the issue of environmen-
tal  sustainability.  Pirelli  expects  a  gradual  introduction  of 
stricter laws to occur in connection with the various environ-
mental aspects on which companies may impact (atmospheric 
emissions, waste generation, impacts on soil, water use, etc.), 
by virtue of which the Group plans to have to continue to make 
investments and/or incur costs that could be significant. 
In  regard  to  impacts  from  Climate  Change,  no  significant 
risks have been found in relation to production processes or 
markets in which the Company operates in the short to me-
dium  term.  In  the  long  run,  the  uncertainties  related  to  Cli-
mate Change will be considered also in light of the possible 
evolution of the regulatory profile in both mature and emerg-
ing markets, in any case monitored by the company through 
sensitivity analyses. Instead, in terms of opportunities, Pirelli 
Green Performance tyres exhibit growth potential, given their 
relevant  lower  environmental  impact  and  the  possible  regu-
latory evolution in many countries, as it was in Europe with 
European labelling standards.

  Employee health and safety risks  

In carrying on its activities, the Pirelli Group incurs expenses 
and costs for the actions necessary to ensure full compliance 
with  its  obligations  under  regulations  regarding  health  and 

45

Directors’ Report on Operations  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT46

safety in the workplace. In Italy in particular, the law relat-
ing to health and safety in the workplace (Legislative Decree 
81/08)  and  subsequent  updates  (Legislative  Decree  106/09) 
have  introduced  new  obligations  that  have  impacted  on  the 
management of activities at Pirelli sites and models for allo-
cating responsibilities. 

Failure  to  comply  with  current  legislation  involves  crimi-
nal  and/or  civil  penalties  against  those  responsible  and,  in 
some cases of violation of the legislation, on health and safety 
against the Companies themselves, according to a European 
model  of  strict  liability  of  companies  implemented  in  Italy 
(Legislative Decree 231/01). 

  Product defect risk  

Like all manufacturers of goods for sale to the public, Pirelli 
may suffer liability claims related to alleged defects in mate-
rials sold or may be required to launch recall campaigns of 
products.  Although  in  recent  years  there  have  been  no  sig-
nificant cases and such events are however covered from an 
insurance standpoint, their occurrence could have a negative 
impact on the reputation of the Pirelli brand. For this reason, 
the  tyres  manufactured  by  Pirelli  are  subjected  to  careful 
quality analyses before being placed on the market, and the 
entire production process is subject to specific “quality assur-
ance” procedures with safety and performance objectives be-
ing constantly raised.

  Litigation risks  
In  carrying  on  its  activities,  Pirelli  may  become  involved  in 
legal, fiscal, trade or labour law disputes. The Group adopts the 
measures necessary to prevent and mitigate any penalties that 
may result from such proceedings.

  Risks associated with human resources  
The Group is exposed to the risk of loss of resources in key 
positions or with “critical know how”. To address this risk, the 
Group adopts remuneration policies that are periodically up-
dated and are also based on changes occurring in the gener-
al macroeconomic scenario, as well as on the basis of salary 
benchmarks. There will also be long-term incentive plans and 
specific  non-competition  agreements  (also  with  retention  ef-
fect) with respect among other things, to the risk profiles of 
the  activities  related  to  the  business.  Finally,  specific  “man-
agement” policies are adopted to motivate and retain talent. 

  Risks related to information systems  
  and network infrastructure  

The information systems and ICT infrastructures are a funda-
mental support for the proper and continuous performance of 
Group operations as they now cover almost all of business pro-
cesses.  Unauthorized  access,  vulnerabilities  in  security  sys-
tems or failures and malfunctions of information systems or 
the technical infrastructure supporting them, can thus cause 
serious repercussions to both company results and its image.
For these reasons, actions were taken in 2015 to mitigate risks 
related  to  unauthorized  access  and  improper  use  of  the  sys-
tems, with special attention being paid to Internet access. Ac-
tions were also taken to improve the continuity of ICT services 
by replacing the infrastructure components characterized by 
greater obsolescence and move increasingly towards the use of 
redundant technical architectures both locally and centrally.
As  for  the  risk  mitigation  deriving  from  the  loss  of  informa-
tion,  the  technical  solution  of  data  backup  was  implemented, 
based on distinct geographic hubs, and preparation of the new 
Disaster Recovery solution was completed. Particular attention 
was given to the review activity of Hardware and Software en-
vironments  to  activate  the  migration  projects  necessary  from 
architecture that will soon no longer be supported by suppliers.
A  project  is  underway  that  will  lead  to  the  release  of  a  new 
centralized architecture for storage of documents with fiscal 
and operational importance in compliance with regulations.
In view of the new service delivery methods via the Internet 
(ex. Cloud and Mobile), it was decided to take action to fully 
abide  by  Group  Security  standards  specifically  defined  for 
the use of such services. The architecture of perimeter secu-
rity devices (such as Internet Firewall and Web Filtering sys-
tems) was also revised to enhance the control against threats 
via  the  Internet,  introducing  where  appropriate,  firewalling 
application tools. 

At Laboratories and Plants, re-engineering of application sys-
tems to overcome obsolescence issues of application platforms 
began. Also at plant, a worksite was started together with IT 
Security to manage the increasing complexity dictated by an 
increasing need for integration and interoperability between 
the information systems of the company and the solutions of 
industrial suppliers that do not always respect the evolution of 
the compliance of IT platforms with their product.

  Business interruption risks  

The territorial fragmentation of the operating activities of the 
Group and their interconnection exposes to risk scenarios that 
could cause the interruption of business operations for more or 
less prolonged periods, with consequent effects on the “opera-
tional” capabilities and results of the Group itself. 

Directors’ Report on Operations  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT 
of 24 reputational risks specific to Pirelli, which will be peri-
odically verified and updated. This mapping derives from an 
analysis of a series of internal and external drivers including: 
negative events with an impact on reputation which have oc-
curred in the sector worldwide over the last ten years; inter-
views with external Key Opinion Leaders on sector trends, es-
pecially mobility and sustainability; interviews with internal 
Key Opinion Leaders with particular reference to the analysis 
of the probability of occurrence of the risks identified. 

The  risk  events  identified  were  then  subjected  to  qualita-
tive-quantitative  assessments  by  a  sample  representative  of 
the general public in the five key Pirelli countries and led to 
the definition of governance and management structures, and 
preparation of mitigation and/or crisis management plans.

  Risks in social, environmental, business 
  ethics responsibility and third-party audit  

Risk  management  at  Pirelli  is  enterprise-wide  and  includes 
identification, analysis and monitoring of environmental, social, 
financial and business ethics risks that are directly or indirect-
ly associated with the company, at Pirelli affiliates or in rela-
tions with them, such as the sustainability of the supply chain.
Ad  hoc  assessments  are  also  carried  out  before  entering  a 
specific market, in order to assess any political, financial, en-
vironmental and social risks, including those connected with 
human  and  labour  rights.  Together  with  constant  co-ordi-
nation  and  monitoring  at  a  corporate  level,  compliance  with 
Pirelli economic, social (especially human rights and labour 
rights) and environmental sustainability rules is assessed in 
periodic audits commissioned by Pirelli from specialised inde-
pendent firms, and by extensive Internal Audit activities.
Particular attention is dedicated to the sustainability of Pirelli 
sites  and  the  company  supplier  sites  operating  in  emerging 
countries.
Also during 2015, Pirelli commissioned third-party Audits of 
its suppliers, in addition to continuing monitoring internally 
through the activities of the Internal Audit Department. 

47

Risk  scenarios  related  to  natural  events  or  accidents  (fires, 
floods, earthquakes, etc.), wilful misconduct (vandalism, sabo-
tage, etc.), failure of the auxiliary plants or interruption of the 
supply of utilities can, in fact, cause significant property dam-
age, reduction and/or interruption in production, particularly 
if  the  event  concerns  production  sites  with  high  volumes  or 
specific products (high-end). Pirelli monitors its vulnerability 
to catastrophic natural events (in particular flood, hurricane 
and earthquake) with estimates of potential damage (given the 
probability of occurrence) of all Group production sites. Anal-
yses confirm adequate monitoring of the Business interruption 
risks is in place, thanks to a comprehensive series of securi-
ty measures, systems of prevention from harmful events and 
mitigation of potential impacts on the business, also in view of 
the current business continuity plans and insurance policies 
in place to cover property damage and business interruption. 
With reference to the earthquake risk, and specifically to the 
facility in Turkey, particularly significant seismic events could 
result in losses exceeding the limits insured resulting in nega-
tive impact on operating results. 

Even  the  Pirelli  supply  chain,  with  special  attention  being 
given to the Tier-1 suppliers, is subject to assessment in con-
nection  with  the  potential  risk  of  business  interruption.  The 
Group is performing audits at the above suppliers to define a 
series  of  mitigation  measures  to  reduce  the  vulnerability  of 
its supply chain; in particular, extension of the portfolio of ap-
proved plants for each supplier, approval of materials/qualifi-
cation of alternative suppliers, increased levels of safety stock 
of critical materials, etc.

reputAtioNAL AND 
soCiAL-eNviroNmeNtAL 
respoNsiBiLitY risks

  Reputational risks  

As of 2013, Pirelli has developed an ad hoc methodology for the 
identification, measurement and management of reputational 
risk, which is measured in terms of probability of occurrence 
and impact on reputation. Reputational risk is a current or pro-
spective risk that might result in a loss of profits and affect 
propensity to buy due to a negative perception of the Company 
by one or more stakeholders. While on the one hand, reputa-
tional risk has to be construed as a contingent occurrence of a 
negative event tied to one of the three macro-families of risks 
mentioned above, on the other hand it must be managed as an 
independent event precisely because its scope depends on the 
expectations  of  stakeholders  and  the  impact  of  the  negative 
event.
In 2014, the methodology chosen resulted in the identification 

Directors’ Report on Operations  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT 
Every Mark Is Unique  /  PIRELLI

Every Mark Is Unique  /  PIRELLI

 Giovanni Allevi 

Composer

“After years of concerts, 
of music written and lived, what really 
matters is to have loved. 
Love is the only mysterious force capable 
of leaving an indelible 
and unreachable trace in our life.„

s
a
p
m
a
L
s
a
r
k
o
P

 
siGniFicant eVents 
sUBseQUent to  
tHe end oF t He Year

50

On February 9, 2016 Pirelli and the Lombardy Region signed a competitiveness agreement for a regional grant of euro 1.9 mil-
lion to the R&D project “Total Safety System” conducted at the research center of Milan Bicocca. The project, which will last for 24 
months and have a total cost of euro 5.35 million, is part of activities related to the development of a new generation of tyres based 
on the concept of “total safety”. The project will allow Pirelli to study new product mixes oriented towards higher value-added seg-
ments, and to achieve positive results in environmental and social issues in terms of road safety, by reducing the fuel consumption 
of vehicles and increasing tyre mileage.

On February 15, 2016, Ren Jianxin, Yang Xingqiang, Bai Xinping, Ze’ev Goldberg, Tao Haisu, Wang Dan and Zhang Junfang, previ-
ously co-opted by the Board, were reappointed as directors by the ordinary general meeting of Pirelli & C. S.p.A.. The Extraordinary 
General Meeting also approved a proposal of mandatory conversion of savings shares into newly issued special category unlisted 
shares without voting rights, as well as a proposal to adopt new Articles of Association. The mandatory conversion and adoption 
of the new Articles of Association were also approved, to the extent applicable, by a special savings general meeting of Pirelli & C. 
S.p.A.. The extraordinary general meeting of Pirelli & C. S.p.A. also approved the merger by incorporation of the controlling Parent 
company Marco Polo Industrial Holding S.p.A. into Pirelli & C. S.p.A, for 6.30 Pirelli shares to be allotted after the merger to Marco 
Polo International Holding Italy S.p.A. (Holdco) - the sole partner of Marco Polo Industrial Holding S.p.A. - for every 1 share held 
before the merger by Marco Polo International Holding Italy S.p.A. (Holdco) in Marco Polo Industrial Holding S.p.A.. The merger is 
expected to be finalised within the first half of 2016. 
Following the mandatory conversion of savings shares into special category unlisted shares, the savings shares ceased 
to be listed on regulated markets as of February 26, 2016. 

On February 16, 2016, the Board of Directors of Pirelli & C. S.p.A. approved the essential lines of a refinancing plan for an amount 
up to a maximum of euro 7 billion aimed at extending debt maturities and optimizing their structure thanks to the use of bond and 
banking markets. 
The terms and conditions of the refinancing, including any guarantees, will be defined in light of market conditions and practices 
of reference, also taking into account the rights incorporated in the Terms and Conditions in favour of bond holders for euro 600 
million maturing in 2019 and that will remain in place until maturity. The refinancing plan leaves the right to activate the loan 
Mergeco Facility alternatively unchanged for Pirelli, if appropriate, and already made available to the company by a syndicate of 
banks as part of the public purchase offer of Marco Polo Industrial Holding S.p.A. on Pirelli.
Following the confirmation by the General Meeting of the directors co-opted on September 2 and October 20, 2015, the Board of 
Directors confirmed Ren Jianxin Chairman of the Board of Directors and the governance structure approved on October 20, 2015. 

Directors’ Report on Operations  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORTaLternatiVe 
PerForMance 
indicators

This document, in addition to the financial figures foreseen under International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), also includes 
figures derived from the latter, although not actually required by IFRS (Non-GAAP Measures). These measures are presented in or-
der to allow a better assessment to be made of Group operations and shall not be considered alternatives to those required by IFRS.
In particular, the Non-GAAP Measures used are as follows:

  Gross operating margin: is an intermediate economic figure derived from operating income, which excludes amortization of 
tangible and intangible assets;
  Fixed assets: this figure is the sum of “Property, plant and equipment”, “Intangible assets”, “Investments in associates and joint 
ventures” and “Other financial assets”;
  Provisions: this figure is the sum of “Provisions for liabilities and charges (current and non-current)”, “Personnel provisions” 
and “Provisions for deferred taxes”;
  Operating working capital: this figure is the sum of “Inventory”, “Trade receivables” and “Trade payables”;
  Net working capital: this figure consists of the operating working capital and other receivables and payables not included in 
“Net financial position”;
  Net financial position: this figure is represented by gross financial debt less cash and cash equivalents and other financial 
receivables. 

51

Directors’ Report on Operations  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORTotHer inForMation

  Role of the Board of Directors  

The Board of Directors is responsible for strategic guidance and supervision of the overall business activities, with authority over 
the administration as a whole and is responsible for taking decisions that are the most important in economic/strategic terms, in 
terms of structural impact on operations, or functional to exercising control and guidance of Pirelli. 
The Chairman has the legal representation of the Company also in suit as well as all other powers granted according to the Articles 
of Association
The Vice Chairman and CEO are granted exclusively powers for the ordinary management of the Company and the Group as well 
as power to propose the Business Plan and Budget and any resolutions concerning strategic industrial partnerships or joint venture 
of which Pirelli is a part to the Board of Directors.

  Information on ownership structures  

52

Share capital structure: the share capital subscribed and paid at the date of approval of the present financial report amounts to 
euro 1,345,381 thousand and is represented by 487,991,493 registered shares without par value, subdivided as follows:

Ordinary shares

special shares

475,740,182

12,251,311

97.49%

2.51%

no. shares

% with respect to share capital

The ordinary shares include 351,590 Pirelli & C. S.p.A Treasury shares owned by the sole shareholder Marco Polo Industrial 
Holding S.p.A., which also owns 93.268% of the Special Shares, including the special Treasury shares (408,342 shares) owned 
by Pirelli & C. S.p.A.

The company is subject to management and coordination of Marco Polo International Italy S.p.A., which through Marco Polo Inter-
national Holding S.p.A. is the sole shareholder of Marco Polo Industrial Holding S.p.A..

On the website of the Company, agreements between the shareholders of Marco Polo International Italy S.p.A. are available that 
contain provisions relating to the governance of Pirelli.

  Security policy document  

Although the Decree Law of February 9, 2012 no. 5 (containing the “Urgent provisions on simplification and development”) convert-
ed, with amendments, by Law April 4, 2012 no. 35, repealed the obligation to prepare/update the Security Policy Document, it is 
noted that Pirelli & C. S.p.A. however updated the above document for the year 2015 in order to allow effective monitoring of the 
adoption and compliance with the safety measures.

The Board of Directors
Milan, March 15, 2016

Directors’ Report on Operations  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT53

Directors’ Report on Operations  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT02.report 

on value chain 
responsible 
management

54

Directors’ Report on Operations  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORTReport on Value Chain Responsible Management  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

iNtroDuCtioN

This  section  of  the  report  explores  the  sustainable  manage-
ment model adopted by Pirelli and the tools for governing and 
supporting  the  maintenance  and  creation  of  value,  relations 
with Stakeholders and connections related to the development 
of financial, intellectual, human, social and relational capital.
The analysis has been performed through three macro chapters:
  The Economic Dimension, which provides details of the dis-
tribution of added value, along with relations and perfor-
mances relating to Shareholders, Customers and Suppliers;
  The Environmental Dimension, which describes sustaina-
ble development throughout the product lifecycle;
  The  Social  Dimension,  which  brings  together  the  para-
graphs dedicated to the Governance of Human Rights, the 
Internal Community and the External Community. 

The quantitative data reported highlight the development dur-
ing 2015 as compared to 2014 and 2013, with an overview of 
the targets for 2016 and for the years to come. 
For  a  detailed  account  of  the  awards  Pirelli  has  received 
in  2015,  please  see  the  “Sustainability”  section  of  the  Pire-
lli  website,  where  a  constant  update  of  the  “Sustainability 
Channel” is also available.
Sustainable performances set forth in the Annual Report for 
2015  have  been  subject  to  attestation  by  third  parties  (SGS 
Italia S.p.A.).

sustAiNABLe  
goverNANCe moDeL

The  Pirelli  Sustainability  Model  draws  inspiration  from  the 
United  Nations  Global  Compact  (which  Pirelli  has  been  a 
member of since 2004, in addition to sitting on the Steering 
Committee of the Global Compact LEAD since 2013) and the 
principles of Stakeholder Engagement dictated by the AA1000 
and ISO 26000 Guidelines.
Pirelli’s responsible management runs through the entire val-
ue chain. Each management area integrates its economic, so-
cial and environmental responsibility into its activity by con-
stantly communicating with other functions and stakeholders 
so as to implement the strategic Guidelines of the Group.
The main management systems adopted include ISO 9001, ISO/
TS 16949, ISO/IEC 17025, ISO 14001, ISO 14064, OHSAS 18001 
certifications. Moreover, from 2004 the company is inspired by 
the requirements of Standard SA8000® as a reference tool for 
managing Social Responsibility at its Affiliates and along the 
supply chain. Details on the coverage of these certifications and 
reference tools have been given in the “Customers”, “Supplier”, 
“Environmental Dimension”, “Industrial Relations” and “Occu-

pational Health, Safety and Hygiene” sections of this report.
The Board of Directors approves the objectives and targets of 
sustainable management integrated into the plan of the com-
pany alongside its annual financial statements.
Sustainable  Governance  finds  its  organisational  foundations 
in the Sustainability Steering Committee, body appointed in 
2004 and composed of the Top Management of the company, 
representing  all  businesses  and  all  functional  responsibili-
ties. The Committee meets ordinarily at least once a year and 
guides the development of Sustainability within the Firm. 
The organisational structure is then composed of Sustainabil-
ity and Group Risk Governance Department which has over-
sight of the management at Group level and proposes plans for 
sustainable development to the Sustainability Steering Com-
mittee. The Sustainability Department receives support from 
the Country Sustainability Managers for overseeing activities 
covering  all  affiliates  of  the  Group.  The  role  of  the  Country 
Sustainability Manager is currently held directly by country 
CEOs, who are supported by their direct subordinates in the 
operational management of local plans.
All countries where the Group is present with commercial and 
industrial  affiliates  have  an  annual  Sustainability  Plan  with 
specific local targets identified in alignment with the sustaina-
bility targets defined in the Plan of the company. On a quarterly 
basis countries report to the Sustainability and Group Risk Gov-
ernance Department the state of progress against the targets. 

stAkeHoLDer eNgAgemeNt

The role of Pirelli in an economic and social context is tied to 
its  capacity  to  create  value  through  a  multi-stakeholder  ap-
proach, i.e. by sustainable and lasting growth that can recon-
cile the interests and expectations of all those with whom the 
company interacts and especially:

  customers, since the Pirelli way of doing business is based 
on customer satisfaction;
  employees,  at  the  basis  of  the  wealth  of  knowledge  and 
driving force of the Group;
  shareholders, investors and the financial community;
  suppliers, with whom it shares a responsible approach to 
business;
  competitors, because improved customer service and mar-
ket position depend on fair competition;
  the environment, institutions, governmental and non-gov-
ernmental bodies;
  the communities of the various countries where the Group 
operates on a stable basis, while being aware of its global 
responsibilities as a Corporate Global Citizen.

56

Report on Value Chain Responsible Management  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

  universities located in each of the countries where Pirelli 
has productive activities.

Stakeholders were engaged through a request made in their lo-
cal language to assign action priorities to a wide range of ESG 
(Environmental,  Social,  Governance)  issues.  The  priorities  ex-
pressed by Pirelli and stakeholders have been consolidated and 
displayed in a materiality matrix whose vertical axis indicates 
the  expectations  of  external  stakeholders  and  horizontal  axis 
indicates the importance assigned by the Company to the ele-
ments analysed in terms of business success. The draft matrix 
was then subjected to critical, independent evaluation by a lead-
ing company in ESG analysis. The experts compared the Pirelli 
matrix with the content of ten international studies considered 
the most reliable and significant, focusing on sustainability el-
ements impacting on the Auto Components sector, and assessed 
the levels of prioritising of ESG issues on the sector. Following 
this  comparison,  they  suggested  the  opportunity  of  making 
small changes in the positioning of ESG issues in Pirelli’s draft 
matrix.  The  outcome  of  the  process  is  the  Pirelli  materiality 
matrix  shown  below.  The  upper  right  quadrant  identifies  the 
elements of sustainability to which high materiality (i.e. impor-
tance) has been attributed by the stakeholders involved.
The Sustainability Plan targets for 2013-2017 with vision to 2020 
that the Company gave itself, take into account the expectations 
expressed by Stakeholders and integrate them considering the 
development expected by the firm in the various matters.
It is right and adequate to underline that consolidation of the 
materiality  matrix  at  group  level  tends  by  its  very  nature  to 
vary strongly from the materiality matrices consolidated at sin-
gle country level. Sustainability elements positioned in an area 
of low materiality in the matrix at group level may be result to 
be highly material for a number of countries and specific stake-
holders who are more directly involved. So, independently of the 
positioning of expectations in the group matrix, all the elements 
of sustainability positioned in the different areas of the matrix 
are material for the company and are met and managed in ac-
cordance with best international practices.

57

In this report there is a paragraph dedicated to each stake-
holder mentioned above, to which reference is made for fur-
ther qualitative and quantitative study. 
The interactions between stakeholders conform to the AA1000 
Model adopted by the company and are analysed in detail in 
order to effectively manage relations with them and to create 
sustainable and shared value. 
Dialogue,  interaction  and  involvement  are  calibrated  to  meet 
the needs for consultation with the various types of stakehold-
er  and  include  meetings,  interviews,  surveys,  joint  analyses, 
roadshows and focus groups. Feedback received translates into 
a corporate evaluation of the priorities of action and influences 
the development strategy set out in the Plan of the company. 
The process of planning sustainable management is charac-
terised by specific operational steps aimed at continuous im-
provement in performance: evaluation of the context through 
benchmarks, dialogue with stakeholders, needs raised by in-
ternal functions, identification of risks and opportunities for 
growth, defining projects and targets, implementing, monitor-
ing and reporting.

mAteriALitY ANALYsis

In 2016, starting with the “Global Stakeholder Dialogue” Pire-
lli will hold in Brussels in February, the company will update 
the sustainability materiality matrix and will give account of 
it in its next report. Reviews of the map will also provide input 
to update the current Group Sustainability Plan with targets 
to 2020, as specified later in this report. 
The current materiality matrix comes from an in-depth activ-
ity of Stakeholder Engagement, which has led to dealing with 
the  expectations  of  the  main  stakeholders  on  these  matters 
and the importance they are recognized for the success of the 
business. Given the complexity and the international extent of 
the company’s stakeholders and the variety of their expecta-
tions,  the  panel  of  stakeholders  of  the  Company  from  which 
feedback was asked included:

  the biggest original equipment customers;
  hundreds of end customers for each representative market;
  the most important dealers around the world;
  numerous  employees  in  the  various  countries  where  the 
Group is present;
  the biggest suppliers (in terms of sales to Pirelli) in each 
procurement category;
  the  principal  shareholders,  investors  and  financial  ana-
lysts of Pirelli;
  national and supranational institutions and public admin-
istrations;
  journalists from domestic and international newspapers;
  NGOs  present  in  each  of  the  countries  where  Pirelli  has 
productive activities;

Report on Value Chain Responsible Management  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

Pirelli Materiality Matrix
5

4

I

S
N
O
T
A
T
C
E
P
X
E
S
R
E
D
L
O
H
E
K
A
T
S

3

R&D and product innovation

Product safety

Compliance

Employment sustainable management

Product energy efficiency

Human rights

Trasparent and complete reporting

Waste management

Process energy efficiency

Responsible management of supply chain

Evolution 
of sustainable
mobility

Water management

2

Diversity management

Renewable energy

Corporate Citizenship

58

Biodiversity

2

3
IMPORTANCE FOR BUSINESS SUCCESS

4

5

mAiN poLiCies 

The management Model adopted mirrors the main Group Policies, among which we can recall the “Values and Ethical Code”, the 
“Code of Conduct” and the “Premium Integrity” Programme (to which an update paragraph is dedicated later in this report), the “So-
cial Responsibility Policy for Occupational Health, Safety and Rights, and Environment”, the “Equal Opportunities Statement”, the 
“Green Sourcing Policy”, the “Global Tax Policy”, the “Corporate Lobbying Policy”, the Group Whistleblowing procedure (to which an 
update paragraph is dedicated later in this report). 
In 2015, the new Quality Policy, the “Global Personal Data Protection Policy” and the “Global Antitrust and Fair Competition Policy” 
were issued. Additionally, in 2016, current provisions regarding Health, Safety, Environment and Human Rights contained in many 
of the above-mentioned Policies will be updated and concentrated into two new dedicated Documents.
The Policies mentioned above have been communicated to all employees and are available on the website of the company in 
multiple languages.
The Principles and provisions contained in the “Code of Ethics”, “Code of Conduct” and in the “Social Responsibility Policy for Oc-
cupational Health, Safety and Rights, and Environment” have been extended to suppliers and sub-suppliers through sustainability 
clauses included in contracts; these clauses will be examined in depth in the Paragraph “Our Suppliers” of this report.

  Premium Integrity Programme  

In 2015 the process of analysing and implementing the “Premium Integrity” Programme continued in the main countries where the 
Group operates. In the same way, during the year, the activity of training and communication on administrative liability of enter-
prises (foreseen under Legislative Decree 231/2001) was completed for the entire population of the Italian companies. 
The Programme, which is available in twenty-two different languages on the company’s website, is the corporate reference for 
preventing corruptive practices and represents a collection of principles and rules aimed at preventing or reducing the risk of 
corruption. In the document, the Pirelli principles already set out in the Code of Ethics and the Code of Conduct, including zero 

 
Report on Value Chain Responsible Management  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

tolerance of “any guise or form, or in any jurisdiction, or even in 
places where such activity is admissible in practice, tolerated, 
or not challenged in the courts” are restated. Among the provi-
sions of the Programme there is the prohibition, addressed to 
the recipients of the Code, of offering gifts and other utilities 
that might constitute a breach of rules, or which are in conflict 
with the Code, or may, if made public, constitute prejudice if 
only to the image of Pirelli. Additionally, Pirelli “defend and 
protect  its  corporate  assets,  and  shall  procure  the  means  for 
preventing acts of embezzlement, theft, and fraud against the 
Group” and “condemns the pursuit of personal interest and/or 
that of third parties to the detriment of social interests”.
Pirelli  analyses  profiles  of  corruption  risk  in  the  various 
countries where it is present, assessing the adequacy of cor-
porate oversight and updating the risk analysis where there 
is a change in the perimeter with the “entry” into countries of 
“high risks” (on the basis of the Transparency index), defining 
training and awareness programmes, where adequate. 
More especially, the analysis of Risk Profiles is implemented 
considering:

  the perceived risks deriving from a combination of a level 
of perceived corruption (associated to the Corruption Per-
ception  Index  calculated  by  Transparency  International) 
with the management perception of the country risk;
  adequacy  of  oversight  provided  derived  from  the  combi-
nation of the guaranteed protection in areas deemed to be 
exposed to contingent corruption risks associated with the 
benchmark provided by the Internal Audit Function on the 
Internal Control System.

A map has emerged showing the vulnerability ranking for the 
countries subjected to analysis, as shown in the following figure: 

LUX

SVI

W
O
L

GER
FRA

UK

US

SPA

CIN

EGI
VEN
BRA

TUR

ARG

ROM

RUS

I

K
S
R
D
E
V
E
C
R
E
P

I

LOW

CONTROL ADEQUACY

H
G
H

I

HIGH

Referring to the contribution in favour of the External Com-
munity and sponsoring activities, Pirelli has for many years 
adopted  internal  procedures  defining  roles  and  responsibili-
ties  of  the  functions  involved,  the  operational  planning  pro-
cess, the realisation, and the monitoring of the results.
The  Pirelli  procedure  specifies  that  initiatives  may  not  be 
promoted in favour of beneficiaries that violate, directly or in-
directly,  human  rights,  workers’  rights,  the  environment,  or 
business ethics.
The “Pirelli Values and Code of Ethics” also provide that the 
firm “does not provide contributions, advantages, or other ben-
efits to political parties or trade union organizations, or to their 
representatives or candidates, this without prejudice to its com-
pliance with any relevant legislation”.
Concerning  the  Group’s  institutional  relations,  and  especially 
corporate lobbying activities, the Company has adopted a policy 
for ensuring said activities are performed in abidance with the 
principles  ratified  by  the  Code  of  Ethics  and  the  Group  Anti-
corruption Program, in line with International Corporate Gov-
ernance Network principles and in compliance with laws and 
regulations effective in countries where Pirelli operates.
In terms of prevention and control, the audits carried out by 
Internal Audit Department at Group affiliates include monitor-
ing crime risks, including corruption and fraud. In this regard 
it is specified that, also in respect of 2015, there have been no 
cases of corruption to report nor public legal actions concern-
ing corruption activities. 
Additionally,  in  2015  the  implementation  of  the  Functional 
Segregation model (so-called Segregation of Duties) continued, 
aimed  at  strengthening  the  system  of  internal  controls  and 
preventing fraud. 
Finally, in 2015 Pirelli continued to support Transparency In-
ternational’s  activities,  to  which  Pirelli  adheres  as  supporter 
for projects regarding education aimed at promoting an active 
role of civic and moral education in strengthening civil society 
against crime and corruption, believing that it is only through 
proactive and concrete actions of values promotion that general 
improvement in the quality of life can be achieved.

  Reporting Procedure – Whistleblowing  

The Group’s Whistleblowing Policy supports the Group’s inter-
nal compliance and control systems. 
It  is  directed  at  Employees  and  external  Stakeholders.  Com-
municated to all employees in local language and made avail-
able to the eternal Community on the Pirelli Internet website, 
the Policy governs the modalities of reporting breaches, sus-
pected breaches and inducement to breaches in the matter of 
law and regulations, principles ratified by the Code of Ethics, 
including, obviously, equal opportunities, principles of inter-
nal  auditing,  corporate  rules  and  procedures,  and  any  other 
behaviour  of  commission  or  omission  that  might  directly  or 

59

 
Report on Value Chain Responsible Management  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

indirectly give rise to economic, financial or reputational damage for the Group and/or its companies.
The Whistleblowing channel is additionally incorporated expressly into the Sustainability Clauses included in every supplier 
contract.
Reports may also be anonymously and protection of utmost confidentiality is at all times restated, as is zero tolerance in respect of 
acts of reprisal of any kind.
Reports may concern the firm’s Directors, Auditors, Management or employees and, in general, anyone operating in Italy or abroad 
for Pirelli or engaging in business relations with the Group. This includes partners, customers, suppliers, consultants, independent 
contractors, accounting firms, and public institutions and entities.
The e-mail address ethics@pirelli.com has been made available for those who might wish to proceed with a report and is managed 
centrally by the Independent Internal Audit Function. It applies to all the Group’s affiliates and to the External Community.
Internal Audit Department has the task of analysing all reports received, involving corporate functions required for the necessary 
verification activities and scheduling a specific action plan.
If it is ascertained that a report is founded, there is a provision for adopting appropriate disciplinary and/or legal actions to safe-
guard the Company.
In respect of reports received in 2015, 2014 and 2103, the following is a summary table, together with a further study of reports 
from 2015.

Total reports

 Of which anonymous

  Of which filed closed,  
being absolutely generic

 Of which founded 

60

Report country of origin

Allegation made in the report 

Outcome of cases investigated

2015

2014

2013

18

4

1

4

23

9

12

8

11

6

3

8

brazil, Egypt, Romania, Argentina, 
Russia, Peru, Mexico, germany, 
usA, uk

brazil, Egypt, Romania, Poland, 
Argentina, Russia, Peru, saudi 
Arabia, germany, usA, south Africa

Irregular behaviour of employees, 
one case of inefficiency towards 
customers 

Irregular behaviour of employees, 
one case of inefficiency towards 
customers and one towards a 
supplier

Italy, brazil, Argentina, venezuela

Irregular behaviour of employees, 
one case of poor after-sales service

Review and integration  
of processes where deemed 
appropriate, orders by the functions 
concerned and Human Resources 
Management, actions to satisfy 
customers.

Review and integration  
of processes where deemed 
appropriate, orders by the functions 
concerned and Human Resources 
Management, actions to satisfy  
the customer and the supplier

Review and integration  
of processes where deemed 
appropriate, orders by the functions 
concerned and Human Resources 
Management, actions to satisfy  
the customer

In 2015 the Whistleblowing procedure was activated 18 times. In particular:

  18 reports were received from 10 different countries (Brazil, Egypt, Romania, Argentina, Russia, Peru, Mexico, Germany, 
USA, UK);
  33% of the reports (6 cases) were forwarded using the Group Whistleblowing email address ethics@pirelli.com, whereas 67% (12 
cases) involved a letter to management to inform Internal Audit Department as per corporate rules;
  78% of the reports (14 cases) were signed whereas the remaining 22% (4 cases) were received anonymously;
  of the signed reports, three were activated by external Stakeholders, two in respect of inefficiencies suffered by customers and 
one pertaining to a complaint made by a consumer; it is objectively impossible to confirm that there were, in absolute terms, no 
further reports from external stakeholders received as a number of reports were, as specified, anonymous.

In general, the topics reported concerned, almost entirely, alleged irregular conduct by employees or managers and, in the remain-
ing cases, alleged inefficiencies towards customers and cases of non-compliance with group procedures.
Of the 18 reports received in 2015, at the beginning of 2016 three were found to be at verification and in-depth investigation stage, 
whereas thirteen were found to have been concluded. In respect of the latter, specific verification activities involving, where neces-
sary, the corporate functions concerned were conducted.
On the basis of the analyses performed and the documentation made available, it was found that:

Report on Value Chain Responsible Management  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

grammes  which  strengthen  a  safety  culture  among  the 
Group’s employees:
  reducing specific emissions of CO2 by 15% and specific en-
ergy consumption by 18% by 2020 as compared to the 2009 
figure,  with  an  expected  saving  of  about  20  €/mln  and 
350,000 tons of CO2 during the period 2015-2017;
  reducing the specific drawing-off of water by 58% by 2020 
with expected savings of water of more than 3,000,000 cu-
bic metres during the period 2015-2017;
  towards zero waste to landfill: a rate of waste recovery of 
95% by 2020, with expected savings of about 60 €/mln by 
2017 thanks to the reuse of industrial wastes;
  maintaining investment in Research and Development on 
Premium  products  amounting  to  7%  of  revenues  in  this 
segment, with the aim of ever improving performance in 
safety and environmental compatibility;
  increasing investment to mitigate risk and the prevention 
of Business Interruption CAGR -8.3% by 2017 as compared 
with 2013;
  a new proxy for monitoring fairness in compensation be-
tween  genders,  including  elements  of:  performance,  pay-
grade and seniority;
  investment in employee training equivalent to an average 
of 7 man days by 2015 and ≥ 7 in the following years;
  adopting models that are ever more advanced for manag-
ing the economic, social and environmental responsibility 
of the supply chain from a shared standpoint.

Evidence of progress is given as at the end of 2015 in the 
areas  specifically  dealt  with  in  the  report,  which  may 
be referred to.

61

  in  11  cases  objective  corroborating  evidence  was  not  de-
tected  such  as  to  hold  the  facts  contended  in  the  reports 
received to be true;
  in  the  remaining  4  cases  substantial  truthfulness  of  the 
facts  attributed  was  detected,  and  in  particular,  3  cases 
concerned irregular conduct of employees and a case of in-
efficiency towards customers; the company then took steps 
to implement the necessary actions, which concerned:

  disciplinary sanctions;
  actions  aimed  at  removing  the  challenges  received 
from customers;
  internal actions to improve the internal control system.

In all cases, at the outcome of inquiries, Internal Audit Depart-
ment additionally carried out at all times specific audit actions 
on the corporate processes involved in the reports.
Internal Audit Department has periodically given account of 
the reports received and the state of progress in the analyses 
performed to the Control, Risks, Sustainability and Corporate 
Governance Committee made up only of independent directors 
and the Board of Auditors of Pirelli & C. S.p.A. 

iNDustriAL pLAN 2013-2017  
WitH sustAiNABiLitY 
tArgets For 2020

The 2013-2017 Sustainability Plan includes objectives that go 
to 2020. It integrates, supports, accompanies and protects the 
Group’s  Industrial  Plan  and  has  been  developed  in  accord-
ance with the “Value Driver” model drawn up by the UN PRI 
(Unite  Nations  Principles  for  Responsible  Investment)  and 
UN Global Compact to encourage dialogue between investors 
and firms on sustainability issues. Growth, productivity, gov-
ernance and risk management also constitute the guidelines 
used in defining targets up to 2020. The Sustainability Plan 
foresees, among other things:

  Green Performance product net sales to be 48% of net tyre 
sales in 2017;
  improvement  in  rolling  resistance,  which  by  2020  in  the 
car segment will be reduced by 40% as compared to 2007;
  further expansion of Pirelli technology for producing silica 
from rice husk applied to Premium tyres by 2017;
  achieving results from activities in the search for alterna-
tive sources of natural rubber to Hevea and possible use of 
guayule (a project with Versalis) by 2016;
  dissemination of the use of innovative functionalised pol-
ymers that will achieve a reduced environmental impact, 
greater process safety and efficiency by 2015;
  reducing the accident frequency index by 90% by 2020 as 
compared to 2009; the objective will be achieved thanks 
to investments in machinery that are ever safer and pro-

 
 
 
Every Mark Is Unique  /  PIRELLI

 Giacomo Agostini 

15 times Motorcycle World Champion

“Beyond the numerous successes obtained, 
to me leaving a mark in my business means, above all, 
to have left good memories for all the fans who, 
still today when I meet them in the street, 
thank me for the emotions I was able transmit to them 
during my career as a motorcycle racer. 
My greatest satisfaction is, certainly, 
to have been able to leave good and clean memories 
of myself on and off the track.„

s
a
p
m
a
L
s
a
r
k
o
P

 
Every Mark Is Unique  /  PIRELLI

Report on Value Chain Responsible Management  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

econoMic diMension

sHAriNg oF ADDeD vALue

The Values and Ethical Code of Pirelli ratify the undertaking of the Firm to operate to ensure responsible development over the 
long term, while being aware of the bonds and interactions that apply between economic, social and environmental dimensions. 
This is to combine the creation of value, company progress, the attention given to stakeholders and the raising standards of living 
and environment quality.
Added Value means the wealth created over a given reporting period, calculated as the difference between the revenues generated 
and the external costs sustained in the period. Distribution of added value among stakeholders allows the relations between Pirelli 
and its main stakeholders to be expressed by focusing attention on the socio-economic system in which the Group operates.

distribution oF added value  (in thousands of euros)

64

A Remuneration of employees

(1,295,130)

53.2%

(1,239,770)

54.0%

(1,210,928)

54.6%

TOTAL GROSS ADDED VALUE

2,435,873

2,296,127 

2,218,034

2015 (*)

2014

2013

b Remuneration of public administration

C Remuneration of borrowed capital

d Remuneration of risk capital

(290,137)

(328,216)

(179,572)

11.9%

(173,309)

13.5%

(262,410)

7.4%

(156,745)

7.5%

11.4%

6.8%

(210,392)

(195,832)

(156,743)

E Remuneration of the company

(335,202)

13.8%

(457,278)

19.9%

(438,682)

F Contributions to the external community 

(7,616)

0.3%

(6,615)

0.3%

(5,457)

9.5%

8.8%

7.1%

19.8%

0.2%

(*) Excluding Pirelli de venezuela deconsolidated as of 31.12.2015

The added value created in 2015 recorded an increase of 6.1% over 2014. Trends in the items determining gross global added value 
as shown above, are set out in the Consolidated Financial statements of this report, to which reference is made for further study.

  Contributions to the External Community  

In 2015 the impact of expenses for corporate initiatives for the external community on the net result of the Group amounted to 4.4% 
(2.0% in 2014, 1.8% in 2013).
As  shown  in  the  following  table,  over  the  three-year  period  2013-2015,  expenditure  records  a  progressive  increase,  with  2015 
witnessing growth in all the macro-areas of intervention (Training and Research, socio-cultural initiatives, Sport and Solidarity).

Report on Value Chain Responsible Management  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

contributions to the eXternal community  (in thousands of euros)

Training and Research

socio-cultural initiatives

sport and solidarity

Total

2015

2014

2013 

876 

4,864 

1,876 

7,616 

810

4,541

1,264

6,615

819

3,839

799

5,457

For further study of the main initiatives supported by the contributions indicated above and relating to the governance model , 
please refer to the sections in this report on “Company Initiatives for the External Community”.
In line with the Code of Ethics, Pirelli “does not provide contributions, advantages, or other benefits to political parties or trade 
union organizations, or to their representatives or candidates, this without prejudice to its compliance with any relevant legislation”.

LoANs AND CoNtriButioNs reCeiveD  
From tHe puBLiC ADmiNistrAtioN

Romania. In the month of March 2012, the European Investment Bank (EIB) granted a sum of 10 million euros for the benefit of 
Pirelli Tyres Romania S.r.l. as the final tranche of a loan contract for a total of 50 million euros granted to support an investment 
of 263 million euros in respect of extending the Pirelli plant in Slatina, in Romania, intended for producing tyres for cars and 
light commercial vehicles. The financing sits alongside a similar one granted in 2007 and fully reimbursed at the end of the 2013 
tax year and received to support the construction of the same production site.
Also reported is: S.C. Pirelli Tyres Romania S.r.l. received 38.3 million euros in the aggregate from the Romanian state by way 
of incentive for local investment, 9.3 million of which was in 2015.

Italy. During the 2015 accounting period Pirelli Labs received a contribution of 637 thousand euros from the Ministry of In-
struction, University and Research by way of incentive in the areas of eased financing in respect of a Research and Development 
project  and  Pirelli  Tyre  S.p.A.  collected  a  contribution  by  way  of  a  non-refundable  grant  from  the  Piemonte  Region  of  2,836 
thousand euros, again concerning a number of Research & Development projects.

65

Mexico. Since 2012 Pirelli Neumaticos S.A. de C.V. (Mexico) has received subsidies from the Government of the State of Guana-
juato (Mexico) for investments and the creation of employment for an aggregate amount of 10.8 million euros.
The company has also received subsidies from the Mexican Federal Government for investments and the creation of employment 
concerning the ProMexico project for an aggregate figure of 5.9 million euros, 0.9 million of which was collected in 2015 (the 
incentives have been paid since 2012). 

United Kingdom. In the 2013 and 2014 tax years, Pirelli Tyres Ltd. (United Kingdom) received government subsidies under the 
RGF-Regional Growth Fund for investments and the creation of employment tied to introducing new UHP products at the Carlisle 
factory for an aggregate figure of 2.6 million euros. In 2015 no further government contributions were received.

FiNANCiAL CommuNitY

Pirelli considers financial communication to be of strategic importance as a fundamental tool for consolidating relations of trust 
with the financial community. In accordance with the Values and Code of Ethics of the Group, Pirelli keeps a constant dialogue 
going with analysts and investors (both institutional and individual) and bondholders via the investor relations function and the 
Group’s Top Management, promoting communication that is between equals transparent, timely and accurate. 
In 2015 the attention of financial markets focused on the sales/purchase and joint investment agreement between ChemChina, 
CNRC and Camfin with the launch of a public tender offer of Pirelli’s share capital and which concluded successfully in October 
with the subsequent delisting of the title. The agreements between shareholders of Pirelli foresee a return of the company to the 
stock market within 4 years, at the end of the completion of the industrial project that will witness the strengthening of consumer 
business in the areas of greatest growth, such as China, and the integration of tyre activities in the industrial segment of CNRC and 

Report on Value Chain Responsible Management  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

Pirelli, thus creating the fourth player in industrial business 
by size (revenues and turnover). 
In 2016 and up until its return to the stock market, the compa-
ny intends to keep the dialogue with the financial communi-
ty open and ongoing with its usual transparency towards the 
market  and  drawing  inspiration  from  best  market  practices 
for delisted companies.

our Customers

Pirelli business operations are represented by two main seg-
ments: Consumer (tyres for cars, SUV, light commercial vehi-
cles and motorcycles) and Industrial (tyres for buses, trucks, 
agricultural equipment and steel cord). These businesses are 
in turn pursued through two sales channels:

  Original Equipment, addressed directly to the world’s lead-
ing car and truck makers;
  Replacement, for the replacement of tyres on vehicles al-
ready in circulation.

Within  Original  Equipment,  in  Europe  Pirelli  can  count  on 
a  market  share  of  Premium  products  of  nearly  20%  in  2015 
compared to 14%, at which the company stood in 2011. In the 
Prestige  segment,  which  is  the  highest  of  the  range,  Pirelli 
approaches 40%, with an increase compared to 36% in 2011. 
Within Replacement, there are two broad types of Pirelli cus-
tomers:  Specialised  Resellers  and  Distributors.  Specialised 
Resellers are tyre specialists operating on the market in the 
role of independent businesses; specialised dealers constitute 
a fundamental point of contact between the Group and the end 
consumer. Particular attention is devoted to specialised deal-
ers  in  terms  of  shared  development  to  enhance  the  product 
offering integrated with a high quality level of service, in com-
pliance with Pirelli values and consumer expectations. In 2015, 
Pirelli can count on about 11,000 loyal resellers globally, with 
a particular concentration in Europe, Asia-Pacific and South 
America (about 80% of the total points of sale). The degree of 
affiliation is diversified according to the market and the very 
presence of Pirelli, ranging from a softer loyalty (fidelity Club), 
which  has  as  main  objective  for  Pirelli  territorial  coverage 
and for the dealer sales support; to franchise programmes, in 
which through the exclusive of the partnership there is strong 
focus on business development point of sale overall; up to the 
maximum degree of affiliation, represented by points of sale 
owned by Pirelli (311 points of sale worldwide). “Distributors” 
are partners who are fundamental to guaranteeing continuity 
in the supply of tyres to other specialised and non-specialised 
resellers. They do so by offering local delivery and distribu-
tion services throughout the entire territory.

  Customer Focus  

Customer orientation is a central element of the Group “Val-
ues”  and  “Ethical  Code”,  and  the  “Group  Quality  Policy”,  up-
dated in autumn 2015, communicated to all employees on the 
occasion of the Pirelli World Quality Day held on November 12, 
2015 and available on the Pirelli website.
Among  the  essential  elements  of  the  Pirelli  approach  to  the 
Customer:

  consideration of the impact of its actions and behaviour on 
the customer;
  exploitation of every opportunity offered by doing business 
to satisfy the customer’s needs;
  anticipation of customer needs;
  safety, reliability, high performance of products and servic-
es  offered,  in  accordance  with  local  regulations  and  more 
developed national and international standards applicable, 
as well as excellence of production systems and processes. 

These commitments are outlined in the “General Purchase Con-
ditions” applied by the Group companies. In accordance with the 
mentioned focus on customer care, Pirelli also adopted a clear 
procedure  to  grant  a  feedback  to  any  customer  claim,  which 
involves immediate intervention with respect to the interlocutor. 
Pirelli has received numerous awards for the quality of its prod-
ucts from important and prestigious customers. 

  Transparency in Communication  
  to the Customer  

In the context of advertising communication, since 2009, Pire-
lli has defined a traceable and transparent process for all de-
cisions  relating  to  advertising  campaigns  and  related  media 
planning, both in the case of promotional activities managed 
centrally and locally with central supervision. In terms of pro-
duction of advertising campaigns and media planning, Pirelli 
uses specific auditing and certification structures that place 
the  Company  at  the  highest  levels  in  terms  of  transparency 
and traceability in its advertising investment strategies. The 
Pirelli  Group  endorses  the  IAB  (Interactive  Advertising  Bu-
reau) and is associated with the UPA (Associated Advertising 
Users),  where  Pirelli  sits  on  the  Steering  Committee,  among 
other  things  dedicating  ongoing  commitment  to  support  the 
Advertising Code of Corporate Governance of the association. 
Through the UPA, Pirelli is a member of the WFA (World Fed-
eration of Advertisers), which commits participating firms to 
pursue honest, truthful and fair competition and communica-
tion in compliance with the Code of conduct and self-regula-
tion which they adopt. Consumer protection is also guaranteed 
by  the  Company’s  choice  of  suppliers  in  the  communication 
sector  (creative  agencies,  media  centres,  production  compa-
nies) that in turn belong to business and professional associa-

66

Report on Value Chain Responsible Management  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

tions governed by Codes of Ethics regarding communication.

  Compliance  

Also in 2015:

  no  cases  emerged  of  non-compliance  with  regulations  or 
voluntary  codes  concerning  marketing  activities,  includ-
ing advertising, promotion and sponsorship;
  no significant final penalties were levied and/or paid relat-
ing to infringement of laws or regulations, including those 
relating to the supply and use of the Group’s products and/
or services;
  no  cases  emerged  of  non-compliance  with  regulations  or 
voluntary  codes  concerning  information  and  labelling  of 
products/services;
  no cases of non-compliance with regulations or voluntary 
codes concerning health and safety impacts of products/
services during their life cycle;
  there were no documented complaints concerning both vi-
olation of privacy and/or the loss of consumers’ data;
  no  sales  of  any  of  the  products  sold  by  Pirelli  were  not 
banned or disputed.

  Customer Information and Training  

Pirelli  provides  information  to  customer-distributors  and  end 
customers on a continual basis. This information concerns both 
the product and related initiatives, and is disseminated in a va-
riety of ways, including online communication, and this is com-
plemented by information distributed in hard copy format, as 
well as the range of off-line and online training activities. On-
line communication was strengthened in 2015: the revision of 
the websites and development on mobile devices increased the 
number of hits to more than 9 million, confirming the growing 
trend of the use of online as a fundamental touchpoint in the 
search/purchase of tyres. The role of customer services on dig-
ital platforms is fundamental: “tyres for your car”, the product 
catalogue and dealer locator confirm that customers are increas-
ingly well-informed and need clear and immediate responses to 
their search on the web, as well as in mobility through smart-
phones. 70% of total access to Pirelli websites comes from search 
engines. In 2015, Pirelli also continued to inform its customers 
with a digital newsletter, Paddock News, whose main objective 
is to provide an additional means of communication and contact 
with the trade, and which consists of an international edition, 
coordinated  centrally  from  headquarters,  and  local-language 
edition for each market in which Pirelli operates. Paddock News 
features a gallery of new products and news from the Company 
and its Business Units: Car, Motorcycle, Motorsport and Truck. 
In terms of paper publications, the company magazines “Pirelli 
World” and, for Brazil, “Giro”, continue to play a key role.
As  for  online  communication  related  to  Industrial  Tyres,  in 

2015, FleetApp was launched, the application for transport pro-
fessionals, available in Italian, English, German and Turkish 
free for Android and iOS, on Google Play and Apple Store. In 
just a few steps you can get all the information on the intended 
use, available sizes and labelling values, technical specifica-
tions, tread design and peculiarities of each tyre in the Pirelli 
range as well as the Formula range, for the transport of per-
sons and/or goods. The application also includes an integrated 
simulation tool that allows measuring of the possible fuel sav-
ings through using tyres providing higher performance from 
an energy point of view. 
Numerous exhibitions, events and initiatives in 2015 in which 
Pirelli took part include:

  the  Commercial  Vehicle  Show,  the  largest  exhibition  on 
transport of goods by road ever held at the National Exhibi-
tion Centre in Birmingham.
  Autopromotec 2015, the event dedicated to the world of auto-
motive equipment and after market, now in its 26th edition, 
where Pirelli was present with a large stand featuring tyres 
for car, motorcycle and truck lines.
  The “Driving Innovation 2015” event held at the suggestive 
museum setting of Ca’ la Ghironda, near Bologna, and dur-
ing  which  new  products  were  presented  for  commercial 
transport: the new tyre for city buses MC:01 and XL range 
in various lines of the 01 series.
  the  TRUCK  DAYS  event  held  between  Stresa  and  Vizzola, 
two days dedicated to tyres for industrial vehicles with the 
participation  of  TEAM,  purchasing  group  of  German  re-
sellers,  and  Pirelli  Deutschland.  A  hundred  resellers  and 
their fleet customers were invited to the event. On Pirelli’s 
testing circuit, wet braking, noise, comfort and wet handling 
tests were conducted. A space for in-depth study was dedi-
cated to the Cyberfleet functionalities. A unique opportunity 
to learn the latest news about products, innovations to im-
prove performance, in addition to solutions for fleets.

The training of Customers on the product even in 2015 was in-
tense in all markets, both at the points of sale and at the Pirelli 
sites with visits to the factory, R&D laboratories, and simulations 
of tyre performance. About 4,500 dealers from 17 countries vis-
ited the two plants in Settimo Torinese (Italy) and Izmit (Turkey) 
in addition to the circuit in Vizzola (Italy) and the R&D Centre in 
Milan. Information and training are therefore conducted with a 
360º approach.
During the year, expansion continued of the online training 
platform Tyre Campus “The Road to Success”, covering a total 
of  23  markets  in  16  different  languages.  This  platform  aims 
to  grow  the  international  coverage  of  training  activities  ex-
ponentially,  by  means  of  a  homogeneous  approach.  Product 
training  is  delivered  in  a  highly  engaging  style  and  with  a 
path leading towards the final goal of certification. Pirelli cer-
tifies all its dealers who complete the proposed product train-

67

Report on Value Chain Responsible Management  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

ing successfully. The certified dealer status is then indicated 
in the dealer locator and on a plaque placed at the point of sale. 
This way, consumers can be aware of which dealers are the 
most  knowledgeable  and  qualified  on  the  technical  features 
and benefits of all the products of the Pirelli range. The plat-
form dissemination project is well advanced; in 2016, it is ex-
pected to complete its extension to other markets, introducing 
new technical and commercial topics. 
Also in order to support the product trainers in the markets in 
classroom training to the trade, a library of technical content 
was developed for classroom courses and the instrument “Tyre 
Campus  Houses”,  which  aims  to  concretely  demonstrate  the 
characteristics of Pirelli tyres, the raw materials used for their 
manufacturing and the differences between the different tread. 
With these tools, Pirelli trainers around the world have concrete 
and innovative support that allows customers to personally un-
derstand and verify the key characteristics and advanced tech-
nology of Pirelli products.

  Listening and Exchanging Ideas as Sources 
  for Continuous Improvement  

Customer  relationships  are  managed  by  Pirelli  principally 
through two channels:

  the sales organisation operating in the territory, which has 
direct  contact  with  the  network  of  customers  and  which, 
thanks to advanced information management systems, can 
process and respond onsite to all the information require-
ments of the interlocutor; the sales structure is receives on-
going training on product and commercial issues through 
the contribution of the Commercial Academy, one of the 10 
Pirelli training Academies dedicated to the continuous de-
velopment and updating of skills of the entire sales network.
  the Pirelli Tyre Contact Centers, 32 worldwide with more 
than 150 employees, performing business operations in IT 
support  and  order  management  (inbound),  telemarketing 
and teleselling (outbound).

In  addition  to  traditional  channels,  2015  saw  Pirelli  achieve 
a significant rise internationally in user engagement through 
Social  Media  channels,  most  notably  Facebook  and  Twitter. 
The  Global  Facebook  Page  dedicated  to  the  brand  reached 
more than 1,143,297 followers and the Motorsport page about 
362,500  in  addition  to  another  two  Twitter  accounts:  Pirelli 
(94,400  followers)  and  Pirelli  Motorsport  (65,700  followers). 
The Company is also present on Instagram where, at the end 
of 2015, it proposed a successful initiative related to the launch 
of the Calendar, which collected more than 33,800 followers. 
YouTube and Google Plus have also been confirmed as funda-
mental assets for the activation of special ad hoc projects. As 
for the Motorcycle Business Unit, we reserve a mention for the 
digital projects of the Metzeler and Pirelli brands. For Metzel-

er, in addition to the web page present in 10 countries world-
wide, a page dedicated to bikers has been active on Facebook 
since 2012, with 270,000 fans and content posted in 14 differ-
ent countries in the relevant local languages. There has been 
very  positive  feedback,  over  the  years,  from  the  activation 
of the Metzeler Maps, the Ridexperience blog and “Answers” 
feature that involves the users on the site. To maintain active 
relationships  with  consumers,  the  @metzelermoto  channel 
on Twitter and YouTube was also created some time ago. For 
the Pirelli Moto brand, a presence on Facebook is important, 
with more than 300,000 fans connected and content posted in 
many countries in the world, and special attention is dedicated 
to Asian countries where Pirelli is developing its social media 
presence. The Diablo Super Biker mobile application is also of 
great importance, currently accounting for more than 350,000 
downloads,  and  is  greatly  appreciated  by  the  biker  commu-
nity. For this App, there will be an update in early 2016 with 
additional improvements (greater precision in calculating data 
thanks to new algorithms, detection of weather and road sur-
face conditions, direct links to social media and the possibility 
of  sharing  sessions).  In  general,  the  CRM  project  occupies  a 
priority  position  in  the  Business  Unit,  considering  the  biker 
community as a group of product enthusiasts.
Also in 2015, the end customer direct listening activity contin-
ued through the Brand Tracking survey in the Top Ten Mar-
kets of Pirelli (Italy, Germany, Spain, France, United Kingdom, 
Brazil, China, United States, Turkey and Russia). The ongoing 
changes made to this study over the years have made it pos-
sible to refine and improve the precision of business insights 
into  the  brand  role,  image  profile  and  characteristics  of  the 
different  touchpoints  that  influence  the  end  customer’s  pur-
chase decision. 
Pirelli  also  monitors  its  competitive  position  and  its  brand 
image among end users through the detection of Key Perfor-
mance Indicators (KPI) such as Top of Mind, Brand Awareness 
and Brand Consideration. The 2015 survey has confirmed the 
position of Pirelli as one of the Top Two best recognised tyre 
brands in Italy, Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom. In It-
aly, Pirelli has also confirmed its leadership in terms of Brand 
Consideration. Outside Europe, Pirelli in Brazil was confirmed 
in  first  place  for  each  brand  KPI;  in  China,  Pirelli  was  con-
firmed in third place as the best-known brand and in second 
place  as  a  brand  considered  for  purchase;  Russia  recorded 
increasing values of brand consideration, which have moved 
Pirelli up to fourth place. In general, in all countries, the per-
formance of Pirelli proves to be even more positive regarding 
the key target premium with the values of all indicators being 
higher than the more general targets of car owners: in China 
in particular, we are in first place for brand consideration for 
this target. There are two reference documents for brand po-
sitioning. One is the Brand Pyramid, which summarises the 
values, personality and distinctive features of the Brand. The 

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other is the Brand Key, a work scheme created with the aim of 
giving unity to product communication in terms of emotional 
benefits, functional benefits, reason to believe, differential ele-
ments, target of reference.
In 2015, the Tyre Talk project also continued: a listening pro-
ject for trade customers, truly innovative for the tyre industry, 
based on an innovative web-based research platform, which 
can now count on the participation of more than 850 members 
in seven markets that form a select panel of partners-custom-
ers, able to contribute to the understanding of the market dy-
namics, the development of new marketing levers and business 
opportunities. Through constant search, contact and collection 
of feedback which includes the innovative and transparent in-
volvement of customers in various types of surveys and online 
forums,  studies  are  conducted  on  various  marketing  issues 
such as: the launch of new products, the management promo-
tional activities or materials at points of sale, the management 
of F1-related activities, the evaluation of the Pirelli B2B por-
tal and the knowledge of approved tyres. The key issue is to 
collect the opinion of customers on the behaviour of end con-
sumers, not only at the points of sale, but also in relation to the 
purchase process, the perception of the brand and product, the 
use of the labels introduced by the new European legislation, 
service expectations related to tyre change. 
In  2015,  Pirelli  also  conducted  the  biennial  survey  on  satis-
faction of its trade customers in the car tyre business. As in 
previous years, the Dealer Satisfaction Survey aims to detect 
the level of satisfaction of its customer base during the various 
stages of company-customer interaction and to promote action 
plans to improve customers’ perception of the performance of 
Pirelli with respect to its main competitors in the various are-
as investigated (Product, Quality, Logistics, Sales & Marketing, 
Customer  Service).  The  2015  survey  focused  on  7  countries 
(Italy, Germany, UK, China, Brazil, USA, Turkey) with a total 
of about 2,500 interviews. In the UK, the US and Brazil, the 
interviews conducted at each point of sale in blind form (i.e. 
on behalf of the research institute and not of Pirelli) included 
in-depth interviews conducted with the main Key Customers 
on behalf of Pirelli. This has made it possible to obtain timely 
and wholly transparent feedback, which is useful for defining 
targeted  action  plans  for  our  principal  partners.  In  terms  of 
overall satisfaction, on a scale of 0-100 (Completely satisfied = 
100; Very satisfied = 75; Somewhat satisfied = 50; Not very sat-
isfied = 25; Not at all satisfied = 0), Pirelli is the best player in 
Italy, UK and USA, and shows a performance comparable with 
that of its main competitors in Germany while in Brazil, China 
and Turkey, the scores on the direct distributors are > 75 up 
to the maximum of 85 in Brazil. The percentage of completely/
very satisfied customers is on average above 75%.

  Quality and Product Certification  

ISO  9001:  since  1970,  the  Group  has  had  its  own  Quality 
Management  System  introduced  gradually  at  all  production 
centres  and,  since  1993,  Pirelli  has  obtained  certification  of 
its quality system under the ISO 9001 standard. Today 100% 
of  Pirelli  facilities  are  certified  with  ISO  9001:2008,  as  are 
the activities at the logistics hub in Manresa, Spain. In 2015, 
the new Motorcycle Plant in Indonesia also obtained the ISO 
9001:2008 certification.

ISO/TS 16949: In 1999 the Group obtained certification for its 
Quality Management System in compliance with ISO/TS 16949 
and it has since maintained compliance with the standard as 
currently applicable. All plants, whether new or acquired, that 
are suppliers of the automotive sector have obtained or contin-
ue to maintain this quality certification.

ISO/IEC 17025: Since 1993 the Materials and Experimentation 
Laboratory of the Group and since 1996 the Experimentation 
Laboratory  of  Pirelli  Pneus  (Latin  America)  hold  the  Quali-
ty Management System, and have been accredited under the 
ISO/IEC 17025 standard. This system is maintained in accord-
ance with the standard in force and the ability of the laborato-
ries to perform accredited tests is evaluated annually. The labs 
participate in proficiency tests organised by the International 
Standard Organisation, by ETRTO or by international circuits 
organised by auto manufacturers. Specifically in regard to car 
tyres, the focus on quality is confirmed by Pirelli’s supremacy 
in numerous product tests. It is also guaranteed by its collab-
oration on product development and experimentation with the 
most  prestigious  partners  (auto  manufacturers,  specialised 
magazines, driving schools, etc.).

Product Certifications that allow the sale of products on var-
ious  markets  in  compliance  with  the  regulations  in  force  in 
each country are kept regularly up to date. The main product 
certifications secured by the Pirelli Group concern the mar-
kets of EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa), NAFTA (North 
America Free Trade Agreement), Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, 
China, Taiwan, India, Indonesia and South Korea and involve 
all Pirelli plants. These certifications call for annual audits by 
ministerial  bodies  in  the  countries  in  question  or  organisa-
tions delegated by them, which verify the compliance of the 
product at the certified plant.

  Focus on Human Health  
  and the Environment  

All  raw  materials  and  auxiliary  products  are  carefully  test-
ed  before  they  can  be  used  in  Group  operating  units.  These 
tests seek to identify potentially unacceptable risks to human 

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health and/or the environment. This assessment is performed 
on a centralised basis and carried out in all countries where 
Pirelli operates, taking account not only of the requirements 
imposed by European regulations concerning the management 
of hazardous substances, but also know-how currently availa-
ble worldwide (specifications, databases, etc.). There is ongoing 
monitoring of producers and suppliers of raw materials used 
by the Group, particularly with regard to the registration pro-
cesses of these substances by producers/distributors/import-
ers and in compliance with Regulation CE REACH 1907/2006.

  Product Safety, Performance  
  and Eco-Sustainability  

The commitment of Pirelli to the development of products that 
are increasingly focused on combining eco- sustainability and 
safety has led to renewal of its product lines. Compared with 
the previous generation, this guarantees significant reductions 
in parameters like rolling resistance, braking on surfaces with 
low grip and the use of increasingly innovative materials.
In  2015,  the  Pirelli  product  range  for  the  Car,  SUV  and  Van 
segment recorded a further improvement in the average level 
of grading concerning the performance of increasingly inno-
vative  materials  designed  to  reduce  rolling  resistance,  and 
therefore the reduction of CO2 emissions, as well as increas-
ingly effective wet braking which contributes to road safety.
At the beginning of 2015, Cinturato AllSeason was launched 
for the European market, the first “Total Mobility” product by 
Pirelli, capable of guaranteeing safe mobility during all sea-
sons of the year even on snow-covered road surfaces, combined 
with the innovative Seal Inside technology, a key contribution 
to driving safety thanks to the technology of sealing the holes 
generated by foreign bodies that allows avoiding risky stop-
pages  for  a  possible  tyre  change  and  potentially  dangerous 
situations due to rapid tyre deflation. 
For the Nordic markets, the Pirelli Ice Zero FR was introduced 
on the market, a new generation of studless winter tyres for 
extreme climates, suitable for driving even on icy surfaces. Ice 
Zero FR is particularly attentive to environmental and safety 
issues not only with regard to the improvements in terms of 
reducing rolling resistance, braking distances on wet, snowy 
or  icy  surfaces,  but  also  as  an  innovative  solution  for  urban 
mobility, where the studded tyre is increasingly being banned 
as it is a source of deterioration of the road surface.
For South American markets, a new product line was launched 
dedicated to changeover and tuning called Cinturato P1 plus. 
This product has been designed to combine a high level of per-
formance on both dry and wet roads, as requested by consum-
ers who want to customise their vehicles, with the adoption of 
new construction solutions capable of reducing the weight of 
the tyre to reduce rolling resistance and CO2 emissions.
In  the  Truck  Business,  Pirelli  designs  and  sells  high-per-

formance  products  in  terms  of  safety  and  fuel  savings.  The 
Serie01  tyres  are  comparable  to  best  of  our  competitors  in 
energy  efficiency  (rolling  resistance)  and  best-in-class  in 
terms of wet grip. In terms of safety, special mention should 
be made of the tyres in the W:01 line as well as the TR:01 II 
and  TH:01  tyres,  which,  having  passed  the  test  imposed  by 
European regulations, feature the 3PMSF mark on their side-
wall. Regarding transportation of goods, a special mention is 
deserved by H:01 XL tyres which, thanks to the increased load 
index,  can  count  on  superior  strength  and  integrity  even  in 
the event of heavy use. In passenger transport, where safety 
and comfort play a key role, 2014 saw the launch of the H:01 
Coach line, aimed at equipping long-haul passenger vehicles 
on motorways or trunk roads, and 2015 saw the launch of the 
MC:01 line, aimed at equipping passenger vehicles on urban 
and suburban routes. The range of Pirelli products offered for 
efficient and sustainable mobility in the freight and passenger 
transport sector is rounded off by a series of solutions, among 
which the CyberFleetTM. This system automatically measures 
tyre  pressure  and  temperature  under  operating  conditions, 
thereby reducing fleet operating costs and making it possible 
to reduce fuel consumption costs by simultaneously maxim-
ising efficiency in tyre maintenance and pressure control op-
erations. All of these features offer significant advantages in 
terms of a reduction in CO2 emissions and therefore beneficial 
effects  from  a  reduced  environmental  impact  and  improved 
road  safety  standards.  Greater  or  lower  tyre  pressure  than 
what is recommended by the manufacturer leads to a higher 
rolling resistance, irregular wear and tear, difficulty in con-
trolling the vehicle and lengthening of the braking distance, 
all  factors  which  have  a  negative  impact  fuel  consumption, 
tyre life and driving safety. To date, CyberFleetTM is used by 
180 fleets in the world, with a total of about 150 million km 
travelled, using through the dedicated application.
High-performance tyres are also manufactured with vegeta-
ble  raw  materials  such  as  rice  husks,  an  inedible  substance 
which  is  renewable  and,  above  all,  not  taken  from  the  food 
chain, from which silica, the essential component in making 
a  tyre,  is  obtained.  This  type  of  silica  is  used  in  both  high 
performance  products  and  also  low  rolling  resistance  tyres, 
the product lines that reduce fuel consumption through lower 
heating  of  the  tyre  during  operation.  In  general,  the  use  of 
silica  in  tyres  has  an  impact  on  road  safety  because  it  pro-
vides better wet grip and guarantees high performance levels. 
Rice  husk  silica  makes  it  possible  to  produce  tyres  that  are 
more environmentally friendly: the silica is extracted from the 
waste vegetable matter with a lower use of fossil fuel energy, 
resulting in significant environmental and cost benefits in a 
global ecological approach from the production chain through 
to  the  finished  product.  Further  information  on  the  eco-sus-
tainability of Pirelli products can be seen in the paragraphs 
of this report dedicated to the Environment. 

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For long-term reduction of CO2 emissions, Pirelli is committed to 
using products with low environmental impact developing the 
first high-performance UHP tyre with innovative materials that 
contain natural rubber from the guayule tree. This set of tyres 
was mounted on no less than a latest generation Maserati Ghibli 
that put this new compound to the test on the tracks of Vizzola 
and  Balocco.  It  was  a  result  of  the  agreement  between  Pirel-
li and Versalis (Eni) signed in 2013 for the exclusive supply of 
natural guayule rubber to manufacture these tyres. Two years 
later, Pirelli researchers were able to study the characteristics 
of this new rubber in order to adapt the project to road use.

  Awards  

In  2015,  Pirelli  received  several  awards  from  its  customers 
that acknowledged not only the high quality and performance 
of Pirelli brand products, but also the high level of attention 
that the Group pays to product sustainability.
In April, for the second consecutive year, Pirelli won the “JD 
Power Original Equipment Award” in the Performance Sport 
category;  Pirelli  was  thus  confirmed  as  the  first  choice  for 
North American car manufacturers operating in the premium 
sector; also significant was the second place obtained in the 
Luxury category.
In June, Ford gave the “Green Pillar Award” to Pirelli, recognis-
ing not only the company’s commitment to sustainability but 
also its ability to supply high-performance and quality tyres.
In July CNH Industrial awarded Pirelli the “2015 Supplier of 
the Year Award”. Two projects led Pirelli to this success: the 
construction  of  a  biomass  plant  in  Brazil  able  to  ensure  not 
only energy savings but also a reduction in CO2 emissions and 
the project in collaboration with the natural rubber processor 
Kirana Megatara aimed at supporting farmers and their fam-
ilies through lessons on responsible cultivation practices with 
rubber trees and scholarships.
In November 2015, Pirelli received the “Quality Through Ex-
cellence Award” from Volvo for the Chinese factory in Yang-
zhou; this award is given to the best supplier of tyres based on 
the high quality and performance of the product.
In December, the Pirelli plant in Voronezh, Russia, received 
the  “Ford  Q1  Award”,  the  prestigious  certification  given  by 
Ford to suppliers that succeed in reaching high quality prod-
uct standards.

  Road Safety Culture and International  
  Initiatives  

International initiatives and commitments are discussed in the 
paragraphs “Company initiatives for the External Community”.

our suppLiers

As provided in the Values and Code of Ethics of Pirelli, suppli-
ers and external collaborators play a fundamental role in im-
proving the firm’s overall competitiveness. While seeking the 
keenest  competitive  edge,  the  Group  bases  its  relations  with 
suppliers and outside workers on fairness, impartiality and en-
suring equal opportunities for all parties concerned. In its turn, 
the “Social Responsibility Policy for Occupational Health, Safe-
ty and Rights, and Environment” specifies that the Group’s sus-
tainable development strategies require, among other things, 
a commitment to continuous improvement in issues of the en-
vironment, occupational health and safety connected with its 
activities, abiding firmly by and supporting the content of the 
Declaration of Universal Human Rights, the Declaration of the 
International Labour Organisation on Fundamental Principles 
and  Rights  at  Work,  the  Rio  Declaration  on  the  Environment 
and Development  and  the United  Nations  Convention  against 
Corruption. Likewise, the Policy lays down that Pirelli is com-
mitted to establishing and maintaining active the procedures 
necessary for assessing and selecting suppliers and sub-sup-
pliers  on  the  basis  of  their  level  of  social  and  environmental 
responsibility. Sustainable management of the supply chain is 
thus set out in the Pirelli Quality Policy, in addition to being the 
subject  of  the  Green  Sourcing  Policy.  The  Policies  mentioned 
are  available  in  many  languages  on  the  Pirelli  website  (Sus-
tainability  Section),  to  which  the  reader  is  referred  for  more 
details and full text.

  Supply Chain Sustainable Management 
  System  

Provisioning  processes  and  partnership  relations  with  sup-
pliers  are  guided  by  Pirelli’s  Purchase  Department  and  by 
specialists present in the various affiliates worldwide. Respon-
sible management that is integrated in economic, social, envi-
ronmental  and  governance  terms  characterises  the  relations 
between  Pirelli  and  its  suppliers.  The  “quality”  of  firms  that 
provide  goods  and  services  is  also  a  fundamental  element  in 
realising Pirelli premium strategy. The Model of Sustainable 
Management of the Pirelli supply chain was verified by a third 
party  through  a  high-level  method  of  verification,  in  accord-
ance with the AA1000 Assurance Standard (2008) in 2011, in 
2013, in 2014 and in 2015, as can be seen in the letter of attesta-
tion of the Sustainability Reports for the years mentioned. The 
social, environmental and business ethics that are the respon-
sibilities  of  a  Pirelli  supplier  are  assessed  together  with  the 
economic and product or service quality to be supplied, right 
from the assessment at potential supplier stage. Analysis of ESG 
performance (Environment, Social Governance) then continues 
through the qualification stage of the future supplier pre-an-

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alysed at the assessment phase, and then is “contractualised” 
though the Sustainability Clauses included in every contract. 
Verification of the supplier’s sustainability performance at the 
post-contract stage is achieved through third-party audits. In 
September 2014 on the institutional Pirelli website a “Suppli-
ers Areas” (Pirelli.com/suppliers) was released, a new section 
dedicated to the world of supply. It is accessible to current and 
potential Pirelli suppliers, as well as anyone with an interest in 
knowing the management model adopted by the Firm in the ar-
eas of purchases of goods and services around the world. This 
new channel of communication aims at the utmost clarity and 
sharing of Values, Guidelines and standards adopted by Pire-
lli  in  relations  with  suppliers  and  set  out  via  the  publication 
of  support  documentation  such  as,  for  example,  the  Supplier 
Handbook. In 2015 the initiative was also promoted at a single 
industrial country level and the release is underway.

  The ESG Elements Analysed during  
  Suppliers Assessment, Selection,  
  Qualification and Audit Phases  

Pirelli uses the same ESG performance approach throughout 
the entire process of interactions with the supplier, although 
in different ways among them, consistently with the intensi-
ty  of  the  interactions  characterising  the  specific  procedural 
steps. Beginning with the assessment stage, Pirelli suppliers 
are  evaluated  against  the  management  model  and  perfor-
mances, based on their awareness, in matters of:
  human rights compliance with a focus on:

  ban of child labour;
  non-discrimination;
  ban of forced or compulsory labour;
  protection of freedom of association and free bargaining;

  respect  for  the  rights  of  indigenous  populations  and  the 
local community;
  rejection of corporal punishment, mental and physical co-
ercion, and verbal abuse;
  abidance  by  laws  and  industrial  standards  on  working 
hours  and  insurance  that  wages  are  sufficient  to  meet 
workers’ basic needs;
  monitoring performances in occupational health and safe-
ty and targets of improvement;
  zero  tolerance  for  any  type  of  corruption  in  any  form  or 
way, in any jurisdiction;
  assessing and reducing the environmental impact of their 
own products and services throughout their entire life cycle;
  responsible use of environmental resources in view of con-
tinuous improvement;
  capability of imposing the foregoing principles, values and 
policies to any subcontractors and sub-suppliers, regularly 
monitoring their actual compliance with this obligation.

During a first assessment of possible offers for goods or ser-
vices  in  the  marketplace,  a  buyer  who  has  been  adequately 
trained is able to gain a first impression of possible abidance 
or violation by/of the requirements of the product and ESG as-
pects by the potential supplier. This allows any who are clear-
ly in possible breach of Pirelli expectations to be eliminated 
from  the  roster  of  potential  suppliers.  Pirelli  asks  suppliers 
who  gain  access  to  the  qualification  stage  to  use  the  portal 
available in their local language. By accessing it, the supplier 
views and simultaneously accepts the Pirelli economic, social, 
environment and business ethics policies. This first step fore-
sees  filling  out  a  questionnaire  concerning  evidence  of  ESG 
wherein a number of questions are “invalidating”, i.e. an in-
adequate  response  will  prevent  the  qualification  from  being 
processed favourably, since these are minimum requirements 
for  becoming  a  Pirelli  supplier.  These  questions  require  the 
potential supplier to attest that its firm:

  checks  workers’  ages  before  hiring  them,  and  it  ascer-
tains that all of its employees satisfy the minimum legal 
working age;
  uses workers provided with a written labour contract and 
who work on a voluntary basis exclusively;
  abides  by  workers’  rights  of  freedom  of  association  and 
participation in trade-union activities;
  pays wages that meet the minimum legal standards;
  manages disciplinary practices, if any, abiding by the law;
  abides by and applies legislative/contract provisions in the 
matter of work schedules, overtime and rest periods.

Depending on the goods categories in respect of which the sup-
plier  has  initiated  the  qualification  procedure,  a  particularly 
detailed questionnaire has to be filled out in which the supplier 
is asked: to attach quality, environmental and health and safety 
certifications; to document their approach to responsible man-
agement by attaching their Policies and Codes; to provide data 
disclosing the rate of accidents at work; to attest the compliance 
with labour laws as set forth above and to disclose the existence 
of any pending lawsuit. Filling out the questionnaire is one of 
the essential conditions required for qualification. The rating 
relative to ESG elements has an incidence of 33% in the final 
rating of candidate suppliers. The portal has additionally been 
developed to support communications, awareness and training 
campaigns being carried out for suppliers where sustainability 
is an essential part. With regard to the contractual stage, from 
2008  the  Sustainability  Clauses  have  been  included  system-
atically  in  contracts  and  orders  for  purchases  of  goods  and/
or services and/or works, both with private suppliers and the 
public administration (or bodies/companies controlled by the 
latter) or NGOs all over the world.

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In particular, the clauses:

  call for awareness, on the part of suppliers, of the princi-
ples,  commitments  and  values  contained  in  Pirelli’s  Sus-
tainability documents, i.e. “Values and the Code of Ethics”, 
the  “Code  of  Conduct”  (anti-corruption)  and  the  “Social 
Responsibility Policy for Occupational Health, Safety and 
Rights, and Environment” published and accessible on the 
web, which enshrine the principles on the basis of which 
Pirelli manages its activities and contractual or non-con-
tractual relations with third parties;
  require Suppliers to confirm their commitment to:

  not using or supporting the use of child and forced labour;
  ensuring equal opportunity, freedom of association and 
promotion of the development of each individual;
  opposing  the  use  of  corporal  punishment,  mental  or 
physical coercion, or verbal abuse;
  complying with the laws and industry standards con-
cerning  working  hours  and  ensuring  that  wages  are 
sufficient to cover workers’ basic needs;
  establishing and maintaining appropriate procedures 
to  evaluate  and  select  suppliers  and  sub-suppliers 
based  on  their  commitments  to  social  and  environ-
mental responsibility;
  not tolerating any type or corruption in any form or le-
gal jurisdiction, even where such practices are allowed, 
tolerated, or not subject to prosecution;
  assessing  and  reducing  the  environmental  impact  of 
their  own  products  and  services  throughout  their  en-
tire life cycle;
  using resources responsibly with the aim of achieving 
sustainable  growth  that  respect  the  environment  and 
the rights of future generations;
  imposing the aforesaid principles, values and polices upon 
any subcontractors and sub-suppliers and overseeing on a 
regular basis their actual abidance by these obligations;

  specifying that Pirelli reserves the right to verify at any 
time through audits, either directly or through third par-
ties, that fulfilment of the obligations assumed by the sup-
plier (more details see below, in the following paragraph).

The  Sustainability  Clauses  have  been  translated  into  24  lan-
guages  so  as  to  ensure  maximum  clarity  and  transparency 
towards suppliers in terms of the contractual obligations they 
assume, not only in relations with the company itself, but also 
in  relations  with  their  own  suppliers.  With  a  view  of  utmost 
assurance, suppliers of the Pirelli Group have the Whistleblow-
ing Reporting Procedure (ethics@pirelli.com) at their disposal, 
expressly indicated in the Clauses and by means of which any 
breach or suspected breach they discern in relations with Pire-
lli referring to the contents of the “Values and Code of Ethics”, 
“Code of Conduct” (anti-corruption) and the “Social Responsi-

bility  Policy  for  Occupational  Health,  Safety  and  Rights,  and 
Environment” of the Group can be reported in total confiden-
tiality. In 2015 no Whistleblowing report was received signed 
by a supplier. It is objectively impossible to confirm that there 
were, in absolute terms, no further reports from external stake-
holders received, as a number of reports were anonymous, as 
specified in the section “Group Procedure for reporting – Whis-
tleblowing”, which can be referred to for further details. More-
over, there is no evidence of Whistleblowing reports in regard 
to violations by suppliers used by the Group. 
Each contract for purchase bears the name of the contact buy-
er so that the person in question has at all times a corporate 
channel available for any feedback. According to the matter 
concerned, a contact buyer will then deal with the right per-
son/function. 
The  supplier  is  monitored  by  using  the  Vendor  Rating  pro-
cedure,  aimed  at  defining  the  quality  level  of  suppliers,  the 
quality of the commercial relationship, the technical-scientif-
ic  collaboration  and  performance  in  relation  to  occupational 
safety, the environment, and social responsibility through on-
site audits and the periodic monitoring of the progress of the 
actions  set  down  in  any  improvement  plans  signed  with  the 
supplier. The Vendor rating results are reviewed annually and 
commented  by  Purchase  Department  at  meetings  organised 
with suppliers so as to identify any corrective actions or im-
provements needed in performance. The Vendor Rating covers 
all  the  goods  and  geographical  purchasing  areas  and  is  uti-
lized as an integral part of commercial negotiations.

  Materiality of ESG Impacts  
  along the Supply Chain  

Pirelli governs its sustainability by using a materiality analysis. 
In  environmental  terms,  the  materiality  of  supply  chain  im-
pacts is prevalent in the category of raw materials and the use 
of water in natural rubber transformation processes. 
Social impacts (human and labour rights in particular) are ev-
idenced on the other hand in all categories of purchases with 
reference to suppliers operating in countries considered more 
at risk as compared to others from the standpoint of compli-
ance with domestic and international labour legislation. 
There are many activities involving suppliers put in place by 
the Company from the viewpoint of creating environmental and 
social value that are inseparably tied to the creation of shared 
economic value. This is the case of numerous agreements the 
firm has reached with strategic suppliers for the development 
of innovative materials with low environmental impact which 
are described in detail in the section on “Research and Devel-
opment of Raw materials” in this report. Equally, Pirelli sup-
ports  initiatives  in  support  of  social  development  within  the 
value chain extending to the second and third tier of the supply 
chain. This latter is the case of the partnership between Pirelli 

73

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Report on Value Chain Responsible Management  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

and one of its natural rubber suppliers in Indonesia aimed at 
supporting the welfare of smallholders of plantations who are 
the second or third tier in Pirelli Supply chain (Pirelli does not 
purchase  from  plantations  but  from  Transformers  or  dealers 
who in turn purchase from plantations).
Both the sustainability of natural rubber and the management 
of criticalities that may arise beyond a direct relationship with 
a Supplier (second/third tier of the chain) represent one of the 
main  challenges  for  responsible  management  of  the  supply 
chain. For this purpose, sector cooperation is an essential ele-
ment for meeting this responsibility effectively. 

  Audits by Third Parties  

Since 2009, every year and with joint activities by the Group’s 
Risk,  Governance,  Sustainability  and  Purchases  functions, 
buyers and local Sustainability Mangers are asked to identify 
a list of suppliers who, on the basis of the findings of proper 
Risk Assessment, are felt to be in need of an audit by a third 
party at the time of the Annual Audit Campaign.
The “criticality” of the supplier guides the choice, and this may 
be so since:

  the supplier is bound to Pirelli by multi-year contracts;
  the replacement of the supplier may be complex;
  news of ESG risk events is received;
  the economic burden of the purchase is significant and for 
this reason an on-site verification of the supplier’s compli-
ance with Pirelli ESG expectations, signed by the supplier 
at the contractual stage, is advised, via a third party audit 
commissioned by Pirelli;
  the supplier operates in a country at ESG risk;
  the supplier has not yet undergone an ESG audit by Pirelli or 
special criticalities have been detected in previous audits;
  there  is  information,  a  perception  or  doubt  concerning 
possible breaches regarding social, environmental and/or 
business ethics responsibilities.

In  2015  a  preliminary  sustainability  Audit  was  introduced, 
that  is  at  the  quality/approval  stage,  for  all  potential  new 
suppliers and/or implantation of raw material. Through these 
Audits,  which  are  carried  out  by  third  parties,  the  level  of 
compliance  of  the  potential  supplier  is  checked  against  the 
main domestic and international regulations in Labour, Envi-
ronment and business ethics.
Methodologically, a team made up of Sustainability Department 
and Purchases Department of the Group defines Guidelines for 
selecting suppliers to undergo auditing, supporting the corre-
sponding  local  functions  who  operationally  manage  the  pro-
cess. Purchasing Directors and Sustainability Managers who 
coordinate the auditing activity locally are adequately trained 
and made aware of the audit subject and method by the corre-
sponding central functions, i.e. Sustainability and Purchases. 

The external auditors carry out the verification on the basis of 
a checklist of parameters of sustainability deriving from the 
Pirelli Code of Ethics, the SA8000® standard (a tool of refer-
ence  officially  adopted  by  the  Group  for  managing  social  re-
sponsibility since 2004) and the “Social Responsibility Policy 
for Occupational Health, Safety and Rights, and Environment” 
of the Pirelli Group (consistent with the areas of social, envi-
ronmental and governance sustainability dictated by the Unit-
ed Nations Global Compact). Third-party audits, each of which 
lasts on average 2-3 days in the field, include interviews with 
workers, management and trade-union representatives.
Between the end of 2009 and the start of 2010, 72 audits were 
carried  out;  between  the  end  of  2010  and  the  start  of  2011, 
a  further  56  were  completed;  in  the  second  half  of  2012,  62 
new  audits  were  commenced  on  suppliers  of  raw  materials, 
machinery, logistics and services which concluded in 2013. In 
2014, 78 audits were performed and in 2015 a further 93 au-
dits were begun on suppliers in all the categories mentioned, 
including potential suppliers of raw materials. In most cases 
the  2015  audits  involved  Pirelli  Tyre  suppliers  operating  in 
countries where the Company is present with industrial plan, 
i.e. Brazil, Argentina, Egypt, China, Romania, Russia, Turkey, 
Mexico and the United States, or countries from which Pirelli 
purchases raw materials, such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Thai-
land, South Korea and Taiwan. Among the western countries 
where  the  Group  operates,  audits  were  carried  out  on  Pirel-
li Tyre suppliers in Italy, UK, Germany, France, Sweden, the 
Czech Republic and the Netherlands. 
On the basis of audit findings, where deemed necessary and 
adequate, and given also the specific corrective actions sug-
gested by the independent Auditor, the supplier signs a recov-
ery  plan  aimed  at  preventing,  mitigating  or  remedying  any 
non-compliances found. The plan foresees specific actions to 
be implemented by precise deadlines in addition to clear iden-
tification of the responsible for the actions at the supplier site 
and the follow-up method (documentary or in situ) that will be 
followed by the Auditor to verify resolution of the non-compli-
ances  detected  during  the  Audit.  The  process  of  monitoring 
the implementation status of suppliers’ recovery plans is dual: 
on the one hand the third-party Auditor verifies the status of 
implementation of the recovery plan, and on the other Internal 
Audit Department of the Group verifies the adequacy of man-
agement and alignment of the corresponding local functions 
(Sustainability and Purchases).
On the basis of the results of the audits carried out in 2015 and 
as compared to 2014, the number of non-compliances record-
ed in absolute terms fell by approximately 40%, whereas the 
average number of non-compliances per supplier dropped by 
around 45%. The non-compliances recorded are linked to pro-
cesses of health and safety management, the use of overtime, 
the improper implementation of Environmental Management 
Systems and the lack of adequate oversight by the Supplier of 

74

Report on Value Chain Responsible Management  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

the sustainability of its own supply chain. 
There  were  no  cases  of  supplier  relations  being  terminated 
due to the findings from audits. In rare cases, agreements with 
suppliers considered inadequate or at risk during the scouting 
stage were not concluded. 

  Group “Green Sourcing” Policy  

As at December 2012 Pirelli drew up and issued the “Green 
Sourcing” Policy with the aim of stimulating and incentivis-
ing  environmental  awareness  along  the  entire  supply  chain 
and encouraging choices that might reduce the impact on the 
environment of the goods and services supplied to Pirelli. The 
Green Sourcing Policy implementation system was defined in 
2013, both inside Pirelli and in relationships with the suppli-
ers. It is organised as follows:

  publication of a Green Sourcing Manual, an internal doc-
ument containing operational Guidelines aimed at direct-
ing the activities of Pirelli functions involved in the Green 
Sourcing process;
  publication  of  the  Green  Purchasing  Guidelines,  a  docu-
ment  intended  for  Pirelli  suppliers  as  part  of  the  supply 
agreement and based on the Green Sourcing Manual con-
taining the KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) for assess-
ing the Green Performance of these suppliers;
  integration  of  Green  Performance  in  the  traditional  pro-
cess of measuring supplier performance (vendor rating).

The  Pirelli  Green  Sourcing  Manual  defines  four  areas  of 
Green Sourcing: Materials, Capex, Opex and Logistics. Inter-
departmental working parties comprised of Purchasing, R&D, 
Quality, HSE and Sustainability, analysed the Green Sourcing 
process  associated  with  the  merchandise  categories  falling 
within  the  four  areas  mentioned  above.  Green  Engineering 
Guidelines  were  defined  for  the  Materials  and  Capex  areas, 
where the design component (conceived in-house) is material 
to  the  Pirelli  core  business.  For  the  Opex  and  Logistic  are-
as characterised by goods categories in respect of which the 
design component is not equally significant, Green Operating 
Guidelines have been defined by referring to internationally 
recognised best practices.
So, the Green Sourcing Manual is a unique document that con-
tains:

  the general part on Green Sourcing issues;
  the Green Engineering Guidelines (Materials, Capex);
  the Green Operating Guidelines (Opex, Logistics).

The Green Sourcing Manual will also be adopted by the Pirelli 
Training Academy for training purposes by the functions in-
volved in the Green Sourcing process. 
In 2014 and on the basis of the Guidelines of the Green Sourc-
ing  Manual,  the  Pirelli  Green  Purchasing  Guidelines  were 

published on the website www.pirelli.com, thus making them 
available  to  Pirelli  suppliers  and  to  other  stakeholders.  In 
addition to explaining the arrangements of the Pirelli Green 
Sourcing system, it also contains the KPIs for assessing these 
suppliers’  Green  Performance.  In  China,  Mexico,  the  United 
States, Russia and Italy, by-invitation seminars have been held 
at  Pirelli  offices  on  the  Green  Sourcing  Guidelines  for  local 
suppliers so as to inform and receive direct feedback on the 
way they work. Again from the standpoint of informing and 
disseminating the Pirelli Green Sourcing Policy and the Green 
Purchasing Guidelines among stakeholders, in 2015 Pirelli ad-
ditionally accepted to contribute to activities of the Luigi Boc-
coni  Business  University  (Milan,  Italy)  concerning  Circular 
Economy  models  through  a  Degree  Thesis  using  Pirelli  as  a 
“case-study”  and  aimed  at  bringing  out  the  potential  or  the 
Circular Economy in the tyre industry. 
Additionally, in 2015 Pirelli developed an IT platform to sup-
port the launch of a campaign to measure the Green Perfor-
mance  of  Pirelli  Suppliers  through  an  electronic  question-
naire to be filled out online, a campaign whose implementation 
is planned for 2016.
Pirelli has also been invited to share its “Green” approach at 
the  Future  Tire  Conference  2016  (May  24  –  25,  2016,  Essen, 
Germany) during the “Future Factories and Supply Chain Fo-
rum” session with a presentation titled “Green sourcing in the 
tire supply chain”. 

  CDP Supply Chain  

For years Pirelli has participated in CDP Investor and, at the 
request of customers, in the CDP Supply Chain. Implementing 
its Green Sourcing Policy since 2014, Pirelli has in turn de-
cided to extend the request for CDP assessment to its own key 
suppliers at Group level, identified in accordance with criteria 
of environmental and economic materiality. The CDP Supply 
Chain allows Pirelli to monitor Scope 3 emissions from its sup-
ply chain and ensures adequate awareness of supplier firms 
in terms of climate change to identify and activate all possible 
opportunities for reducing emissions of climate-altering gas-
es. In 2015, which was the second year of programme report-
ing, the excellent participation of Pirelli’s suppliers was con-
firmed; they responded to the assessment earning a disclosure 
score higher than the global average of the panel of suppliers 
responding to the CDP. This analysis has shown that, thanks 
to  actions  taken  to  reduce  emissions  by  Pirelli  suppliers,  in 
2015  atmospheric  emissions  of  more  than  51  million  tons  of 
equivalent CO2 were avoided, thus allowing economic savings 
estimated at 149 million dollars. 
Pirelli was the first firm among tyre producers to introduce 
the CDP Supply Chain officially to its supply chain.

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Report on Value Chain Responsible Management  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

  Conflict Minerals  

The  concept  of  Conflict  Minerals  was  introduced  by  Section 
1502 of the Dodd-Frank Act, a United Sates federal law, in 2010. 
The term “conflict minerals” refers to gold, columbite-tantalite 
(conltan) cassiterite, wolframite and their derivatives, such as 
tantalum, tin and tungsten, which come from (or are extracted 
in) the Democratic Republic of Congo and/or bordering coun-
tries. The objective of the rules in respect of Conflict Minerals 
(Conflict Mineral Rules) is to discourage the use of minerals 
whose sale might finance violent conflicts in Central Africa, 
where serious violations of human rights have been recorded 
for many years. Under Conflict Mineral Rules, listed compa-
nies in the United States are required to perform reasonable 
due diligence to trace the source of these materials, report the 
findings to the SEC and publish them on their website, with 
the first report to be published by May 3, 2014 (on 2013 oper-
ations)  and  updated  each  year  thereafter.  On  March  5,  2014, 
the European Commission proposed a draft Regulation setting 
up an EU system of self-certification for importers of tin, tan-
talum,  tungsten  and  gold  who  choose  to  import  responsibly 
into the Union. The proposed Regulation is accompanied by a 
“Communication” (a proposal), a paper that presents the over-
all  comprehensive  foreign  policy  approach  on  how  to  tackle 
the link between conflict and the trade of minerals extracted 
in affected areas. 
To give an idea of the scale of the phenomenon for Pirelli, it is 
worth  stating  that  the  impact  is  very  limited:  the  volume  of 
minerals (3T+G) used by Pirelli Tyre in one year in fact weighs 
less  than  a  ton,  a  quantity  amounting  to  approximately  one 
millionth of the volume of raw materials used annually by the 
Company and which is equally distributed among most of the 
tyres  produced.  To  give  an  example,  a  tyre  weighing  10  kg 
contains about 10 mg (milligrams) equivalent of tin, in the ex-
tremely low concentration of 1 ppm (one part per million). 
The attention paid by Pirelli to human rights issues and, at the 
same time, its position as supplier in the supply chain of cus-
tomers who are active in terms of due diligence, have led the 
Firm to carry out a full inquiry into its supply chain to identify 
any possible “conflict minerals”. 
From a provisioning standpoint that contemplates only miner-
als that are “conflict-free”, Pirelli has asked its suppliers to fill 
out  the  CFSI-CMRT  (Conflict-Free  Sourcing  Initiative  –  Con-
flict Minerals Reporting Template) form developed by the EICC 
(Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition) and by GeSI (Global 
and e-Sustainability Initiative) so as to give full visibility to 
the supply chain as far back as the mines or foundries. The 
suppliers polled cover 100% of the “conflict minerals” risk tied 
to Group products. More than 90% of suppliers polled have al-
ready given precise indications concerning the source of the 
materials in question and listing foundries as required by the 
procedure. The findings of the inquiry lead to the conclusion 

that  these  products  are  “conflict-free”.  At  the  end  of  2015,  a 
minimum number of suppliers, amounting to 0.01% of Pirelli 
purchase spending, were unable to trace back to smelters for 
all their supply chain.

  Training of Suppliers on Sustainability  

Following  the  training  project  aimed  at  strategic  suppliers 
and provided by an e-learning method in 2012, 2013 and 2014, 
Pirelli extended these training sessions for suppliers in 2015 
to  strategic  suppliers  of  “auxiliary  materials”,  off-takes  and 
moulds. This activity involved labour rights, human rights, re-
spect for the environment and business ethics. The tool used for 
training was a platform specifically developed for this purpose 
by the Pirelli Group. After receiving a personal ID and pass-
word, the supplier could connect with the online platform and 
participate in training activities at any time. The course includ-
ed many practical examples and allowed participants to verify 
the levels of compliance by their own organisations with the 
various elements of ESG. In order to clarify the effectiveness of 
e-learning, a self-assessment questionnaire was prepared that 
participants filled out at the end of the training session.

  Supplier Award  

The  Pirelli  Supplier  Award,  which  is  assigned  each  year  to 
suppliers of excellence, aims to constantly improve relations 
with parties from the standpoint of shared development.
The 2015 edition of the Supplier Award was held at the Pirelli 
headquarters  at  Bicocca  with  the  Pirelli  CEO  in  attendance, 
who gave the awards to nine suppliers operating in Indonesia, 
Germany, Italy, Japan, China, the United Kingdom and San Ma-
rino. The suppliers had distinguished themselves in quality, 
innovation, speed, sustainable performance, global presence, 
price  and  level  of  assistance  and  service.  A  specific  award 
was dedicated to sustainable performance, acknowledging the 
importance of “responsibility” strategies which really make a 
difference by bringing benefits to the entire value chain.

  Trend of Purchases  

The  Pirelli  Tyre  core  business  in  2015  accounts  for  97%  of 
Group purchases (98% in 2014). The following tables show the 
value of purchases made by Pirelli Tyre and the percentage of 
the relative suppliers divided by geographical area. The data 
provided reveals that the value of purchases in OECD areas 
is approximately the same as the value of purchases in non-
OECD areas, while the number of suppliers is slightly higher 
in OECD areas. 78% of suppliers (vs 77% in 2014 and 78% in 
2013) (excluding raw material suppliers since they generally 
don’t  operate  in  countries  where  Pirelli  has  plants)  operate 
locally with respect to the supplied Pirelli Tyre affiliates, in 

76

Report on Value Chain Responsible Management  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

accordance with a “local for local” supply logic.
The following data also include those of the Venezuelan subsidiary, deconsolidated as of 31 December 2015.

percentage value oF pirelli tyre purchasing by geographical area

2015

2014

2013

OECD Countries

North America

Europe

Non-OECD Countries

Others (1)

south America

Asia

Africa

Others

47%

4%

4%

19%

15%

1%

10%

47%

4%

3%

21%

14%

1%

10%

percentage oF pirelli tyre suppliers by geographical area

2015

2014

2013

OECD Countries

North America

Europe

Non-OECD Countries

Others

south America

Asia

Africa

Others

48%

5%

3%

29%

4%

4%

7%

51%

4%

4%

27%

3%

4%

7%

40%

3%

3%

20%

20%

1%

13%

48%

3%

2%

28%

9%

2%

8%

The following table shows the breakdown in percentage of the value of Pirelli Tyre purchases by type. It is clear that the most 
relevant and significant purchase category concerns raw materials, with a weight equal to 50% of the total, down from the previous 
year due to lower commodity prices.

value oF purchases by type

Raw materials

supplies

services

Capital goods

2015

2014

2013

50%

5%

35%

10%

54%

5%

32%

9%

61%

5%

25%

9%

With reference to the percentages of Pirelli Tyre suppliers by type and number as at the following table, already from 2010 the con-
sumables and services suppliers categorisation criteria had been defined. The sum of the number of operators in the two categories 
remains in excess of 80% of the total, even though the incidence on total purchases is significantly lower than, for example, that of 
raw material purchases. The fragmentation of consumables and services suppliers is clearly visible compared to the substantial 
concentration of raw materials purchases over a small number of operators.

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Report on Value Chain Responsible Management  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

percentage oF supplier by type oF purchase

Raw materials

supplies

services

Capital goods

2015

2014

2013

3%

35%

48%

14%

3%

33%

53%

11%

3%

35%

51%

11%

The following table represents the percentage composition in the value of the mix of raw materials purchased by Pirelli Tyre in 
2015, 2014 and 2013. In 2015, there was a decrease in the weight of natural rubber compared to 2014 due to the reduction of the price 
of the commodity. The volume of raw materials utilised for the production of tyres in 2015 amounted to approximately 1 million 
tonnes, of which approximately 5% derives from recycled materials, in line with the previous year.

percentage raw materials purchased by pirelli tyre miX (by value)

2015

2014

2013

Natural rubber

syntethic rubber

Carbon black

Chemicals

Textile

steelcord

78

  Targets for 2016  

18%

25%

10%

20%

13%

14%

20%

28%

14%

19%

12%

7%

24%

29%

13%

16%

11%

7%

The following are the main objectives for the year 2016:

  In-depth study of the most effective sustainable management methods of the second/third tier of the supply chain and the context 
of natural rubber, through a dedicated table during Pirelli Global Stakeholder Dialogue to be held in Brussels in February 2016;
  new training session on ESG issues dedicated to the Group’s strategic suppliers belonging to different product categories; 
  increase in the participation rate of Pirelli suppliers in the CDP Supply Chain.

Report on Value Chain Responsible Management  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

enVironMentaL  
diMension

The Pirelli Values and Ethical Code states that “A key consideration in investment and business decisions is environmental sustain-
ability, with the Group supporting eco-compatible growth, not least through the adoption of special technologies and production 
methods (where this is operationally feasible and economically viable) that allow for the reduction of the environmental impact of 
Group operations, in some cases even below statutory limits”.
The Pirelli approach to environmental management is also inspired by the United Nations Global Compact, in which Pirelli has par-
ticipated since 2004 (in addition to having a seat on the Steering Committee of the LEAD Global Compact), and the Rio Declaration 
on Environment and Development. The above principles are also illustrated in the “Social Responsibility Policy for Occupational 
Health, Safety, Rights and Environment”, according to which Pirelli undertakes to:

  assess and reduce the environmental impact of its own products and services throughout their entire life cycle;
  promote use of the most advanced technologies to achieve excellence in environmental protection;
  manage its environmental activities in compliance with the highest international standards;
  communicate and provide material information to internal and external stakeholders;
  use material resources responsibly, with an aim to achieving sustainable growth that respects the environment and the rights 
of future generations;
  establish and maintain appropriate procedures to evaluate and select suppliers and subcontractors on the basis of their commit-
ment to environmental accountability.

Moreover, in the Group Quality Policy, updated at the end of 2015, Pirelli reiterates the safeguarding of the environment throughout 
the product life cycle as a basic element of its Premium Strategy understood as cutting edge technology and product excellence. 
In fact, through the Green Sourcing Policy, all the Group’s employees undertake to always consider the environmental impacts of 
goods and services, whether designed or purchased.

tHe pireLLi group eNviroNmeNtAL strAtegY

Management of environmental issues has always played a key role in Pirelli business strategy. With a view to long-term management, 
Pirelli monitors the Carbon Footprint and Water Footprint of its entire organisation and is committed to their progressive reduction.
The Group has adopted a control and monitoring system that allows the identification of the materiality of environmental impacts 
throughout the product life cycle, allowing the identification of appropriate action plans. 
The infographic on the following pages offers a single-image overview of the Pirelli approach to environmental management, aimed 
at reducing its impact on resources, climate and ecosystems. As instantly evident, the materiality of environmental impacts is high-
ly concentrated in the use phase of the tyre.
The graph can be read either horizontally, following the stages of life of a tyre one by one, or vertically, thus being able to appreciate 
the objectives of reducing the impacts that the Company has defined for each of the different stages of life, which will be explored 
later in this chapter.
From a methodological point of view, these life cycle phases have been analysed using the Life Cycle Assessment, as defined by the 
ISO 14040 family of standards. This method is capable of validating the results and strategic decisions related to it as objectively as 
possible. Moreover, reporting of the emissions impacts also complies with the provisions of the GHG Protocol and GRI-G4 Guidelines. 

79

Report on Value Chain Responsible Management  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

LIFE 
CYCLE 
STAGES

DRIVERS

IMPACT:
CARBON & WATER
FOOTPRINT

80

MATERIALITY

RESPONSE 
STRATEGY

RAW MATERIALS

SUPPLIERS

MANUFACTURING

PIRELLI

DISTRIBUTION

SUPPLIERS

USE

CUSTOMERS

Raw materials production and transport; 
the impact is due to resources use
by suppliers’ plants

Tyre manufacturing:
in Pirelli’s plants the impact comes mainly
from electricity and natural gas consumption

Production and use of fuel by trucks 

and ships of logistic suppliers, 

Production and use of fuel

of customers’ cars

delivering Pirelli tyres all around the world

due to rolling resistance

END OF LIFE

WASTE RECOVERING ACTORS

End of life tyre management:

old tyres are prepared by specialized 

companies to be reused as both energy

or regenerated raw material

Scope* 3

Scope 1+2+3

Scope 3

Scope 3

Scope 3

PED > Primary Energy Demand
GWP > Global Warming Potential
BWC > Blue Water Consumption
EP > Eutrophication Potential

23.4%

7.9%

4.5%

5.1%

90.8%

92%

86.9%

75.3%

5.1%

2.4% 1.2% 2.3%

<0.1% <0.1% <0.1% 0.4%

<0.1% 2.2% <0.1% 0.2%

PED

GWP BWC

EP

PED

GWP

BWC

EP

PED

GWP BWC

EP

PED GWP BWC

EP

PED GWP BWC

EP

Economical
High

Environmental
Medium

Economical
High

Environmental
Medium

Economical

Medium

Environmental

Low

Economical

Environmental

High

High

Economical

Environmental

Low

Low

Raw materials innovation

SILICA: expansion of the Pirelli
technology to produce silica from rice 
husk also for Premium tyres 

NATURAL RUBBER: 
research on alternative sources;
Guayule project with Versalis (ENI Group) 

FUNCTIONALIZED POLYMERS:
research on innovative polymers that 
guarantee reduced environmental impact, 
greater driving safety and improved
production efficiency 

Process efficiency
Targets 2020 vs 2009

-18% Energy spec. consumption

-58% Water spec. withdrawal

-15% CO2 spec. emissions

>95% Recovered waste

ISO 14001 in all plants

Green Purchasing Guidelines 

Scrap Reduction Program

Activation of CDP Supply Chain program 

Specific Audits of suppliers in countries 
with high environmental risk

Green Sourcing Policy

Green Logistic Procedure

Engagement to reduce supply chain 

carbon & water footprint

Product efficiency

Targets 2020 vs 2007

RR   -40% Car   -20% Truck   -10% Moto

to spread the recovery culture

Presence on the major

international worktables

WBCSD

ETRMA

Regenerated raw materials

Study projects with universities in order 

to enhance the quality of regenerated 

materials in order to increase 

their presence in new compounds

Cyber Tyre development

CAR: “Base” System to manage tyre 

performance through pressure  

CAR: “Premium” System with management 

of static load, tear consumption, 

hydroplaning alert, road surface alert 

and tyre vectorial strenghts  

TRUCK: System to manage the tyres of whole 

fleets, to minimize fuel consumption

Green Performance revenues 48% 

on total revenues by 2017

* According to GHG Protocol

 
 
Report on Value Chain Responsible Management  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

LIFE 

CYCLE 

STAGES

DRIVERS

IMPACT:

CARBON & WATER

FOOTPRINT

MATERIALITY

RESPONSE 

STRATEGY

PED > Primary Energy Demand

GWP > Global Warming Potential

BWC > Blue Water Consumption

EP > Eutrophication Potential

23.4%

7.9%

4.5%

5.1%

Raw materials innovation

SILICA: expansion of the Pirelli

technology to produce silica from rice 

husk also for Premium tyres 

NATURAL RUBBER: 

research on alternative sources;

Guayule project with Versalis (ENI Group) 

FUNCTIONALIZED POLYMERS:

research on innovative polymers that 

guarantee reduced environmental impact, 

greater driving safety and improved

production efficiency 

Activation of CDP Supply Chain program 

Specific Audits of suppliers in countries 

with high environmental risk

RAW MATERIALS

SUPPLIERS

MANUFACTURING

PIRELLI

DISTRIBUTION

SUPPLIERS

USE

CUSTOMERS

Raw materials production and transport; 

Tyre manufacturing:

the impact is due to resources use

by suppliers’ plants

in Pirelli’s plants the impact comes mainly

from electricity and natural gas consumption

Production and use of fuel by trucks 
and ships of logistic suppliers, 
delivering Pirelli tyres all around the world

Production and use of fuel
of customers’ cars
due to rolling resistance

END OF LIFE

WASTE RECOVERING ACTORS

End of life tyre management:
old tyres are prepared by specialized 
companies to be reused as both energy
or regenerated raw material

Scope* 3

Scope 1+2+3

Scope 3

Scope 3

Scope 3

90.8%

92%

86.9%

75.3%

PED

GWP BWC

EP

PED

GWP

BWC

EP

PED

GWP BWC

EP

PED GWP BWC

EP

PED GWP BWC

EP

5.1%

2.4% 1.2% 2.3%

<0.1% <0.1% <0.1% 0.4%

<0.1% 2.2% <0.1% 0.2%

81

Economical

Environmental

High

Medium

Economical

Environmental

High

Medium

Economical
Medium

Environmental
Low

Economical
High

Environmental
High

Economical
Low

Environmental
Low

Green Sourcing Policy
Green Logistic Procedure
Engagement to reduce supply chain 
carbon & water footprint

Process efficiency

Targets 2020 vs 2009

-18% Energy spec. consumption

-58% Water spec. withdrawal

-15% CO2 spec. emissions

>95% Recovered waste

ISO 14001 in all plants

Product efficiency
Targets 2020 vs 2007

RR   -40% Car   -20% Truck   -10% Moto

Cyber Tyre development

CAR: “Base” System to manage tyre 
performance through pressure  

CAR: “Premium” System with management 
of static load, tear consumption, 
hydroplaning alert, road surface alert 
and tyre vectorial strenghts  

TRUCK: System to manage the tyres of whole 
fleets, to minimize fuel consumption

Presence on the major
international worktables
WBCSD
ETRMA
to spread the recovery culture

Regenerated raw materials

Study projects with universities in order 
to enhance the quality of regenerated 
materials in order to increase 
their presence in new compounds

Green Performance revenues 48% 
on total revenues by 2017

* According to GHG Protocol

Green Purchasing Guidelines 

Scrap Reduction Program

 
 
accelerated  growth  of  algae,  which  does  not  allow  sunlight 
to  penetrate  the  surface  of  the  water  basins.  This  reduces 
photosynthesis  and  thus  reduces  the  production  of  oxygen. 
Low concentrations of oxygen may cause mass death of fish 
and  anaerobic  decomposition  of  organic  material,  seriously 
compromising the entire ecosystem.
In terms of environmental materiality, the use phase of the 
tyre appears to be the most dominant phase in each of the 
four indicators mentioned above. In terms of economic mate-
riality, the amount of corporate spending in the manufactur-
ing phase is the most relevant, thus creating the opportunity 
of  reducing  these  impacts  through  investments  in  energy 
efficiency.
In its response strategy, which may be consulted in the lower 
part of the infographic and corresponding to what is also stated 
in  the  Industrial  Plan,  Pirelli  has  adopted  adequate  manage-
ment models for the monitoring and managing of environmen-
tal issues, and has also voluntarily adopted specific targets to 
reduce its impact in each phase of the product life cycle.

Report on Value Chain Responsible Management  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

All  impacts  listed  by  the  standards  that  are  not  mentioned, 
both  upstream  and  downstream  of  the  industrial  activity  of 
Pirelli, either do not apply or are not significant. The values 
are shown as a percentage, as the objective of this infographic 
is to show the difference in materiality between the various 
life stages. To determine the Carbon Footprint and Water Foot-
print, Pirelli’s calculation model respectively follows the tech-
nical specification ISO-TS 14067 and ISO 14046.
The main environmental impacts are generated by various ac-
tivities related to the different stages of the lifecycle. In the 
case of raw materials procurement, the main impact derives 
from  their  production  and  distribution.  In  the  case  of  tyre 
manufacturing it derives from the consumption of electricity 
and natural gas: in particular the main pressure in terms of 
emissions into the atmosphere and water consumption related 
to the production process is attributed to the production of the 
latter. In the case of the distribution of new tyres and their use 
by customers, the impact derives from the fuel consumption of 
vehicles (in the case of customers, only the fuel consumption 
related to the power absorbed by the rolling resistance of the 
tyres is allocated). Finally, in the last phase of lifecycle con-
sidered,  the  impact  derives  from  the  preparation  activity  of 
end-of-life  tyres  for  their  recovery,  in  the  form  of  energy  or 
recycled raw material.
With regard to the carbon footprint, the infographic (see “driv-
ers”  area)  also  contains  the  breakdown  of  emissions  in  the 
three Scope categories from the GHG Protocol principles. The 
central part of the infographic shows the actual quantification, 
in percentage terms, of the Carbon Footprint and Water Foot-
print.  These  two  aspects  are  summarised  by  four  principal 
indicators:  Primary  Energy  Demand  (PED),  Global  Warming 
Potential (GWP), Blue Water Consumption (BWC) and Eutroph-
ication Potential (EP). 
The values are managed in terms of GJ of energy, tons of CO2 
equivalent, cubic metres of water and kilograms of equivalent 
phosphates. 
Primary  Energy  Demand  (PED)  refers  to  the  quantity  of  re-
newable or non-renewable energy that is taken directly from 
the hydrosphere, the atmosphere or the geosphere. 
The  Global  Warming  Potential  (GWP)  refers  to  the  effect  of 
human activities on the climate, and is calculated in tonnes of 
CO2 equivalent. The potential greenhouse effect is calculated 
in relation to CO2, assuming that it would stay in the atmos-
phere for 100 years.
Blue  Water  Consumption  (BWC)  is  given  by  the  volume  of 
surface and underground water consumed as a result of the 
production  of  a  good  or  service.  Consumption  refers  to  the 
fresh water used and then evaporated or incorporated in the 
product. The Eutrophication Potential (EP) is the enrichment 
of  nutrients  in  a  specific  aquatic  or  terrestrial  ecosystem. 
Air pollution, water emissions and agricultural fertilisers all 
contribute to eutrophication. The result in aquatic systems is 

82

Report on Value Chain Responsible Management  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

of the environmental impact of end-of-life tyres. In this regard, 
in collaboration with Università degli Studi of Milan Bicocca, 
as part of the Consortium for Research on Advanced Materi-
als (CORIMAV) and through the Fondazione Silvio Tronchetti 
Provera, a new selective devulcanisation technology is being 
studied for the recycling of materials derived from compounds 
of  End-of-Life  Tyres,  which  allows  a  significant  reduction  of 
production costs as well as the related environmental impact.
As part of new nano-fillers, Pirelli has started to industrially 
introduce materials of mineral origin in partial replacement of 
precipitated Silica and Carbon Black, with a reduced environ-
mental impact associated to the production of more than 75% 
raw materials in terms of CO2 and water consumption, “saving” 
in 2015 respectively 1,400 tonnes of CO2 and 7,500 tonnes of 
water. In addition, in collaboration with Università degli Studi 
of Milan Bicocca and Politecnico of Milan, Pirelli is developing 
silica particles with an elongated shape that will allow further 
reductions in fuel consumption.
As for biomaterials, as already mentioned Pirelli has focused 
on silica resulting from rice husk. Rice husk is the outer shell 
of the grain and constitutes 20% of raw rice by weight, which 
is the main waste of this crop and is available in extremely 
large quantities in many areas of the world. Today, rice husk 
has  several  uses  of  varying  types:  animal  bedding,  organ-
ic  fertilisers  and  solid  fuel  for  the  production  of  electricity  
(in fact, rice husk has a discrete calorific value of about 14 MJ/
kg). However, in the less developed areas of the world it is still 
not valued, and is burned in the open air without exploiting 
its full potential. In one of these areas, in Brazil, Pirelli has 
developed a production process capable of obtaining industri-
al silica from rice husk, 18% of the weight of which consists 
precisely of silica. The Pirelli industrial process for the extrac-
tion of this raw material is considered thermally autonomous 
thanks to the combustion of the carbonaceous part of the rice 
husk: this allows a reduction of more than 90% of the quantity 
of CO2 emitted per kg of silica compared to the conventional 
process,  which  instead  exploits  fossil  energy  sources.  Pirel-
li  has  set  itself  the  goal  of  supplying  30%  of  the  production 
requirement in South America with silica derived from plant 
sources by 2017.

83

reseArCH  
AND DeveLopmeNt  
oF rAW mAteriALs

The  research  and  development  of  innovative  materials  are 
key  to  the  design  and  fabrication  of  ever-more  sustainable 
tyres that guarantee reduced environmental impact, during 
the  use  and  end-of-life  phases,  greater  driving  safety  and 
production efficiency.
Pirelli  has  activated  Joint  Development  Agreements  with 
leading suppliers for the study of new polymers that are able 
to  further  improve  the  characteristics  of  tyres  for  rolling 
resistance, low temperature performance, mileage and road 
grip. In this regard, Pirelli Research & Development focuses, 
among other things, on:

  high-dispersion silica for wet grip, rolling resistance and 
durability;
  high-performance carbon black derived from racing com-
petition applications for extreme grip;
  biomaterials, such as silica from renewable sources, lignin 
and plasticisers of plant origin;
  nanofillers for more stable compounds, lighter structures 
and highly impermeable liners;
  new  silanes  to  guarantee  performance  stability  and  pro-
cessability;
  vulcanisation agents and stabilisers with reduced environ-
mental impact. 

The  Joint  Labs  agreement  (2012-2017)  between  Pirelli  and 
Politecnico  of  Milan,  aimed  at  research  and  training  in  the 
tyre industry covers nanotechnology, the development of new 
synthetic  polymers,  new  bifunctional  chemicals  and  new  bi-
opolymers: Pirelli is working with the University to develop a 
natural rubber obtained from sources other than the rubber 
tree.  Research  is  aimed  at  diversifying  the  potential  supply 
sources, to reduce pressure on biodiversity in producer coun-
tries and allow the Company to manage the potential scarcity 
of raw materials with greater flexibility.
In  turn,  a  joint  research  project  is  underway  between  Pirel-
li and Versalis (Eni) on the use of natural guayule rubber in 
the manufacturing of tyres. The guayule (Parthenium argen-
tatum) is a non-edible shrub that needs little water and no pes-
ticides, and represents an alternative source to natural rubber, 
thanks also to its hypo-allergenic properties, unlike the more 
common Hevea brasiliensis rubber. The first test of a tyre with 
compounds using guayule rubber as an alternative to synthet-
ic rubber (from oil sources) was successfully conducted in De-
cember 2015 on ultra-high-performance tyres (UHP) installed 
on a Maserati Ghibli.
The innovation of raw materials also entails the improvement 

Report on Value Chain Responsible Management  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

proDuCt AND use pHAse: greeN perFormANCe tArgets

Also in line with its position in the Premium and Prestige Segment, Pirelli develops and introduces increasingly sophisticated 
products on the market, responding to a macroeconomic scenario in constant and rapid evolution.
The major corporate investment in research and development on ever-more innovative compounds, structures and tread patterns 
allows Pirelli products to achieve extremely high performance in terms of braking in dry and wet conditions and, at the same time, 
improved environmental performance such as:

  less rolling resistance – lower CO2 emissions;
  less noise – reduced noise pollution;
  increased mileage – lengthening of tyre life and reduced exploitation of resources;
  improved retreadability – less waste needing disposal;
  reduced weight – less use of raw materials and lower impact on natural resources.

Pirelli adopted objectives for improvement on the environmental performance of its products in an objective, measurable and trans-
parent manner, as shown in the graphs below. Regarding the most important environmental aspect, the materiality of which was 
presented in the infographic related to the life cycle of the tyre, Pirelli is committed to reducing by 2020, with respect to the 2007 
average, the weighted average rolling resistance of its products by 40% as regards tyres for Cars, 20% for Truck products and 10% 
for Motorcycle products.

CAR

84

TRUCK

GREEN AREA SAFETY AREA

Rolling resistance reduction

Wet grip

Weight reduction

5O% 1OO% 15O%

Dry grip

Mileage

Noise reduction

GREEN AREA SAFETY AREA

Rolling resistance
reduction

Traction

Weight reduction

Mileage

Noise reduction

Tear resistance

15O%

1OO%
10OO

5O%

Braking

Retreadability

Handling

2OO7

2O14

2O15

2O2O

2OO7

2O14

2O15

2O2O

Report on Value Chain Responsible Management  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

MOTO

GREEN AREA SAFETY AREA

Rolling resistance reduction

Wet performance

Weight reduction

5O% 1OO% 15O%

Braking

2OO7

2O14

2O15

2O2O

Mileage

Predictability

This product strategy sees its highest expression in the CinturatoTM P7TM Blue; with this solution Pirelli was the first manufacturer 
in the world to offer the market a tyre that, in some measurements, boasts the double A on the Eurolabel scale. This product is avail-
able, depending on the measurements, both in double A class and in B class for rolling, while always maintaining A for wet grip. On 
average the Cinturato P7 Blue guarantees 23% less rolling resistance than the Pirelli reference (class C for rolling resistance) and 
therefore, lowers fuel consumption and less harmful emissions. A vehicle with Cinturato P7 Blue tyres that runs 15,000 km a year 
consumes 5.1% less fuel (equivalent to 52 litres), reduces greenhouse gas emissions of 123.5 kilograms of CO2 and has a wet braking 
distance 9% lower than the Pirelli reference (class B for wet grip) in the same segment.
Comparative TÜV SÜD tests showed that, at a speed of 80 km/h on a wet surface, the P7TM Blue reduces braking by 2.6 metres 
compared to a tyre classified B. The Cinturato P7 Blue was developed for medium-high cylinder cars, as a further evolution of the 
Cinturato P7, the renowned Pirelli Green Performance tyre released in 2009.
It has to be mentioned the approval for the new Tesla Model X electric SUV, of the Scorpion Zero Asimmetrico, a specific tyre for 
larger and more powerful SUVs, able to guarantee rally car performance. The Pirelli Scorpion Zero Asimmetrico allows immediate 
discharge into the ground of the maximum power and driving torque, while retaining good energy efficiency in order to ensure the 
autonomy of the electric vehicle.
As regards Truck, the focus on mileage and rolling resistance finds perfect synthesis in the new MC:01 line, used for urban trans-
port. The need for more sustainable transport is one of the main demands emerging from the major metropolitan areas around 
the world. With its MC:01 product and through a new tread pattern design technology and the use of low hysteresis compounds, 
Pirelli has succeeded in combining an 18% reduction in rolling resistance1 compared to the old product, with a substantial increase 
in mileage and thus the duration of the tyre in its first life. Moreover, an additional improvement has been achieved in terms of 
safety performance, regarding wet grip and braking2 (reducing the braking distance by 2.4 m vs. previous product), where Pirelli 
products have an advantage, and in terms of performance on snow, to pass the test in order to obtain the 3PMSF certification (3 
peak mountain Snow Flake). The confirmation of this performance is highlighted in a label that is at the top of this segment in fuel 
savings, as well as the wet grip class. Added to this is a further improvement in the durability of the casing of the :01 series that 
enables this tyre to be marked with a load index higher than the previous product and therefore also improved retreadability in 
the casing, extending the overall life of the tyre.

mANAgemeNt oF eND-oF-LiFe tYres

In terms of materiality, the end-of-life phase of the product has a low proportion of the total impact of the tyre on the environment, 
as already highlighted in the infographic related to the Group’s environmental strategy. In Europe, about 95% of end-of-life tyres 
(ELT) are recovered (Source ETRMA - Annual Report 2013/2014), in Japan the value is 88% (source: JATMA - Tyre Industry of Japan 
2015), while in the US the amount of recovered tyres comes to 92% (source: RMA - 2013 US Scrap Tyre Management). 
For  years  now,  Pirelli  has  been  involved  in  the  management  of  ELT,  collaborating  with  leading  national  and  international  ref-

1  Rolling Resistance test ISO28580 standard
2  Wet grip Test ISO 15222 standard (wet braking)

85

Report on Value Chain Responsible Management  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

erence  bodies.  Pirelli  is  in  fact  active  in  the  Tyre  Industry 
Project (TIPG) of the World Business Council for Sustainable 
Development (WBCSD), in the ELT working group of ETRMA 
(European Tyres and Rubber Manufacturers’ Association) and, 
at  national  and  local  level,  it  interacts  directly  with  leading 
organisations active in the recovery and recycling of ELTs. As 
a member of TIPG, Pirelli Tyre has collaborated on the publi-
cation of a report on the management of ELTs, taking a proac-
tive approach to raising the awareness both within emerging 
countries and those that do not yet have a system for recycling 
ELTs,  in  order  to  promote  their  recycling  and  reuse  accord-
ing to defined management models, which have already been 
launched successfully. 
The  tyre  is  a  mixture  of  many  valuable  materials  that  at 
end-of-life allow two paths of recovery: recovery of material 
or energy. In the recovery of material, the reclaimed rubber 
is already reused by Pirelli in the compounds for new tyres, 
thus contributing to the reduction of the related environmen-
tal  impact.  Thanks  to  research  and  development  activities 
conducted by Pirelli on innovative materials in collaboration 
with major universities, it will be possible in the near future to 
improve the quality of recovered material in terms of their af-
finity with the other ingredients of the compounds, resulting 
in an increase in the amount of recoveries used in compounds 
with an additional environmental benefit. 

enVironMentaL 
iMPact oF PireLLi’s 
ProdUction sYsteM

eNviroNmeNtAL 
mANAgemeNt sYstem  
AND perFormANCe 
moNitoriNg 

In 2015, all the industrial production facilities of Pirelli Tyre 
and the tyre testing field in Vizzola Ticino (Varese) have Envi-
ronmental Management Systems certified under International 
Standard ISO 14001:2004.
International Standard ISO 14001 was adopted by Pirelli as a 
benchmark  in  1997,  and  since  2014  all  the  certificates  have 
been issued with ANAB international accreditation (ANSI-ASQ 
National Accreditation Board: accrediting entity of the United 
States). Group policy mandates implementation and certifica-
tion under ISO 14001 and, as a result, this is also applied to 
new facilities. The certification activity, together with control 
and maintenance of previously implemented and certified sys-
tems, is coordinated on a centralised basis by the Health, Safe-
ty and Environment Department.

As regards environmental management, a review is current-
ly underway of the procedures and guidelines to ensure their 
adequacy with the new requirements introduced with the re-
vision of the ISO 14001:2015 standard.
The environmental, health and safety performance of every tyre 
manufacturing  site  is  monitored  with  the  web-based  Health, 
Safety  and  Environment  Data  Management  (HSE-DM)  system, 
which is processed and managed centrally by the Health, Safe-
ty and Environment Department. Pirelli has also improved the 
CSR-DM (CSR Data Management), an IT system for managing 
Group sustainability information, which is used to consolidate 
the  economic,  environmental  and  social  performance  of  all 
Group business units worldwide. Both systems support consoli-
dation of the performance accounted for in this report.

sCope oF reportiNg

The performance types described comes from the three year 
period 2013-2014-2015 and consolidate the entire perimeter of 
the  Group,  including  Pirelli  de  Venezuela  deconsolidated  as 
of 31 December 2015. The amount of finished product in 2015 
was approximately 1,020,000 tonnes. From the end of 2014, the 
reporting scope has seen the exclusion of the steel cord busi-
ness  unit  due  to  its  sale  to  a  company  outside  the  Group.  In 
line with the principles set by GRI, the historical value of the 
environmental indicators reported below was recalculated ex-
cluding the data of steel cord production facilities in the years 
2014 and 2013. Therefore, the following figures comprise the 
impact of all Pirelli units: from industrial units to commercial 
and administrative sites.

treNDs iN eNviroNmeNtAL 
perFormANCe iNDiCes

2015 saw a stabilisation of production volumes: the tonnes of 
finished product fell by less than half a percentage point com-
pared to 2014 (an increase when calculated on a comparable 
basis), of which an important part occurred in Brazil, due to 
exogenous factors related to the relevant economic trend. This 
change in volume, together with the geographical redistribu-
tion,  has  had  a  particular  impact  on  environmental  perfor-
mance  indices.  Endogenous  factors  that  significantly  impact 
the performance of the above indices are the productive focus 
on Premium products, characterised by higher energy inten-
sity, more stringent quality specifications, more complex pro-
cessing and smaller production batches than for market prod-
ucts in the medium-low range.
These  factors  have  had  an  impact  on  emission  and  energy 
consumption indices, while the indices relating to water with-
drawal  and  waste  recovery  improved  slightly,  with  specific 
waste production that has remained stable.

86

Report on Value Chain Responsible Management  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

  Energy Management  

Pirelli monitors, manages and reports its energy consumption through three main indicators:

  absolute consumption, measured in GJ, which includes the total consumption of electrical energy, thermal energy, natural gas 
and petroleum derivatives (fuel oil, gasoline, diesel, and LPG);
  specific consumption, measured in GJ per tonne of finished product, which indicates the energy used to produce one tonne of 
finished product;
  specific consumption, as measured in GJ per euro of Operating Income.

The Sustainability Plan 2013-2017 with Vision and Target 2020, fully integrated within the Industrial Plan presented to the finan-
cial community in November 2013, provides for a reduction of 18% of specific energy consumption by 2020 compared to 2009 values.
In the course of 2015, the energy efficiency plan continued at all Group plants, already initiated in recent years and characterised 
by actions aimed at:

  improving energy management systems, through timely measurement consumption and a daily focus on technical indicators;
  improving the quality of energy transformation by streamlining resource and plant use;
  improving the efficiency of distribution plants;
  improving the efficiency of production plants;
  recovering energy for secondary uses;
  applying targeted maintenance plans in order to reduce energy waste.

Actions and investments for energy efficiency meet the criteria of economic sustainability normally applied to Pirelli’s industrial 
projects, accompanied by the assessment of environmental impacts. The areas for technical action concern the traditional themes 
applied to each industrial area, such as modernisation of thermal insulation, maintenance of distribution plants, use of technologies 
using inverters, and special projects assessed according to the needs of each manufacturing site.
In 2015, various interventions were made. In particular, the installation continues of LED lighting systems (Light Emitting Diode) 
to replace less efficient systems. To speed up the replacement plan, Pirelli also uses “Light Service” contracts, which guarantee both 
energy savings of more than 50% and the quality of light achieved.
Centrifugal compressors have been installed to replace volumetric compressors, with a recovery of electrical efficiency greater 
than 10%.
Great attention is recognized to efficiency in thermal energy conversion. Specific projects on steam generators, related to the auto-
mation of combustion, to the cleaning of the inner surfaces, to the insertion of drivers of supply pumps.
The South American context, the Brazilian one in particular, has led to an increase in the specific energy index (weighted on tonnes 
of finished product) of 2.8% compared to 2014, which remains more than 7% lower than the figure in 2009, the year on which the 
2020 target is based.
The energy efficiency plan applied to factories in 2015 allowed about 46,600 GJ in savings. This value was calculated for each facto-
ry considering the production volumes of the reporting year and the change in efficiencies achieved in 2015 from the previous year. 
Energy savings, net of South America, amounted to 400,182 GJ.
The reported data were calculated by using direct measurements according to procedure (GHG Corporate Standard) and were sub-
sequently converted into GJ by using heating values from official IPCC sources.

Absolute Consumption (GJ)

Specific Consumption (GJ/tonFP)

Specific Consumption (GJ/k€)

14,000,000

13,000,000

12,000,000

11,000,000

10,000,000

9,000,000

8,000,000

7,000,000

6,000,000

5,000,000

13.30

13.20

13.10

13.00

12.90

12.80

12.70

16.80

16.60

16.40

16.20

16.00

15.80

15.60

15.40

15.20

2013

2014

2015

2013

2014

2015

2013

2014

2015

87

Electricity

40%

Other

2%

Natural Gas

34%

Steam

24%

Absolute Consumption (GJ)

Specific Consumption (GJ/tonFP)

Specific Consumption (GJ/k€)

14,000,000

13,000,000

12,000,000

11,000,000

10,000,000

9,000,000

8,000,000

7,000,000

6,000,000

5,000,000

13.30

13.20

13.10

13.00

12.90

12.80

12.70

16.80

16.60

16.40

16.20

16.00

15.80

15.60

15.40

15.20

2013

2014

2015

2013

2014

2015

2013

2014

2015

Report on Value Chain Responsible Management  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

Absolute 
Consumptions

gJ

specific 
Consumptions

gJ/tonneFP

gJ/€000

2013

2014

2015

13,153,424

13,193,753

13,506,565

13.25

16.63

12.88

15.74

13.24

15.88

Electricity
40%

Other
2%

Natural Gas
34%

Steam
24%

Distribution of Energy Sources

As illustrated in the graph “Distribution of energy sources”, among the direct sources, natural gas can be found as well as, in small-
er quantities, other liquid fuels such as oil, LPG and diesel (classified as “other”).
These direct sources constitute 36% of the total; the remaining 64% consists of indirect sources such as purchased electricity 
and vapour. 
Finally, taking into account the geographical distribution of Pirelli and according to IEA data (International Energy Agency), it 
has been estimated that the portion of electricity from renewable sources used by Pirelli in 2015 amounted to 38% of the total 
electricity used. 
Every industrial facility fully respect legislative provisions regarding energy consumption and management. The legislative sit-
uation affecting the Company includes the introduction of periodic audit mechanisms on energy management and use, as well as 
possible tariff incentives. In this regard, there were no critical elements or non-conformities.
Throughout Europe, the Energy Efficiency Directive 2012/27/EU, issued to accelerate the achievement of the 20-20-20 objectives, 
introduces the obligation for all large companies and all major energy consumers to conduct energy audits. At Pirelli, this obligation 
is fulfilled by optimising the management systems already existing at the factory, ISO 14001 and ISO 50001 where present, with the 
aim of exploiting any opportunities proposed in the various EU countries. 
In 2015, the energy diagnoses of all Pirelli’s factories and of Milan offices were carried out successfully. The outcome did not show 
any particular areas of non-compliance with the Energy Performance Indicators (ENPI) established by the Directive for the various 
areas of consumption. However, areas for improvement were indicated, which will be subject to technical and economic evaluation. 
The German plant has successfully renewed its ISO 50001:2011 certification.

  Management of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Carbon Action Plan  

Pirelli monitors and reports its emissions of greenhouse gases through the calculation of CO2eq, which takes into account the con-
tribution of carbon dioxide, as well as methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O). Greenhouse gases are generated by the combustion 
of hydrocarbons at production sites, mainly to operate heat generators that power Group plants, particularly those that produce 
steam for vulcanisers, or from the consumption of electrical or thermal energy. The former are called “direct emissions”, or Scope 
1 emissions, as they are produced at Company production sites, while the emissions resulting from electrical power or thermal 
energy consumption are defined as “indirect emissions”, or Scope 2 emissions as they are not produced within the perimeter of 
company production sites but at the plants that generate the energy and steam purchased and consumed. Performance as measured 
by energy and greenhouse gas emissions is calculated on the basis of coefficients obtained from the following official sources:

  IPCC: Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories (2006);
  IEA: CO2 Emissions from Fuel Combustion;

and are reported according to the scheme proposed by:

  GHG Protocol: A Corporate Accounting and Reporting Standard.

Regarding Scope 2 CO2eq emissions, the national average coefficients are defined with respect to the last year available of the above 
reports and updated annually. It should be noted that the tyre production industry is not a carbon-intensive industry; in fact, it falls 
within the European Emission Trading Scheme only with reference to thermal power plants above 20 MW of installed capacity. The 
Company is not subject to any other specific regulations at the global level.
As in the case of energy, Pirelli monitors and accounts for its direct (Scope 1) and indirect (Scope 2) CO2 by using three principal 
indicators:

  absolute emissions, as measured in tonnes;
  specific emissions, as measured in tonnes per tonne of finished product;
  specific emissions, as measured in tonnes per euro of Operating Income.

88

Report on Value Chain Responsible Management  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

The Pirelli Industrial Plan set a reduction target of specific emissions of CO2 equal to -15% by 2020 compared to 2009 values. The 
strong link between the trend of energy consumption and CO2 emissions recorded an increase of 2015 specific emissions weighed 
on tonnes of finished product of +3% over the previous year and +1% compared with the index weighed on the operating income. 
As indicated above, the trend has been strongly affected by the geographic redistribution and in particular by the reduction in 
production volumes in areas with a lower emission impact, such as Brazil. 
In terms of biogenic CO2 as generated by the small rice husk silica manufacturing site, Pirelli emitted about 5,650 tonnes of CO2eq in 
2015.This amount is not counted in the absolute emissions of the Group mentioned above as it is generated from fuel of biogenic origin. 
The Pirelli management, calculation and reporting model of emissions of greenhouse gases was certified by an independent third 
party according to the ISO 14064-1 Standard. The inspection meets the criteria of relevance, competence, independence, terminol-
ogy and methodology.
All energy efficiency actions described in the preceding paragraph contribute to reducing the environmental indicators related to 
greenhouse gas emissions. Parallel to this, Pirelli has developed a more specific “Carbon Action Plan”, with the target of increasing 
the use of energy from renewable sources. Among the various projects already underway, it is worth highlighting the photovoltaic 
power plant with 500 kW installed power at the plant in Rome, GA, USA. This project makes it possible to reduce emissions by 5% 
at the manufacturing plant concerned.
At the plant in Settimo Torinese, a cogeneration plant is in operation for the production of electricity, steam and hot water. There 
are two cogeneration modules, for a total of nearly 6 MW of electricity: a 4.8 MW turbine unit powered by natural gas and a 1 
MW internal combustion engine powered by vegetable oil, which ensures 20% of energy from renewable sources. The plant is 
completed with an approximately 1.2 MWe photovoltaic plant, complementing the generation of renewable energy at the plant.
Actions completed in the past few years, in particular those related to energy efficiency, allowed the avoidance of about 12,000 
tonnes of CO2eq in 2015, value calculated using the same analysis for energy savings. The savings net of South America amounted 
to nearly 30,000 tonnes of CO2eq.
At the beginning of 2016, two new projects were activated that will ensure the supply of energy from renewable sources.
In Brazil, the installation was completed of a Biomass plant for vapour generation. The plant allows the use of wood waste from 
a local supply chain. The expected environmental benefits of the production of energy from biomass will allow replacing 52,500 
MWh/year of energy from fossils and equal to a saving of 10,500 tonnes/year of CO2 emissions.
1,000,000
Pirelli is already studying the extension of this technology to other plants in Brazil. 
900,000
In Mexico, an agreement was signed for the dedicated supply of electricity from wind power. This will guarantee 3 MW of renew-
able energy, at present equal to more than 30% of the electricity consumption of the plant, with an economic advantage over the 
700,000
purchase of electricity from the national grid.
600,000
The effects of these projects will be seen in the 2016 reports. 

Specific Emissions (ton/tonFP)

Absolute Emission (ton)

1,100,000

800,000

0.980

0.960

0.950

0.970

0.965

0.955

0.975

1.20

1.22

1.23

1.18

1.16

1.19

1.21

1.17

Absolute Emission (ton)

500,000

400,000

0.980

300,000

0.975

0.945

Specific Emissions (ton/tonFP)

0.940

0.935

0.930

1.23

1.22

Specific Emissions (tonCO2/k€)

1.15

1.14

1.13
1.12

1,100,000

1,000,000

900,000

800,000

700,000

600,000

500,000

400,000

300,000

2013

0.970

2014

2015

2013
1.21

2014

2015

2013

2014

2015

0.965

0.960

0.955

0.950

0.945

0.940

0.935

0.930

1.20

1.19

1.18

1.17

1.16

1.15

1.14

1.13
1.12

2013

2014

2015

2013

2014

2015

2013

2014

2015

2013

2014

2015

Distribution of Greenhouse Gas Emissions 
According to Scope

Absolute Emissions

tonne

963,020

970,704

995,889

of which scope 1

of which scope 2

tonne

tonne

263,690

732,199

Specific Emissions

tonne/tonneFP

tonne/€000

0.970

0.948

0.976

1.22

1.16

1.17

Scope 2
74%

Scope 1
26%

Scope 2
74%

Scope 1
26%

Specific Emissions (tonCO2/k€)

89

15,000,000

14,000,000

13,000,000

12,000,000

11,000,000

10,000,000

9,000,000

8,000,000

7,000,000

6,000,000

5,000,000

Report on Value Chain Responsible Management  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

  Water Management  

15,000,000

18.0

Absolute Withdrawal (m3)

Specific Withdrawal (m3/tonFP) 

20.0

Specific Withdrawal (m3/k€)

17.0

16.0

11,000,000

12,000,000

13,000,000

14,000,000

10,000,000

Efficient and conscious water use is one of the principal components of the Pirelli environmental strategy, which has undergone 
numerous improvements over the last years. These activities have involved and continue to involve both the overall efficiency of 
production processes, from design of machinery to Facility Management activities, and the contribution which every employee can 
make in reducing consumption of this precious resource. 
The Pirelli Industrial Plan set a reduction target of specific water withdrawal of 58% by 2020 compared to the 2009 value.
From 2009 to today, thanks to the efforts of all the production facilities, 30 million cubic metres of water have been saved: an 
amount slightly lower than the absolute withdrawal during three years by the entire Pirelli Group. This figure might be the one 
that best expresses the commitment of the Company to the protection of water sources in the communities where it operates. In fact, 
aside from the quantitative and global aspect, Pirelli dedicates great attention to the local context of water resources, aware that any 
2014
water savings or improvement in discharges immediately and directly benefits the local community.
In 2015 it recorded an absolute withdrawal of slightly above 11 million cubic metres, with a reduction in the specific withdrawal 
of 3% compared to 2014 and 42% compared to 2009. To provide an overview of water withdrawal, Pirelli monitors and reports the 
following three indicators:

Specific Withdrawal (m3/tonFP) 

Specific Withdrawal (m3/k€)

8,000,000

6,000,000

9,000,000

5,000,000

7,000,000

2014

2013

2013

2015

2015

20.0

10.0

18.0

18.0

14.0

14.0

16.0

16.0

13.0

12.0

15.0

15.0

17.0

8.0

11.0

9.0

12.0

14.0

18.0

16.0

14.0

12.0

10.0

8.0

6.0

4.0

2.0

0.0

Absolute Withdrawal (m3)

2013

2014

2015

13.0

  absolute withdrawal, measured in cubic metres, which comprises the total withdrawal of water by the Group;
  specific withdrawal, measured in cubic metres per ton of finished product, which indicates the withdrawal of water used to 
11.0
make one ton of finished product;
10.0
  specific withdrawal, as measured in cubic metres per euro of Operating Income.

10.0

12.0

8.0

4.0

6.0

9.0

2.0

2013

2014

2015

2013

2014

2015

2013
2013

2014

2015
2014

2015

8.0

0.0

Absolute Withdrawal

Specific Withdrawal

(m3)

(m3/tonneFP)

(m3/€000)

13,834,000

11,512,000

11,163,000

13.9

17.5

11.2

13.7

11.0

13.1

90

Specific Withdrawal (m3/tonFP) 

Absolute Withdrawal (m3)

15,000,000

14,000,000

13,000,000

12,000,000

11,000,000

10,000,000

9,000,000

8,000,000

7,000,000

6,000,000

5,000,000

18.0

17.0

16.0

15.0

14.0

13.0

12.0

11.0

10.0

9.0

8.0

Specific Withdrawal (m3/k€)

20.0

18.0

16.0

14.0

12.0

10.0

8.0

6.0

4.0

2.0

0.0

2013

2014

2015

2013

2014

2015

2013

2014

2015

All the figures reported in this section have been collected by taking direct or indirect measurements, and are communicated by 
the local units.

Tyre
95%

The two graphs below show the weight of the water procurement per type of source and the distribution of absolute withdrawals 
per type of production business.

Ecotechnology 
and Others
non-production
5%

Distribution of Water Withdrawal by Use

Type of Water Sources

Tyre
95%

Inside wells
60%

Ecotechnology 
and Others
non-production
5%

Public acqueduct

22%

Outside wells

and surface water

18%

Tyre

95%

Inside wells

60%

Inside wells
60%

Public acqueduct
22%

Outside wells
and surface water
18%

Ecotechnology 

and Others

non-production

5%

Public acqueduct

22%

Outside wells

and surface water

18%

Report on Value Chain Responsible Management  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

60% of the water withdrawn is pumped from wells inside the facilities and authorised by the competent authorities. Furthermore, 
Pirelli obtains about one-fifth of its requirements from surface water, while dedicating special care to guaranteeing that this vol-
ume is marginal in relation to the volume of the affected water bodies (always less than 5%). About 10% of the volume taken from 
surface water bodies is pumped from waterways located in Brazil and protected by national legislation. 
Lastly, about 300,000 cubic metres of water used, equivalent to approximately 3% of total withdrawal, are obtained from the waste 
water treatment of its production processes.
A total of about 8.3 million cubic metres of domestic and industrial waste water were discharged, with 68% of this into surface 
water bodies, but always in quantities that are marginal in relation to the volume of the receiving bodies (always less than 5%) and 
without significantly impacting biodiversity. The remaining amount was discharged into sewer networks. Before being discharged 
into the final recipient, industrial waste water – adequately treated as necessary – is periodically subjected to analytical tests that 
certify compliance with locally applicable statutory limits. In particular, as regards the quality of industrial effluents of the Tyre 
facilities, indicative average values are: 6 mg/l of BOD5 (Biochemical Oxygen Demand), 24mg/l of COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand) 
and 12 mg/l of Total Suspended Solids. 

  WasteManagement  

The improvement of environmental performance deriving from the production and management of waste is achieved through:

  innovation of production processes, with the aim of preventing the production of waste at the source, progressively reducing the 
processing of rejects and replacing current raw materials with new materials that have a lower environmental impact;
  operating management of generated waste, aimed at identifying and ensuring the selection of waste treatment channels that can 
maximise recovery and recycling, gradually eliminating the amount sent to the landfill with the Zero Waste to Landfill vision;
  streamlining packaging management, both for the packaging of purchased products and the packaging for products made by 
the Group.

Pirelli monitors and reports on its own waste production, as measured and communicated by all operating units, using three key 
indicators:

91

  absolute production, as measured in tonnes;
  specific production, as measured in kilograms per tonne of finished product;
  specific production, as measured in kilograms per euro of Operating Income.

The Industrial Plan envisages that more than 95% of waste produced should be sent for recovery by 2020, with a Zero Waste to 
Landfill vision, extending to all operating affiliates the approach already adopted successfully by the factories in Breuberg (Ger-
many) and Rome (United States).
In line with what is mentioned in the paragraph “Trends in Environmental Performance indices”, in 2015 91% of waste was recov-
ered, with an increase of 1% over the previous year and 18% compared to 2009, the baseline year on which the 2020 target is based.
Specific waste production saw a stabilisation of the figure, which stood at 121 kg per tonne of finished product. Hazardous wastes 
represent slight less than 9% of total production and are sent in their entirety to plants located in the same country where they 
are produced.

140,000

130,000

120,000

110,000

100,000

90,000

80,000

70,000

60,000

100%

90%

80%

70%

60%

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

0%

Absolute Production (ton)

Specific Production (kg/k€)

Specific Production (kg/tonFP) 

160

150

140

130

120

110

100

170

165

160

155

150

145

140

135

130

2013

2014

2015

2013

2014

2015

2013

2014

2015

Non-hazardous
91%

Hazardous

9%

15%

10%

9%

85%

90%

91%

Recovery (including 

recycling and reuse)

Landfill or incineration 

without energy recovery

2013

2014

2015

Absolute Production (ton)

Specific Production (kg/tonFP) 

Specific Production (kg/k€)

140,000

130,000

120,000

110,000

100,000

90,000

80,000

70,000

160

150

140

130

120

110

170

165

160

155

150

145

140

135

140,000

130,000

120,000

110,000

100,000

90,000

80,000

70,000

60,000

100%

90%

80%

70%

60%

50%

92

40%

30%

20%

10%

0%

60,000

Absolute Production (ton)

2013

2014

160

100

Specific Production (kg/tonFP) 
2015

2013

2014

170

130

Specific Production (kg/k€)

2015

2013

2014

2015

Report on Value Chain Responsible Management  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

150

140

130

120

110

100

(tonne)

2013

(kg/tonneFP)
2014
(kg/€000)

2015

Absolute Production

2013

2015
2014
specific Production

165

160

155

150

145

140

2013

135

130

133,000

2013

133

168

Non-hazardous
91%

2014

Hazardous
9%

2015

122,000

123,000

2014

120
2015
146

121

145

Waste by Type of Treatment

Waste by Type

Non-hazardous
91%

Hazardous
9%

15%

10%

9%

85%

90%

91%

100%

90%

80%

70%

60%

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

0%

15%

10%

9%

2013

2014

2015

  Other Environmental Aspects  

Recovery (including 
recycling and reuse)

Landfill or incineration 
without energy recovery

85%

2013

91%

Solvents
90%
Solvents are used as ingredients in processing, mainly to reactivate vulcanised rubber, during the fabrication and finishing of 
tyres. Pirelli is committed to the progressive reduction of these substances, both by optimising the use of solvents, and by spreading 
solvent-free technologies for operations that may be performed even without the use of these substances. This resulted in a further 
reduction in the specific consumption of solvents of more than 10% at the end of 2015 compared to the previous year and of 34% 
compared to 2009, with related emissions overall slightly lower than total consumption.

Landfill or incineration 
without energy recovery

Recovery (including 
recycling and reuse)

2014

2015

Absolute Consumption

specific Consumption

tonne

kg/tonnePF

2013

2014

2015

 2,560

2.6

2,420

2.4

2,100

2.1

Absolute Consumption (ton)

3,000

2,500

2,000

1,500

1,000

Specific Consumption (kg/tonFP)

3.0

2.5

2.0

1.5

1.0

0.5

0.0

2013

2014

2015

2013

2014

2015

 
Report on Value Chain Responsible Management  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

of Consorzio Forestale Unione Agricoltori di Pavia (Forest Con-
sortium Farmers Union of Pavia). The activities financed with 
Pirelli’s contribution will be carried out in 2016.
The union of the two projects has allowed the decrease of 165% 
of 2014 emissions, thus going well beyond what is required by 
our corporate policy with a view to increasing environmental 
responsibility.

93

Biodiversity

Pirelli pays the utmost attention to ensuring that corporate ac-
tivities do not interfere with the biodiversity characteristic of 
the contexts in which the Company operates. Currently, there 
are two Pirelli facilities located within protected and high val-
ue areas for biodiversity: the facility in Vizzola Ticino (Varese, 
Italy) and the facility in Gravataí (Brazil).
The Vizzola Ticino site contains the tyre test track, has an area 
of 0.26 square kilometres and is part of the area of Parco del 
Ticino in Lombardy, an MAB area (Man and Biosphere, a collec-
tion of 425 biosphere reserves located in 95 countries around 
the world) defined by UNESCO. It features 21 species included 
on  the  IUCN  Red  List,  of  which:  15  are  classified  as  “of  least 
concern (LC)”, 1 as “near threatened (NT)”, 3 as “vulnerable (V)”, 
1 as “endangered (EN)” and 1 as “Critically Endangered (CR)”.
To ensure the utmost protection of the natural environment in 
which the Vizzola test track is located, Pirelli has implement-
ed an ISO 14001 certified Environmental Management System 
in  accordance  with  the  Parco  del  Ticino.  Environmental  im-
pact on biodiversity in the area are not significant; however, 
several  interventions  were  carried  out,  both  directly  by  the 
Company and by the Park Authority, to mitigate and improve 
the interactions of Pirelli’s activities with the natural environ-
ment, as stipulated in the agreement signed in 2001.
The Gravataí site (Brazil), measuring 0.57 square kilometres, 
including 0.16 sq km of land ecosystem protected under feder-
al law. Here again, Pirelli has implemented an ISO 14001 certi-
fied environmental management system to guarantee that all 
potential impact on the environment and on biodiversity, while 
deemed relatively insignificant, should be duly considered and 
managed in every case to reduce all possible interference to a 
minimum.
Also  in  2015  Pirelli  decided  to  offset  the  CO2  emissions  pro-
duced by its fleet the previous year through the purchase of 
carbon credits. Direct results of the Pirelli car policy, this ini-
tiative promotes the choice of vehicles that have a lower envi-
ronmental impact and supports a project to save forests.
The  cars  of  the  Italian  company  fleet  in  2014  issued  1,073 
tonnes of CO2, a decrease of more than 15% over the previous 
year’s  value.  In  order  to  offset  this  impact  on  the  climate, 
Pirelli  purchased  carbon  credits  through  two  projects:  an 
international one, conducted in Turkey, related to the produc-
tion of renewable energy from hydroelectric sources and an 
Italian one based on sustainable forest management.
In particular, the latter is located in Lombardy, near the basin 
of the Po River in the town of Cava Manara. Pirelli’s contribu-
tion has enabled the maintenance of 39 hectares of land and the 
care of 39,000 plants, with the ultimate objective of rebuilding 
a forest that can evolve naturally, thus ensuring the survival of 
a large ecological corridor distributed along the banks of the 
river Po. The project is being carried out with the collaboration 

Report on Value Chain Responsible Management  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

NOX Emissions

Absolute Consumption (tonNOx)

Specific Consumption (kgNOx/tonFP)

2,200

2.10

NOX emissions derive directly from the energy-generating processes used. In 2015, the index based on tonnes of finished product 
marked a decrease of 8% compared to 2013.
The following graph shows the weight in 2015 of the direct and indirect emissions of NOX out of the total NOX emissions. The emis-
sions have been calculated by using the BUWAL 250 and IDEMAT 2001 emission factors defined.

2,000

1,800

2.00

2.05

1.95

1,600

2013
1,400

2014

2,023

1.98

1.90
2015

1.85

1,943

1.90

1.80

2015

2014
2013
Distribution of NOX Emission

2014

2015

Indirect
83%

Direct
17%

Absolute Emissions

specific Emissions

tonneNOx

kgNOx/tonneFP

2,046

2.06

1,200

1,000

2013

Absolute Consumption (tonNOx)

Specific Consumption (kgNOx/tonFP)

2,200

2,000

1,800

1,600

1,400

1,200

1,000

2.10

2.05

2.00

1.95

1.90

1.85

1.80

94

2013

2014

2015

2013

2014

2015

Other Emissions and Environmental Aspects

Indirect
83%

Direct
17%

The production process does not directly use substances that are harmful to the ozone layer. These are instead contained in certain 
closed circuits of the cooling and air conditioning plants. Therefore, except for accidental and unforeseeable losses, there are no 
free emissions into the atmosphere that can be correlated with Pirelli manufacturing activities.
Direct emissions of SOX, caused by the combustion of diesel and fuel oil, was estimated to be about 27 tonnes in 2015 (U.S. EPA 
emissions standards).
As regards the management of packaging, tyres are generally sold without packaging.
The environmental management systems implemented at the production units have assured constant and prompt monitoring and 
intervention regarding potential emergency situations that may arise, as well as the reports received from stakeholders.
In the course of 2015, there were no significant environmental spills and no significant complaints related to environmental issues 
or related penalties.

  Expenses and investments  

In the three-year period 2013-2015, environmental expenditure related to the production process exceeded Euro 57.7 million, of 
which over 34% was allocated in 2015. About 86% of this amount concerned normal management and administration of factories, 
while the remaining 14% was dedicated to preventive measures and improvement in environmental management.
To complete the picture it should be noted that, consistent with the materiality analysis published at the beginning of this section 
of the report, the most significant expenses that Pirelli dedicates to the environment are those relating to product Research & De-
velopment: in 2015, the Company invested Euro 214.4 million in research and innovation of its products, with a constant focus on 
safety performance, reduction of the environmental impact and, simultaneously, on increased production efficiency.

Report on Value Chain Responsible Management  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

sociaL diMension

HumAN rigHts goverNANCe

The Pirelli Group pursues and supports the respect of human rights affirmed in international venues. These values have always 
been firmly anchored in corporate management. Human Rights Governance is fully integrated in the Sustainable Management 
System adopted by Pirelli, which is based on the United Nations Global Compact, the ISO26000 Guidelines and the provisions of 
SA8000® Standard and underlying international standards. 
Pirelli also informs its governance of Human Rights on the recommendations contained in the “UN Guiding Principles for Business 
and Human Rights: implementing the United Nations Protect, Respect and Remedy Framework”.
Pirelli’s commitment in favour of human rights is expressly stated in the document “Values and Ethical Code” approved by the 
Board of Directors and, in detail, in the “Social Responsibility Policy for Occupational Health, Safety and Rights, and Environ-
ment”, which states that the Group’s sustainable development strategies require, among other things, a commitment to continuous 
improvement of aspects of occupational health and safety at work of its activities, without prejudice to respect and support of the 
contents of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Labour Organization’s Declaration on Fundamental 
Principles and Rights at Work. The policy specifies Pirelli’s commitments with respect to each of the ILO Core Labour Standards, 
and the related extension to the supply chain. The “Equal Opportunities Statement” is dedicated to the Group commitment to equal 
opportunities and non-discrimination. 
All of the aforementioned documents have been distributed to employees in their local language. They are also an integral part of 
the sustainability contract clauses applied to Group suppliers, as well as being published on the Pirelli website in the languages 
spoken by employees and principal suppliers. 
The oversight of the respect of human rights was relevant also in the materiality matrix of sustainability factors for the Group’s 
strategies, published in this report and which consolidate the views of all the categories of the Company’s stakeholders, including 
employees, suppliers, institutions and dozens of NGOs in the countries in which the Company operates. 
Human and Labour Rights will also be subject to special discussion during the “Pirelli Global Stakeholder Dialogue”, which the 
Company will hold in Brussels in 2016 and which will be publicly reported on the website during the year. 
The human rights management processes are handled by the Pirelli Sustainability & Risk Governance Department, which acts in 
concert with the affected and responsible functions, with reference to both the Internal and External Community. 
On the management side of risk pertaining to Human Rights and labour rights in the world, before investing in a specific market, 
Pirelli conducts ad hoc assessments of any political, financial, environmental and social risks, including those related to the respect 
of human and labour rights. The external and external context is monitored in those countries where the Company operates, in view 
of preventing negative impacts on human rights in the ambit of the sphere of corporate influence, and if applicable, remedying them.
Any violation of human rights can be reported to the Company through the Whistleblowing Reporting Procedure, to which a par-
agraph is dedicated in this report and to which reference is made for further information on Reports received in recent years. Of 
these, in 2015 no reports involved alleged violations of human rights or the ILO Core Labour Standards, with specific reference to 
forced and child labour, freedom of association and collective bargaining, discrimination.
In terms of materiality in the corporate value chain, the respect for human rights and labour rights assumes particular importance 
in human resources and the supply chain management. 
The management of human and labour rights in the Internal Community at Pirelli is outlined in the paragraph on “Compliance with 
statutory and contractual obligations in terms of overtime, leave, association and bargaining, equal opportunities and non-discrimina-
tion, prohibition of child and forced labour”, to which reference is made for related details. The management of human rights in the con-
text of the supply chain is outlined in the paragraph on Pirelli suppliers in this report, to which reference is made for further details. 
Both management areas - suppliers and employees - are overseen through training and monitoring tools consolidated over years. 

95

Report on Value Chain Responsible Management  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

In terms of training on the Pirelli Model, new employees’ attention is drawn to the Group’s Sustainability Policies and the commit-
ments they involve, as detailed in the “Ethical Code”, the “Code of Conduct”, the “Equal Opportunities Policy”, and the “Social Re-
sponsibility Policy for Occupational Health, Safety, Rights, and Environment”. Also with reference to the fact Pirelli complies with 
and upholds the contents of the “Universal Declaration of Human Rights”, the International Labour Organization’s “Declaration on 
Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work”, the “Rio Declaration on Environment and Development” and the United Nations “Con-
vention against Corruption”, as well as the provisions of Standard SA8000®, including the ban on forced labour and child labour, 
up to freedom of collective bargaining, equal opportunities and non-discrimination. All of the above is also the subject of training 
for all the Sustainability and Purchasing Managers of the Group, and the Group’s suppliers through annual sessions involving all 
categories of supply deemed critical for the materiality of sales at Pirelli and the social context in which they operate (in particular 
in developing countries).
Together with constant co-ordination and monitoring at corporate level, compliance with Pirelli human rights and labour rights 
requirements as well as environmental sustainability and business ethics rules is assessed in periodic audits commissioned by 
Pirelli to specialised independent firms, as well as through Audits performed by the Pirelli Internal Audit Department. Audit ac-
tivities conducted in 2015 both by Pirelli facilities and by suppliers’ facilities are extensively covered in this report, as part of the 
aforementioned paragraphs “Our Suppliers” and “Compliance with statutory and contractual obligations in terms of overtime, leave, 
association and bargaining, equal opportunities and non-discrimination, prohibition of child and forced labour”.
Reference is made to the paragraph “Our Suppliers” in this report also with regard to the discussion of the topic “Conflict Minerals”.

internaL coMMUnitY

The Human Capital Sustainable Management Model is inspired by the Global Compact principles, the SA8000® Standard, which for 
years has been the reference tool for the Group’s Social Responsibility management, and the ISO 26000 Guidelines. This results in 
and in the specific commitments that the Company states in the its “Values and Ethical Code”, in the “Social Responsibility Policy for 
Health, Safety and Rights, Environment” and in the “Equal Opportunities Statement”, communicated to all Employees in the local lan-
guage as well as made available to the External Community in the Sustainability section of the website www.pirelli.com/corporate.

96

pireLLi empLoYees ArouND tHe WorLD

Pirelli employees as at 31 December 2015 amounted to 36,753 (vs. 36,795 in 2014 and 36,142 in 2013) thus presenting a substantial 
employment stability compared to the previous year. 

breakdown oF employees* by category

2015**
TyRE busINEss

OTHER ACTIvITIEs***

TOTAL PIRELLI

eXecutives

white collars

blue collars

total

316

3

319

6,936

30

6,966

29,360

108

29,468

36,612

141

36,753

2014

eXecutives

white collars

blue collars

total

TyRE busINEss

OTHER ACTIvITIEs***

TOTAL PIRELLI

308

4

312

7,034

60

7,093

29,278

112

29,390

36,620

176

36,795

2013

eXecutives

white collars

blue collars

total

TyRE busINEss

OTHER ACTIvITIEs***

TOTAL PIRELLI

310

6

316

6,965

85

7,050

28,654

123

28,777

35,929

213

36,142

Report on Value Chain Responsible Management  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

2015** vs 2014
TyRE busINEss

OTHER ACTIvITIEs***

TOTAL PIRELLI

2015** vs 2013
TyRE busINEss

OTHER ACTIvITIEs***

TOTAL PIRELLI

eXecutives

white collars

blue collars

total

8

-1

7

-98

-30

-127

82

-4

78

eXecutives

white collars

blue collars

total

7

-3

4

-29

-55

-84

706

-15

692

-7

-35

-42

683

-72

611

* The figures do not include the personnel related to the steelcord business sold in 2014
** Includes Pirelli de venezuela deconsolidated as of 31 december 2015
*** Includes Pirelli Eco Technology

breakdown oF employees* by geographical area and gender

tyre business

other activities

total pirelli

MEN

WOMEN

TOTAL

MEN

WOMEN

TOTAL

MEN

WOMEN

TOTAL

12,327

1,436

12,225

3,239

3,056

2,351

14,678

284

815

80

799

1,720

13,041

3,319

3,855

62

140

12,405

2,413

0

0

0

1

1,436

12,225

3,239

3,057

284

815

80

799

78

0

0

0

1

79

0

0

0

0

62

14,818

1,720

13,041

3,319

3,856

97

TOTAL PIRELLI 

32,283

4,329

36,612

141

32,362

4,391

36,753

tyre business

other activities

total pirelli

MEN

WOMEN

TOTAL

MEN

WOMEN

TOTAL

MEN

WOMEN

TOTAL

12,172

1,260

13,173

2,751

3,008

2,388

195

823

73

776

14,561

1,455

13,996

2,824

3,784

90

85

175

12,262

2,473

14,735

0

0

0

1

91

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

1,260

13,173

2,751

3,009

195

823

73

776

1,455

13,996

2,824

3,785

85

176

32,455

4,340

36,795

TOTAL PIRELLI 

32,364

4,255

36,620

2013

Europe

NAFTA

south America

MEA

Asia Pacific

tyre business

other activities

total pirelli

MEN

WOMEN

TOTAL

MEN

WOMEN

TOTAL

MEN

WOMEN

TOTAL

11,963

994

13,046

2,811

2,817

2,526

14,488

104

108

212

12,067

2,634

14,700

158

759

76

780

1,152

13,805

2,887

3,597

0

0

0

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

994

13,046

2,811

2,818

158

759

76

780

1,152

13,805

2,887

3,598

TOTAL PIRELLI 

31,630

4,298

35,929

105

108

213

31,735

4,406

36,142

2015**

Europe

NAFTA

south America

MEA

Asia Pacific

2014

Europe

NAFTA

south America

MEA

Asia Pacific

Report on Value Chain Responsible Management  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

2015** vs 2014

tyre business

other activities

total pirelli

MEN

WOMEN

TOTAL

MEN

WOMEN

TOTAL

MEN

WOMEN

TOTAL

Europe

NAFTA

south America

MEA

Asia Pacific

TOTAL PIRELLI 

155

176

-948

488

48

-81

-37

89

-8

7

23

74

117

265

-955

495

71

-7

-12

-23

-35

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

-12

-23

-35

143

176

-948

488

48

-93

-61

89

-8

7

23

51

82

265

-955

495

71

-42

2015** vs 2013

tyre business

other activities

total pirelli

MEN

WOMEN

TOTAL

MEN

WOMEN

TOTAL

MEN

WOMEN

TOTAL

Europe

NAFTA

south America

MEA

Asia Pacific

TOTAL PIRELLI 

364

442

-820

428

239

653

-175

126

57

4

19

31

189

568

-764

432

258

683

-26

-46

-72

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

-26

-46

-72

338

442

-820

428

239

627

-221

126

57

4

19

-15

117

568

-764

432

258

611

* The figures do not include the personnel related to the steelcord business sold in 2014
** Includes Pirelli de venezuela, deconsolidated as of 31 december 2015

98

  Workforce Flows by Geographic Area, Gender and Age  

The following data refer to Pirelli Group incoming/outgoing employees. The disposals and acquisitions of companies or business 
units, and changes in work schedules from full to part-time are not considered. 

employee* Flows by geographic area in the three -year period 2013-2015

2015**

2014

2013

INCOMING

OUTCOMING

INCOMING

OUTCOMING

INCOMING

OUTCOMING

Europe

NAFTA

south America

MEA

Asia Pacific

TOTAL 

1,737

701

1,590

1,041

586

5,655

1,604

443

2,478

570

519

5,614

1,950

570

1,401

539

686

5,146

1,504

626

1,369

188

469

4,155

1,805

507

2,945

573

789

6,619

1,891

355

2,527

531

596

5,900

Report on Value Chain Responsible Management  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

2015** employee Flows by geographical area, gender and age: total values

incoming

outcoming

<30

30-50

>50

MEN

WOMEN

<30

30-50

>50

MEN

WOMEN

Europe

NAFTA

south America

MEA

Asia Pacific

1,049

500

914

635

401

600

198

657

392

185

88

3

20

14

0

1,449

558

1,409

1,030

493

TOTAL 

3,499

2,031

125

4,939

288

143

181

11

93

716

570

304

1,158

416

316

647

132

1,170

132

202

388

1,240

7

151

22

1

378

2,288

561

445

2,763

2,283

569

4,912

364

65

190

9

74

702

2015** employee Flows by geographical area, gender and age: percentage values

incoming

outcoming

<30

30-50

>50

MEN

WOMEN

<30

30-50

>50

MEN

WOMEN

Europe

NAFTA

south America

MEA

Asia Pacific

TOTAL 

60%

71%

57%

61%

68%

62%

35%

28%

41%

38%

32%

36%

5%

0%

1%

1%

0%

2%

83%

80%

89%

99%

84%

87%

17%

20%

11%

1%

16%

13%

36%

69%

47%

73%

61%

49%

40%

30%

47%

23%

39%

41%

24%

2%

6%

4%

0%

10%

77%

85%

92%

98%

86%

87%

23%

15%

8%

2%

14%

13%

2014 employee Flows by geographical area, gender and age: total values

99

incoming

outcoming

<30

30-50

>50

MEN

WOMEN

<30

30-50

>50

MEN

WOMEN

Europe

NAFTA

south America

MEA

Asia Pacific

1,294

363

921

505

512

531

198

468

34

174

124

1,698

9

13

0

0

554

1,256

538

620

252

16

145

1

66

766

384

679

84

335

533

226

603

90

129

205

16

87

14

5

1,257

612

1,213

184

401

TOTAL 

3,595

1,405

146

4,666

480

2,248

1,580

327

3,666

247

14

156

4

68

489

2014 employee Flows by geographical area, gender and age: percentage values

incoming

outcoming

<30

30-50

>50

MEN

WOMEN

<30

30-50

>50

MEN

WOMEN

Europe

NAFTA

south America

MEA

Asia Pacific

TOTAL 

66%

64%

66%

94%

75%

70%

27%

35%

33%

6%

25%

27%

6%

2%

1%

0%

0%

3%

87%

97%

90%

100%

90%

91%

13%

3%

10%

0%

10%

9%

51%

61%

50%

45%

72%

54%

35%

36%

44%

48%

28%

38%

14%

3%

6%

7%

1%

8%

84%

98%

89%

98%

85%

88%

16%

2%

11%

2%

15%

12%

Report on Value Chain Responsible Management  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

2013 employee Flows by geographical area, gender and age: total values

incoming

outcoming

<30

30-50

>50

MEN

WOMEN

<30

30-50

>50

MEN

WOMEN

Europe

NAFTA

south America

MEA

Asia Pacific

1,030

384

1,950

534

602

661

121

974

38

187

115

2

22

1

0

1,481

442

2,747

567

667

TOTAL 

4,500

1,980

140

5,903

324

65

199

6

122

716

580

279

741

76

1,399

1,019

417

471

104

122

570

0

109

10

3

1,432

299

2,332

528

504

3,146

2,062

692

5,096

459

56

195

3

92

804

2013 employee Flows by geographical area, gender and age: percentage values

incoming

outcoming

<30

30-50

>50

MEN

WOMEN

<30

30-50

>50

MEN

WOMEN

Europe

NAFTA

south America

MEA

Asia Pacific

TOTAL 

57%

76%

66%

93%

76%

68%

37%

24%

33%

7%

24%

30%

6%

0%

1%

0%

0%

2%

82%

87%

93%

99%

85%

89%

18%

13%

7%

1%

15%

11%

31%

79%

55%

79%

79%

53%

39%

21%

40%

20%

20%

35%

30%

0%

4%

2%

1%

12%

76%

84%

92%

99%

85%

86%

24%

16%

8%

1%

15%

14%

100

* The figures do not include the personnel related to the steelcord business sold in 2014
** Includes Pirelli de venezuela, deconsolidated as of 31 december 2015.

During the year, the Company operated internationally to rebalance the employment level aligning it to the needs of volume related 
to high market volatility, maintaining an occupational balance at the end of 2015 in line with that of 2014. 
Among mature countries where Pirelli operates (i.e. those internationally defined as “mature” or “non-emerging” markets), in 
Italy, there was on one hand, the reorganisation of the production facility in Bollate by virtue of the agreements signed with 
the trade unions, on the other, the strengthening of HQ structures mainly in the areas dedicated to research and development.
As for emerging markets where Pirelli operates (i.e. those internationally defined as “emerging”, namely Romania, Russia, Ar-
gentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Venezuela, Egypt, Turkey, China), the Company increased the number of employees 
in China, Romania, Mexico and Turkey, acting on the organisation and production processes in line with market requirements. 
As for Brazil, following the country’s crisis and the related negative impact in the Tyre sector, there was a reorganisation of the 
production structure, which led to a reduction in employees at the four production sites in the country, mainly acting on flexi-
bility reduction and work organisation.
2014 showed a decrease of both incoming and outgoing flows compared to the previous year, mainly due to slightly lower growth in 
production volumes to that recorded in the period 2013-2012.
Pirelli does not employ anyone under the age of 15. There are 50 young people aged between 15 and 18 (34 in Brazil, 7 in Germany, 
5 in the UK, 2 in Sweden and Venezuela and 1 in Switzerland), each for training and integration plans, in harmony with local laws.

DiversitY mANAgemeNt

Pirelli  is  characterised  by  a  multinational  context  where  individuals  manifest  a  great  diversity,  whose  conscious  management 
simultaneously creates a competitive advantage for the Company and a shared social value. 
Pirelli’s commitment to compliance with equal opportunities and the enhancement of diversity in the workplace is expressed in the 
main Group Sustainability documents: the “Values and Ethical Code” approved by the Board of Directors, the “Social Responsibility 
Policy for Occupational Health, Safety and Rights, Environment” and the “Declaration on Equal Opportunities”. These documents have 
been distributed to all employees in their local language and published on the institutional website www.pirelli.com/Sustainability. 
While respecting the cultural differences of the individual countries, what necessarily unites all Pirelli affiliates in the same cul-

Report on Value Chain Responsible Management  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

ture are its shared corporate values, policies and rules, which are applied everywhere with the sole difference of the language into 
which they are translated. 
In 2015, remote training was provided in 24 countries on issues of diversity management at the company and its related value, 
already initiated in 2014 in Italy. The course, developed centrally in collaboration with local representatives in order to ensure 
maximum effectiveness, has been translated into 11 languages and offered to all employees, on line or in print copy. 
Pirelli monitors the level of acceptance and appreciation of diversity perceived by employees within their own reality. The survey 
is conducted as part of the annual My Voice climate survey, conducted in the local language at Group level (please see the dedicated 
paragraph in this report). The results of the survey, conducted at the end of 2014 and communicated to employees at the start of 2015 
were particularly appreciated with regard to the perception of the respect for Diversity within the Company, with a strong impact 
on the overall Trust Index with respect to the company. The results of the survey carried out at the end of 2015 will be communi-
cated to employees in the first quarter of 2016 and reported in the next Annual Report. 
A functional tool for the management of Equal Opportunity and the prevention of risk of breach thereof is the Group Whistleblow-
ing Procedure, through which employees, suppliers and the external Community can anonymously report any suspected violation. 
Also in 2014, there were no whistleblowing reports concerning acts of discrimination. For further information on reports received 
in 2015, 2014 and 2013, reference is made to the paragraph “Group Reporting Procedure - Whistleblowing”. 
Internationality and multiculturalism are the characteristic elements of the Group: Pirelli operates in over 160 countries on five 
continents, and 91.4% of employees (at December 31, 2015) worked outside of Italy.
Awareness of the cultural differences that create the identity of the Company entails displaying the utmost confidence in manage-
ment of local origin: 71% of Senior Managers work in their country of origin, where Senior Managers are those reporting directly to 
the Chairman and CEO as at December 31, 2015. 
In order to develop the innovative and managerial potential inherent in multiculturalism and in dealings with different professional 
environments, the Company promotes the growth of its managers through international mobility: 57% of active Senior Managers in 
2015 have in fact experienced at least one inter-company assignment during their professional experience within the Pirelli Group. 
At the end of 2015, moreover, 13% of expatriates were women (up from 12% in 2014). 

Below is a breakdown of employees by gender in the three-year period 2013-2014-2015, expressed as the percentage weight of 
women against the total number of employees in each job category, the data shown in the following table show substantial stability 
in 2015 compared to 2014. The percentage of women of the total Pirelli population stood at 12%, of total executives at 9%, of total 
managerial positions at 19% and of total workers at 8%. However, the percentage of women in Managers positions rose to 21%, the 
latter being an important element as this category constitutes a growth pool. 

101

eXecutives

cadre

eXec+cadre  
(=tot.managers)

white collars

blue collars

total

2013

2014

2015*

10%

9%

9%

20%

20%

21%

18%

19%

19%

34%

32%

32%

8%

8%

8%

12%

12%

12%

*Includes Pirelli de venezuela, deconsolidated as of 31 december 2015.

Analysing the breakdown of gender in terms of employment contract, the table below shows that in 2015, there was an increase in 
the substantial balance between men and women already recorded in 2014. We also note the further growth of permanent employ-
ment contracts, which in 2015 make up 95% of the total contracts compared to 93% in 2013-2014.

2013

2014

2015*

M

F

TOT

M

F

TOT

M

F

TOT

PERMANENT

TEMPORARy

AgENCy

93%

7%

0%

96%

3%

1%

93%

7%

0%

93%

7%

0%

97%

3%

0%

93%

7%

0%

95%

4%

1%

96%

3%

1%

95%

4%

1%

*Includes Pirelli de venezuela, deconsolidated as of 31 december 2015.

Report on Value Chain Responsible Management  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

The rate of employee return to work after maternity/paternity 
leave at Pirelli in relation to its total workforce in all indus-
trial countries where the Company operates was positive. In 
particular: one year after the maternity and paternity event 
which  occurred  in  2014,  2015  saw  89%  of  women  (the  same 
figure as the previous period of reference 2013-2014) and 100% 
of men (vs. 98% in the previous period of reference 2013-2014) 
still  being  employed  by  the  Company.  The  difference  in  the 
data between genders should be considered natural in light of 
the  different  socio-cultural  contexts  in  which  Pirelli  female 
workers are inserted. 

In the context of gender diversity, Pirelli pays special atten-
tion to remuneration equality, constantly monitoring this is-
sue.  The  countries  considered  significant  in  the  analysis  at 
the end of 2015 were Brazil, China, Germany, Italy, Romania, 
Turkey,  Mexico,  Venezuela,  Argentina,  Egypt,  the  USA  and 
Russia, representing approximately 3/4 of the total workforce 
subject to the remuneration policy (executives, managers and 
employees). At a methodological level, it should be noted that 
the remuneration differentials between men and women were 
calculated for each country and at the same weight of positions 
held, cross-checking the “grade” (i.e. the weight attributed to 
each  position  on  the  basis  of  various  factors)  with  elements 
such  as  performance  and  professional  seniority.  This  valua-
tion  method  allows  objectivity  and  accuracy  of  the  survey 
and evaluation: in fact, it should be noted that data calculated 
and/or  reported  only  at  Group  level  would  be  unable  to  pay 
due attention to the structural differences of the various local 
markets, the different professional seniorities and the logic of 
remuneration  markets  with  special  features  not  comparable 
with each other. 
The average of remuneration differentials between men and 
women recorded in these countries is equal to 1% in favour of 
women for white collars and 5% in favour of men for cadres, 
compared to 3% in 2014 and 6% in 2013 for white collars and 
3% in 2014 and 4% in 2013 for cadres in favour of men. 
Some examples:

  Italy,  which  has  an  difference  between  average  remu-
neration for men and average remuneration for women of 
around 13% in favour of women for the category of employ-
ees (compared to 5% in 2014 and 2% in 2013 in favour of 
men) and 1% also in favour of women (2% in 2014 in favour 
of women and 3% in 2013 in favour of men) for the category 
of cadre;
  Turkey, where the differential is in favour of men for 4% 
for the category of employees (5% in 2014 and 6% in 2013);
  Romania, where for the category of employees the differ-
ential is equal to 5% in favour of men (compared to 7% in 
favour of women in 2014, 3% in 2013);
  Brazil, where for the category of employees the differential 
is equal to 5% in favour of women (4% in favour of men in 

2014  and  8%  in  2013)  and  for  the  category  of  cadre  it  is 
equal to 4% also in favour of men (1% in 2014, 4% in 2013);
  Germany, which showed a difference between average re-
muneration for men and average remuneration for women 
of around 4% in favour of men for the category of employ-
ees (5% in 2014) and 3% also in favour of men for the cate-
gory of cadre (2% in 2014);
  Venezuela, which showed a difference between average re-
muneration for men and average remuneration for women 
of around 3% in favour of women for the category of em-
ployees (4% in favour of men).

Finally,  with  reference  to  the  population  of  executives,  of 
which women account for 9% (figure unchanged compared to 
2014 and 2013), there is an average remuneration difference of 
5% in favour of men (in 2014, the ratio was 6% in favour of men, 
while in 2013 the ratio was 1% in favour of women). 
In the various markets, the “professional seniority” factor, still 
on average of benefit of men, continues to have a strong impact 
on the remuneration trend. On the other hand, the number of 
women  entering  the  labour  market  will  contribute  to  an  in-
creasingly greater gender balance over the medium term, also 
in terms of professional seniority, when the average seniority 
of women will have grown sufficiently to be comparable to that 
of men in most markets. 
In  regard  to  the  standard  salary  of  new  hires  during  their 
first year of work at Pirelli, this is greater than the minimums 
prescribed  by  local  legislation  and  there  are  no  differences 
between men and women or any other sort of diversity.
The inclusive culture which at Pirelli informs its way of doing 
business permeates corporate life even in the case of disabil-
ity, as explained in the Pirelli Policy on equal opportunities, 
applied  at  all  Affiliates  of  the  Group.  Under  applicable  local 
laws, approximately 1.2% of total employees in 2015 have some 
form of disability, as in 2014, however with the following con-
siderations: the percentage measurement of disabled employ-
ees in the multinational context of the company clashes with 
the  objective  difficulty  of  measuring  their  number,  both  be-
cause in many countries where the Group is present, there are 
no  specific  laws  or  regulations  promoting  their  employment 
and therefore disabilities are not automatically detected, and 
because in many countries this information is deemed confi-
dential and protected by privacy laws. It is therefore likely that 
the actual percentage of disabled persons working at Pirelli 
might be higher, although any estimates would be discrimi-
natory per se. 

With reference to the “age” factor of the company population, 
as  can  be  seen  from  the  table  below,  it  is  homogeneous  be-
tween gender, young on average and having increased slightly 
in the last three years.

102

2013*

Women

Men

Total

2014**

Women

Men

Total

2013*

Women

Men

Total

2014**

Women

Men

Total

Report on Value Chain Responsible Management  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

average age by category and gender

eXecutives

cadre

white 
collars

blue
collars

average

46

48

48

eXecutives

cadre

49

49

49

2015***

eXecutives

cadre

Women

Men

Total

49

50

50

42

44

43

43

45

44

43

45

44

white 
collars

white 
collars

37

38

38

37

38

38

38

39

38

blue
collars

blue
collars

36

36

36

36

36

36

36

37

37

average

average

37

36

36

37

37

37

37

38

38

* Information applies to 99.8% of the workforce
** Information applies to 100% of the workforce
*** Information applies to 100% of the workforce, including Pirelli de venezuela, deconsolidated as of 31 december 2015

The following table represents the average length of service by professional category and gender: even in 2015, there were no signif-
icant differences between men and women, whilst there was a significant increase of the average seniority of women in blue collar 
category (7 years compared to 4 in 2014 and 2013) and an average which has grown steadily over the last three years, reflecting a 
heightened sense of belonging.

103

average Job seniority

eXecutives

cadre

white 
collars

blue
collars

average

12

16

16

14

16

16

14

15

15

cadre

cadre

13

14

14

14

14

14

14

15

14

white 
collars

white 
collars

8

9

8

8

9

9

9

10

10

blue
collars

blue
collars

4

8

8

4

8

8

7

9

9

average

average

6

8

8

7

9

9

8

10

10

eXecutives

2015***

eXecutives

Women

Men

Total

* Information applies to 99.8% of the workforce
** Information applies to 100% of the workforce
*** Information applies to 100% of the workforce, including Pirelli de venezuela, deconsolidated as of 31 december 2015

Report on Value Chain Responsible Management  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

The following procedures and activities to promote equal op-
portunities have been well-established for years:

  the use, as far as possible, of candidate lists with a signifi-
cant presence of women in recruitment processes;
  the use of training to promote cultural change connected 
with the promotion of diversity, with specific modules ded-
icated to “Diversity Management,” beginning with courses 
for new hires (e.g. Pirelli’s Way Joining the Group);
  the taking of positive measures regarding cultural and re-
ligious  diversity  (such  as  different  foods  that  are  clearly 
marked in company canteens so that everyone may freely 
comply with their own religious dietary restrictions);
  “multilingual” book stores at the factories;
  welcome kits for those joining Pirelli at a facility in a coun-
try other than their home country.
  Welfare and work-life balance initiatives (in regard, refer 
to the paragraph “Welfare and initiatives in favour of the 
Internal Community” in this report).

remuNerAtioN  
AND sustAiNABiLitY

The  remuneration  policies  adopted  by  Pirelli  aim  to  ensure 
fair remuneration in line with the individual’s contribution to 
the success of the Company, recognising the performance and 
quality of the individual’s professional input, in a philosophy 
of  sustainable  remuneration.  The  purpose  is  twofold:  on  the 
one  hand  to  attract,  retain  and  motivate  critical  employees, 
while on the other to reward and promote conduct that is as far 
as possible consistent with the corporate culture and values. 
Compensation policies and processes for Group management 
(intended as the overall Executives) are managed by the cen-
tral  Human  Resources  department,  while  for  non-executive 
personnel they are handled on an individual country basis. 
Once again in 2015, and in accordance with market best prac-
tices, the impact of the (short-term and medium-term) variable 
component on the aggregate remuneration of Group manage-
ment remained very high, which means that there is a strict 
correlation between remuneration and performance. Members 
of Group Management in general are connected to the Annual 
Incentive Plan (MBO) linked to the achievement of annual eco-
nomic-financial objectives of the Group and/or Business Unit 
and/or Region and the qualitative assessment resulting from 
the Performance Management Tool, which allows greater rele-
vance to be attributed to organisational conduct (how), and not 
simply the results achieved (how much) in a logic of sustaina-
ble remuneration over time. 
In  2014,  some  changes  and  improvements  were  made  to  the 
annual incentive system (MBO) which, over the three year pe-
riod 2014-2016, is no longer related to the Triennial Incentive 
Plan (LTI) but includes a form of deferred payment to the fol-

lowing  year  of  a  part  (25%)  of  the  annual  incentive  accrued 
subject to accrual of the MBO of the following year. Payment 
of an additional amount equal to a variable percentage of the 
entire MBO accrued during the previous year will be paid in 
line with the degree that the MBO is achieved in the following 
year (this mechanism is designed to roll throughout the entire 
three-year period 2014-2016). 
The  General  Policy  on  Remuneration  also  approved  for  2015 
by the Board of Directors of Pirelli establishes principles and 
Guidelines to which Pirelli abides in order to determine and 
monitor the application of related remuneration practices:

  Directors  with  special  powers/offices,  General  Managers 
and Executives with strategic responsibilities;
  the Senior Managers and the other executives of the Group.

Specifically, the Remuneration Guidelines for the top manage-
ment figures listed above cover fixed and variable remunera-
tion, both short and medium-long term, (it is specified in this 
regard that Pirelli currently does not offer forms of remuner-
ation  through  equity);  indemnity  in  the  event  of  dismissal; 
resignation and termination of employment; clawback clauses 
for Top Management. 
Consistently  with  the  variable  compensation  mechanisms 
adopted at the international level, the long-term incentive plan 
(LTI) 2014-2016 is entirely self-financed, given that the relat-
ed liabilities are included in the profit and loss figures of the 
Industrial Plan. The plan involves an on/off condition, repre-
sented by the creation of value in the three year period, and 
three objectives:

  Total Shareholder Return (TSR) for the Group, with an ag-
gregate target weight of 60% of the LTI bonus;
  Return on Sales (ROS) for the Group and the Business Unit 
or Region depending on the organisational unit of the Ex-
ecutive, with a weight at target of 30% of the LTI bonus;
  the position achieved by Pirelli in selected global sustain-
ability  indicators  (Dow  Jones  Sustainability  World  Index 
ATX Auto Components sector and FTSE4Good Global Index 
sector Automobile & Parts), with a target weight of 10% of 
the LTI award. The accruable pro-rata of the incentive in-
creases in relation to Pirelli’s position in the ranking, up to 
a maximum pro-rata of twice the accruable value at per-
formance target in case of achieving leadership. The two 
indices mentioned, in their complementarity, cover all the 
issues  of  sustainability  and  macro-areas  of  management 
on which Pirelli has set targets (emissions levels, water or 
energy  consumption,  environmental  impact  of  products, 
sustainable chain management supply etc.). 

The  Board  of  Directors’  meeting  of  December  22,  2015  re-
solved the early closure at the end of 2015 of the 2014-2016 LTI 
plan  (thus  one  year  before  its  natural  expiry).  The  changed 
shareholder structure and the simultaneous delisting - which 

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Report on Value Chain Responsible Management  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

in fact resulted in non-measurability of many of the objectives 
contained in the LTI plan - have meant that the medium-term 
objectives  of  the  company  should  necessarily  be  revised  in 
the incoming three-year period (2016-2018) in light of a new 
Industrial  Plan  that  will  be  more  fully  valued  in  numerical 
terms during 2016. 
With a view to retaining management, the Board of Directors 
also approved the payment in 2 instalments (April 2016 and 
April 2017) on the basis of reporting the newly measured goals 
- even in terms of percentage opportunities for each individual 
participant - on the values for the two-year period (2014-2015).

iNterNAtioNAL moBiLitY

The theme of international mobility has always been impor-
tant  to  Pirelli,  with  a  view  to  achieving  cultural  and  value 
integration while still respecting diversity, an approach that 
the  Company  considers  crucial  to  maintaining  and  creating 
value in the long term. The dissemination of the Pirelli indus-
trial culture throughout the world and the transfer of valuable 
technical and managerial know-how to new start-ups is also a 
key instrument in support of the Group’s geographical expan-
sion strategy.
In 2015, about 90 new inter-company expatriates were record-
ed, compared with about 50 postings in 2014 and about 70 in 
2013. For more than a third, the postings were to major indus-
trial countries, such as China and Russia, and mobility flows 
continued from emerging countries to mature countries. 
At December 31, 2015, the expatriate population totalled about 
217  persons  (vs.  214  in  2014  and  244  in  2013),  belonging  to 
19  nationalities,  who  moved  to  34  different  countries  on  five 
continents,  of  whom  71%  were  non-Executive  employees  and 
13%  were  women.  The  overall  expatriate  population  consists 
in equal amounts (50%) of Italian and foreign citizens, demon-
strating  the  concrete  progress  being  made  towards  the  goal 
of creating an increasingly international management team. 
The Pirelli International Mobility Policy (the new and current 
version  applied  as  of  2013  postings)  has  been  standardised 
and shared within all the affiliates, with common treatment 
rules in order to enable uniform management of the expatriate 
personnel of the entire Group.
It  includes  a  principle  of  fiscal  neutrality  pursued  through 
the  implementation  of  a  so-called  “tax  equalisation”  policy, 
which allows neutralising of the tax differences that arise in 
the destination country with respect to the country of origin, 
ensuring the application of equitable and appropriate remu-
neration principles, in addition to the assignment of certain 
benefits closely related to care for expatriates and their ac-
companying families. 

empLoYer BrANDiNg

Pirelli considers it crucial to enter the market by transmitting 
drivers  that  distinguish  the  group,  that  is,  Business,  People 
and Change, which include the cardinal principles on which 
the Company bases its business approach, such as technologi-
cal know-how and product innovation, technological and com-
mercial leadership in the highest segment of the market, the 
tension of the people towards results and the meritocracy that 
always  ensures  the  best  growth  for  employees,  both  locally 
and internationally.
In addition to disseminating the company principles, Employer 
Branding is also a valuable tool to give visibility to job opportu-
nities aimed at recent graduates, not only in the Italian market 
but globally. Considering only the countries where Pirelli has 
a presence with one or more production plants in Europe, the 
United States, South America, the Middle East, Africa, Russia 
and Asia-Pacific, over 200 events, projects and meetings were 
organised in 2015, where the Company promoted its own Em-
ployer Branding initiatives. 
These  activities  are  carried  out  also  thanks  to  the  network 
of contacts and partnerships with some prestigious universi-
ties  in  the  various  countries,  such  as  the  Beijing  University 
of Chemical Technology in Beijing, the University of Munich 
in  Germany,  the  Nottingham  Trent  University  in  the  United 
Kingdom, the Politehnica University of Bucharest in Romania, 
the ESIC - Business Marketing School in Spain, the Universi-
dad de Buenos Aires in Argentina, the Universidad Tecnológi-
ca del Centro in Venezuela, the Instituto Tecnológico de Estu-
dios Superiores de México, the Keio University in Japan, the 
American University of Cairo in Egypt. 
Pirelli is also collaborating actively, at corporate level in Italy, 
with Milan Politecnico Turin Politecnico, Milan Bocconi and 
Catholic Universities and Turin University. The latter Univer-
sities  are  located  close  to  the  Pirelli  offices  in  Italy  and  the 
Company has always considered them to be a benchmark for 
economic  and  engineering  education  of  young  people.  With 
these  institutions,  Pirelli  has  organised  Career  Days,  round 
tables, Job Fairs, as well as company presentations and oppor-
tunities to meet with students directly at the company, aimed 
at “personally experiencing” the reality of the Group. 
The  business-education  partnerships  described  above  are 
placed within the context of the “European Pact for Youth” of 
which Pirelli is a co-initiator, a Youth Pact that was signed dur-
ing the last Enterprise 2020 Summit (held in November 2015 
in Brussels ) by the European Commission, CSR Europe and 
a group of companies. The Pact aims to promote the growth 
of  new  generations  through  the  promotion  of  partnerships 
with Universities, training courses, internships and masters’ 
courses: the objective of reducing the skills gap between dif-
ferent countries and different cultures is fundamental, trying 

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Report on Value Chain Responsible Management  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

as much as possible to ensure that young people receive the 
training  needed  to  enter  the  new  professions  required  by  a 
labour market whose expectations are constantly evolving. 
Among  the  channels  of  Employer  branding  used  by  Pirelli, 
the internet plays an important role: on its pirelli.com website, 
the Company provides a channel for those who wish to submit 
their application for specific open positions, as well as provid-
ing full disclosure on its corporate history, management mod-
els adopted, objectives and results achieved; targeted channels 
are  also  used  by  Pirelli  for  the  publication  of  its  job  offers, 
including  LinkedIn  where  just  in  the  last  year  Pirelli  has 
doubled its followers, thus becoming the most visited profile 
among tyre manufacturers.

DeveLopmeNt

  Performance Management  

Performance  Management  (PM)  means  the  process  whereby 
the  contribution  of  each  employee  in  an  organisation  is  de-
fined, observed and assessed at Pirelli, a unique and funda-
mental  opportunity  for  the  development  and  orientation  of 
each with respect to a series of predefined indicators that are 
critical to the success of the Company and the employee. 
During  the  process,  particular  value  is  given  at  the  time  of 
feedback,  which  provides  a  transparent  and  open  dialogue 
between  the  manager  and  the  employee,  from  the  phase  of 
defining the individual objectives to that of assessment of the 
results achieved. 
The Performance Management process involves all Pirelli staff 
worldwide (executives, managers and employees) and in 2015 
saw  a  “redemption”  rate  (assessment  sheets  completed  com-
pared  to  the  total  of  open  sheets)  equal  to  94%,  of  which  the 
completion rate by women involved in the process was 93%.
To support the quality of assessments, Pirelli has introduced 
the so-called Calibration Meetings. These are meetings organ-
ised  by  the  managers  of  the  individual  functions,  Business 
Units  and  countries,  with  their  direct  reports,  and  with  the 
heads of Human Resources of reference, during which the as-
sessments  of  people  who  belong  to  a  specific  organisational 
unit are pooled with the objective of ensuring a shared and 
balanced distribution of the assessment, to ensure a process 
that is as consistent, homogeneous and objective as possible. 

  Talent Review  

The Talent Review process aims to place “people in the right 
place”, or to ensure business continuity through the coverage 
of strategic positions with the best talents, both centrally and 
at each Affiliate. Key positions are those positions that have a 
direct impact on the strategic success and competitive advan-

tage of the organisation. Each of these positions also includes 
a vacancy risk identification in the following 12-18 months, in 
such a way that concrete mitigation actions can be implement-
ed, where necessary. 
“Talents” are employees who, in addition to having demonstrat-
ed positive performance in the previous 3 years, possess the 
potential  to  hold,  immediately  or  within  the  next  two  years, 
key positions within the organisation. In fact, they represent 
the  future  of  the  Company  for  the  coverage  of  strategic  po-
sitions. The focus on talents is also demonstrated by the nu-
merous skills assessment projects concluded in 2015, follow-
ing increasing focus on the analysis of the talent of people to 
support the company strategy. The talent management process 
also includes meeting and discussion sessions between man-
agers, which aim to share and standardise the criteria for the 
definition of talent within the organisation. 
Pirelli is established as a company with a strong predisposi-
tion to developing talent from within: 95% of the people who 
hold key positions have grown and been promoted internally.
The pipeline of talents has a strong international and multi-
cultural  connotation,  as  their  origin  includes  as  many  as  29 
different nationalities.
In  2016,  the  development  process  of  talents  within  the  Group 
will continue, through consolidation of career plans, also with a 
view to providing the means for structured growth within the 
organisation and mitigating the retention risk of Pirelli talents.

trAiNiNg

2015 saw further consolidation of the Training@Pirelli train-
ing model (introduced in 2013), a system which is organised 
and structured globally and equipped to respond to needs that 
could arise at any time locally, in each of the countries where 
Pirelli is present.
The  training  offering  is  based  on  one  hand  on  the  strategic 
priorities of the organisation and the different functions, and 
on the other on the needs that arise each year from the Perfor-
mance Management process.
The three “pillars” on which Training@Pirelli is based are the 
Professional Academy, the School of Management and the Lo-
cal Education. The first two are designed centrally and accord-
ing to the cases provided centrally or locally, while Local Edu-
cation is managed and implemented directly in the individual 
countries to meet the specific local needs.
The  entire  training  offering  is  communicated  and  managed 
via the online training portal LearningLab. 
In 2015, Pirelli received the Silver Award in the category “Best 
Corporate University” embodying the identity, the culture and 
the brand of the Organization for its stakeholders” by the Glob-
al Council of Corporate Universities. The award is aimed at the 
most important Corporate Universities worldwide.

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  Professional Academies  

There  are  ten  Pirelli  Professional  Academies:  Product  Acad-
emy,  Manufacturing  Academy,  Commercial  Academy,  Qual-
ity  Academy,  Supply  Chain  Academy,  Purchasing  Academy, 
Finance  Academy,  Planning  &  Control  Academy,  Human  Re-
sources Academy, Information Technology Academy.
Sustainable Management elements are throughout the Acade-
mies, with focus for example on product life cycle (LCA – Life 
Cycle  Assessment),  environmental  efficiency  of  the  process, 
health  and  safety,  sustainable  management  of  the  supply 
chain, risk management, diversity management, etc.
The Academies target the entire Group population and aim to 
provide  continuous  training,  encourage  cross-functional  col-
laboration,  ensure  the  exchange  of  expertise  and  know-how 
among countries and support the implementation of tools and 
procedures within the organisation.
The  faculty  of  the  Academy  is  mainly  composed  of  internal 
trainers, experts from the specific functions who, based on the 
training needs and logistical needs, act at central, regional and 
local level, or through online seminars and webinar sessions. 
In 2015, an internal process was implemented globally for the 
training and certification of Pirelli trainers, already complet-
ed in some countries. Participation in the internal “Train the 
trainer” course is a fundamental requirement of this process, 
aimed at ensuring and aligning the skills of all trainers re-
garding classroom management methods and delivery of the 
technical content of the Academy.
The  Academy  model  involves  a  significant  figure  from  the 
function  guiding  each  Academy,  supported  by  one  or  more 
professionals  from  the  same  function  and  from  the  Group 
Training function, which ensures consistency in the methods 
of approach, delivery and evaluation of learning in addition to 
collaboration with the local training teams.
Every year, the Professional Academies meet both the Top Man-
agement and the local training representatives, with the objec-
tive of strategic alignment and sharing of the results achieved. 
In 2015, the Academy offered 225 courses globally.

  School of Management  

The  School  of  Management  (SOM)  is  the  training  structure 
dedicated to the development of the management culture with-
in Pirelli.
The training model is based on 3 areas: Business, People and 
Change, and is aimed at the populations of Executives, Mid-
dle  Management/Senior  Professionals  and  New  Graduates/
Junior Staff.
The focus of management training is calibrated and outlined 
every year based on the business challenges that the company 
is required to face.
The training aimed at executives is preferably provided cen-

trally  (Milan)  in  order  to  allow  participants  to  discuss  com-
pany strategies directly with Senior Management and share 
them at inter-departmental and geographical level. 
In 2015, 6 editions of SOM were provided for Group Executives, 
of which 4 in Milan and 2 in Brazil (for Pirelli Executives oper-
ating in Brazil, Argentina and Venezuela). 
The  training  offer  aimed  at  Middle  Management  and  Senior 
Professionals,  designed  centrally  and  thus  delivered  locally, 
saw the holding in 2015 of more than 50 editions in 11 coun-
tries of the Group, which were attended by about 800 people. 
Also  in  2015,  in  response  to  a  need  that  emerged  from  the 
MyVoice survey, several workshops were organised on “feed-
back  management”  in  the  manager-employee  relationship, 
involving the whole central management population, giving a 
total of about 300 people in the classroom. 
The School of Management then continued to offer constantly up-
dated services through the Train your Brain section, an online 
tool available to all managers on the LearningLab platform.
As for the population of new graduates, in 2015 saw consolida-
tion of the two-year course Warming Up@Pirelli, which was 
launched in 2013.
The  programme  aims  to  provide  a  homogeneous  view  of  the 
Pirelli reality for all young new recruits in the different coun-
tries. The main themes include: the Sustainable Management 
Model  adopted  by  the  Company,  the  strategies,  the  product, 
processes, customers, markets and all other matters regarding 
basic skills that Pirelli considers important for a young person 
who wishes to become part of the company’s future. During the 
two-year training course, participants have the opportunity to 
work on various company projects of interest proposed by var-
ious functions, in order to apply innovative approaches and de-
velop cross-functional teamwork. The macro-structure of the 
course, defined centrally in terms of content and process steps, 
is organised in various countries with appropriate adjustments 
aimed  at  enhancing  the  local  specificities.  In  2015,  Warming 
Up@Pirelli involved 210 young new recruits globally.

  Local Education  

The training provided locally responds to the specific training 
needs of the local context and culture of the country of refer-
ence. The seminars cover areas of expertise ranging from the 
improvement  of  interpersonal  skills  to  stress  management, 
from the development of IT, language and regulatory skills up to 
seminars on issues of welfare and diversity at the Company. In 
the latter area the following courses in 2015 deserve a mention: 
Parents at Work, dedicated to the parents of children aged 0 to 
6 with the aim to teaching them to exploit the parenting expe-
rience as a “gym” for the development and consolidation of man-
agerial skills and conduct to be used in the workplace as well. 

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  Focus: Training on Sustainability  

In  addition  to  training  on  the  specific  sustainable  manage-
ment processes that cover all the Academies of the Group, as 
described above, in 2015 training also continued on the Pirelli 
Sustainable Management Model, with an update of the current 
state  of  the  Company’s  Sustainability  Plan.  Training  was  di-
versified  according  to  the  target  group.  In  the  context  of  the 
international corporate course Pirelli’s Way Joining the Group, 
the Group’s Sustainable Management strategy is presented to 
all  new  employees,  starting  from  the  multi-  stakeholder  ap-
proach  in  the  context  of  integrated  economic,  environmental 
and  social  management.  Training  in  the  Pirelli  Model  also 
draws  the  attention  of  new  recruits  to  the  Group’s  Sustaina-
bility Policy and related commitments, as expressed through 
the Ethical Code, Code of Conduct, Equal Opportunity Policy, 
Social  Responsibility  Policy  for  Occupational  Health,  Safety 
and Rights and Environment, in addition to the requirements of 
the SA8000® Standard and internationally recognised human 
rights, starting with the prohibition of forced and child labour, 
up to the freedom of collective bargaining, equal opportunities 
and non-discrimination. All of these issues are also the subject 
of training courses for all Sustainability and Purchasing Man-
agers of the Group.
In 2015, remote training was provided in 24 countries on issues 
of diversity management at the company and related values, al-
ready initiated in 2014 in Italy. The course, developed centrally 
in  collaboration  with  local  representatives  in  order  to  ensure 
maximum effectiveness, has been translated into 11 languages 
and offered to all employees, on line or in print copy. 
In  July  2015,  Pirelli  brought  all  its  Sustainability  managers 
together in Milan at a convention dedicated to exploring the 
long-term  management  strategies  adopted  by  the  company, 
new  scenarios  and  future  objectives.  The  event  involved  the 
active participation of the entire Top Management of the Com-
pany,  with  strong  cross-functional  alignment  with  a view  to 
achieving the Group targets as well as demonstrating the fun-
damental teamwork that enables the Company to prevent risks 
and, above all, create lasting and shared value. 

  Pirelli Training Performance  

In 2015, Pirelli’s investment in Training continued with an ex-
tremely positive trend, recording a number of average days of 
training per capita of 8.3 (vs. 8.2 in 2014 and 7.2 in 2013), thus 
for the third consecutive year surpassing the target of 7 days 
on average per capita promised in the Industrial Plan, which 
was only expected to be achieved from 2015. 
With  reference  to  the  people  involved,  the  average  days  of 
training for blue collars in 2015 rose to 9.4 (vs. 9.2 in 2014 and 
7.1 in 2013), and also the number of average days for manage-
ment and white collars increased, reaching in 2015 4.8 (vs. 4.3 

in 2014 and 7.5 in 2013). 
Pirelli  intends  to  maintain  increasingly  structured  homoge-
neity of the training offer, continuing in the coming years to 
deliver a number of average days of training per capita greater 
than or equal to 7 and reaching, with at least one day per capi-
ta, 90% of employees by 2017. In 2015, training involved 87% of 
the workforce (vs. 80% in 2014) with at least one day on aver-
age per capita and recorded a use of courses that substantially 
reflects  the  gender  distribution  of  Pirelli  employees,  with  a 
substantial balance in terms of equality of training access.
Lastly,  of  the  total  training  provided  by  Pirelli  in  2015,  ap-
proximately 78% was in the Professional Academies, with an 
increasing  focus  on  health,  safety  and  environment  topics, 
which amounted to 13% of total training hours delivered. 

Average days of training per capita3

Pirelli average

Pirelli average

2015
2015

2014
2015
2014

2014
2013
2013

2013

2015
2015

2014
2015
2014

2014
2013
2013

2013

2015
2015

2014
2015
2014

2014
2013
2013

2013

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Pirelli average

4

4

4

4

4

6

6

6

Blue Collars

Blue Collars

Blue Collars

6

6

4
6
White Collars

White Collars

White Collars

4,8
4,8

4,8

4,3
4,3

4,3

4

4

4

6

6

6

8,3
8,3

8,2
8,3
8,2

8,2

10

10

10

9,4
9,4

9,2
9,4
9,2

9,2

10

10

10

10

10

10

7,2
7,2
8
7,2
8

8

7,1
7,1
8
7,1
8

8

7,5
7,5
8
7,5
8

8

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

3  Includes Pirelli de Venezuela deconsolidated as of 31 December 2015.

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ListeNiNg: 
group opiNioN surveY

For years, Pirelli has consolidated the climate survey as a tool 
for active listening of its employees, as a basis for setting cen-
tral and local improvement plans. The annual survey is called 
“My Voice” and involves all Pirelli employees around the world. 
Questionnaire management is attributed to a third party, pro-
viding anonymity to the respondents. Pirelli then receives the 
results in aggregate form. 
The process related to My Voice involves the submitting of the 
questionnaire  to  employees  around  the  world  in  November/
December, the subsequent return of results from February of 
the following year, and the definition and implementation of 
specific  action  plans  by  Country/Function/Business  Unit  in 
the months until the following survey. 
The survey carried out at the end of 2015, which confirmed the 
positive trend of the overall response rate (87% vs. 85% in 2014 
and 61% in 2013) will involve communication of the results to 
employees in the first quarter of 2016 and the related report-
ing in the following financial statements. 
This report outlines the result of the survey conducted at the 
end of 2014 and the results of which were announced to em-
ployees in the first quarter of 2015. 
The  overall  response  rate  to  My  Voice  in  the  year  2014  was 
85%, showing sharp growth over 2013, mainly due to the sharp 
increase in participation among workers (+28.2%, from 56.7 % 
in 2013 to 84.9% in 2014).
As for the results, the global employee Trust Index with re-
spect to the Company stood at 60% in 2014, consisting of 60% 
among blue collars and 59% among white collars, slightly low-
er than the previous year but slightly higher than the bench-
mark of Italian multinational companies. 
The  results  of  the  survey  confirmed  the  characteristic  fea-
tures of Pirelli, already recognised in the 2013 survey, i.e. a 
workplace characterised by a strong sense of belonging and 
pride, full of resources for employees and attentive to health 
and  safety  management  and  diversity;  similarly,  the  survey 
confirmed the areas on which it is necessary to continue work-
ing, mainly related to the relationship between manager and 
employee, in terms of direct relation and recognition.
The results of the 2015 survey were communicated to all em-
ployees in detail and with the utmost transparency starting 
in  February  2015,  both  through  dedicated  communications 
on the company Intranet and through face-to-face meetings. 
Like every year, the areas for improvement identified for each 
specific country and functional area were thus analysed, and 
priorities  for  intervention  and  concrete  actions  were  defined 
with targets and precise implementation schedules.
In  December  2015,  Pirelli  Tyre  Co.  was  awarded  the  title  of 
“2015 Best Companies to Work For in Greater China”: this rec-

ognition was assigned by Great Place to Work - A consulting 
firm specialising in climate surveys - to 27 companies, select-
ed  from  a  panel  of  112  participating  companies  distributed 
throughout the territory of Hong Kong, Mainland China and 
Taiwan and belonging to 10 different industrial sectors. In the 
evaluation process, Great Place to Work® took into account the 
responses of the employees of the participating companies to 
the 58 statements that make up the Trust Index Survey. All HR 
teams and Senior Management of the participating companies 
were asked to complete a questionnaire on personnel manage-
ment policies and practices in place at each of the participat-
ing companies.

WeLFAre AND iNitiAtives 
For tHe iNterNAL 
CommuNitY

At organisational level, Pirelli for years has had the figure of 
the “Group Welfare Manager”, who is entrusted with the su-
pervision of welfare activities, jointly with the many central 
and local functions concerned, including Health and Safety at 
Work, Industrial Relations and Equal Opportunity Managers 
of the Group.
The welfare initiatives that Pirelli offers to its employees dif-
fer  from  country  to  country,  in  accordance  with  the  specific 
needs identified in different social contexts in which the affili-
ates operate. The focus below will be on the initiatives carried 
out in Italy.
In terms of tools that facilitate the use of initiatives by Employ-
ees, in 2015, a special section dedicated to welfare was set up 
on the company Intranet, where all Group Affiliates have the 
opportunity to promote and raise awareness of local activities.
Overall, welfare activities activated at Pirelli Affiliates in the 
world are related to four areas of action:

  health (e.g. health care, information and awareness cam-
paigns);
  family  (e.g.  scholarships,  summer  camps  for  employees’ 
children, inter-company crèche);
  free time (e.g. open days, sporting and cultural activities);
  workplace (e.g. flexible working hours, facility, individu-
al development training, cultural growth and group cel-
ebrations).

Historically, moreover, Pirelli at all its production units pro-
vides Infirmaries at which health and medical specialists are 
available to all employees during working hours. These facil-
ities provide counselling for health problems outside work as 
well as first aid care and health supervision for workers ex-
posed to specific risks. The infirmaries also support the var-
ious health-related promotional campaigns that are launched 
at local level, as well as prevention campaigns.

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As an example of welfare activities activated locally, the fol-
lowing is an outline of some of the initiatives implemented in 
Italy and in other Group countries in 2015.
In Italy:

  new policy for allocation of internal parking at Bicocca (Mi-
lan), drafted up as a result of input received from a dedi-
cated survey on mobility conducted among all employees;
  extension of the offering on the People Care portal, with 
new services and agreements (both national and local) and 
that of the “People Care for Bicocca” counter, which offers 
various  time-saving  services  at  special  prices  (laundry, 
reception of private parcels, shoemaker, payment of bills);
  extension  of  the  number  of  days  offered  as  part  of  the 
Bambini  in  Bicocca  (Children  at  Bicocca)  project,  which 
guarantees  babysitting/kids  club  service  for  employees’ 
children of school age (5-10) during school holidays;
  the  continuation  of  the  “#sentirmibene”  campaign  initia-
tives, launched in late 2014, which consist of a series of in-
itiatives to promote wellness and healthy lifestyles among 
employees; 
  The “Wellness@IPP” initiative, inaugurated in April 2015, 
which  offers  some  courses  (Pilates,  Yoga,  BackSchool)  to 
employees at discounted prices in the early-evening hours 
at the facilities of the Piero Pirelli Institute;
  2016 “A Year of Safety” calendar made at Bollate: distrib-
uted to all employees of the plant and the result of a photo 
shoot that involved some employees, along with their chil-
dren,  photographed  wearing  personal  protective  equip-
ment (PPE), confirming the constant attention and involve-
ment paid at all levels to safety at the factory;
  Open Day at the plant in Settimo Torinese, open to all em-
ployees and their families, which involved over 3,000 peo-
ple in the various activities on offer, including educational 
workshops, visits to the departments, games and music;
  The  activation  of  a  dedicated  tax  consultancy  counter  at 
Settimo  Torinese  and  the  opening  of  recreational  spaces 
such as the company library and football field.

In other countries where Pirelli operates:

  the “Employee Assistance & Wellbeing” programme called 
ICAS, launched in Mexico in September 2015: a consulting 
and  telephone  listening  service,  active  24/7,  which  pro-
vides counselling, support in the emotional and practical 
management of day-to-day activities and life management 
services  to  support  employees.  The  programme  is  con-
stantly  promoted  internally  through  electronic  and  print 
communications.
  The second “Deutsche Diversity Tag” organised in Germa-
ny in June 2015 in collaboration with the “Charta der Viel-
falt” organisation to promote and raise awareness among 
employees of the issue of diversity, also highlighting the 
ethnic and cultural wealth of Pirelli Deutschland. 

  Through  various  initiatives  (multi-ethnic  food  and  drinks 
banquets,  quizzes,  brochures)  during  the  2015  event,  the 
aim was to promote and stimulate the sharing of experienc-
es among those present with a view to mutual enrichment.
  the “Faz Bem” project: same as #sentirmibene Italian, for 
employees and their families, aimed at promoting the im-
provement of the quality of life and sporting activities in 
Brazil, in particular through various communication and 
engagement initiatives. 
  The  initiative  “Férias  Dirigidas  and  Acampamento  de 
Férias”: recreation and integration activities offered every 
year, at locations near the Brazilian plants, to the children 
of employees during working hours during school holidays 
and targeted at children/teenagers aged 6 to 17.

The well-being of workers also comes from a working environ-
ment that is psycho-socially adequate and stimulating, where 
they feel valued and in which psychosocial risks and work-re-
lated  stress  are  effectively  prevented  and  countered.  To  this 
end,  as  part  of  the  company’s  global  programme  called  “Ex-
cellence  in  Safety”,  in  partnership  with  DuPont  Sustainable 
Solutions, Pirelli performs in-depth analyses and acts on key 
areas  and  issues  such  as  improvement  of  the  organisational 
structure, clarity of tasks and roles, empowerment of workers, 
improvement of communication in the organisation, sharing of 
objectives and motivation with respect to a common strategy. 

iNDustriAL reLAtioNs

The Industrial Relations Policy adopted by the Group is based 
on respect for constructive dialogue, fairness and roles. Guar-
anteeing and respecting free trade union activities is one of 
the key values on which Pirelli bases its own Human Capital 
Management  System.  Relations  and  negotiations  with  trade 
unions  are  managed  locally  by  each  affiliate  in  accordance 
with the laws, national and/or company-level collective bar-
gaining agreements, and the prevailing customs and practices 
in  each  country.  At  this  level,  these  activities  are  supported 
by  the  central  departments,  which  coordinate  the  activities 
and  ensure  that  the  aforementioned  principles  are  observed 
throughout the Group. 
Industrial  Relations  also  have  an  active  role  in  the  Group’s 
commitment  in  terms  of  health  and  safety,  characterised  by 
active participation on the part of the union and workers. In 
fact,  80%  (vs.  79%  in  2014)  of  Group  employees  are  covered 
by representative bodies that periodically collaborate with the 
Company and the support of specialists in monitoring and con-
fronting current issues and the awareness plans/programmes, 
in view of continuous dialogue aimed at improving the various 
activities operated by Pirelli to protect the health and safety 
of its own workers. 

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Report on Value Chain Responsible Management  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

In 2015, the Industrial Relations activities reached important 
negotiating results both in Italy and abroad. Many collective 
agreements were renewed: in particular in Italy, the Compa-
ny’s role in the renewal of the national collective agreement 
of the Rubber Plastics sector for the three-year period 2016-
2018 was significant, as well as the negotiations that led to the 
renewal, without any conflict, of collective agreements in the 
United Kingdom, Brazil, Argentina, Venezuela, Mexico and, in 
January 2016, in Turkey.
During the year, the Company operated internationally to re-
balance the employment level, aligning it to the needs of vol-
ume related to high market volatility, maintaining a Group oc-
cupational balance at the end of 2015 in line with that of 2014. 
In  Italy,  the  Company  continued  with  the  organisational  ra-
tionalisation process at the production site in Bollate. In June 
2015, an agreement was signed with the trade unions at the 
factory  and  the  territorial  trade  unions  under  which  the  re-
balancing of the production mix with other types of premium 
tyres was agreed, in order to support the production revenues 
expected in the period 2016-2017. It was also agreed to adjust 
the management structure, with a new reference staff for the 
smooth operation of the business; excess staff were managed 
in a non-traumatic way through the extension of the solidari-
ty contract for the 2016-2017 two-year period. This agreement 
also includes the Company’s willingness to provide about 16 
hours of training per capita in the two-year period 2016-2017, 
aimed at professional growth, versatility and safety culture. 
In  Brazil,  the  Company  has  initiated  a  process  of  reorgan-
isation  in  the  face  of  the  crisis  of  the  country  that  has  also 
generated a sharp decline in consumption in the automotive 
industry  impacting  on  the  Tyre  market.  Specifically,  there 
was  a  production  rebalancing  and  the  consequent  downsiz-
ing  of  personnel,  both  of  staff  functions  and  within  the  es-
tablishments of Campinas, Santo André, Gravataí and Feira di 
Santana, acting primarily on reducing flexibility and on work 
organisation.  This  organisational  rationalisation,  managed 
through the trade union dialogue, was based on specific trade 
agreements at site level.
At the same time, in Romania, Mexico, China and Turkey, the 
Company increased the workforce acting on the organisation 
and production processes in line with market needs. In Italy, 
central Functions related to product research and development 
and innovation have been further strengthened.
As  part  of  the  announced  industrial  reorganisation  and  en-
hancement project by the Group aimed at giving independent 
importance to the Industrial Business (Truck, Agro and OTR 
tyres), in 2015, the Company informed union interlocutors in 
the  countries  concerned  about  the  planned  corporate  opera-
tions, with the creation of companies dedicated to the Indus-
trial Business and the related passage within them of all the 
assets, related activities and the workers engaged in this busi-
ness, with effect from January 1, 2016.

Lastly, it is noted that in March 2015, the sale process of the 
steel cord business to the Bekaert Group was completed, with 
the latest regulatory approvals also being obtained from the 
local authorities.

  European Works Council (EWC)  

The  Pirelli  European  Works  Council  (EWC),  formed  in  1998, 
holds  its  ordinary  meeting  once  a  year  after  presentation  of 
the Group Annual Financial Report, where it is informed about 
the operating performance, operating and financial forecasts, 
investments made and planned, progress in research, and, as 
occurred at the annual meeting in 2015, about the progress of 
the company’s Sustainability Plan. The agreement establishing 
the EWC provides for the possibility of holding other extraor-
dinary meetings to informal delegates in case of transnational 
events concerning significant changes to the corporate struc-
ture: opening, restructuring or closing of premises, important 
and widespread changes in work organisation. EWC delegates 
are provided with the IT tools they need to perform their duties 
and a connection to the corporate intranet system, for the re-
al-time communication of official Company press releases. 
In February 2015, the Council consisted of 13 members from 
the  offices  of  the  countries  entitled  to  representation  in  the 
Council, i.e.: Italy, Germany, Spain, Sweden, Romania and the 
United Kingdom.

  Compliance with Statutory and Contractual  
  Obligations Governing Overtime, Time  
  Off, Association and Negotiation, Equal  
  Opportunities and Non-Discrimination,  
  Bans on Child and Forced Labour  

Group policy has always promoted compliance with all legal 
and/or contractual requirements concerning working hours, 
the use of overtime and the right to regular days of rest. These 
requirements are often the subject of agreements with trade 
unions,  in  line  with  the  regulatory  context  of  each  country. 
There  are  no  restrictions  on  any  worker’s  right  to  use  his/
her total number of holidays. The holiday period is generally 
agreed between the worker and the Company. Pursuant to its 
Social  Responsibility  Policy  for  Occupational  Health,  Safety 
and Rights, and Environment and in accordance with the re-
quirements  of  the  International  Standard  SA8000®,  adopted 
in 2004 as a reference tool for the management of social re-
sponsibility within its affiliates, Pirelli verifies the application 
of the requirements in terms of respect for human and labour 
rights through periodic audits, both commissioned to special-
ised third-party companies and performed by the Internal Au-
dit Department. Particular attention is devoted to the sustain-
ability of Pirelli’s sites (and the company’s suppliers) operating 

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in emerging countries. The three-year internal auditing plan 
covers all Pirelli sites. Normally every audit is carried out by 
two auditors and takes three weeks on-site. The Internal Au-
dit Team received training on the environmental, social and 
business ethics elements of an audit from function directors 
to enable them to carry out an effective, clear and structured 
audit, granting Pirelli effective control over all aspects of sus-
tainability.  If  compliance  violations  are  found  during  these 
audits, an action plan is agreed between the local managers 
and central management, with precise implementation dates 
and responsibilities. The Internal Audit Department monitors 
the development of the shared action plans, through specific 
follow-ups.  All  managers  from  the  affiliates  involved  in  the 
audits are adequately trained and informed on the audit object 
and  procedures  by  the  applicable  central  functions,  in  par-
ticular: Sustainability and Industrial Relations. The external 
and internal auditors conduct audits based on a check-list of 
sustainability parameters derived from the SA8000® Stand-
ard,  from  “Pirelli  Policy  of  Social  Responsibility  for  Health, 
Safety and Rights at Work, Environment” and the Group “Val-
ues and Ethical Code”. 
Considering the last three years, in 2013, the Internal Audit 
Department  carried  out  audits  in  Argentina,  the  USA,  Ro-
mania and Brazil; in 2014, in Italy, the United Kingdom and 
China;  in  2015,  in  Mexico,  Russia  (Voronezh  plant)  and  the 
United Kingdom. In 2016, the audits will continue in Germa-
ny, Russia (Kirov plant) and the UK (follow-up). The non-con-
formities emerged in 2015 as a result of the audits mentioned 
above were the subject of the action plans agreed between the 
local managers and central management, and will be subject 
to follow-ups in 2016 by the Internal Audit Department. None 
of the audits revealed any breach of ILO Core Labour Stand-
ards, with specific reference to forced labour or child labour, 
freedom of association and collective bargaining, and non-dis-
crimination. 

  Labour and Social Security Lawsuits  

In 2015, as in previous years, the level of work and social se-
curity  litigation  remained  low.  Just  as  in  previous  years  the 
level of litigation remains high in Brazil, to the point of repre-
senting about 90% of all the labour lawsuits currently pend-
ing against the entire Group. Labour lawsuits are extremely 
common  in  this  country  and  depend  on  the  peculiarities  of 
the local culture. As such, they affect not only Pirelli but also 
the  other  multinational  companies  operating  there.  Labour 
lawsuits are generally initiated when an employment contract 
is  terminated,  and  they  usually  involve  the  interpretation  of 
regulatory,  legal  and  contractual  issues  that  have  long  been 
controversial.  The  Company  has  made  a  major  commitment 
to prevent and resolve these conflicts – to the extent possible – 
including through settlement procedures.

  Unionisation Levels and Industrial Action  

It is impossible to measure exactly the consolidated percent-
age of union membership at Group companies, since this in-
formation is not legitimately available in all countries where 
Pirelli has a presence (over 160 countries on five continents). 
However, it is estimated that around 50% of Pirelli employees 
are trade union members. As to the percentage of workers cov-
ered by collective agreement, in 2015 it stood at 80% (vs. 79% in 
2014). This figure is associated with the historical, regulatory 
and cultural differences between each country. 
Collective agreements were renewed without any conflict and 
strikes. The labour unrest in 2015 refers exclusively to Italian 
plants on support actions related to national issues of politi-
cal-union relevance (e.g. reform of the labour market)

  Occupational Retirement  
  and Health-Care Plans  

The Group has defined contribution and defined benefit funds, 
with a substantial prevalence of the former kind over the lat-
ter. To date, the only defined benefit plans are:

  in the United Kingdom, where the fund relating to the tyre 
business has been closed to new employees since 2001 for 
the  introduction  of  a  defined  contribution  scheme  (and 
closed to future accumulations for all active employees as 
of April 1, 2010), while the funds related to the cable busi-
ness sold in 2005 were closed to future accumulations in 
the same year.
  in  the  United  States,  where  the  fund  was  closed  in  2001 
(since 2003, it has not been tied to salary increases) for the 
introduction of a contribution scheme (and only applies to 
retired employees);
  in Germany, where the fund was closed to new hires from 
1982. 

Other defined benefit plans exist in Holland and Sweden, but 
they represent a relatively insignificant liability for the Group. 

The  Group  also  maintains  various  supplemental  health-care 
plans  at  its  affiliates  according  to  local  requirements.  These 
health-care  schemes  vary  from  country  to  country  in  terms 
of  allocation  levels  and  the  types  of  coverage  provided.  The 
plans are managed by insurance companies or funds created 
ad hoc, in which the Company participates by paying a fixed 
amount as is done in Italy, or an insurance premium as is done 
in Brazil and the United States. For the economic-equity meas-
urement of the above benefits, reference is made to the Con-
solidated  Financial  Statements,  notes  “Employee  funds”  and 
“Personnel Costs”.

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oCCupAtioNAL HeALtH, 
sAFetY AND HYgieNe

  Management Model and System  

The  Pirelli  approach  to  responsible  management  of  Health, 
Safety  and  Hygiene  at  Work  is  based  on  the  principles  and 
commitments stated in the Group “Values and Ethical Code”, 
in  the  “Social  Responsibility  Policy  for  Occupational  Health, 
Safety and Rights, and Environment” and in the “Quality Poli-
cy”, the texts of which are communicated to all Group employ-
ees in their local languages, and published in the Sustainabil-
ity section of the Pirelli website, to which reference is made to 
fully view the content.
The Safety at Work Management System, as well as the envi-
ronmental system introduced at the production units of Pirelli 
Tyre, was developed on the basis of procedures and Guidelines 
elaborated  centrally  in  order  to  consolidate  a  “common  lan-
guage” within the Group that ensures sharing, alignment and 
management efficiency. 
Pirelli  adopts  a  Safety  Management  System  structured 
and  certified  according  to  the  OHSAS  18001:2007  and  ISO 
14001:2004 Standards. All certificates are issued with ANAB 
international accreditation (ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation 
Board  -  US  accrediting  body).  Also  in  2015,  RINA  Services 
S.p.A. was the evaluator of conformity of Safety and Environ-
ment Management Systems of Pirelli Tyre. 
At the end of 2015 all the Pirelli Tyre production facilities are 
certified according to OHSAS 18001:2007 and ISO 14001:2004 
Standards with the exception of the facility in Rome (United 
States), where a management system is operative, applied un-
der the local regulations, which is similar to the OHSAS 18001 
Standard and such that an activity of parallel certification in 
the content would be of relative value. 
In  the  course  of  2015,  Pirelli  started  drafting  a  new  Policy, 
exclusively  focused  on  Health,  Safety  and  Environment”  (el-
ements  currently  covered  in  the  “Social  Responsibility  Pol-
icy  for  Occupational  Health,  Safety  and  Rights,  and  Envi-
ronment”).  The  new  Policy,  the  issue  of  which  was  initially 
scheduled for 2015, will instead be issued in 2016 in order to 
allow both proper alignment with the ISO14001:2015 standard 
and full congruence with the new corporate structures being 
finalised in 2016.

  Safety Culture  

The Zero Accidents Target is a strong and precise corporate 
position.  Pirelli  strongly  believes  that  leaders  play  a  strate-
gic  role  in  risk  prevention.  Their  behaviour  must  therefore 
be an example for all employees. From an industrial point of 
view, this objective is pursued through investments aimed at 

technical  improvement  of  work  conditions,  while  constantly 
insisting on the cultural and behavioural aspect of all Com-
pany players. 
Safety culture is of paramount importance: it is necessary to 
pursue it in accordance with the rules, while maintaining a 
very  clear  idea  of  everyone’s  responsibilities  to  themselves, 
others, and their own family. This approach, together with the 
involvement and continuous internal dialogue between man-
agement and workers, has allowed a sharp decline in histori-
cal injury indexes.
In support of the Management Model outlined above and with 
particular focus on the implementation of a standard approach 
to Behavioural Safety within the Group, in 2013, the Company 
signed a global agreement with DuPont Sustainable Solutions 
for  the  global  implementation  of  the  “Excellence  in  Safety” 
Programme, started in 2014 at sites in the United Kingdom, 
Venezuela, Argentina, Mexico, Turkey, Romania and extended 
in 2015 to all Group production sites. A specific Steering Com-
mittee, chaired by the Operations General Manager, monitors 
the progress of the programme.
In  particular,  in  2015,  in  addition  to  the  strengthening  and 
consolidation of the safety culture concepts based on conduct, 
the focus on Leading Indicators was further developed, namely 
measuring what preventive measures should be implemented 
and how this should be done, rather than Lagging Indicators, 
namely reactive indicators, such as the number or frequency 
of accidents.
The sharing of the Safety Culture was also supported by the 
communication of monthly newsletters like the Safety Bulle-
tin, and the periodic publication of significant events through 
the traditional channels of internal communication. 
As part of the collaboration with DuPont Sustainable Solutions, 
Pirelli is also developing the theme of prevention of psychoso-
cial risks and work-related stress. Some of the most important 
areas of intervention of the “Excellence in Safety” Programme 
are  in  fact  related  to  the  improvement  of  the  organisation-
al  structure,  the  clarity  of  the  tasks  and  roles,  empowering 
workers,  improving  communication  within  the  organisation, 
the sharing of objectives, motivation with respect to a common 
strategy:  all  substantial  issues  for  a  work  environment  that 
is  psycho-socially  appropriate  and  stimulating  for  workers. 
The management of work-related stress is also the subject of 
the European Agency Campaign for Health and Safety in the 
Workplace  (EU-OSHA)  for  the  2014-2015  two-year  period,  of 
which Pirelli was as usual a partner, once again confirming 
its commitment to promoting a healthy working environment 
in which employees feel valued and psychosocial risks are ef-
fectively prevented and countered.

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  Safety Training  

In addition to safety training offered locally at every Pirelli location (which is illustrated in the section of this report dedicated to 
employee training), special mention should be made of Group activities and projects, which simultaneously target several countries 
by allowing an alignment of culture and vision, fully benefiting pursuit of the Company’s own improvement targets. The Manu-
facturing Academy merits a special mention. This is the Pirelli Professional Academy dedicated to the sphere of factories, where 
health, safety and environment issues are discussed in detail. In 2015, the training on risk assessments related to machinery was 
completed. It should be noted that over 13% of the training provided by Pirelli in 2015 involved issues of Health and Safety at Work. 
In 2015, the seventh edition of the Pirelli Health, Safety and Environment world meeting was also held. The annual meeting was 
held at the Pirelli production centre in Silao, Mexico. The purpose of this meeting, which brings together all managers responsible 
for Health and Safety in the Group, is to pool the best practices applied by the various Pirelli sites in the world, with a view to pro-
moting continuous improvement.

  Monitoring of Performance  

Alongside  establishing  specific  guidelines  and  procedures  for  implementing  management  systems,  Pirelli  uses  the  web-based 
Health, Safety and Environment Data Management (HSE-DM) system, elaborated and managed centrally by the Health, Safety and 
Environment Department. This system makes it possible to monitor HSE performance and prepare numerous types of reports as 
necessary for management or operating purposes. 
The HSE-DM system collects all the information on accidents occurred at the factories, Group fitting Units, European and Brazilian 
Equities and logistics units managed directly by Pirelli (accident analysis, corrective action taken, etc.). If the dynamics of a par-
ticular case are significant, all the plants are not only provided with the information via a system called Safety Alert, but are also 
urged to conduct an internal audit as to whether conditions similar to the ones that caused the injury also exist at their plants and 
to define any possible corrective measures. By using this system, every site is able to audit the solutions adopted by other plants in 
order to share the best choices.

  Performance  

In 2015, Pirelli reached an Accident Frequency Index (FI) of 0.48 with a reduction of 6% compared to 2014 and 73% compared to 
2009. The target of the Industrial Plan and Sustainability Plan is for a reduction by 2020 in the Frequency Index of 90% compared 
to 2009. 
The Accident Frequency Index, analysed by gender, also in 2015 remains significantly lower for women than the Group average, 
reflecting the fact that the female population is generally engaged in activities with lower risk than the male population.
Below is a summary table of the FI values in the last three-year period:

Frequency Index (FI)

FI Male

FI Female

2015*

2014

2013

0.48

0.52

0.14

0.51

0.57

0.12

0.62

0.68

0.18

FI = number of accidents / hours actually worked x 100,000

The Accident Severity Index (SI) in the Group in 2015 was 0.16, substantially in line with the 2014 figure of 0.16.
Below is a summary table of the SI values in the last three-year period:

severity Index (sI)

0.16

0.16

0.18

2015*

2014

2013

The most representative injuries involve events resulting in contusions, cuts and fractures to upper limbs.
Both in the case of the Frequency Index and the Severity Index, Europe and Latin America have a higher rate than the other geo-
graphical areas where Pirelli operates (Africa, Asia, North America and Oceania), although it has been steadily declining for years. 

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With reference to commuting accidents and accidents involving temporary workers (not included in the calculation of the FI and 
SI mentioned above), the following table shows the total number registered in the group in the last three years. In particular, in 
2015, there were 19 accidents involving temporary workers at the Group and 157 commuting accidents; the latter were substantially 
related to road safety shortages in emerging countries.

Commuting accidents

Accidents with temporary workers

157

19

133

10

107

7

2015*

2014

2013

The Accident Frequency Index related to employees of external companies operating at the premises of the Group amounted to 0.37 
(below the average of the Pirelli Group), down from the value of 0.52 in 2014.

In 2015, the occupational diseases Frequency Index stood at a value of 0.07, corresponding to a few dozen people out of all the em-
ployees of the Group.

FI Occupational illnesses

0.07

0.04

0.09

2015*

2014

2013

As part of the production process, there were no workers with high incidence or high risk of diseases related to their occupation.

*: The performances also include those of the Venezuelan subsidiary, deconsolidated as of 31 December 2015.

  Fatalities  

  2015: there were two fatalities among employees of the group. One at the operating unit in Yanzhou (China), one at the operating 
unit in ATCO (Egypt), for which the Safety Alert process previously described was immediately activated in the Group.
  2014: there was no fatal accident involving Group employees or employees of independent contractors working at the Group’s 
operating sites.
  2013: there was no fatal accident involving Group employees or employees of independent contractors working at the Group’s 
operating sites.

115

  Best Practices 2015  

Six Pirelli manufacturing plants were “sites of excellence” in 2015, since no employees were injured there in the year:

  Breuberg MOTO (Germany)
  Camaçari (Brazil)
  Didcot (UK)
  Ecosil (Brazil)
  Sorocaba (Brazil)
  Ibiritè (Brazil)

These results should be attributed to the constant focus on leading indicators, namely in terms of prevention.

  Health and Safety Expenditure  

In the three-year period 2013-2015, expenditure for Health and Safety by the Group exceeded Euro 40 million, of which over 25% 
was invested in 2015.
The expenditure made targeted improvements on machines and plant and, more in general, the workplace environment as a whole (ex. 
improvement of microclimate and lighting conditions, changes in layout for ergonomic improvement of activities, measures to protect 
the healthfulness of infrastructure, etc.).

Report on Value Chain Responsible Management  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

  Health and Safety Targets  

  2020:  reduction  in  the  Accident  Frequency  Index  of  90% 
compared to 2009 (underway);
  2013-2015:  implementation  and  consolidation  of  the  sys-
tems BBS-Behaviour Based Safety, LOTO-LockOut/TagOut, 
POWRA-Point of Work Risk Assessment (underway);
  2014-2018:  global  implementation  of  the  “Excellence  in 
Safety” programme with Dupont (underway);
  2015-2017: completion of integration of Health, Safety and 
Environment KPIs for the sale/commercial/equities areas;
  2016: new issuance of Health, Safety and Environment Pol-
icy in alignment with the ISO14001:2015 Standard.

externaL 
coMMUnitY

iNstitutioNAL reLAtioNs 
oF tHe pireLLi group

In all the countries where Pirelli operates, the aim of Intui-
tional Affairs Department focuses on creating corporate value 
by managing structural relations with institutional stakehold-
ers so as to ensure adequate representation of their interests. 
In accordance with the Pirelli Values and Code of Ethics, all 
activities carry the imprint of criteria of utmost transparen-
cy, legitimacy and responsibility, both as regards information 
disseminated publicly and relations managed with institution-
al  contacts.  In  the  area  of  institutional  relations,  Pirelli  acts 
above all via active monitoring and in-depth analysis of the 
institutional and legislative context so as to verify any impli-
cations of concern and identify stakeholders of reference. In-
stitutional dialogue is further enhanced by projects and initi-
atives carried out in collaboration with institutional players in 
promoting and supporting corporate matters of public interest. 
The  most  important  of  the  tools  that  ensure  absolute  trans-
parency of lobbying processes, which are again in any event 
achieved  in  full  abidance  of  the  principles  ratified  in  the 
Group’s  “Code  of  Ethics”  and  Anti-corruption  Programme”,  is 
the implementation of the “Institutional Relations Policy - Cor-
porate  Lobbying”,  approved  in  February  2015  by  the  Pirelli 
Board  of  Directors.  The  Corporate  Lobbying  policy  describes 
the  principles  and  methods  for  representing  corporate  inter-
ests with public decision-makers in accordance with criteria of 
legitimacy, propriety and transparency. All initiatives of rep-
resentation take advantage additionally of the collaboration of 
the legal and internal audit Functions in addition to being in 
line with international best practices (International Corporate 
Governance Network) and, of course, in full compliance with 
laws  and  regulations  in  the  countries  where  Pirelli  operates. 

The “Lobbying Policy” is published on the Pirelli website.
The widespread geographic distribution of the Pirelli Group’s 
industrial  and  economic  interests  requires  a  multi-level  ap-
proach,  made  via  an  extended  ramification  of  institutional 
relations  thus  concerning  a  domestic,  community  and  inter-
national dimension. 
Pirelli  Institutional  Affairs  Department  contributes  active-
ly  to  the  global  political-economic  debate  and  additionally 
keeps  watch  over  developments  in  the  main  matters  of  cor-
porate interest, also thanks to collaboration with various se-
lected  think  tanks  that  are  recognised  worldwide,  including 
in particular collaboration with the Institute for International 
Political studies, the International Affairs Institute, The Trilat-
eral Commission, The Foundation for the Analysis, Study and 
Research  into  Reform  of  Democratic  Institutions,  the  Aspen 
Institutes and the Italy-China Foundation. 
In  Italy,  the  Group  interacts  with  a  system  of  relations  that 
involve the main institutional bodies at both central and lo-
cal levels. In the area of Parliament, attention is above all fo-
cused on analysing corporate interests present in legislative 
processes  and  initiatives  of  the  Standing  Committees  of  the 
Chamber  and  Senate.  At  times,  Institutional  Affairs  Depart-
ment  intervenes  in  parliamentary  business  to  enhance  the 
awareness  of  technical  information,  studies  and  specialist 
analyses pertaining to the Group’s business. 
In  the  area  of  government,  Pirelli  has  constant  contact  with 
the structures of the Presidency of the Council, the main Min-
istries of reference and the entities that correlate therewith. 
Especially  important  among  the  usual  activities  performed 
are  the  initiatives  promoted  in  the  matters  of:  questions  re-
lating  to  the  Group’s  industrial  development;  promoting  and 
strengthening international relations in countries where the 
Group  is  present  with  industrial  sites,  analysing  and  study-
ing in-depth impacts relating to the regulatory governance of 
tyres and their entire life-cycle; matters relating to road safety 
and environmental sustainability, both as regards production 
processes and in respect of the product itself. 
Relations  with  European  Institutions  focus  on  consolidating 
relations  with  stakeholders  and  monitoring  legislation.  The 
ongoing dialogue and discussion with the Commission and the 
European Parliament concern a wide range of matters of cor-
porate  interest;  transport,  energy  and  environmental  policy, 
industrial policy, research and innovation. During the various 
stages of processing and forming European regulation, Pire-
lli  represents  Group  interests  with  Community  stakeholders 
with an approach that is at all times directed towards utmost 
transparency and propriety. 
The  Pirelli  Group  is  filed  with  the  European  Registry  for 
Transparency,  which  was  set  up  by  an  institutional  agree-
ment by and between the European Parliament and the Eu-
ropean Commission. 
At an international level Pirelli interacts with the main con-

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tacts in the countries where its production sites are located. 
When  necessary,  the  Group  encourages  moments  of  discus-
sion and dialogue directed towards mutual understanding and 
with the purpose of promoting representation of its interests 
through a strategy based on a clear perception of its business. 
Referring to the initiatives of greatest importance during the 
course of the year in Italy, the Group headquarters, the follow-
ing stand out:

Visit to the R&D laboratories in Bicocca, Milan
Last  February  Italy’s  Prime  Minister  visited  the  Research 
and Development Centre at Pirelli-Bicocca as part of a series 
of initiatives directed towards Italian industrial excellences, 
which  represent  the  heart  of  the  technological  innovation  of 
the Group’s products and processes.

EXPO 2015 and the Charter of Milan
Pirelli hosted the “Expo of ideas” Day within the prestigious 
HangarBicocca as part of a project for collaboration with the 
Ministry for Agriculture Policy and Forests, sought as prepa-
ration for the initiatives of the Universal Exhibition 2015. 
HangarBicocca  was  selected  due  to  its  natural  vocation  for 
hosting  important  international  events  and  was  in  this  way 
the  backdrop  for  the  most  important  event  for  defining  the 
content of EXPO 2015 and the charter of Milan. The initiative 
was set up entirely by Pirelli and witnessed the participation 
of 500 experts and high-level intuitional representatives from 
the whole world 

Festival of Innovation and Science in Settimo Torinese.
Again  in  2015,  to  follow  up  the  rich  collaboration  with  local 
institutions, Pirelli took an active part in bringing to fruition 
the Festival of Innovation and Science. The Festival provided 
an opportunity to institutional authorities and the local com-
munity to appreciate and acknowledge the excellences of the 
Settimo Torinese plant. 

Pirelli and ChemChina
Again in Italy, and to ensure the communication of informa-
tion to all institutional stakeholders, the Prime Minister and 
the main Ministries of reference were given indications con-
cerning Pirelli’s involvement in the market transaction under-
taken by Camfin, ChemChina and other partners. Among the 
other  topics  set  out  for  parliamentary  bodies  it  was  possible 
to underscore the opportunities and industrial prospects and 
guarantee of continuity of the Group’s presence in Italy.
By way of testimony to the entrepreneurial and economic ties 
between Italy and China, Pirelli then, at the invitation of the 
Chinese  authorities,  took  part  in  the  celebration  of  the  45th 
anniversary of diplomatic relations between Italy and China, 
organised at the Zuccari Hall of the Senate of the Republic.

  International Activities  

With  a  view  to  prioritising  relations  with  the  institutions  of 
the countries where it is present, Pirelli encourages and takes 
part in initiatives for international promotion achieved by the 
Italian  Government  and  Governments  of  the  counties  where 
industrial sites are located.
In terms of “economic diplomacy”, besides a series of bilateral 
initiatives, Pirelli takes an active part in a number of Business 
Councils with Egypt, Mexico, Thailand and China. 
In particular Pirelli has been awarded the Chair of the Busi-
ness  Council  with  Mexico,  a  country  where  the  Group  pos-
sesses an important industrial installation for producing car 
tyres. During its term as chair Pirelli has sought to promote 
specific initiatives aimed at developing contacts between the 
entrepreneurial activities of the two countries, with a meeting 
of the Italy – Mexico Business Council in the historic Palazzo 
Clerici, the offices of the Institute for Studies of International 
Politics, which hosted the event. At the conclusion of the meet-
ing  of  entrepreneurs  a  select  delegation  of  Italian  and  Mex-
ican  entrepreneurs  took  part  in  a  restricted  meeting  in  the 
presence  of  the  President  of  the  United  Mexican  States,  the 
Mexican Minister of the Economy, the Italian Prime Minister 
and the Minister for Economic Development. The meeting was 
followed by the conference “Italy & Mexico: Common Pathways 
in Global Development”, organised in collaboration with ISPI.
Further confirmation of the active role also played in the field 
of  economic  and  commercial  relations  with  countries  where 
it is present, in the area of the Italy – Egypt Business Council, 
Pirelli  took  part  in  a  series  of  events  attended  by  important 
institutional Egyptian and Italian players, where it was pos-
sible to study matters tied to the development of political and 
economic cooperation between the two countries in-depth. A 
further significant step was provided by the Group taking part 
in the Sharm el Sheik summit of the Egypt Economic Develop-
ment Conference.
When the Formula 1 Gran Prix was held in Sochi, a select rep-
resentation of the Top Management of Pirelli met the President 
of the Russian Federation. The occasion allowed the authori-
ties in attendance to get to know the technological challenges 
the Group deals with in Formula 1 and its industrial commit-
ment in the country. 
Worthy  of  mention  was  the  visit  made  by  the  Prime  Minis-
ter  of  the  Russian  Federation,  the  Minister  for  Industry  and 
Commerce and the Italian Ambassador to Russia to the Pirelli 
Installation at Voronezh, which is used for producing car and 
winter tyres.
Pirelli naturally continues its relations with the United States 
of America through the activities of the USA Pavilion, which 
contributed  to  bringing  various  initiatives  organised  by  the 
Consulate  of  the  United  States  of  America  in  Milan  and  the 
State  Department  to  fruition.  The  most  important  initiatives 

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include the visit to EXPO by the First Lady and the American 
Secretary of State. In the context of the latter, Marco Tronchetti 
Provera  took  part,  together  with  a  select  group  of  entrepre-
neurs, in the Executive Forum at Expo held in the presence of 
the Secretary of State. This was a moment of discussion and 
dialogue of special significance in the light of the many chal-
lenges facing both countries on a global scale.
Again,  in  the  international  area,  Pirelli  intervened  during 
the  State  visit  to  Indonesia  by  the  President  of  the  Republic 
of Italy, accompanied by the Minister for Economic Develop-
ment. In this country, the Group has recently set in motion an 
important joint venture with PT Astra Otoparts for producing 
motorcycle tyres. During the State visit, Pirelli also signed a 
Memorandum of Understanding as part of the forum on oppor-
tunities for bilateral economic cooperation. 
By way of tribute to the deep bonds of belonging with Brazil, 
where the Group boasts a historic industrial presence, Pirelli 
supported a series of projects promoted by the Roman Ambas-
sador and the Consulate of Brazil in Milan to support Brazilian 
culture in Italy.

priNCipAL iNterNAtioNAL 
CommitmeNts  
For sustAiNABiLitY

The  attention  of  Pirelli  to  sustainability  is  also  expressed 
through participation in numerous projects and programmes 
promoted  by  international  organisations  and  institutions  in 
the  area  of  social  responsibility.  The  following  are  some  of 
the  main  commitments  undertaken  by  the  Group  worldwide 
(numerous  activities  and  agreements  existing  locally  at  the 
affiliated companies are not included).

  UN Global Compact Lead  

In addition to being an active member of the Global Compact 
since  2004,  Pirelli  is  part  of  the  Global  Compact  Lead  Com-
panies,  an  initiative  launched  in  2011  at  the  World  Econom-
ic Forum in Davos by United Nations Secretary-General Ban 
Ki-moon, where it has been on the Steering Committee since 
2013. Pirelli endorses the “Blueprint for Corporate Sustainabil-
ity Leadership”, which offers leadership guidelines envisaged 
in  the  Global  Compact  to  inspire  advanced  and  innovative 
sustainability performance in terms of management capacity 
for the creation of sustainable value. In 2015, Pirelli actively 
participated in the following Lead projects:

  Realizing Long-Term Value for Companies and Investors, 
a joint initiative of the UN Global Compact and the United 
Nations Principles for Responsible Investment (UNPRI) in 
which Pirelli has the role of co-chair, aimed at improving 
communication between companies, the market and inves-

tors on environmental, social and governance issues;
  Roadmap for Integrated Sustainability, a project that aims 
to create tools for full sustainability integration in the ac-
tivities of individual company functions;
  Post-2015  Development  Agenda,  in  which  the  Lead  Com-
panies work on the alignment between development of the 
business and Development Goals;

Participation in this project has led Pirelli to have an active 
role in the drafting of the new Sustainable Development Goals 
(SDGs). The objectives for sustainable development were pre-
sented in New York in September 2015 and will accompany the 
activities of sustainable companies until 2030. In early 2016, 
the UN Global Compact will publish the Industry Matrix of the 
transport sector, a document which describes examples of ap-
plication of the SDGs to company activities; Pirelli contributed 
to the latter publication sharing various business case studies 
related to activities carried out in 2015.
Since 2014, Pirelli has been a Founding Participant of the SSE 
Corporate  Working  Group,  the  group  of  companies  that  pro-
vide their own evaluations and indications as part of the Sus-
tainable Stock Exchanges (SSE) initiative promoted by UNPRI, 
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, United 
Nations  Environment  Programme  Finance  initiative  and  the 
UN Global Compact. The initiative is based on a platform for 
exchange  of  ideas  and  assessments,  which  aims  to  increase 
the attention of world stock markets, investors, regulators and 
companies to the sustainable performance of companies.

  ETRMA – European Tyre and Rubber 
  Manufacturers Association  

ETRMA is the main partner of the EU institutions for the sus-
tainable development of new European policies for the sector 
and  for  their  proper  implementation.  With  the  institutional 
support of the Pirelli Group, in 2015 the association continued 
to raise awareness of the European Commission and Europe-
an Union Member Countries on the implementation of market 
surveillance  for  monitoring  compliance  with  regulations  on 
the  general  safety  of  vehicles  and  tyres  and  on  energy  effi-
ciency, as well as the labelling of tyres in European countries, 
and  through  the  strengthening  of  the  partnership  with  the 
national associations of the sector of which Pirelli is an active 
member. 
In 2015, ETRMA continued providing support to the implemen-
tation of the new CARS 2020 (Competitive Automotive Regula-
tory System) strategy, whose challenges include access to raw 
materials, the need for new skills and greater work flexibility, 
sustainability of production processes and the need to ensure 
compliance  with  new  and  sophisticated  product  regulations 
focused on safety and environmental impact. The CARS 2020 
strategy is part of the Europe 2020 strategy, in which ETRMA 

118

 
is equally involved. It aims at defining the economic and social 
actions of the European Union over the next decade and the 
programme  of  activities  to  raise  awareness,  for  example,  of 
road safety and sustainable mobility. 
In the area of new skills, the European Automotive Skills Coun-
cil was created, of which ETRMA is an active part. Moreover, 
ETRMA is heavily involved in the implementation of the Emis-
sion Trading Scheme, with the aim of reducing the economic 
impact of European energy policies and the European Innova-
tion Partnership on Raw Materials and guaranteeing fair and 
unrestricted access to key raw materials for the sector. Finally, 
the  association  is  successfully  promoting  sustainable  manu-
facturer  responsibility  practices  for  the  management  of  end-
of-life  tyres,  thanks  to  which  Europe  maintains  a  more  than 
95% recovery rate, through close collaboration with the various 
operating partnerships existing in European countries. 
The good ETRMA and European practices constitute an inter-
national benchmark.

  IRSG – International Rubber Study Group  

Pirelli is a member of the Industry Advisory Panel of the In-
ternational Rubber Study Group (IRSG), an intergovernmental 
organisation that brings together rubber producers and con-
sumers, acting as a valuable platform for discussion on issues 
regarding  the  supply  and  demand  for  natural  and  synthetic 
rubber. It is the principal source of information and analysis 
on all aspects related to the rubber industry. 
Under IRSG, Pirelli has since 2012 engaged, inter alia, in the 
Sustainability Rubber Project, which aims to create a Global 
Standard of Sustainable Management for the rubber industry. 
In May 2014, during the World Rubber Summit, the initiative 
Sustainable Natural Rubber was officially launched, based on 
the recommendations of the Heads of Delegation and the In-
dustry Advisory Panel. The aim of the initiative is to achieve 
the application of a voluntary standard on sustainable natural 
rubber which is valid for all stakeholders and complementa-
ry to economic, social and environmental programmes being 
promoted in the producing nations. During 2015, the pilot test 
started on voluntary basis and involved all the stakeholders 
of the supply chain. It should be mentioned that about 85% of 
natural rubber is produced by small farmers owning less than 
3 hectares of land; the decision to plant trees and produce nat-
ural rubber therefore depends on opportunity cost and there-
fore an adequate long-term plan to ensure stable growth that 
must be based on sustainability. In this context, the coopera-
tion within the industry is very precious.

Report on Value Chain Responsible Management  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

  WBCSD – World Business Council  
  for Sustainable Development  

Pirelli again actively participated in the WBCSD (World Busi-
ness Council for Sustainable Development) in 2015. This is a Ge-
neva-based  association  of  about  200  multinational  companies 
based in over 30 countries that have made a voluntary commit-
ment to link economic growth to sustainable development. 
In particular, Pirelli endorses two projects: Tire Industry Pro-
ject and Sustainable Mobility Project 2.0. 
The Tire Industry Project (TIP), whose members account for 
about 70% of global production capacity of tyres, was launched 
in 2005 with the objective to seizing, but above all anticipat-
ing,  the  challenges  of  sustainable  development  through  the 
assessment of the potential impact on health and environment 
of tyres throughout their life cycle. The project also extends 
its evaluation activities to raw materials, tyre debris and na-
no-materials. 
On  the  latter  issue,  in  collaboration  with  the  Organization 
for  Economic  Co-Operation  and  Development  (OECD),  a  spe-
cific  guide  was  developed  for  the  sectors  that  contains  best 
practices  of  reference  for  research,  development  and  in-
dustrialisation  of  new  nano-materials,  so  as  to  ensure  that 
the  use  of  any  nano-material  is  safe  for  people  and  the  en-
vironment;  the  document  is  available  at  the  link  http://
www.oecd.org/chemicalsafety/nanosafety/nanotechnolo-
gy-and-tyres-9789264209152-en.htm . 
The TIP group members also continued promotion in emerg-
ing  countries,  particularly  in  China,  the  largest  automotive 
market in the world, of best practices in the management of 
End of Life Tyres (ELT), on enhancing their recovery and re-
use  as  a  resource  (secondary  raw  material),  with  the  aim  of 
reducing the exploitation of raw materials and the attendant 
environmental impact. 
The Sustainable Mobility Project 2.0 (SMP 2.0), in which Pire-
lli  has  participated  since  2013,  has  developed  a  vision  up  to 
2050 linked to an idea of urban mobility that is universally 
accessible and with low environmental impact, as regards the 
transport of both passengers and goods in an urban context. 
The three-year project (2013-2015) involves international com-
panies in the automotive, auto & parts, transportation, oil & gas 
and information and communication technology sectors. The 
project led to the development of a set of sustainable mobility 
indicators,  the  creation  of  a  “tool  box”  of  solutions  available 
in the public domain as the result of in-house innovation and 
led to the identification of six pilot cities (Hamburg, Bangkok, 
Campinas,  Chengdu,  Indore,  Lisbon),  with  which  a  coopera-
tion project has been started for the development of their sus-
tainable  mobility  plans.  Among  the  six  pilot  cities  selected, 
Campinas (Brazil), in addition to being the site of an important 
Group plant, sees Pirelli taking on the role of task force lead-
er for the project. At the conclusion of the project in January 

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2016, a stakeholder dialogue will be organised with key local 
stakeholders, with the aim of sharing the results of the project 
and drawing attention to sustainable mobility, road safety and 
highly pollutant emissions.

  EU-OSHA – European Agency for Safety  
  and Health at Work  

For  the  seventh  consecutive  year,  Pirelli  continued  to  be  an 
official  partner  of  the  European  Occupational  Safety  and 
Health Agency (EU-OSHA) in 2015. Every two years the Agen-
cy tackles a different issue. The 2014-2015 campaign “Healthy 
Workplaces Manage Stress” focused on the issue of stress and 
psychosocial risks in the workplace and aimed to encourage 
employers, executives, and workers and their representatives 
to collaborate together towards the management of these risks. 
In endorsing the Campaign and launching a series of targeted 
initiatives,  Pirelli  confirmed  its  commitment  to  promoting  a 
healthy work environment, where employees feel valued and 
psychosocial risks are effectively prevented and countered.

  CSR Europe  

Since  2010,  Pirelli  has  been  a  member  of  the  Board  of  CSR 
Europe,  represented  by  the  Group  Sustainability  and  Risk 
Governance Director. CSR Europe is a network of companies 
in Europe that are leaders in the area of corporate social re-
sponsibility.  Its  members  include  fifty-nine  multinational 
companies and forty-five national partner organisations from 
thirty-five European countries. In addition to several collab-
orative  projects  between  companies  to  improve  the  perfor-
mance of company management, CSR Europe has placed the 
priority on the European campaigns “Skills for Jobs” and “Sus-
tainable Living in Cities”, as well as on the “Enterprise 2020” 
initiative, recognised by the European Commission as a par-
ticularly important example of Business Leadership to support 
the achievement of the policy objectives of Europe. 
Through Enterprise 2020, CSR Europe promotes collaboration, 
innovation  and  in  order  to  shape  the  contribution  of  compa-
nies  to  the  Europe  2020  strategy  for  intelligent,  sustainable 
and inclusive growth. The strategy outlined by CSR Europe to 
achieve the 2020 objectives of the European Union has been 
reaffirmed  in  the  “Enterprise  Manifesto  2020”  presented  in 
Milan in June 2015 during the conference “Last Call to Europe 
2020”. The manifesto was followed by the “Enterprise Summit 
2020” in November, an event during which Pirelli formalised 
its role as co-initiator of the “European Pact for Youth”, long 
advocated by the European Commission and aimed at support-
ing the increase of youth employment through education and 
training as essential tools to adapt the competences of young 
people to the new expectations of the market. In this context 
the active collaborations between Pirelli and the different uni-

versities around the world is central.
Thanks to its acknowledged expertise in the field of social and 
environmental  responsibility,  Pirelli  chose  CSR  Europe  to  or-
ganise the Pirelli Global Stakeholder Dialogue, which is taking 
place in Brussels in February 2016. The results of the stakehold-
er dialogue will be published on the Group’s website in 2016.

  International Commitments  
  against Climate Change  

For  years  Pirelli  has  renewed  its  commitment  to  the  fight 
against  climate  change,  promoting  the  adoption  of  adequate 
energy policies for the reduction of CO2 emissions. 
During 2015, Pirelli continued with the “Road to Paris 2015” 
project, in which the company participated the previous year 
by signing three initiatives that are consistent with and relat-
ed to its sustainable development strategy:

  Responsible Corporate Engagement in Climate Policy;
  Put a Price on Carbon;
  Climate  Change  Information  in  Mainstream  Filings  of 
Companies Communication.

In  accordance  with  these  initiatives,  during  2015,  Pirelli 
joined  the  “Business  for  COP  21  Initiative”  and  participated 
in various side events organised in Paris during the Climate 
Change Conference of the United Nations.
In 2014, the company signed the “Trillion Tonne Communiqué”, 
an  initiative  coordinated  by  the  Prince  of  Wales’s  Corporate 
Leaders Group and managed by the University of Cambridge. 
The document requires that global emissions over the next 30 
years  should  remain  below  the  trillion  tonnes  of  greenhouse 
gases  in  order  to  avoid  a  rise  in  average  global  temperature 
higher than 2°C and thus avoid disruptive climate impacts that 
are inevitably associated. In 2012, Pirelli signed The “Carbon 
Pricing  Communiqué”;  in  2011  it  signed  the  “2nd  Challenge 
Communiqué”,  while  in  2010  it  signed  the  “Cancún  Commu-
niqué”, in 2009 it signed the “Copenhagen Communiqué” and 
in 2007 it signed the “Bali Communiqué”, the first document 
for the development of concrete strategies through joint work 
by Governments on a comprehensive global climate agreement.

CompANY iNitiAtives  
For tHe exterNAL 
CommuNitY

As specified in the Group “Values and Ethical Code”, Pirelli pro-
vides support to educational, cultural, and social initiatives for 
promoting personal development and improving living stand-
ards. The Company does not provide contributions, advantages, 
or  other  benefits  to  political  parties  or  trade  union  organisa-
tions,  or  to  their  representatives  or  candidates,  this  without 

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prejudice to its compliance with any relevant legislation. 
Since the founding in 1872, Pirelli has been aware of its im-
portant role in the promotion of civil progress in all the com-
munities where it operates and, capitalising on the Company’s 
natural  strengths,  it  has  identified  three  focus  areas:  road 
safety,  technical  training  and  solidarity  through  sporting 
activities for young people. Pirelli for some years has adopt-
ed  an  internal  procedure  to  regulate  Group  companies’  con-
tributions to the External Community, in relation to the roles 
and responsibilities of the functions involved, the operational 
process of planning, realising and monitoring the initiatives 
and the disclosures regarding the same. Essential support in 
the identifying of the actions that best satisfy local require-
ments comes from the dialogue with locally operating NGOs. 
Priority is given to those initiatives whose positive effects on 
the External Community are tangible and measurable accord-
ing to objective criteria. The internal procedure also specifies 
that no initiatives may be taken in favour of beneficiaries for 
whom there is direct or indirect evidence of violation of hu-
man rights, worker rights, environmental protection or busi-
ness ethics.

  Road safety  

Pirelli  is  synonymous  worldwide  not  only  with  high  perfor-
mance,  but  also  safety.  Together  with  environmental  protec-
tion, road safety is the key element of the Green Performance 
strategy that inspires the Group’s industrial and commercial 
choices.  Pirelli’s  commitment  to  road  safety  takes  the  form 
of  numerous  training  and  awareness-raising  activities,  but 
above  all  it  translates  into  research  and  the  ongoing  appli-
cation  of  innovative  technological  solutions  for  sustainable 
transport. Pirelli is also highly focused on the achievement of 
road accident reduction objectives identified by the European 
Commission  in  the  European  Road  Safety  Charter,  of  which 
the Company is a signatory with the following undertakings:

  contribute to consumer knowledge about the fundamentals 
of road safety, through experience and safe driving courses;
  increase the awareness of young drivers on the causes of 
road accidents through specific initiatives. 
  provide information material on winter road safety at the 
points of sale, with the support of the Pirelli website (po-
tential reach of 9 million users worldwide in one year) and 
sites dedicated to information on winter ordinances;
  organise training seminars, in collaboration with associ-
ations, on issues of road safety related to the tyre and its 
related uses;
  train international dealers on the importance of the tyre 
in  road  safety  and  the  performance  differences  between 
winter  and  summer  tyre;  the  activity  has  been  ongoing 
for over two years and has involved most of the countries 
in which Pirelli has a direct presence; in 2015 there were 

more than 700 classroom training courses for dealers from 
around the world with more than 14,000 participants;
  actively participate in national programmes on road safety, 
in agreement with associations, institutions, universities, 
manufacturers  of  cars  and  motorcycles  or  collaborating 
with  law  enforcement  agencies  for  the  preparation  of  a 
useful module for detection of the state of use of the tyre.

In  Italy,  Pirelli  has  developed  a  training  programme  in  the 
area dedicated to dealers, with a focus on safety and perfor-
mance differences between summer tyres, winter and All Sea-
son. The Company also dealt with the definition of summer/
winter tests by Assogomma and actively participated in road 
tests with the involvement of government agencies, journalists 
and specialists in the automotive sector. As in previous years, 
also  in  2015,  Pirelli  dedicated  a  website  to  the  collection  of 
updates  related  to  the  winter  ordinances  in  force  on  Italian 
territory (www.ordinanzeinvernali.it). 
In Turkey, Pirelli has continued an extensive e-learning pro-
ject on road safety and the importance of the tyre at university 
level called “Traffic is Life - Traffic Safety”: the course, eligible 
for university credits, was introduced in 14 universities and 
taken by almost 16,000 students. 
In Russia, Pirelli has promoted, with the collaboration of the 
traffic police, a day in favour of “defensive driving”, which in-
volved more than 1,200 people. Also in Russia, in Kirov, Pirelli 
organised a “Picnic Tour” to promote safe driving and the “I 
Myself” rally, dedicated entirely to women, with the main ob-
jective of promoting compliance with the rules of good driving. 
In  Poland,  Pirelli  has  sponsored  an  art  competition  on  the 
theme of safe driving, and in the UK, Pirelli sponsored “Tyre 
Safe”, an initiative to promote road safety. 
In 2015, when Formula 1 returned to Mexico, Pirelli launched a 
highly successful educational programme on road safety that 
involved the use of F1 driving simulators. 
In  regard  to  heavy  vehicle  transport,  in  2015  Pirelli  Truck 
continued the activities it had already undertaken in previous 
years, dedicated to sustainable mobility and road safety. There 
is an important tutorial on Pirelli CyberFleet system on the pi-
relli.com/tyre website, which offers fleet managers the oppor-
tunity to quantify the benefits of a correct measurement of the 
pressure and temperature of the tyres in terms of regularity 
of  wear,  fuel  economy  and  road  safety.  In  parallel,  meetings 
have been organised during the year at European level with 
fleets and dealers, aimed at raising awareness on sustainabil-
ity  in  freight  transport  through  the  introduction  of  tools  for 
tyre pressure monitoring (Cyber and FleetCheck systems). 
There were many initiatives in favour of education for road safe-
ty also by the Pirelli Motorcycle Business Unit, which in 2015 
continued the collaboration with driving schools for the devel-
opment of practical and safe on-road and off-road experience. 

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  Training  

The  promotion  of  technical  education  and  training  are  old 
values that are well-established in the history of Pirelli. The 
Group continues to benefit from technical and research coop-
eration with various Universities around the world, beginning 
with the Milan and Turin Polytechnic Universities, and also 
the Shandong University in China and the University of Craio-
va and the Politehnica of Bucharest in Romania, among others. 
In 2015, in Italy, the collaboration with Università di Milano 
Bicocca led to the patent of a new super compound for tyres 
based on nano-particles. The new compound is the result of a 
three-year study conducted with the University of Prague and 
carried out in the scope of activities of the PhD in Science and 
Nanotechnology of Materials of the university of Milan.
In Romania, Pirelli has collaborations with several local uni-
versities that have led to the creation of an academy for infor-
mation  technology  and  an  automotive  Masters’  course  with 
scholarships  and  internships.  During  the  year,  the  “Train 
Yourself for Success” programme involved 43 students from 
Alexe Marin College and Metallurgic College in Slatina. The 
training focused on electrical and mechanical skills required 
in the production process at the factory, as well as modules 
on Health, Safety and Environment and emergency manage-
ment. More than 28 students were selected for recruitment 
at the factory. In collaboration with local authorities, Pirelli 
also participates in the START programme, aimed at train-
ing the unemployed.
Technical training has a fundamental role in the creation of a 
skilled labour pool needed to maximise plant productivity. In 
Mexico, the Piero Pirelli Institute for technical training was 
inaugurated,  in  the  presence  of  the  Governor  of  the  State  of 
Guanajuato. Within the institute, which will have an impor-
tant role in the Silao community, there will be numerous class-
rooms, a showroom on the process, materials and 3D models of 
the product, workshops and production workstations that will 
use  both  virtual  reality  and  physical  warehouse  simulators, 
service areas and offices.
In Egypt, Pirelli carried out a major restoration project at the 
school in El-Bieda. In particular, the restoration is focused on 
health  facilities,  the  playground,  gardens,  exterior  painting 
and polycarbonate windows. 
In Turkey, Pirelli has also managed a restoration, in this case 
of the Turk Pirelli Primary School. Furthermore, also in Tur-
key teaching programmes in technical schools were organised 
by expert volunteers from Pirelli and involved 60 students. 
In Russia, Pirelli bought machinery for a carpentry class.
In Brazil, Pirelli supports Educandario Imaculado Coracao de 
Maria in Amélia Rodrigues, an elementary school run by Ital-
ian nuns and attended by 918 children. 
In  Yanzhou,  China,  Pirelli  has  an  active  internship  pro-
gramme:  some  students  selected  from  the  Universities  with 

which  Pirelli  collaborates,  participate  in  training  activities 
at the factory in product, quality, safety and research areas. 
Also in China, Pirelli has signed an agreement with the Qing-
dao University for Science and Technology, which provides 36 
scholarships for outstanding students. 
In  the  UK,  Pirelli  continues  to  organise  apprenticeships,  in 
collaboration with local technical schools and sponsorship of 
career fairs. This year Pirelli has also supported a programme 
to combat cyber bullying in schools. 
In Germany, partnerships with local universities are coming 
to fruition with an extensive apprenticeship programme.
Training does not only concern the production process at the 
factory; for Pirelli, the tyre’s entire life cycle is important. In 
fact, the Group focuses heavily on disseminating sustainable 
agriculture practices for raw materials such as natural rub-
ber.  In  Indonesia,  in  collaboration  with  the  supplier  Kirana 
Megatara,  the  “Rubber  Productivity  Enhancement  Project” 
with three main objectives has been launched: 

  Educating natural rubber farmers by teaching the correct 
procedures for rubber extraction enabling the protection 
of natural resources (maximising productivity and main-
taining and extending the life of trees);
  Distributing high-quality seeds to farmers to increase pro-
ductivity of rubber trees;
  Giving scholarships to the children of natural rubber grow-
ers, to allow them to go to school and buy school books.

  Sport and Social Responsibility  

There is a close link between solidarity and sport, in a virtu-
ous circle where commitment to sports becomes synonymous 
with the commitment to promoting solidarity and ethics, es-
pecially amongst young people. Getting young people involved 
in sport is a way to teach the notion of integration to children 
from different social groups, and helps prevent negative situa-
tions like isolation and solitude. Pirelli signed a global agree-
ment not only for the sponsorship of the professional football 
club FC Internazionale Milano (“Inter”), but also as a partner of 
the global social project Inter Campus. Since 1997, Inter Cam-
pus has developed social, flexible cooperation and long-term 
actions, in 29 countries around the world with the support of 
200  local  operators,  using  football  as  an  educational  tool  to 
offer needy boys and girls aged between 6 and 13 the right to 
play. Since 2008, Inter, Pirelli and Comunità Nuova have been 
running the Inter Campus social project in Slatina, Romania. 
The  sports  and  recreational  activities  are  organised  for  the 
entire year, involving over 100 children from different social 
contexts who have been learning team spirit, social integra-
tion and the values of friendship through football for over two 
years. Since 2012, Pirelli and Inter have replicated the expe-
rience  of  Inter  Campus  in  Mexico:  Inter  Campus  Silao,  near 
the Pirelli factory, inaugurated by President Felipe Calderon, 

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involves about 150 children in the area. In the United States, 
the first Inter Campus was inaugurated in 2014 by Pirelli and 
Inter along with the Youri Djorkaeff Foundation. The Campus 
is  located  in  the  community  of  Inwood,  a  neighbourhood  in 
New York City, and involves more than 120 children. Also in 
2014, Pirelli and Inter inaugurated together an Inter Campus 
project in Voronezh, Russia, involving two local orphanages: in 
May, the construction of the football field was completed and 
100 shirts were distributed to the children. 
Pirelli  also  sponsors  baseball  in  Venezuela  with  the  Pirelli 
Sports Club, a school with over 300 children and adolescents, 
and  with  athletes  preparing  for  Major  League  sports  in  the 
USA;  basketball,  volleyball,  soccer,  cycling,  judo,  windsurf-
ing, go-karting and swimming in Brazil, to name a few. In the 
United States, Pirelli sponsored the local team Rome Braves in 
Georgia, as well as various sporting events related to philan-
thropy, especially with a donation to R.A.C.E. (Racing Aware-
ness Charity Events of Rome). 
In the UK, Pirelli organised a rally with great success in Carl-
isle  for  the  Richard  Burns  Foundation  which  helps  medical 
research; it also sponsored various sporting events linked to 
philanthropic fund-raising. In Carlisle, the company bought a 
football field for the community. In France and other locations, 
some employees took part in a race for charity; in Germany, 
Pirelli made donations for youth sports clubs.
In  Kirov,  Russia,  Pirelli  sponsored  the  “Pirelli  Cup”  in  ice 
hockey. 
In Egypt, Pirelli built a sports centre for youths on a plot of 
3,000  square  metres  donated  by  the  Ministry  of  Youth.  The 
centre  is  the  site  of  many  activities,  including  the  Pirelli 
League Cup, a semi-annual sports tournament.

  Solidarity  

The responsible approach taken by Pirelli to involvement and 
inclusion takes the form of social solidarity activities world-
wide.  The  Company  supports  educational  and  didactic  pro-
grammes that are able to give less fortunate children the tools 
to improve their condition; it contributes scholarships and re-
search projects, firmly believing in training as vital to individ-
ual growth and the economic growth of a country. 
In Brazil, where Pirelli has been historically active in the lo-
cal community with social projects, the Company provided for 
about  150  children  in  the  city  of  Feira  de  Santana,  near  the 
Pirelli factory,  in an after-school programme with 15 differ-
ent types of activities. A similar project is near the Gravataí 
factory, which is aimed at social inclusion and includes music 
and dance activities in addition to more traditional education-
al activities. Also in Brazil, Pirelli supports the kindergartens 
of Dr. Klaide in Santo André and Escadinha do Tempo in Me-
leiros, which guarantee not only educational activities but also 
medical,  dental  and  psychological  visits,  in  addition  to  food, 

for 280 children. 
Pirelli supports the Fundació Mambre in Spain, a foundation 
that operates as a facilitator in social inclusion processes, sup-
porting homeless people on their individual growth paths. In 
addition,  the  Company  supports  programmes  providing  food 
for needy families, and a warehouse for the storage of food for 
the poor. Pirelli collaborates with the AMPANS association for 
the “Salut i Pedals” project, contributing bicycles to promote the 
sport. The AMPANS is dedicated to the cognitively disabled.
In  Russia,  the  employees  in  Moscow  gave  support  to  an  or-
phanage,  by  organising  activities  and  gifts  for  the  children 
there  and  providing  cooking  courses.  A  group  of  employees 
took part in a race in support of “Naked Hearts”, the associa-
tion run by Natalia Vodyanova. The Kirov factory employees 
have  volunteered  at  a  day-care  centre  and  made  tyre  dona-
tions to the orphanage.
In Switzerland, there has been a major donation of tyres by an 
organisation in support of the disabled.
In Turkey, Pirelli has continued to support the Foundation for 
the  Training  and  Protection  of  Mentally  Disabled  Children 
(ZİÇEV), offering a sum that covers the supply of gas for heat-
ing of the building.
In  Venezuela,  initiatives  were  organised  to  give  education-
al toys to needy children and look after children during the 
school holidays while offering fun activities.
In Germany, Pirelli has made donations to the Red Cross and 
in favour of the disabled. 
In Mexico, some employees ran a race in support of a nursing 
home for the elderly. 
In Argentina, a campaign was organised for food donations to 
help a community kitchen for children, and a marathon was 
sponsored in support of children with cancer.
In the UK, Pirelli has dealt with many community initiatives, 
including, in particular, the project Burton Albion Community 
Trust Ghana, which helps a group of young people to make a 
trip to Ghana to provide help in community projects such as 
building houses or teaching in schools. Furthermore, also in 
the  UK,  Pirelli  has  offered  support  to  communities  in  Cum-
bria, which was affected by severe flooding, both through fi-
nancial assistance and through the donation of food, clothes, 
water and toys for the evacuees.

  Health  

Pirelli considers contributing to improving the health services 
of the communities where it operates to be important. Since 
2008 Pirelli Tyres Romania, in collaboration with the Niguar-
da Hospital in Milan, has supported the professional training 
of medical and nursing professionals and the donation of med-
ical equipment and devices to Slatina Hospital. Over 270 pro-
fessionals  were  trained  in  this  programme,  and  specifically 
in oncology, paediatric care and emergency care. Pirelli Tyres 

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Romania  has  also  provided  dental  treatment  to  around  350 
children in Slatina through the project Overland for Smile. 
In the UK, the philanthropic activities of Pirelli in the field 
of health include sponsorships, fundraisers and donations for 
research  and  medical  care.  In  2015,  Pirelli  also  sponsored 
an award to recognise the professionalism of some hospital 
employees. 
In  Spain,  Pirelli  participated  in  the  Day  of  Solidarity  Somos 
Uno, raising funds for biomedical research for serious child-
hood diseases. In France, the Group sponsored a car race to 
support cancer care at the hospital. Since 2010, Pirelli has sup-
ported the Pequeno Principe Hospital in Curitiba, the biggest 
paediatric hospital in Brazil. 
In  Kirov,  Russia,  244  employees  donated  blood,  and  in  Ven-
ezuela, there has been a campaign for Preventive Medicine.

  Environmental Initiatives  

Many  Pirelli  employees  around  the  world  enthusiastically 
participate every year in environmental projects. 
In Egypt, a competition was also promoted in 2015 for the best 
ideas  about  recycling  of  factory  waste  materials  (pieces  of 
wood, building materials, etc.): six teams participated, divided 
among  three  local  villages.  Among  the  more  useful  projects 
are the strengthening of the roofs of houses, the construction 
of protected bus stops, and construction projects of bins for the 
collection of garbage, a stadium, and a nursery.
Environmental recycling projects have also been organised in 
Romania, where more than 250 volunteers gathered in Slatina 
to participate in a national recycling competition. 
In Venezuela also in 2015, Pirelli organised a large group of 
volunteers to clear beaches and nearby public areas. In China, 
Pirelli employees were involved in planting trees. 
In  Mexico,  in  addition  to  planting  trees,  Pirelli  employees 
cleaned up a large landfill of used tyres. In Germany, Pirelli 
made a donation to an association for the protection of nature. 
In Voronezh, Pirelli participated in planting trees in the local 
project “Victory Forest”. Employees have also collected more 
than 150 kg of batteries for recycling.

  Culture and Social Value  

The internationality of Pirelli also emerges from the love for 
culture, with initiatives in many countries worldwide also in 
2015. The attention to culture, and even more the commitment 
to preserve it, spread it and enhance it, are part of social value 
creation DNA. 
Pirelli is among the sponsors of the Museum of Modern Art 
of  Sao  Paulo,  one  of  the  most  important  structures  in  Latin 
America which, in addition to the permanent collection, every 
year  offers  major  exhibitions,  seminars,  events  and  courses. 
Also in Brazil, Pirelli has supported the exhibition of Marino 

Marini, an Italian artist globally known for brass sculptures, 
and,  at  the  Pinacoteca  de  Sao  Paulo,  the  exhibition  of  Nuno 
Ramos. Pirelli also supports the exhibition of Marinella Pire-
lli, on 50 years of artistic activities with a particular focus on 
the poetic creative process and luminous objects. Pirelli has 
given support to the event ArtRio, a collection of 100 nation-
al and international galleries, and since 2015, has supported 
the Museu da Imagem and do Som in Sao Paulo, a diversified 
museum  that  gives  space  to  new  artists  selected  to  exhibit 
photographic  works,  film,  dance  and  music.  In  Brumadinho, 
Pirelli supports the Instituto Inhotim, with a famous collection 
of contemporary art and a collection of plants from around the 
world.  In  the  field  of  music,  Pirelli  sponsors  the  Mozarteum 
project, which presents great international orchestras of clas-
sical music in Brazil and in Argentina; in Brazil, it has also 
sponsored a musical work, “Sou Toda Coração”. In 2015, Pirelli 
sponsored the publication of a book and the presentation of a 
documentary, “Amazon Roots”, about the life of the communi-
ties in the Amazon rain forest, collected through interviews, 
testimonies, photos and videos.
In many countries, Pirelli is conducting a mission, as an Ital-
ian multinational company, to protect and disseminate Italian 
culture abroad. The projects in 2015 include events dedicated 
to the Italian theatre, cinema and songs that took place in Ar-
gentina. In the latter country Pirelli is also sponsor of the Lucio 
Fontana Prize, which reached its 4th edition in 2015, promoted 
by the Buenos Aires Consulate General of Italy and reserved 
for emerging artists of Italian origin residing in Argentina. 
Pirelli  is  also  very  attentive  to  the  preservation  of  local  cul-
tures. In China, it supports research on Confucianism support-
ing the China Confucius Website and Confucius Culture Month. 
In the United States, in Rome (Georgia), the location of a Pire-
lli factory, there is sponsorship of the Rome Area Council for 
the Arts. 
In Romania, Pirelli offered a complimentary theatre evening 
to the community of Slatina and was one of the main sponsors 
of the “Zilele Eugen Ionescu” theatre festival.
In Turkey, Pirelli sponsored the 22nd Istanbul Jazz Festival, 
with the “NETTWORK” concert (Charnett Moffett, Stanley Jor-
dan, Cyrus Chestnut and Jeff Watts).
Pirelli’s Australian headquarters hosted research into the in-
fluence of Italian culture on business. 
In Voronezh, Russia, Pirelli sponsored the Governor’s Charity 
Ball,  with  the  aim  of  raising  funds  for  young  talents  in  the 
region: musicians, artists, athletes and young researchers. In 
addition, Pirelli gave support to the “Literary Jam” project or-
ganised as part of the Year of Literature in Russia. Equipped 
with Pirelli tyres from the Voronezh site, a team of journalists 
from Rossiyskaya Gazeta made a literary journey in the coun-
try  visiting  the  homes  of  famous  authors  and  cooking  their 
recipes.  Also  in  Russia,  an  exhibition  was  presented  of  the 
Pirelli Calendar at Multimedia Art Museum in Moscow, while 

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Report on Value Chain Responsible Management  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

in Kirov, Pirelli gave the city a statue representing the “Itala” 
Car  of  1907,  winner  of  the  Rally  from  Paris  to  Beijing  with 
Pirelli sponsorship.

pireLLi FouNDAtioN

One of the missions of the Fondazione Pirelli, or Pirelli Foun-
dation, established in 2009, is the preservation of the Group’s 
historic  and  cultural  heritage  and  the  promotion  of  its  cor-
porate culture through local initiatives and projects having a 
strong social impact, exhibition activities, as well as collabora-
tions with other cultural institutions. Numerous projects were 
carried out again in 2015 to develop and promote the Pirelli 
archives. Among these, the following are noted in particular:

  Publication  of  the  volume  “Una  Musa  tra  le  Ruote  (The 
Muse in the Wheels). Pirelli: a century of art at the service 
of the product”, which traces the history of Pirelli’s com-
munication from 1872 to 1972 through 200 works by great 
artists  such  as  Armando  Testa,  Bruno  Munari,  Riccardo 
Manzi, Bob Noorda, Ezio Bonini to advertise Pirelli prod-
ucts. The book, published and distributed by Corraini in 
Italian and English, was presented on June 24, 2015 at La 
Triennale di Milano, an event organised under the patron-
age of AIAP (Italian Association of Visual Communication 
Design) and the Design Museum and was attended by over 
1,000 people;
  Publication on the website www.fondazionepirelli.org of the 
digital library in Italian and English versions of the Pirelli 
Historical  Archive  documents  divided  into  sections:  texts, 
photographs, sketches and drawings, business magazines; 
  Expo 2015: exhibition on the history of Pirelli’s technologi-
cal excellence. Coinciding with the Italian Grand Prix, the 
creation of an exhibition involving texts and images from 
the history of research and development by the Company, 
accompanied by cars and motorcycles by Italian manufac-
turers renowned for their excellence;
  Participation in the 14th Enterprise Culture Week promot-
ed by Confindustria, on the theme “L’impresa va in scena” 
(The company goes on stage): guided tours to the historical 
archive space, Bicocca degli Arcimboldi and Pirelli Head-
quarters  with  the  involvement  of  a  group  of  professional 
actors. The event was attended by over 500 people;
  Exhibitions  designed  for  the  community  of  Pirelli  em-
ployees:  creation  of  exhibitions  on  the  issues  of  women 
workers, health and nutrition in the company (history of 
the company canteen, colonies, stores of food and welfare 
services) and on Christmas in the Pirelli world. 1,175 em-
ployees were involved;
  Pirelli’s  participation  as  a  main  partner  in  “#ioleggoper-
chè”  (a  project  set  up  by  the  Italian  Publishers’  Associa-
tion):  creation  of  reading  promotion  initiatives  for  Pirelli 

employees and their children;
  Partnership  with  the  International  Council  on  Archives, 
Business Archives (ICA/SBA) section: annual internation-
al conference for company archivists, hosted in the Pirelli 
Auditorium on June 15 and 16. The event was attended by 
120 corporate archivists from around the world;
  Participation  in  the  “restyling”  project  for  the  reception 
space  in  the  new  Children’s  department  of  the  Niguarda 
Hospital: opening to students at the NABA (New Academy 
of Fine Arts in Milan) of the iconographic heritage of the 
company’s Historical Archive to redefine the decorative el-
ements and signage in the new hospital ward;
  The “Pirelli Educational Foundation” project aimed at stu-
dents,  with  the  aim  of  bringing  younger  people  closer  to 
the labour world and the values on which the Pirelli corpo-
rate culture is based: extension of the offer of educational 
and  creative  exhibitions  on  road  safety  and  sustainabili-
ty  to  raise  awareness  among  children  and  young  people, 
through workshops and multimedia tools, on tyre recycling 
and  reuse  policies  and  the  research  conducted  by  Pirelli 
into new materials and innovative processes that ensure a 
lower environmental impact. In 2015, there were over 150 
educational courses, which involved over 2,500 children;
  “Bambini in Bicocca” project: for the third consecutive year 
the Foundation collaborated in the project with the Pirelli 
Human  Resources  Department,  creating  the  educational 
and training courses aimed at employees’ children being 
welcomed  into  the  Company  during  school  holidays.  The 
children had the opportunity to learn about the workplace 
of their parents, to visit and learn about the heritage of the 
Pirelli Historical Archive and learn about techniques for 
tyre recycling and reuse. The project involved more than 
225 children aged between 5 and 10 for 7 days;
  Educational  activities  for  university  students  (about  300) 
from major Italian universities and academies (Università 
degli  Studi  di  Milano-Bicocca,  Nuova  accademia  di  belle 
arti  di  Milano,  Università  Luigi  Bocconi,  Politecnico  di 
Milano,  etc.)  and  those  abroad  (School  of  management  of 
Paris, Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas of Lima, 
etc.). Moreover, since 2010 the Foundation has had a seat 
on  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  the  Scuola  dell’Infanzia  G.B. 
Pirelli in Varenna, just as it actively supports the activities 
of the Istituto di Istruzione Superiore Leopoldo Pirelli high 
school in Rome, where the annual Premio Leopoldo Pirelli 
prize was established in 2011, and used as a scholarship for 
particularly  worthy  students.  The  collaboration  with  the 
Association for Excellence Training also continues. 

In 2015 approximately 9,000 researchers, students, historians 
and designers visited the Foundation headquarters and con-
ducted research at the Pirelli Historical Archive. About 1,500 
of its materials were provided for exhibitions and publications, 

125

Report on Value Chain Responsible Management  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

also  internationally.  The  development  and  promotion  of  the 
enormous artistic heritage of the Group also relies on digital 
communication.  In  addition  to  the  website  www.fondazione-
pirelli.org,  implemented  by  the  section  devoted  to  visits  and 
consulting of materials of the Historical Archive, the Founda-
tion constantly updates its own Facebook page and Instagram 
and Pinterest accounts.

HANgArBiCoCCA

Pirelli  HangarBicocca,  which  with  its  15,000  square  metres 
is  one  of  the  largest  exhibition  venues  in  Europe,  is  a  space 
dedicated to the production, exhibition and promotion of con-
temporary art, created in 2004 from the reconversion of a vast 
industrial  facility  that  belonged  to  Ansaldo-Breda.  The  pro-
gramming of solo exhibitions by the most important interna-
tional artists is distinguished by a character of research and 
experimentation and special attention to site-specific projects 
which are capable of maintaining a dialogue with the unique 
features of the space. The project was revamped in 2012 with 
the belief that contemporary art is a priority area for research, 
experimentation and critical reflection on the most important 
contemporary themes: values that have been part of the cor-
porate  culture  of  Pirelli  for  more  than  140  years.  Pirelli  is 
Co-Founder and Promoter of the Pirelli HangarBicocca Foun-
dation. The 2015 artistic programme, curated by Artistic Di-
rector Vicente Todolí and curator Andrea Lissoni and new cu-
rator Roberta Tenconi, presented artists of great international 
profile, alternating exhibitions of very successful names with 
exhibitions  of  emerging  artists.  The  programme  managed 
to  attract  an  Italian  and  international  audience  composed  of 
art experts, representatives of the most important museums, 
trade journalists and the general press, as well as an equally 
large  number  of  enthusiasts,  families  and  students.  During 
the year, there were a total of 200,000 visitors who visited the 
6  large  exhibition  projects  dedicated  to  international  artists 
created in 2015:

  Joan Jonas (New York 1936) October 2, 2014 – February 1, 
2015
  Céline Condorelli (Paris 1974) December 11, 2014 – May 10, 
2015
  Juan Muñoz (Madrid 1953 – Ibiza 2001) April 9, 2015 – Au-
gust 30, 2015 
  Damián Ortega (Mexico City, 1967) June 5, 2015 – November 
8, 2015
  Philippe Parreno (Oran, Algeria, 1964) October 22, 2015 – 
January 14, 2016
  Petrit Halilaj (1986; Kostërrc, Skenderaj-Kosovo) December 
3, 2015 – March 13, 2016

The vocation of Pirelli HangarBicocca is that of a place open to 
the city and its hinterland, of an institution that accompanies 
the  normal  exhibition  activity  with  a  range  of  programmes 
intended to attract even the non-specialised public to contem-
porary  art.  The  HB  Public  programme  accompanied  the  ex-
hibitions  with  a  full  calendar  of  events,  guided  tours  to  the 
exhibitions and the district, projections and meetings with the 
key  players  in  art  and  culture.  During  the  year,  there  were 
about  20  cultural  events  (day  and/or  evening)  that  involved 
more  than  5,000  visitors  in  activities  related  to  ongoing  ex-
hibitions  as  well  as  a  3-day  summer  festival  in  July,  which 
was attended by over 3,000 people. The HB Kids and HB Fam-
ily  programme  is  continuing  regularly  and  offers  creative 
activities  and  workshops  to  introduce  children  aged  4  to  14 
to the languages of contemporary art while accompanied by 
their parents: in 2015, the Education Department offered 220 
creative activities attended by about 3,000 children, of whom 
more than half were aged between 4 and 6. The education de-
partment has also enhanced guided tours offering more than 
600 activities in both Italian and foreign languages in addi-
tion to the “Art on Sunday” format involving cultural media-
tors in Sunday lessons of the history of the art related to the 
exhibitions. For students from all types and level of schools, 
Pirelli  HangarBicocca  conceived  the  HB  School  programme, 
which complements traditional art education with a method-
ology inspired by the principle of educating with art. In 2015, 
more  than  5,940  students  took  part  in  the  HB  School  activ-
ities.  Between  2013  and  2015,  Pirelli  HangarBicocca  further 
strengthened relations with major international museums and 
official  cultural  bodies  from  many  countries.  Among  these 
were:  MoMa  in  New  York,  Stedelijk  Museum  in  Amsterdam, 
MACBA in Barcelona, Museo Reina Sofía in Madrid, Camden 
Arts Centre in London, Van Abbemuseum in Eindhoven, MIT 
in Boston, Louvre in Paris. 
During the year, Pirelli HangarBicocca also hosted 30 private 
events, of which there were two major events of national sig-
nificance:

  “Expo of Ideas” conference and round table with top repre-
sentatives from Italian institutions. February 7, 2015.
  “Io  leggo  perché”  (I  read  because)  on  the  occasion  of  the 
National Book Day, live on RAI. April 23, 2015.

The activities of Pirelli HangarBicocca generate, among other 
things, significant induced employment: in 2015, the creation 
of exhibitions and major initiatives involved 36 companies and 
generated 9,900 days/worker.

126

Report on Value Chain Responsible Management  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

127

Every Mark Is Unique  /  PIRELLI

Every Mark Is Unique  /  PIRELLI

 Agnes Gund 

Art Collector and Patron

“Being involved with the Pirelli calendar 
alongside my granddaughter Sadie, and 
working with and getting to know the remarkable 
Annie Leibovitz was an extraordinary experience 
that certainly left a mark on me. I suppose 
the idea of “leaving my mark” would be the hope 
that I have helped increase the opportunities for arts education 
for New York City school children and beyond. 
I also know I have left a mark through 
my four children and twelve grandchildren 
who have always been true to themselves and continue to inspire me 
and “leave their mark” on those around them.„

s
a
p
m
a
L
s
a
r
k
o
P

 
03.consolidated  
Financial  
statements

130

Directors’ Report on Operations  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORTConsolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

consolidated statement oF Financial position  (in thousands of euro)

12/31/2015

12/31/2014

9  Property, plant and equipment

10 

Intangible assets

11 

Investments in associates and J.v.

12  Other financial assets

13  deferred tax assets

15  Other receivables

16  Tax receivables

Non-current assets

17 

Inventories

14  Trade receivables

15  Other receivables

18  securities held for trading

19  Cash and cash equivalents

16  Tax receivables

27  derivative financial instruments

Current assets

Assets held for sale

Total Assets

132

20.1 Equity attributable to owners of the group:

  share capital 

  Reserves

  Net income (loss) 

20.2 Equity attributable to non-controlling interests:

  Reserves

  Net income (loss) 

20  Equity 

23  borrowings from banks and other financial institutions

25  Other payables

21  Provisions for liabilities and charges

13  Provisions for deferred tax liabilities

22  Employee benefit obligations

26  Tax payables

Non-current liabilities

23  borrowings from banks and other financial institutions

24  Trade payables

25  Other payables

21  Provisions for liabilities and charges

26  Tax payables

27  derivative financial instruments

Current liabilities

Liabilities related to assets held for sale

Total Liabilities and Equity

2,419,453 

968,541 

167,348 

225,121 

123,724 

147,624 

6,169 

4,057,980 

1,053,929 

676,192 

165,408 

78,167 

1,082,726 

62,410 

61,305 

3,180,137 

- 

7,238,117 

2,280,177 

1,343,285 

1,328,258 

(391,366)

63,367 

55,578 

7,789 

2,343,544 

1,275,688 

98,631 

77,906 

43,622 

362,540 

2,646 

1,861,033 

1,138,592 

1,313,131 

404,172 

63,221 

62,445 

51,979 

3,033,540 

- 

7,238,117 

2,522,464 

984,002 

186,783 

180,741 

248,564 

169,145 

12,068 

4,303,767 

1,055,016 

673,808 

265,274 

61,404 

1,166,669 

73,960 

29,104 

3,325,235 

44,037 

7,673,039 

2,548,345 

1,343,285 

885,769 

319,291 

63,157 

49,611 

13,546 

2,611,502 

1,781,726 

74,692 

97,799 

53,029 

458,945 

3,397 

2,469,588 

530,890 

1,394,312 

443,477 

67,030 

100,761 

42,835 

2,579,305 

12,644 

7,673,039 

consolidated income statement  (in thousands of euro)

29 Revenues from sales and services

30 Other income

Changes in inventories of unfinished, semi-finished and finished products 

Raw materials and consumables (net of change in inventories)

31 Personnel expenses

32 Amortisation, depreciation and impairment

33 Other costs

Increase in Fixed Assets for Internal Work

Operating income (loss)

34 Net income (loss) from equity investments

  share of net income (loss) of associates and j.v.

  gains on equity investments

  losses on equity investments

  dividends

2.5 deconsolidation of the venezuelan subsidiary

35 Financial income

36 Financial expenses

Net income (loss) before tax

37 Tax

Net income (loss) from continuing operations 

38 Net income (loss) from discontinued operations 

Total net income (loss)

Attributable to:

Owners of the parent

Non-controlling interests

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

2015

2014

6,309,633 

168,635 

53,856 

(2,106,886)

(1,295,130)

(327,004)

(1,955,550)

2,757 

850,311 

(41,393)

(9,002)

 - 

(38,420)

6,029 

(559,491)

73,964 

(402,180)

(78,789)

(290,137)

(368,926)

(14,651)

(383,577)

(391,366)

7,789 

6,018,063 

204,076 

71,634 

(2,083,896)

(1,239,770)

(304,855)

(1,829,766)

2,447 

837,933 

(87,000)

(55,147)

18,989 

(54,715)

3,873 

 - 

91,677 

(354,087)

488,523 

(173,309)

315,214 

17,623 

332,837 

319,291 

13,546 

133

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

consolidated statement oF other comprehensive income  (in thousands of euro)

A

Net income (loss)

Components of other comprehensive income:

B - Items that will not be reclassified to income statement:

  Net actuarial gains (losses) on employee benefits

  Tax effect

Total B

C - Items reclassified / that may be reclassified to income statement:

Exchange differences from translation of foreign financial statements:

  gains / (losses) for the period

  (gains) / losses reclassified to income statement

Fair value adjustment of other financial assets:

  gains / (losses) for the period

  (gains) / losses reclassified to income statement

Fair value adjustment of derivatives designated as cash flow hedges:

  gains / (losses) for the period

  (gains) / losses reclassified to income statement

134

  Tax effect

Fair value adjustment of derivatives designated as net investment hedges:

  gains / (losses) for the period

Total C

share of other comprehensive income related to associates and joint ventures

Total D

E

Total components of other comprehensive income (B+C+D)

A+E Total comprehensive income (loss) 

Attributable to:

  Owners of the Parent

  Non-controlling interests

2015

2014

 (383,577)

 332,837 

 12,473 

 (18,910)

 (6,437)

 (30,263)

 18,138 

 (12,125)

 (148,597)

 131,952 

 (57,232)

 2,103 

 38,853 

 100 

 (5,231)

 20,628 

 4,992 

 (215)

 (1,045)

 - 

 26,039 

 1,090 

 1,090 

 20,692 

 (362,885)

 (368,022)

 5,136 

 (3,497)

 19,262 

 (3,252)

 (4,761)

 (31,979)

 4,340 

 4,340 

 (39,764)

 293,073 

 279,899 

 13,174 

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

consolidated statement oF changes in e Quity at 12/31/2015 (in thousands of euro)

attributable to the parent

share 
capital

trans-
lation 
reserve

total 
ias 
reserves*

other 
reserves/ 
retained 
earnings

total 
attributa-
ble to the 
parent

non
con-
trolling 
interests

total

Total at 12/31/2014

1,343,285

 (283,430)

 (436,204)

1,924,694

2,548,345

63,157

2,611,502

Сomponents 
of other 
comprehensive 
income

Net income (loss) 

Total 
conprehensive 
income (loss)

dividends paid

venezuela inflation 
effect

deconsolidation 
of the venezuelan 
subsidiary

Other

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 (13,993)

 37,338 

 - 

 23,345 

 (2,653)

 20,692 

 - 

 - 

(391,366)

 (391,366)

7,789

 (383,577)

 (13,993)

 37,338 

 (391,366)

 (368,021)

 5,136 

 (362,885)

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 (179,572)

 (179,572)

 (6,656)

 (186,228)

280,345

 280,345 

 11,015 

 291,360 

 - 

 - 

 (8,502)

 (8,502)

40,427

 (41,347)

 (920)

 (783)

 (1,703)

Total at 12/31/2015

1,343,285

 (297,423)

 (358,439)

1,592,754

 2,280,177 

63,367 2,343,544

(in thousands of euro)

135

breakdown oF ias reserves *

reserve For Fair value  
adJustment oF  
available-For-sale  
Financial assets

reserve 
For cash 
Flow hedge

reserve For 
actuarial 
gains/losses

taX 
eFFect

total  
ias  
reserves

56,120

 (20,246)

 (547,147)

 75,069 

 (436,204)

40,043

4,777

 12,473 

 (19,955)

37,338

 - 

 - 

 40,345 

 82 

 40,427 

 96,163 

 (15,469)

 (494,329)

 55,196 

 (358,439)

Total at 12/31/2014

Other components  
of other comprehensive 
income

Other changes

Total at 12/31/2015

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

consolidated statement oF changes in e Quity at 12/31/2014 (in thousands of euro)

attributable to the parent

share 
capital

translation  
reserve

total 
ias 
reserves*

other  
reserves/ 
retained 
earnings

total 
attrib-
utable 
to the 
parent

non
con-
trolling 
interests

total

Total at 12/31/2013

1,343,285

 (228,301)

 (452,545)

1,713,628

2,376,066

60,523 2,436,589

Other components 
of other 
comprehensive 
income

Net income (loss) 

Total 
conprehensive 
income

dividends paid

venezuela inflation 
effect

disposal of 
minorities stakes

Acquisition through 
capital increase 
reserved to third 
parties

disposal of 
steelcord

Other

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

136

 (55,129)

 15,737 

 - 

 (39,392)

 (372)

 (39,764)

 - 

 - 

319,291

 319,291 

13,546

 332,837 

 (55,129)

 15,737 

 319,291 

 279,899 

 13,174 

 293,073 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 (156,743)

 (156,743)

 (3,358)

 (160,101)

49,090

 49,090 

 1,929 

 51,019 

 (3,015)

 (3,015)

 5,631 

 2,615 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 10,300 

 10,300 

 (21,372)

 (21,372)

604

 2,444 

 3,048 

 (3,669)

 (621)

Total at 12/31/2014

1,343,285

 (283,430)

 (436,204)

1,924,694

 2,548,345 

63,157

2,611,502

(in thousands of euro)

Total at 12/31/2013

Other components  
of other comprehensive 
income

Other changes

Total at 12/31/2014

breakdown oF ias reserves *

reserve For Fair value  
adJustment oF  
available-For-sale  
Financial assets

reserve 
For cash 
Flow hedge

reserve For 
actuarial 
gains/losses

taX 
eFFect

total  
ias  
reserves

35,631

 (30,499)

 (518,039)

 60,361 

 (452,545)

20,488

10,252

 (29,884)

14,879

15,737

 - 

 - 

 776 

 (172)

 604 

 56,120 

 (20,247)

 (547,147)

 75,069 

 (436,204)

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

consolidated statement oF cash Flows  (in thousands of euro)

01/01 - 12/31/2015

01/01 - 12/31/2014

Net income (loss) before taxes

Amortisation, depreciation, impairment losses and reversals of impaired 
property, plant and equipment and intangible assets

Reversal of financial expenses

Reversal of financial income

Reversal of dividends

Reversal of gains/(losses) on equity investments

Reversal of share of net income from associates and joint ventures

Ordinary taxes

Change in inventories

Change in trade receivables

Change in trade payables

Change in other receivables/payables

Change in provisions for employee benefit obligations and other provisions

Other changes

A Net cash flows provided by (used in) operating activities

Investments in property, plant and equipment

disposal of property, plant and equipment

Investments in intangible assets

Acquisitions of investments in subsidiaries

Exercise of Fenice share options

disposals (Acquisition) of investments in associates and Jv

disposals (Acquisition) of financial assets

disposal of steelcord

dividends received

B Net cash flows provided by (used in) investing activities

Other changes in equity 

Change in financial payables

Change in financial receivables/securities held for trading

Financial income (expenses)

dividends paid

C Net cash flows provided by (used in) financing activities

Net cash flows provided by (used in) operating activities 

Net cash flows provided by (used in) investing activities 

Net cash flows provided by (used in) financing activities 

D Net cash flows provided by (used in) discontinued operations

E Total cash flows provided (used) during the period (A+B+C+D)

F Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of financial year

G Exchange differences on translation of cash and cash equivalents 

H Deconsolidation of the Venezuelan subsidiary

I Cash and cash equivalents at end of financial year (E+F+G+H) (°)

(°) of which:

cash and cash equivalents

bank overdrafts

480,702 

327,004 

402,180 

(73,964)

(6,029)

38,420 

9,002 

(182,737)

(86,127)

(139,377)

29,574 

42,875 

43,975 

(14,044)

871,452 

(375,012)

9,936 

(16,382)

 - 

(12,157)

 - 

(8,493)

45,600 

6,029 

(350,479)

 - 

234,346 

2,670 

(304,246)

(189,561)

(256,791)

919 

 - 

 - 

919 

265,102 

1,150,605 

(70,890)

(277,659)

1,067,158 

1,082,726 

(15,568)

137

488,523 

304,855 

354,087 

(91,677)

(3,873)

35,726 

55,147 

(173,309)

(104,203)

(32,621)

160,209 

(14,152)

(28,860)

(18,487)

931,365 

(367,201)

11,292 

(10,763)

17,886 

 - 

(17,458)

(455)

125,600 

3,873 

(237,226)

5,631 

112,700 

(40,458)

(190,325)

(160,101)

(272,553)

(27,500)

 - 

454 

(27,046)

394,541 

806,856 

(50,792)

 - 

1,150,605 

1,166,668 

(16,063)

Every Mark Is Unique  /  PIRELLI

 Eva Herzigova 

Model and Actress

“I would like to leave a mark with a THANK YOU. 
A heartfelt thank you to the wonderfully 
talented photographers, hair and make-up artists, 
fashion editors and stylists, 
magazines, fashion houses, designers and brands, 
directors and production teams, my support teams, 
my friends and above all my family, who over so many years 
have and continue to believe in me. 
For the wonderful experiences and the many amazing 
images that will tell the story of the small part 
I have been fortunate to play 
in the history of this extraordinary 
world of fashion. THANK YOU.„

s
a
p
m
a
L
s
a
r
k
o
P

 
Every Mark Is Unique  /  PIRELLI

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

exPLanatorY notes

1. GeneraL inForMation

Pirelli & C. S.p.A. is a corporation organised under the laws of the Republic of Italy.
Founded in 1872, it is a holding company which manages, coordinates and finances the operations of its subsidiaries, primarily 
active in the tyre industry; other activities are represented by technologies for low emissions and in the field of renewable energy.

The registered office of the company is in Milan, Italy.
These Financial Statements have been prepared using the Euro as the accounting currency and all values have been rounded to 
thousands of Euro unless otherwise indicated.

On March 15, 2015, the Board of Directors authorised the publication of these Consolidated Financial Statements.

140

Following the outcome of the Public Purchase Offer launched by Marco Polo Industrial Holding S.p.A. and subsequent purchase 
transactions on the ordinary shares of Pirelli & C. S.p.A. led to Marco Polo holding 100% of the shares of this category, the ordinary 
shares were revoked from listing on October 6, 2016, Additionally, a General Meeting on February 15, 2016, in an extraordinary 
session approved a proposal for the mandatory conversion of savings shares into a special category of unlisted new issue shares 
without voting rights. Due to this resolution the saving shares were also delisted on February 26, 2016.

Pirelli & C. S.p.A. is subject to the management and coordination of Marco Polo International Italy S.p.A., which indirectly is the 
sole shareholder of Marco Polo Industrial Holding S.p.A. that directly controls the Company. Both the aforesaid companies are ulti-
mately controlled by China National Chemical Corporation (“ChemChina”), a “state-owned enterprise” (SOE) under Chinese law, with 
registered office in Beijing, referable to the Central Government of the People’s Republic of China.

2. Basis oF Presentation 

2.1 FiNANCiAL stAtemeNts FormAts

The Group has adopted for the presentation of the Statement of Financial Position, the Income Statement, the Statement of Compre-
hensive Income, the Statement of Changes in Equity, the Statement of Cash Flows and the Explanatory Notes, and are accompanied 
by the Directors’ Report on Operations.
The format adopted for the Statement of Financial makes a distinction between current and non-current assets and liabilities.
The format adopted for the Statement of Financial Position classifies assets and liabilities as current and non-current.
The Group has opted to present the gains/(losses) components for the financial year in a separate Income Statement, rather than 
include these components directly in the Statement of Comprehensive Income. The format of the Income Statement adopted provides 
for the classification of the expense by nature. 
The Statement of Comprehensive Income includes the results for the financial year and, for homogeneous categories, the revenues 
and costs which, in accordance with IFRS, are recognised directly in equity.
The Group has decided to present both the tax effects and reclassifications to the Income Statement of gains/(losses) recognised in 
equity in previous years directly in the Statement of Comprehensive Income and not in the Explanatory Notes.
The Statement of Changes in Equity sets forth, in addition to total gains/(losses) for the financial year, the amounts of transactions 

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

by the parties that have joint control have rights to the net as-
sets of said entity. Joint ventures are distinguished from joint 
operations that are configured instead as agreements that give 
the parties of the agreement, which have joint control of the 
initiative, rights on individual assets and obligations for indi-
vidual liabilities relating to the agreement. The Group does not 
currently have any agreements for joint operations.

The  main  changes  in  the  scope  of  consolidation  during  the 
2015 financial year relate to the sale on February 6, 2015 of 
the subsidiary Celikord A.S. (Turkey) and on March 27, 2015 of 
the Chinese subsidiary Sino Italian Wire Technology Co. Ltd. 
as completion of the sale of the steelcord activity to Bekaert; 
Furthermore, the deconsolidation of the Venezuelan subsidi-
ary effective as of December 31, 2015 while maintaining the 
consolidated financial results for the entire financial year of 
2015. The fair value of the investment has been recorded as as-
sets available for sale. Please refer to section “Deconsolidation 
of the subsidiary Pirelli de Venezuela C.A.” for more details.

141

with equity holders and the changes which occurred during 
the financial year in retained earnings. 
In the Cash Flow Statement, the cash flows deriving from op-
erating  activities  are  presented  using  the  indirect  method, 
according to which the gain or loss for the financial year is ad-
justed by the effects of non-monetary items, by any deferment 
or  accrual  of  past  or  future  operating  receipts  or  payments, 
and  by  any  revenue  or  cost  items  connected  with  the  cash 
flows arising from investing activities or financing activities. 

2.2  sCope oF 

CoNsoLiDAtioN 

The  scope  of  consolidation  includes  the  subsidiaries,  associ-
ates and joint arrangements. 
Subsidiaries are defined as all the companies held over which 
the Group has at the same time:

  decision-making power, or the ability to direct the relevant 
activities of the investee, i.e. activities that have a signifi-
cant influence on the results of the investee;
  the right to variable results (positive or negative) resulting 
from the investment in the entity;
  the ability to use its own decision-making power to deter-
mine  the  amount  of  the  results  arising  from  the  invest-
ment in the entity.

The Financial Statements of subsidiaries are included in the 
consolidated Financial Statements beginning on the date when 
a controlling interest is acquired until such time that control 
ceases to exist. The share of equity and the results attribut-
able to non-controlling interests are separately indicated re-
spectively in the consolidated Statement of Financial Position 
and consolidate Income Statement. 

All  companies  over  which  the  Group  could  exercise  signifi-
cant  influence  as  defined  by  IAS  28  –  Investments  in  Asso-
ciates  are  considered  associates.  This  influence  is  presumed 
to  exist  when  the  Group  holds  a  percentage  of  voting  rights 
between 20% and 50%, or when - even with a lower share of 
voting rights – it has the power to participate in determining 
financial and operating policies by virtue of specific legal rela-
tionships, such as, for example, participation in shareholders’ 
agreements together with other significant forms of exercise 
of governance rights.
Joint arrangements are agreements under which two or more 
parties have joint control under a contract. Joint control is the 
shared control, established by agreement, of an economic ac-
tivity,  which  exists  only  when,  decisions  on  these  activities 
require the unanimous consent of all the parties sharing con-
trol. These agreements may give rise to joint ventures or joint 
operations.
A joint venture is a joint control agreement of an entity where-

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

2.3 iNFormAtioN oN suBsiDiAries 

The consolidated Financial Statements of Pirelli & C. S.p.A. include the assets and liabilities of approximately 100 legal entities. The 
following is a list of the subsidiaries which are considered to be significant: 

12/31/2015

12/31/2014

registered 
oFFice

% oF the 
group

% oF 
non-con-
trolling 
interests

% oF the 
group

% oF 
non-con-
trolling 
interests

Pirelli Tyre Co. Ltd

yanzhou (China)

Alexandria Tire Company s.A.E.

Alessandria (Egypt)

Pirelli China Tyre N.v.

Pirelli deutschland gmbH

deutsche Pirelli Reifen Holding gmbH

E-vOLuTION Tyre b.v.

Pirelli Tyre s.p.A.

Pirelli Neumaticos s.A.I.C.

142

Pirelli Industrie Pneumatici s.r.l.

Heinenoord  
(The Netherlands)

breuberg/Odenwald 
(germany)

breuberg/Odenwald 
(germany)

Heinenoord  
(The Netherlands)

Milan (Italy)

buenos Aires 
(Argentina)

settimo Torinese 
(Italy)

100.00%

100.00%

100.00%

90.00%

89.11%

100.00%

100.00%

100.00%

10.00%

90.00%

10.89%

89.11%

10.00%

10.89%

100.00%

100.00%

100.00%

65.00%

35.00%

65.00%

35.00%

Pirelli Neumaticos s.A. de C.v.

Mexico City (Mexico)

100.00%

Pirelli International plc 

burton on Trent 
(united kingdom)

Pirelli Pneus Ltda

santo Andrè (brazil)

TP Industrial de Pneus brasil Ltda

sao Paulo (brazil)

Comercial e Importadora de Pneus Ltda

sao Paulo (brazil)

Pirelli Tyres Ltd

Pirelli Tire LLC

burton on Trent 
(united kingdom)

Rome (usA)

s.C. Pirelli Tyres Romania s.r.l

slatina (Romania)

Turk-Pirelli Lastikleri A.s.

Istanbul (Turkey)

100.00%

100.00%

100.00%

64.00%

100.00%

100.00%

100.00%

100.00%

Limited Liability Company Pirelli Tyre 
Russia

Closed Joint stock Company "voronezh 
Tyre Plant"

Moscow (Russia)

100.00%

voronezh (Russia)

100.00%

100.00%

100.00%

100.00%

100.00%

100.00%

100.00%

-

36.00%

64.00%

36.00%

100.00%

100.00%

100.00%

100.00%

100.00%

100.00%

The complete list of subsidiaries is provided in the annex “Scope of Consolidation: A list of companies included in the consolidation 
using the line-by-line method”.

Minority interests in the subsidiaries of the Group are not significant either individually or in aggregate form.

2.4  CoNsoLiDAtioN 
priNCipLes 

The Financial Statements used for consolidation purposes are 
those of the companies included in the scope of consolidation, 
prepared as at the date of Financial Statements of the parent 
company  and  adjusted  as  necessary,  in  accordance  with  the 
IAS/IFRS principles applied by the Group. 
The financial statements expressed in foreign currencies have 
been  translated  into  Euro  at  the  period-end  exchange  rates 
for the Statement of Financial Position and at the average ex-
change rates for the financial year for the Income Statement, 
with the exception of Financial Statements of companies op-
erating in high-inflation countries, whose Income Statements 
are translated at period-end exchange rates.
The differences arising from the translation of opening equity 
at period-end exchange rates are recognised in the reserve for 
translation differences, together with the difference between 
the net income (loss) for the period translated at the period-end 
rate  and  at  the  average  rate  for  the  period.  The  reserve  for 
translation differences is reclassified in the Income Statement 
upon disposal of the company that generated the reserve.
The consolidation policies may be summarised as follows: 

  subsidiaries  are  consolidated  on  a  line-by-line  basis,  ac-
cording to which: 

  the assets, liabilities, revenues, and costs in the Finan-
cial Statements of subsidiaries are assumed in their full 
amounts, regardless of the percentage of ownership;
  the  carrying  amount  of  investments  is  eliminated 
against the underlying share of net equity; 
  the financial and operating transactions between com-
panies  consolidated  on  a  line-by-line  basis,  including 
dividends distributed within the Group, are eliminated; 
  non-controlling  interests  are  appropriately  record-
ed  under  net  equity.  Similarly  the  quota  of  earnings 
or  losses  attributable  to  non-controlling  interests  are 
shown separately in the Income Statement;
  with disposal of any subsidiary which brings about a 
loss of control, any goodwill that may be attributable to 
the subsidiary is taken into consideration in determin-
ing the gain or loss from the disposal;
  in  the  case  of  further  interests  acquired  after  acqui-
sition of a controlling interest, any difference between 
the  purchase  cost  and  the  corresponding  fraction  of 
acquired equity is recognised in equity; likewise, the 
effects of sale of non-controlling interests without loss 
of control are also recognised in equity. 

  investments in associates and joint ventures are accounted 
for under the equity method, on the basis of which the car-
rying amount of the investments is adjusted by: 

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

  the  investor’s  share  of  the  post-acquisition  results  of 
the associate or joint venture ; 
  the  allocable  amount  of  gains  and  losses  recognised 
directly in the equity of the associate or joint venture, 
in accordance with the applied accounting standards; 
  dividends paid by the subsidiary;
  if the Group’s share in the losses of the associate/ joint 
venture  exceeds  the  carrying  amount  of  the  invest-
ment in the Financial Statements, the carrying amount 
of  the  investment  is  eliminated  and  the  share  of  any 
further losses is recognised under “Provisions for lia-
bilities and charges,” to the extent that the Group has a 
contractual or implicit obligation to cover these losses;
  gains resulting from sales made by subsidiaries to joint 
ventures  or  associates  are  eliminated  in  proportion  to 
the percentage of equity interest in the acquiring entity. 

2.5  DeCoNsoLiDAtioN oF 

tHe suBsiDiArY pireLLi 
De veNezueLA C.A.

The  subsidiary  Pirelli  de  Venezuela  C.A.,  which  is  96.22% 
owned by the Group, produces, markets and distributes Con-
sumer and Industrial tyres in Venezuela. The negative evolu-
tion of the macroeconomic situation, the regulatory control of 
the currency market and exchange rates and the continued re-
duction in the availability of the US Dollar in Venezuela which 
can be purchased through the official exchange mechanisms, 
have led to the emergence of a structural situation where com-
panies are unable to convert the Venezuelan Bolivar into US 
Dollars.  As  a  result,  the  Venezuelan  subsidiary  is  no  longer 
able to pay dividends and royalties, or able meet its trade lia-
bilities to other companies in the Group.
Further  regulatory  restrictions  were  then  added  to  the  lim-
itations  already  existing  on  the  significant  activities  of  the 
Group, which could not be considered temporary, such as the 
control  of  the  margins  on  sales  and  a  particularly  stringent 
labour legislation, which, combined with the existing restric-
tions, did not in fact allow the Group to develop and implement 
their decisions on the relevant activities of the subsidiary. 
Based on this scenario, which is expected to continue for the 
foreseeable future, as confirmed as well by the latest official 
statement  made  by  President  Maduro  on  February  17,  2016 
according  to  which  the  SIMADI  exchange  rate  currently  at 
approximately  200  Bolivares  per  US  dollar  will  replace  the 
SICAD  exchange  rate  of  13.5  Bolivares  per  US  dollar,  it  was 
considered  that  the  requisite  conditions  of  IFRS  10  to  carry 
out an accounting control on the subsidiary had not been met, 
and therefore deconsolidation of the subsidiary was proceeded 
with, effective as of December 31, 2015; (the Income Statement 
of the Venezuelan subsidiary was consolidated for the entire 

143

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

financial year of 2015) and the investment recorded as an asset 
available for sale and recognised at fair value.
The deconsolidation of the Venezuelan subsidiary resulted in 
the recognition of a negative impact on the Income Statement 
to the amount of euro 559.5 million, which includes:

  negative impact of consolidation the positive net financial 
position to the amount of euro 277.7 million;
  negative impact of euro 138.3 million deriving from losses 
from the translation into Euro of the Financial Statements 
of the subsidiary accrued during the course of the previ-
ous financial year, recognised under equity and reclassi-
fied in the income statement;
  negative impact to the amount of euro 225.5 million result-
ing from the impairment of receivables that the Group held 
towards the Venezuelan subsidiary, which were all reset to 
zero based on the expectations of future collection; 
  positive impact due to the recognition at fair value of the 
investment  in  the  Venezuelan  subsidiary,  estimated  at 
euro 18.9 million, which was substantially representative 
of  the  liquidity  present  in  the  country,  and  which  was 
impaired by the SIMADI exchange rate, which, following 
the  latest  official  statements  of  February  17,  2016  was  to 
replace the SICAD exchange rate. The SIMADI exchange 
rate, which is currently trading at around 200 Bolivars to 
the  US  Dollar,  will  be  mostly  allowed  to  fluctuate  freely. 
The  fair  value  of  the  investment  in  Pirelli  de  Venezuela 
C.A. was recorded under financial assets available for sale 
and will be assessed at fair value; 
  other positive impacts to the amount of euro 63.1 million 

Future financial year results for the Group shall not include 
the  results  of  the  Venezuelan  company.  Revenues  from  the 
sales of raw materials and finished products to the Venezuelan 
subsidiary, as well as revenues from dividends and royalties, 
shall be recognised only at such time when payment has been 
effected. As a consequence of the deconsolidation, the Group’s 
results shall no longer include the results of the Venezuelan 
subsidiary,  and  therefore  will  no  longer  bear  the  impacts  of 
the  recurring  devaluations  which  have  characterised  recent 
financial years, at both the level of the Income Statement and 
the  Net  Financial  Position.  No  further  losses  are  foreseen 
linked to new supplies in the country; Pirelli could eventually 
recoup part of the value which was almost totally devalued as 
at December 31, 2015.

144

3.  accoUntinG 
standards 

3.1  ACCouNtiNg  

stANDArDs ADopteD

Pursuant to regulations no. 1606 issued by the European Par-
liament and the European Council in July 2002, the consoli-
dated Financial Statements of the Pirelli & C. Group have been 
prepared in accordance with International Financial Report-
ing  Standards  in  force  issued  by  the  International  Account-
ing Standards Board (“IASB”) and endorsed by the European 
Union, as at December 31, 2015, and the measures issued in 
implementation  of  article  9  of  Italian  Legislative  Decree  no. 
38/2005. The term “IFRS” includes all the revised Internation-
al Accounting Standards (“IAS”) and all the interpretations of 
the International Financial Reporting Interpretations Commit-
tee (“IFRIC”), formerly the Standing Interpretations Committee 
(“SIC”). Due to the approval by General Meeting of the manda-
tory conversion of the unlisted savings shares of a special new 
issue category without voting rights, as of February 26, 2016, 
the company is no longer listed on the Milan Stock Exchange. 
The company will continue to prepare consolidated Financial 
Statements on the basis of IFRS accounting principles, in ac-
cordance with the discretion provided for by Art. 3 of Legisla-
tive Decree 38/2005

The  consolidated  Financial  Statements  have  been  prepared 
in accordance with the historical cost method, with the ex-
ception of:

  derivative  financial  instruments,  financial  instruments 
held for trading, financial assets available for sale, which 
are measured at fair value;
  Financial  Statements  of  companies  operating  in  hyperin-
flationary economies, which are prepared according to the 
current cost method. 

  Business combinations  

Corporate acquisitions are accounted for under the acquisition 
method.
When a controlling interest in a company is acquired, good-
will is calculated as the difference between:

  the fair value of the price plus any non-controlling inter-
ests in the acquired entity, measured at fair value (if this 
option is chosen for the acquisition in question) or in pro-
portion to the share of the non-controlling interest in the 
net assets of the acquired entity;
  the fair value of the assets and liabilities acquired.

If  this  difference  is  negative,  that  difference  is  immediately 
recognised as income in the Income Statement.
In  cases  of  acquisition  of  control  of  a  company  in  which  a 
non-controlling  interest  was  already  held  (step  acquisition), 
the investment held previously is recognised at fair value and 
the  effects  of  this  adjustment  are  recognised  in  the  Income 
Statement. 
Costs for the business combination are recognised in the In-
come Statement. 
Contingent  consideration,  i.e.  the  obligations  of  the  buyer  to 
transfer additional assets or shares to the seller if certain fu-
ture events occur or specific conditions are met, are recognised 
and measured at fair value at the acquisition date as a portion 
of  the  consideration  transferred  in  exchange  for  the  acquisi-
tion itself. Subsequent changes in the fair value of these agree-
ments are normally recognised in the Income Statement.

  Intangible assets  

Intangible  assets  with  finite  useful  lives  are  measured  at 
cost less accumulated amortisation and accumulated impair-
ment losses.
Amortisation is calculated on a straight-line basis and begins 
when the asset is available for use or operable in the opinion 
of management and ceases on the date when the asset is clas-
sified as held for sale or is derecognised. 
Gains and losses resulting from the sale or disposal of an in-
tangible asset are determined as the difference between the 
net sale proceeds and the carrying amount of the asset.

Goodwill
Goodwill is an intangible asset with indefinite useful life, and 
consequently is not amortised. Goodwill is tested for impair-
ment in order to identify any impairment losses at least annu-
ally or whenever there are indications of an impairment loss, 
and is allocated to cash generating units for this purpose.

Trademarks and licenses
The trademarks and licenses for which the conditions for clas-
sification as an intangible asset with an indefinite lifespan are 
not fulfilled are assessed at the cost less accumulated amor-
tisations  and  losses.  The  cost  is  amortised  over  the  contract 
period or the useful lives of the assets, whichever is shorter. 
The trademarks for which the conditions for classification as 
an intangible asset with an indefinite lifespan are fulfilled are 
not systematically amortised and are instead subject to an im-
pairment test at least once a year.

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

Software
Software  license  costs,  including  direct  incidental  costs, 
are  capitalised  and  recognised  in  the  Financial  Statements 
net  of  accumulated  amortisation  and  accumulated  impair-
ment losses. Software is amortised over its useful life on a 
straight-line basis.

Customer relationships 
Customer  relationships  are  intangible  assets  acquired  in  a 
business  combination  and  are  recognised  in  the  Financial 
Statements at their fair value as at the purchase date. These 
are amortised according to their useful life.

Research and development costs
Research  costs  for  new  products  and/or  processes  are  ex-
pensed  when  incurred.  There  are  no  development  costs  that 
satisfy the conditions for capitalisation under IAS 38.

  Property, plant and equipment  

Property,  plant  and  equipment  are  recognised  at  their  pur-
chase or production cost, including directly attributable inci-
dental expenses.
Subsequent expenses and the cost of replacing certain parts 
of property, plant and equipment are capitalised only if they 
increase the future economic benefits of the related asset. All 
other costs are expensed in the Income Statement as incurred. 
When  the  cost  of  replacing  certain  parts  is  capitalised,  the 
carrying amount of the replaced part is recognised in the In-
come Statement.
Property, plant and equipment are recognised at cost less ac-
cumulated depreciation and accumulated impairment losses, 
except for land, which is not depreciated and is recognised at 
cost less accumulated impairment losses.
Depreciation is recognised starting from the month in which 
the asset is available for use, or is potentially capable of pro-
viding the economic benefits associated with it.
Depreciation is charged monthly on a straight-line basis at rates 
that allow the depreciation of the assets until the end of their 
useful life or, in cases of disposal, until the last month of use.

The depreciation rates applied are as follows:

buldings

Plant

Machinery

Equipment

Furniture

Motor vehicles

3% - 10%

7% - 20%

5% - 20%

10% - 33%

10% - 33%

10% - 25%

145

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

Government  grants  to  capital  account  related  to  property, 
plant and equipment are recognised as deferred income and 
credited to the Income Statement over the period of deprecia-
tion of the relevant assets.
Borrowing  costs  directly  attributable  to  the  purchase,  con-
struction  or  production  of  a  qualifying  asset  (defined  as  an 
asset  that  requires  a  significant  amount  of  time  in  order  to 
be prepared for use) are capitalised as part of the cost of the 
asset. Capitalisation of borrowing costs ceases when substan-
tially all the activities necessary to render the qualifying as-
set available for use have been completed.
Leasehold improvements are classified as property, plant and 
equipment, consistently with the nature of the cost incurred. 
The depreciation period corresponds to remaining useful life 
of  the  asset  or  the  residual  period  of  the  lease  agreement, 
whichever is the shorter.
Spare parts of significant value are capitalised and depreciated 
over the estimated useful life of the assets to which they refer.
Any dismantling costs are estimated and added to the cost of 
property, plant and equipment with a corresponding accrual 
to  provisions  for  liabilities  and  charges  if  the  conditions  for 
accruing such provisions are met. They are then depreciated 
over the remaining useful life of the assets to which they refer.
Assets  acquired  under  finance  lease  agreements,  in  which 
substantially  all  the  risks  and  rewards  of  ownership  are 
transferred  to  the  Group,  are  recognised  as  property,  plant 
and equipment at their fair value or, if lower, at the present 
value of the minimum lease payments, with a corresponding 
entry for the relevant financial payable. Lease instalment pay-
ments are allocated between interest expense, recognised in 
the Income Statement, and principal repayment, which reduc-
es the financial payable.

Leases  in  which  the  lessor  maintains  substantially  all  the 
risks  and  rewards  associated  with  ownership  are  classified 
as operating leases. Costs referring to an operating lease are 
recognised  as  an  expense  in  the  Income  Statement  over  the 
lease term on a straight-line basis.
Property,  plant  and  equipment  are  derecognised  from  the 
Statement of Financial Position at the time of disposal or re-
tirement from use and, consequently, when no future econom-
ic benefits are expected to derive from their sale or use.
Gains and losses resulting from the sale or disposal of prop-
erty, plant and equipment are determined as the difference 
between  the  recoverable  amount  and  the  carrying  amount 
of the asset.

146

  Impairment of assets  

Property, plant and equipment  
and intangible assets
Whenever there are specific indicators of impairment, and at 
least annually for intangible assets with indefinite useful life, 
including goodwill, property, plant and equipment and intan-
gible assets are tested for impairment.
The test consists of an estimate of the recoverable amount of 
the asset and a comparison with its carrying amount.
The recoverable amount of an asset is its fair value less costs 
to sell or its value in use, whichever is the higher, where the 
latter is the present value of the expected future cash flows 
arising from the use of the asset and those deriving from its 
disposal at the end of its useful life, excluding income taxes 
and applying a discount rate, net of taxes, reflecting current 
market assessments of the time value of the money and risks 
specific to the asset. There is no need to estimate both amounts 
because it is sufficient to verify that one of the two amounts is 
higher than the carrying amount to establish that no impair-
ment has occurred. 
If  the  recoverable  amount  is  lower  than  the  asset  carrying 
amount, the latter is reduced to the recoverable amount. This 
reduction constitutes an impairment loss, which is recognised 
in the Income Statement.
In order to assess impairment, assets are allocated to the low-
est level at which independent cash flows are separately iden-
tifiable (cash generating units). 
Specifically,  goodwill  must  be  allocated  to  the  cash  generat-
ing unit or group of cash generating units, complying with the 
maximum level of aggregation allowed, which must never be 
greater than the operating segment.
If there is evidence that an impairment loss, which had been 
recognised in previous years and relating to tangible or intan-
gible assets other than goodwill, may no longer apply or can 
be reduced, the recoverable amount of the asset is estimated 
again, and if it is higher than the net book value, the net book 
value  is  increased  up  to  the  recoverable  amount.  The  rein-
statement of value may not exceed the carrying amount that 
would have been recognised (net of impairment and deprecia-
tion or amortisation) had no impairment loss been recognised 
in previous years.
The reversal of an impairment loss other than goodwill is rec-
ognised in the Income Statement.
An  impairment  loss  recognised  for  goodwill  may  not  be  re-
versed in subsequent financial years.
Any  loss  due  to  a  reduction  in  value  recognised  in  interim 
(half-yearly) Financial Statements for goodwill may not be re-
instated  in  the  Income  Statement  for  the  subsequent  annual 
financial year.

 
Investments in associates and joint ventures
After applying the net equity method, if there are indicators 
of impairment, the value of investments in associates and joint 
ventures accounted for must be compared with the recovera-
ble amount (known as the impairment test). The recoverable 
amount corresponds to fair value less costs to sell or the value 
in use, whichever is the higher. 
For the purposes of impairment testing, the fair value of an 
investment in an associate or joint venture with shares listed 
on an active market is always equivalent to its market value, 
irrespective of the percentage of ownership. In the case of in-
vestments in unlisted companies, the fair value is determined 
using estimates based on the best information available.
To  determine  the  value  in  use  of  an  associate  or  joint  ven-
ture an estimate of own quota of the current value of future 
cash flows it is thought will be generated by the associate or 
joint-venture, including financial flows deriving from the op-
erating assets of the associate or joint-venture and the consid-
eration deriving from any final assignment of the investment 
(known as the discounted cash flow – asset side criterion).
If there is evidence that an impairment loss recognised in pre-
vious years may no longer apply or can be reduced, the recov-
erable amount of the investment is estimated anew, and if it is 
higher than the amount of the investment, the latter amount is 
increased up to the recoverable amount. 
Reinstatement of value may not exceed the amount of the in-
vestment that would have been recognised (net of impairment) 
had no impairment loss been recognised in previous years.
The  reinstatement  of  the  value  of  investments  in  associates 
and joint ventures is recognised in the Income Statement.

  Financial assets available for sale  

Financial assets available for sale include investments in enti-
ties other than subsidiaries, associates and joint ventures and 
other financial assets not held for trading. They are recognised 
in the Statement of Financial Position as “Other financial assets.”
They are measured at fair value, if this can be reliably de-
termined. 
Gains and losses deriving from changes in fair value are rec-
ognised in a specific equity reserve.
When a reduction in fair value has been recognised directly 
in  equity  and  there  is  objective  evidence  that  the  asset  was 
impaired,  losses  recognised  up  to  that  time  in  equity  are 
transferred  to  the  Income  Statement.  A  prolonged  (meaning 
more than 12 months) or significant (meaning more than 50% 
for instruments issued by entities operating in banking sector 
and  more  than  one-third  for  instruments  issued  by  entities 
operating in other sectors) reduction in the fair value of equi-
ty instruments and as compared with their cost is considered 
objective evidence of impairment.
This threshold revision was drawn from an update of a his-

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

torical analysis carried out in 2008 and reflects only an ad-
justment  to  new  conditions.  The  significant  increase  in  the 
volatility of the financial markets in fact has, and particularly 
in the banking sector, led to the presence of exceptional cir-
cumstances for which it was deemed appropriate to revise the 
threshold value for the definition of lasting impairment losses 
with  reference  to  the  securities  belonging  to  said  sector.  On 
the other hand, there has been no change in the criterion for 
the definition of the duration threshold of “prolonged” impair-
ment losses (12 months). In the event of sales, gains and losses 
recognised  up  to  that  time  in  equity  are  transferred  to  the 
Income Statement.
Any impairment losses of a financial asset available for sale 
recognised in the Income Statement may be reinstated through 
the Income Statement, with the exception of those recognised 
for share securities classified as available for sale, which may 
not be reinstated with effects upon the Income Statement.
Financial assets available for sale, whether securities for debt 
or equity, for which fair value is not available, are accounted 
for at cost, less any impairment losses based on the best mar-
ket information available at the date of Financial Statements.
Purchases and sales of financial assets available for sale are 
accounted for at the settlement date.

  Inventories  

147

Inventories  are  valued  at  cost  (determined  under  the  FIFO 
method) or estimated realisable value whichever is the lower.
The measurement of inventories includes direct costs of mate-
rials and labour and indirect costs. Provisions are calculated 
for obsolete and slow-moving inventories, taking into account 
their expected future use and estimated realisable value. The 
realisable value is the estimated selling price, net of all costs 
estimated to complete the asset and selling and distribution 
costs that will be incurred.
Cost includes incremental expenses and borrowing costs qual-
ifying for capitalisation, similarly to what has been described 
for property, plant and equipment.

  Receivables  

Receivables are initially recognised at their fair value, which 
normally  corresponds  to  the  consideration  agreed  or  to  the 
present value of the amount that will be collected. They are 
subsequently measured at amortised cost, less provisions for 
impairment losses. Amortised cost is calculated by using the 
effective interest rate method, which is equivalent to the dis-
count rate that, when applied to future cash flows, renders the 
present value of such cash flows equal to the initial fair value. 
Impairment losses on receivables are calculated according to 
counterparty  default  risk,  which  is  determined  by  consider-
ing available information on the solvency of the counterparty 

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

and historical data. The carrying amount of receivables is re-
duced indirectly by accruing provisions. Individual material 
positions that are objectively found to be partially or entirely 
uncollectable are impaired individually.
The amount of the impairment loss reflects the estimate of fu-
ture  recoverable  flows  and  the  applicable  date  of  collection, 
recovery costs and expenses, and the fair value of guarantees, 
if  any.  The  positions  that  are  not  written  down  individually 
are included in groups with similar characteristics in terms 
of credit risk, and are impaired as a group on an increasing 
percentage  basis  as  the  period  during  which  they  are  over-
due increases. The Group impairment procedure also applies 
to  receivables  not  yet  due.  The  impairment  percentages  are 
determined  on  the  basis  of  historical  experience  and  statis-
tical data. When the conditions that led to impairment of the 
receivables no longer apply, impairment losses recognised in 
previous periods are reversed in the Income Statement up to 
the  amortised  cost  that  would  have  been  recognised  had  no 
impairment  loss  been  recognised.  Receivables  in  currencies 
other than the functional currency of the individual compa-
nies are adjusted to year-end exchange rates, with a balancing 
entry in the Income Statement. Receivables are derecognised 
when  the  right  to  receive  cash  flows  is  extinguished,  when 
substantially all the risks and rewards connected with hold-
ing the receivable have been transferred, or when the receiv-
able is considered definitely uncollectable after all necessary 
credit  recovery  procedures  have  been  completed.  When  the 
receivable  is  derecognised,  the  relative  provision  is  also  re-
versed if the receivable had previously been impaired.

  Payables  

Payables  are  initially  recognised  at  their  fair  value,  which 
normally  corresponds  to  the  consideration  agreed  or  to  the 
present value of the amount that will be paid. They are sub-
sequently measured at amortised cost. Amortised cost is cal-
culated by using the effective interest rate method, which is 
equivalent  to  the  discount  rate  that,  when  applied  to  future 
cash flows, renders the present value of such cash flows equal 
to the initial fair value. Payables in currencies other than the 
functional currency of the individual companies are adjusted 
to the year-end exchange rates, with a balancing entry in the 
Income Statement. Payables are derecognised from the Finan-
cial  Statements  when  the  specific  contractual  obligation  has 
been extinguished. 

148

  Financial assets measured at fair value  
  through the Income Statement  

This category includes financial instruments mainly purchased 
to be sold in the short term and classified under current assets 
as  “Securities  held  for  trading”,  financial  assets  that  are 
initially  recognised  at  fair  value  through  Income  Statement, 
classified  as  “Other  financial  assets,”  and  derivatives  (except 
those designated as effective hedging instruments), classified 
as “Derivative financial instruments.”
They are measured at fair value with a balancing entry in the 
Income Statement. Transaction costs are expensed in the In-
come Statement.
Purchases and sales of these financial assets are accounted for 
at the settlement date.

  Cash and cash equivalents  

Cash  and  cash  equivalents  include  bank  deposits,  postal  de-
posits, cash and cash equivalents on hand, and other forms of 
short-term investment whose original maturity is three months 
or less. Current account overdrafts are recognised as current 
liabilities  under  financial  payables.  The  amounts  included  in 
cash and cash equivalents are recognised at their fair value and 
any changes are recognised in the Income Statement.

  Provisions for liabilities and charges  

Provisions for liabilities and charges include accruals for cur-
rent  obligations  (legal  or  constructive)  deriving  from  a  past 
event, to meet which an outflow of resources will probably be 
necessary and whose amount can be reliably estimated.
Changes in estimates are recognised in the Income Statement 
for the financial year in which the change occurs.
If the effect of discounting is significant, provisions are pre-
sented at their present value.

  Employee benefit obligations  

Employee  benefits  paid  after  termination  of  the  employment 
relationship under defined benefit plans and other long-term 
benefits are subject to actuarial measurements. The liability 
recognised in the Financial Statements is the present value of 
the Group’s obligation, net of the fair value of any plan assets.
For defined benefit plans, actuarial gains and losses deriving 
from  adjustments  based  on  past  experience  and  changes  in 
actuarial assumptions are fully recognised in equity for the 
financial year in which they occur.
For  other  long-term  benefits,  actuarial  gains  and  losses  are 
recognised immediately in the Income Statement.
The provision for employee leaving indemnities (TFR) of Ital-

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

ian companies with at least 50 employees is considered a de-
fined benefit plan only for the portion accrued prior to Janu-
ary  1,  2007  (and  not  yet  paid  as  at  the  date  of  the  Financial 
Statements), whereas subsequent to that date, it is considered 
a defined contribution plan.
The net interest calculated on net liabilities is classified under 
financial expenses. 
Costs relating to defined contribution plans are recognised in 
the Income Statement when incurred.

accumulated in equity remain suspended in equity until the 
hedged item displays its effects on the Income Statement. Sub-
sequently they are reclassified in the Income Statement over 
the financial years in which the asset acquired or liability as-
sumed impacts upon the Income Statement.
When  the  hedged  item  is  no  longer  expected  to  have  any 
impact on the Income Statement, the fair value adjustments 
accumulated in equity are immediately recognised in the In-
come Statement.

  Derivative financial instruments  
  designated as hedging instruments  

In accordance with IAS 39, hedging financial instruments are 
accounted  for  in  the  manner  set  forth  for  hedge  accounting 
only when: 

  formal designation and documentation of the hedging re-
lationship between the hedging derivative and the hedged 
item exist at the beginning of the hedge; 
  it is expected that the hedge will be highly effective;
  its effectiveness can be measured reliably; 
  this hedge is highly effective during the various financial 
years for which it is designated.

These derivative instruments are recognised at fair value.

The following accounting treatments are applied based on the 
type of hedge:

  Fair value hedge – if a derivative financial instrument is 
designated as a hedge against exposure to changes in the 
fair value of an asset or liability attributable to a specific 
risk, the gain or loss resulting from subsequent changes 
in  fair  value  of  the  hedging  instrument  is  recognised  in 
the Income Statement. For the portion attributable to the 
hedged risk, the gain or loss on the hedged item modifies 
the carrying value of that item (basis adjustment), and it 
too is recognised in the Income Statement;
  Cash flow hedge - if a derivative instrument is designated as 
a hedge against exposure to the variable cash flow of an as-
set or liability recognised in the Statement of Financial Po-
sition or a highly probable future transaction, the effective 
portion of the change in fair value of the hedging instru-
ment is recognised directly in equity, while the ineffective 
portion is immediately recognised in the Income Statement. 
Amounts recognised directly in equity are reclassified in 
the Income Statement in the financial year when the hedged 
item produces an effect on the Income Statement.

When a hedging instrument expires or is assigned, terminat-
ed, exercised, or no longer meets the conditions to be designat-
ed as a hedge, or if designation is voluntarily revoked, hedge 
accounting  is  discontinued  and  the  fair  value  adjustments 

For derivative instruments that do not meet the requirements 
established by IAS 39 for adoption of hedge accounting, please 
see the section “Financial assets at fair value through Income 
Statement”. 
Purchases and sales of these derivative financial instruments 
are accounted for at the settlement date.

  Determination of the fair value  
  of financial instruments  

The  fair  value  of  financial  instruments  listed  on  an  active 
market  is  based  on  market  prices  at  the  date  of  Financial 
Statements. The market prices used for financial assets are the 
bid prices, whereas for financial liabilities they are the ask-
ing price. The fair value of instruments that are not listed on 
an active market is determined by using measurement tech-
niques  with  a  variety  of  methods  and  assumptions  that  are 
based on market conditions at the date of financial statements.
The fair value of interest rate swaps is calculated as the pres-
ent value of expected future cash flows.
The  fair  value  of  forward  exchange  contracts  is  determined 
by using the forward rate at the date of financial statements.

  Income taxes  

Current taxes are determined on the basis of a realistic fore-
cast made of the charges payable under the current tax regu-
lations of the country.
Deferred  taxes  are  calculated  according  to  the  temporary 
differences  applying  between  the  asset  and  the  liability 
amounts in the Financial Statements and their tax basis (full 
liability method), and are classified under non-current assets 
and liabilities.
Deferred tax assets on tax losses which have been carried-for-
ward, as well as on temporary differences, are only recognised 
when  there  is  a  likelihood  of  future  recovery  over  the  time 
period covered by the forecasts of the business plan.
Current and deferred tax assets and liabilities are offset when 
the  income  taxes  are  levied  by  the  same  tax  authority  and 
when  there  is  a  legally  enforceable  right  to  offset.  Deferred 
tax assets and liabilities are determined according to enacted 
tax rates that are expected to be applicable to taxable income 

149

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

in the years when those temporary differences are expected 
to be recovered or settled, with reference to the jurisdictions 
where the Group operates.
The  deferred  tax  liabilities  related  to  investments  in  subsid-
iaries,  associates  and  joint  ventures  are  not  recognised  if  the 
participating entity can control the rollover of temporary differ-
ences and they are unlikely to arise in the foreseeable future. 
Deferred taxes are not discounted.
Deferred tax assets and liabilities are credited or debited to 
equity if they refer to items that have been credited or debited 
directly in equity during the financial year or during previous 
financial years.

  Equity  

Treasury shares
Treasury shares are recognised as a reduction in equity.
If they are sold, reissued or cancelled, the resulting earnings 
or losses are recognised in equity.

Costs of equity transactions
Costs that are directly attributable to equity transactions of 
the parent are recognised as a reduction in equity.

150

  Recognition of Revenue  

Revenue is measured at the fair value of the consideration re-
ceived for the sale of products or provision of services.

Sales of products
Revenue from sales of products is recognised when all the fol-
lowing conditions are met:

  the material risks and rewards of ownership of the goods 
have been transferred to the buyer;
  effective control over the goods and the normal continuing 
level of activities associated with ownership have ceased;
  the amount of revenue have been reliably determined;
  it is likely that the economic benefits deriving from the sale 
will be enjoyed by the company;
  costs incurred or to be incurred have been reliably de-
termined.

If the nature and extent of involvement of the seller are such 
that the risks and rewards of ownership are not in fact trans-
ferred, then the recognition date of the revenues is deferred 
until  the  date  on  which  this  transfer  can  be  considered  to 
have taken place.

Provision of services
Revenue from provision of services is recognised only when 
the results of the transaction can be measured reliably, by ref-

erence to the state of completion of the transaction at the date 
of financial statements.
The  results  of  a  transaction  can  be  measured  reliably  only 
when all the following conditions are met:

  the amount of revenue can be reliably determined;
  it is likely that the company will enjoy the economic bene-
fits of the transaction;
  the  stage  of  completion  of  the  transaction  at  the  date  of 
Financial Statements can be reliably measured;
  the costs incurred for the transaction and the costs to be 
incurred to complete it can be reliably determined.

Interest income
Interest income is recognised on a time proportion basis that 
considers the effective return on the asset.

Royalties
Royalties are recognised on an accrual basis, according to the 
substance of the relevant agreement. 

Dividends
Dividend income is recognised when the right to receive pay-
ment arises, which normally corresponds to the resolution ap-
proved by the General Meeting for the distribution of dividends.

  Income (loss) per share  

Income (loss) per share is calculated by dividing Group income 
(loss) by the weighted average number of outstanding shares 
during  the  financial  year.  To  calculate  diluted  earnings  per 
share, the weighted average number of outstanding shares is 
adjusted  by  assuming  the  conversion  of  all  shares  having  a 
potentially dilutive effect.

  Operational sectors  

The  operational  sector  is  a  part  of  the  Group  that  engaging 
in  business  activities  from  which  it  may  earn  revenues  and 
incur expenses, and whose operating results are regularly re-
viewed by top management with a view to making decisions 
about resources to be allocated to the segment and assessing 
its performance, and for which discrete financial statement in-
formation is available. 

  Accounting standards  
  for hyperinflationary countries  

Group companies operating in high-inflation countries recal-
culate the amounts of their non-monetary assets and liabilities 
in their individual Financial Statements to eliminate the dis-
torting effects caused by the loss of purchasing power of the 

currency.  The  inflation  rate  used  to  implement  the  inflation 
accounting corresponds to the consumer price index.
Companies  operating  in  countries  where  the  cumulative  in-
flation rate over a three-year period approximates or exceeds 
100% adopt inflation accounting and discontinue it in the event 
that  the  cumulative  inflation  rate  over  a  three-year  period 
falls below 100%.
Gains or losses on the net monetary position are recognised in 
the Income Statement.

  Non-current assets held for sale  
  and disposal groups  

Non-current assets and disposal groups are classified as held 
for  sale  if  their  carrying  value  is  recovered  mainly  through 
sale  rather  than  through  continuous  use.  This  occurs  if  the 
non-current asset or disposal group are available for sale un-
der current conditions and the sale is highly probable, or if a 
binding program for sale has already begun, activities to find a 
buyer have already commenced and it is expected that the sale 
will be completed within one year after the classification date.
On  the  consolidated  Statement  of  Financial  Position,  the 
non-current assets held for sale and the current and non-cur-
rent assets/liabilities of the disposal group are presented as a 
separate item from other assets and liabilities, and their totals 
are reflected in current assets and liabilities respectively. 
Non-current  assets  classified  as  held  for  sale  and  disposal 
groups are measured at the lower between carrying amount 
and fair value less costs to sell. 
Property, plant and equipment and intangible assets classified 
as held for sale are not depreciated or amortised.

  Discontinued operations  

A  discontinued  operation  is  a  component  that  has  been  dis-
posed of or classified as held for sale and that represents an 
important business unit or geographical area of activity, and 
pertains to a single, coordinated disposal programme. 
On the Consolidated Income Statement for the period, the Net 
income  (loss)  of  the  discontinued  operations,  as  well  as  the 
gain or loss resulting from fair value measurement net of the 
costs of sale or from disposal of the assets or disposal groups 
constituting the discontinued operation, are combined into a 
single item at the end of the Income Statement separately from 
the income (loss) from continuing operations. 
Cash flows for discontinued operations are shown separately 
in the statement of cash flows. 
The foregoing information is also presented for the compara-
tive period.

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

3.2  ACCouNtiNg 
stANDArDs  
AND iNterpretAtioNs 
eNDorseD AND iN ForCe 
From JANuArY 1, 2015

In accordance with IAS 8 “Accounting Policies, changes in ac-
counting estimates and errors” the IFRS effective from Janu-
ary 1, 2015 are indicated below:

  IFRIC 21 – Levies. 
 This interpretation clarifies the accounting of deferred tax 
and government taxes other than income taxes, in par-
ticular it defines the time when an entity can recognize 
these liabilities. Application of this interpretation will not 
have any impact on Financial Statements. 
  “Improvements” to IFRS 2011-2013 (issued by the IASB in 
December 2014). 
 The IASB issued a series of amendments to four standards 
in force in particular regarding the following aspects:

  meaning of “IFRS in force” in IFRS 1 First adoption of 
IFRS;
  the  non-applicability  to  joint  arrangements  of  IFRS  3 
Business Combinations;
  the portfolio exception for the determination of fair val-
ue in IFRS 13 Fair Value Measurement;
  the clarification of the interrelationships between IFRS 
3  and  IAS  40  to  classify  an  investment  as  a  property 
investment or property for use by the owner in IAS 40 
Property Investments.

Application of these amendments will not have any impact on 
Financial Statements.

3.3  iNterNAtioNAL 
ACCouNtiNg 
stANDArDs AND/or 
iNterpretAtioNs tHAt 
HAve BeeN issueD  
But Not Yet iN ForCe  
AND/or eNDorseD

Pursuant  to  IAS  8  -  “Accounting  standards,  changes  in  ac-
counting estimates and errors”, the new standards and inter-
pretations  that  have  been  issued  but  have  not  yet  come  into 
force  or  have  not  yet  been  endorsed  by  the  European  Union 
at December 31, 2015, and which are therefore not applicable, 
are listed below. 

151

 
 
 
 
 
 
Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

None of these standards and interpretations has been adopted 
in advance by the Group.

  Amendments to IAS 19 - Employee benefits - defined ben-
efit plans: contributions from employees or third parties
 These amendments apply to the contributions that employ-
ees or third parties pay to defined-benefit pension funds to 
simplify accounting in certain specific circumstances. 
 These amendments have been endorsed by the European 
Union came into force on February 1st, 2015 and have been 
applicable  since  January  1st,  2016.  Future  application  of 
these amendments will not have any impact.

  “Improvements”  to  IFRS  2010-2012  cycle  (issued  by  the 
IASB in December 2013).
 The  IASB  issued  a  series  of  amendments  to  7  standards 
in force, in particular regarding: the definition of vesting 
conditions in IFRS 2 – Share-based payments; recognition 
of  contingent  consideration  in  a  business  combination  in 
IFRS 3 – Business Combinations; aggregation of operating 
segments  and  the  reconciliation  of  the  total  assets  of  the 
reporting  segments  as  compared  with  the  total  assets  of 
the entity in IFRS 8 – Operational Sectors; proportional re-
statement of accumulated depreciation in IAS 16 – Property, 
plant and equipment and IAS 38 – Intangible assets; identi-
fication and certain disclosures related to key managers in 
IAS 24 – Disclosures on transactions with related parties.
 These amendments, which have been endorsed by the Eu-
ropean  Union,  came  into  force  on  February  1,  2015  and 
have  been  applicable  since  January  1,  2016.  The  amend-
ments made to IFRS 2, IAS 16 and IAS 38 are not applica-
ble to the Group. As concerns the amendments to the other 
IAS  /  IFRS,  the  future  application  of  these  amendments 
will  not  have  a  significant  impact  on  Group  Financial 
Statements or disclosures.

  Amendments to IFRS 11 – Joint Arrangements – accounting 
for the acquisition of investments in joint operations
 The amendments to IFRS 11 specify the accounting treat-
ment to be applied in case of acquisition of investments 
in joint operations that constitute a business as defined 
by IFRS 3.
 Said  amendments  have  been  endorsed  by  the  European 
Union and are applicable from January 1, 2016. Impacts on 
Financial Statements deriving from the future application 
of said amendments are not foreseen.

  Amendments  to  IAS  16  and  IAS  38  –  Explanation  of  the 
depreciation methods deemed acceptable 
 With these amendments, the IASB has sought to clarify that 
the use of methods based on revenues for the calculation of 
depreciation is not correct because the revenues generated 

by an asset reflect factors other than the consumption of 
the future economic benefits embodied in the asset itself. 
This consumption must represent the base principle for the 
calculation of depreciation. 
 Said  amendments,  which  have  been  endorsed  by  the  Eu-
ropean Union, apply from January 1, 2016. Future applica-
tion of these amendments will not have any impact on the 
Group’s Financial Statements.

  Amendments to IAS 27 – application of the equity method 
in the separate Financial Statements
 Following said amendments, the use of the equity method 
will be allowed as an option in accounting of investments 
in  subsidiaries,  associates  and  joint  ventures  also  in  the 
separate Financial Statements.
 Said amendments, which have been endorsed by the Euro-
pean Union, apply from January 1, 2016. The impacts deriv-
ing from the adoption of the equity method in the separate 
Financial Statements for the evaluation of the investment 
in subsidiary, associated companies and joint ventures are 
in the course of being analysed.

  “Improvements”  to  IFRS  2012-2014  cycle  (issued  by  the 
IASB in September 2014)
 The  IASB  has  issued  a  series  of  amendments  to  4  stand-
ards  that  are  currently  in  force,  relative  to  the  following 
issues:  amendment  to  the  method  of  divestiture  in  IFRS 
5  -  Non-current  assets  held  for  sale  and  discontinued  op-
erations; service contracts and applicability of the amend-
ments to IFRS 7 to interim Financial Statements in IFRS 7 - 
Financial Instruments: additional disclosures; discount rate 
to  be  applied  in  IAS  19 -  Employee  Benefits;  disclosure  of 
information presented “in other parts of the interim Finan-
cial Statements” in IAS 34 Interim Financial Statements.
 Said amendments, which have been endorsed by the Euro-
pean Union and apply from January 1, 2016. Future applica-
tion of these amendments will not have any impact on the 
Group’s Financial Statements.

  Amendments to IAS 1 – disclosure initiative
 Amendments  to  IAS  1,  related  to  the  disclosure  initiative 
project,  aim  to  clarify  and  improve  the  requirements  of 
IAS 1 itself.
 Said amendments, which have been endorsed by the Euro-
pean Union, apply from January 1, 2016. The impact on dis-
closures in consolidated Financial Statements is currently 
being analysed.

  Amendments  to  IFRS  10  and  IAS  28  -  sale  or  transfer  of 
assets from an investing company to an associate or joint 
venture
 The IASB issued said amendments to eliminate an incon-

152

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

uary 1st, 2018, has not yet been endorsed by the European 
Union and allows a choice between total or partial retro-
spective application. 
 The impacts of the future application of the principle are 
currently being analysed.

  IFRS 16 – Leases
 The new leasing standard, which will replace the current 
IAS 17 stipulates a consolidated accounting model for the 
lessor according to which all leases must be stated in the 
asset and liability statement. The concept of operating leas-
ing is no longer included.
 The lessor must state the leased property under “buildings, 
facilities and equipment” in the assets and liability state-
ment and, at the same time, include the financial liabilities 
for the current value of future payments.
 The only exceptions allowed are for short-term leasing (less 
than or equal to 12 months) and “small asset” leasing (e.g. 
office furniture, PCs) for which accounting is similar to that 
currently  adopted  for  operative  leases.  If  a  lease  contract 
includes a service, this does not need to be capitalised. 
 This principle, which was expected to come into force as 
of January 1st, 2019, has not yet been endorsed by the Eu-
ropean Union. Quantification of the impacts of the future 
application of the principle is currently being determined.

  Amendments to IAS 7 – (disclosure initiative)
 The goal of these modifications is to improve information 
regarding the net flow generated/absorbed by investment 
activity and liquidity of the item, especially given restric-
tions applying to the use of cash and cash equivalents and 
similar means within the cash flow statement.
 This principle, which is expected to come into force as of 
January 1, 2017, has not yet been endorsed by the European 
Union. The impact of the consolidated Financial Statements 
on the disclosures is currently being analysed.

  Amendments to IAS 12 – Acknowledgement of deferred tax 
assets on unrealised losses.
 These amendments clarify how deferred tax assets in re-
spect of debt instruments valued at fair value are to be ac-
counted for.
 This principle, whose coming into force is foreseen for Jan-
uary  1,  2017  has  not  yet  been  approved  by  the  European 
Union. These amendments do not apply to the Group.

153

sistency  found  between  IFRS  10  and  IAS  28  stating  that, 
if the assets sold/transferred constitute a business as de-
fined by IFRS 3, the possible gain or loss must be recog-
nised fully and any gain or loss shall be recognised only 
for the related portion.
 These amendments, whose coming into force has been put 
back indefinitely, have not yet been endorsed by the Euro-
pean Union. Future application of these amendments will 
not have any impact on the Group’s Financial Statements as 
the current accounting treatment followed by the Group is 
already compliant.

  Amendments to IFRS 10, IFRS 12 and IAS 28 – investments 
in investment entities – application of the exception to con-
solidation
 These  amendments  introduce  some  clarifications  about 
the  requirements  to  be  met  in  the  accounting  treatment 
required for investment entities. 
 These amendments, which are expected to come into force 
with  effect  from  January  1,  2016,  have  not  yet  been  en-
dorsed by the European Union and have no impact on the 
Group, as none of the entities belonging to the group qual-
ifies as investment entity within the meaning of IFRS 10. 

  IFRS 9 – Financial Instruments 
 IFRS  9,  which  will  supplant  IAS  39  –  Financial  Instru-
ments: Detection and measurement, is divided into 3 parts: 
  Classification  and  measurement  of  financial  instru-
ments  according  to  the  basis  of  the  entity’s  business 
model and the features of the cash flows generated by 
the financial instruments themselves.
  Impairment  of  financial  instruments  based  on  a  new 
and  unique  impairment  model  based  on  the  recogni-
tion of expected losses of an entity. This model does not 
apply  to  equity  instruments  and  provides  operational 
simplifications for trade receivables. 
  Hedge  accounting  based  on  a  more  flexible  approach 
than that set forth in IAS 39. 
 This principle, which was expected to come into force 
as  of  January  1st,  2018,  has  not  yet  been  endorsed  by 
the European Union. The impacts of the future applica-
tion of the principle are currently being analysed. The 
amendments relating to financial liabilities are not ap-
plicable to the Group.

  IFRS 15 – Sales from contracts with customers 
 The new model of revenue recognition of IFRS 15 is based 
on  identification  of  the  various  contractual  obligations 
(“performance obligations”) contained within each individ-
ual sales contract and on revenue recognition based on the 
fulfilment of individual contractual obligations. 
 This principle, which is expected to come into force on Jan-

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

4.  FinanciaL risk 
ManaGeMent  
PoLicY

The  financial  risks  the  Group  is  exposed  to  financial  risks 
are principally associated with foreign exchange rates, fluc-
tuations in interest rates, the price of financial assets held as 
investments, the ability of customers to meet their obligations 
to  the  Group  (credit  risk),  and  raising  funds  on  the  market 
(liquidity risk).
Financial risk management is an integral part of Group busi-
ness management and is handled directly by the headquarters 
in accordance with guidelines issued by the Finance Manage-
ment on the basis of general risk management strategies de-
fined by the Managerial Risk Committee. 

4.1  tYpes oF FiNANCiAL 

risks

  Exchange rate risk  

154

The  widespread  geographical  distribution  of  Group  produc-
tion  and  trade  activities  entails  exposure  to  transaction  and 
translation exchange rate risk. 

  Transactional exchange rate risk
 This  risk  is  generated  by  the  trade  and  financial  trans-
actions  of  the  individual  companies  that  are  executed  in 
currencies  other  than  the  functional  currency.  Exchange 
rate fluctuations between the time when the trade or finan-
cial  relationship  is  established  and  when  the  transaction 
is completed (collection or payment) may generate foreign 
exchange gains or losses.
 The Group aims to minimise the impact of transaction ex-
change rate risk related to volatility. To achieve this objec-
tive, group procedures make Operating Units responsible 
for collecting complete information about the assets and li-
abilities that are subject to transaction exchange rate risk. 
This risk is hedged with forward contracts made with the 
Group Treasury. 
 The items subject to exchange rate risk are mainly repre-
sented by receivables and payables denominated in foreign 
currency.
 Group  Treasury  is  responsible  for  hedging  the  net  posi-
tion for each currency and, in accordance with established 
guidelines  and  restrictions,  closes  all  risk  positions  by 
trading derivative hedging contracts in the market, which 
typically take the form of forward contracts.
 The  Group  has  not  seen  fit  to  opt  for  hedge  accounting 
pursuant  to  IAS  39,  insofar  as  the  representation  of  the 

economic and financial effects of the hedging strategy on 
foreign exchange rate risk is still substantially guaranteed 
even without adopting such option. 
 Furthermore,  as  part  of  the  annual  and  three-year  plan-
ning process, the Group makes exchange rate forecasts by 
using  the  best  information  available  in  the  market.  The 
fluctuation in exchange rates between the time when the 
forecast is made and the time when the trade or financial 
transaction occur represents the exchange rate risk on fu-
ture transactions. 
 In accordance with established policy, the Group monitors 
the  opportunity  to  hedge  future  transactions,  with  each 
hedge  being  authorised  by  the  Finance  Department  on  a 
case-by-case basis. Hedge accounting in accordance with 
IAS 39 is used when the conditions are met. 

  Currency translation risk 
 The  Group  owns  controlling  interests  in  companies  that 
prepare  their  Financial  Statements  in  currencies  other 
than the Euro, which is used to prepare the consolidated 
Financial Statements. This exposes the Group to currency 
translation risk, which is generated by the conversion into 
Euro of the assets and liabilities of these subsidiaries.
 The  principal  exposures  to  currency  translation  risk  are 
constantly monitored; it is not currently deemed necessary 
to adopt specific policies to hedge this exposure.
 Approximately  23%  of  the  total  consolidated  net  equity 
at  December  31,  2015  was  expressed  in  Euros  (compared 
to approximately 17% as at December 31, 2014). The most 
significant  currencies  other  than  Euro  for  the  Group  are 
the Brazilian Real (15.6%; 17% as at December 31, 2014), the 
Turkish Lira (5.6%; 7% as at December 31, 2014), the Chi-
nese  Renminbi  (14.7%;  12%  as  at  December  31,  2014),  the 
Romanian  Leu  (12.8%;  13%  as  at  December  31,  2014),  the 
Egyptian Lira (3.8%; 3% as at December 31, 2014), the Brit-
ish Pound Sterling (6.8%; 4% as at December 31, 2014), the 
Argentine Peso (1.6%; 2% as at December 31, 2014), the US 
Dollar (3.2%; 5% as at December 31, 2014) and the Mexican 
Peso  (6.2%;  6%  as  at  December  31,  2014).The  Group  is  no 
longer exposed to any exchange rate translation risks asso-
ciated with the Venezuelan Bolivar due to deconsolidation 
of the Venezuelan subsidiary Pirelli de Venezuela C.A.. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

The table below shows the effects on consolidated equity deriving from a hypothetical appreciation/depreciation of the aforesaid 
currencies against the Euro, with all other conditions being equal:

(in thousands of euro)

brazilian Real 

Turkish Lira

Chinese Renminbi 

Romanian Leu 

Egyptian Pound 

british Pound

Argentinian Pesos

us dollar

Mexican Pesos

appreciation oF 10%

depreciation oF 10%

12/31/2015

12/31/2014

12/31/2015

12/31/2014

40,700

14,667

38,311

33,267

9,889

17,722

4,267

8,367

16,156

46,756

20,311

34,333

35,444

9,811

12,344

5,922

14,600

17,156

196,677

(33,300)

(12,000)

(31,345)

(27,218)

(8,091)

(14,500)

(3,491)

(6,845)

(13,218)

(150,008)

(38,255)

(16,618)

(28,091)

(29,000)

(8,027)

(10,100)

(4,845)

(11,945)

(14,036)

(160,917)

Total on consolidated equity

183,346

  Interest rate risk  

Interest rate risk is the risk that the fair value or the future cash flows of a financial asset or liability will change due to fluctuations 
in market interest rates. 
Group policy is to attempt to maintain the following ratio between fixed rate and variable rate exposures: 70% fixed and 30% variable.
In order to maintain this trend ratio, the group enters into derivative contracts, typically interest rate swaps, to hedge for which 
hedge accounting is activated when the conditions set out in IAS 39 are fulfilled. 

155

The following is an outline of the effects on net income and shareholders’ equity directly arising from an increase or decrease of 
0.50% in the level of interest rates for all currencies to which the Group is exposed, with all other conditions being equal:

(in thousands of euro)

Impact on net income (loss)

Total

direct impact on equity

Total

+0.50%

-0.50%

12/31/2015

12/31/2014

12/31/2015

12/31/2014

 (2,240)

(2,240)

 - 

 - 

 (1,790)

(1,790)

2,034

2,034

 2,246 

2,246 

 - 

 - 

 1,790 

1,790 

 (3,457)

 (3,457)

  Price risk associated with financial assets  

The exposure of the Group to price risk is limited to the volatility of financial assets such as listed and unlisted equities and bonds, 
for approximately 4.2% of the total consolidated assets at December 31, 2015 (3.2% at December 31, 2014); such assets are classified 
as financial assets available for sale and securities held for trading.
Derivatives hedges are not set up to cover the volatility of these assets. 

Financial assets available for sale consist of listed securities amounted to euro 154,355 thousand (euro 128,404 thousand at De-
cember 31, 2014) and those represented by securities indirectly associated with listed shares (Fin. Priv. S.r.l. and Emittenti Titoli 
S.p.A.) amounted to euro 23,576 thousand (euro 18,071 thousand at December 31, 2014); these financial assets represent 58.7% of total 
financial assets subject to price risk (60.4% at December 31, 2014); a +5% change in the above listed securities, other things being 

  Liquidity risk  

Liquidity  risk  represents  the  risk  that  financial  resources 
available are insufficient to meet the financial and trade obli-
gations pursuant to contractual terms and conditions. 
The  principal  instruments  used  by  the  Group  to  manage  li-
quidity risk comprise its annual and three-year financial and 
cash-pooling plans. These allow complete and fair detection and 
measurement of incoming and outgoing cash flows. The differ-
ences between plans and actual data are analysed constantly.
The  Group  has  implemented  a  centralised  cash  pooling  sys-
tem  for  the  management  of  collection  and  payment  flows  in 
compliance with various local currency and tax laws. Bank-
ing  relationships  are  negotiated  and  managed  centrally,  in 
order to ensure coverage of short and medium-term financial 
needs at the lowest possible cost. Procurement of medium and 
long-term resources on the capital market is also streamlined 
through centralised management.

Prudent  management  of  the  risk  described  above  requires 
maintaining  an  adequate  level  of  cash  or  cash  equivalents 
and/or  highly  liquid  short-term  financial  instruments,  and 
the availability of funds through an adequate amount of com-
mitted credit facilities and/or recourse to the capital market, 
while diversifying the products and their maturities to seize 
the best available opportunities.
At December 31, 2015 the Group had, aside from cash and secu-
rities held for trading of euro 160,893 thousand (euro 1,228,073 
thousand at December 31, 2014), unused committed credit fa-
cilities of euro 820,480 thousand (euro 1,125,000 thousand at 
December 31, 2014), maturing in the first quarter of 2020.

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

equal, would result in a positive change of euro 7,716 thousand 
of Group shareholders equity (positive euro 6,414 thousand at 
December 31, 2014), while a -5% change of these listed secu-
rities, other things being equal, would result in a decrease of 
euro 6,998 thousand in Group equity and a decrease of euro 
718 thousand in net income/loss for the Group (at December 31, 
2014 a decrease of euro 5,333 thousand in consolidated share-
holders’ equity and a decrease of euro 1,081 thousand in Group 
net income/loss).

  Credit risk  

Credit risk represents Group exposure to contingent losses re-
sulting from default by either trade or financial counterparties. 
The  Group  is  exposed  to  credit  risk  as  part  of  its  operating 
activities and financing activities. 
In order to limit trade counterparty default risk, the Group has 
implemented  procedures  to  evaluate  its  customers’  potential 
and financial solidity, monitor expected incoming cash flows 
and take credit recovery action if necessary.
The aim of these procedures is to define customer credit limits. 
Further sales are suspended when those limits are exceeded.
In certain cases, customers are asked to provide guarantees; 
these mainly consist of bank sureties issued by parties with 
the highest credit standing, or personal guarantees. Less fre-
quently, mortgage guarantees may be requested.

Another instrument used by the Group to manage the risk as-
sociated with trade receivables is the stipulation of insurance 
policies that aim to cover the risk of non-payment through the 
accurate selection of covered customers in collaboration with 
the  insurance  company,  which  undertakes  to  indemnify  the 
Group in the event of customer insolvency.
The Group operates only with highly rated financial counter-
parties for the management of its temporary cash surpluses or 
trading in derivative instruments, and constantly monitors its 
exposure to individual counterparties. The Group does not hold 
public  debt  instruments  of  any  European  country,  and  con-
stantly monitors its net credit exposure to the banking system.
The Group does not have significant concentrations of credit 
risk. 
The disclosure related to the maximum credit exposure, which 
is represented by the gross receivables, is included in notes 14 
and 15 respectively regarding “Trade receivables” and ”Other 
receivables”.

156

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

The maturities of financial liabilities at December 31, 2015 may be broken down as follows:

(in thousands of euro)

Trade payables

Other payables

Financial instruments

borrowings from banks  
and other financial institutions

within 1 
year

1 , 313 ,131 

404,172 

51,979 

1 to 2 years

2 to 5 years

over 5 
years

total

 - 

27,843 

 - 

 - 

42,883 

 - 

 - 

27,905 

 - 

1 , 313 ,131 

502,803 

51,979 

1,138,592 

113,220 

1,066,177 

96,291 

2,414,280 

2,907,874 

141,063 

1,109,060 

124,196 

4,282,193 

The maturities of financial liabilities at December 31, 2014 may be broken down as follows:

(in thousands of euro)

Trade payables

Other payables

Financial instruments

borrowings from banks  
and other financial institutions

within 1 
year

1,394,312 

443,477 

42,835 

1 to 2 years

2 to 5 years

over 5 
years

total

 - 

3,938 

 - 

 - 

37,661 

 - 

 - 

1,394,312 

33,093 

 - 

518,169 

42,835 

530,890 

827,414 

863,048 

91,264 

2,312,616 

2,411,514 

831,352 

900,709 

124,357 

4,267,932 

157

The use of the two syndicated lines (granted respectively to Pirelli & C. S.p.A. and Pirelli International Plc) of euro 379,520 thousand 
at December 31, 2015 has been classified under non-current borrowings from banks. Please see note 23.
Of further note, an extraordinary general meeting of Pirelli & C. S.p.A shareholders on February 15, 2016 approved the project for 
merging by incorporation of the controlling company, Marco Polo Industrial Holding S.p.A., into Pirelli & C. S.p.A. 
The effect of this merger will be that Pirelli will hold the debt of Marco Polo Industrial Holding S.p.A. (ex Bidco) subscribed to for the 
acquisition of Pirelli and amounting to about 4.2 billion. On February 16, 2016, the Board of Directors of Pirelli & C. S.p.A. approved 
the essential outlines of the of refinancing plan in respect of a counter value of up to a maximum of euro 7 billion, being the gross 
indebtedness of Pirelli & C. S.p.A as at September 30, 2015 (euro 2.7 billion) including the effects foreseen in respect of the merger 
with Marco Polo Industrial Holding S.p.A. (debt amounting to about euro 4.2 billion). This outline for financing aims to extend the 
maturity of the debt and optimise its structure thanks to the recourse to bond and banking markets. The terms and conditions of 
the refinancing, including any guarantees required, will be defined in the light of market conditions and practices of reference, also 
taking into account the rights incorporated into the Terms and Conditions for the benefit of holders of bond loans issued by Pirelli 
International plc and guaranteed by Pirelli Tyre S.p.A. for an aggregate of euro 600 million maturing in 2019 and which, as already 
stated, will remain in force until its natural maturity.
The approved refinancing plan does not alter Pirelli’s right to activate as an alternative, if and when appropriate, the Mergeco 
Facility loan, already made available to the company by a pool of banks in the area of the Public Purchase Offer made by Marco 
Polo Industrial Holding S.p.A. in respect of Pirelli & C. S.p.A..

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

5.  inForMation on Fair VaLUe

5.1  FAir vALue meAsuremeNt

In respect of financial instruments measured at fair value, the following table shows the classification of these instruments on the 
basis of the hierarchy of levels pursuant to IFRS 13, reflecting the significance of the inputs used in determining the fair value. The 
following levels are defined:

  level 1 – unadjusted quotations recorded on an active market for assets or liabilities subject to valuation;
  level 2 – inputs different from the listed prices referred to at the preceding level, which are observable on the market either 
directly (as in the case of prices) or indirectly (because they are derived from prices);
  level 3 – inputs that are not based on observable market data.

The following table shows assets and liabilities carried at fair value as at December 31, 2015, divided into the three levels defined 
above:

(in thousands of euro)

note

carrying 
amount  
at 12/31/2o15

level 1

level 2

level 3

FINANCIAL ASSETS

Financial assets carried at fair value through income statement:

158

securities held for trading

Current derivative financial instruments 

Financial hedging instruments:

Current derivative financial instruments 

Available-for-sale financial assets: 

Other financial assets

  Equities and shares

  Investment funds

TOTAL ASSETS

18

27

27

12

78,167 

49,166 

12,139 

 - 

 - 

 - 

210,643 

154,355 

14,478 

225,121 

364,593 

 -  

154,355 

154,355 

78,167 

49,166 

12,139 

23,576 

14,478 

38,054 

177,526 

FINANCIAL LIABILITIES

Financial liabilities carried at fair value through income statement

Current derivative financial instruments 

Financial hedging instruments:

Current derivative financial instruments 

TOTAL LIABILITIES

27

27

(51,974)

(5)

(51,979)

 - 

 - 

 - 

(51,974)

(5)

(51,979)

 - 

 - 

 - 

32,712 

 -  

32,712 

32,712 

 - 

 - 

 - 

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

The following table shows assets and liabilities carried at fair value as at December 31, 2014, divided into the three levels 
defined above:

(in thousands of euro)

note

carrying 
amount  
at 12/31/2o14

level 1

level 2

level 3

FINANCIAL ASSETS

Financial assets carried at fair value through income statement:

securities held for trading

Current derivative financial instruments 

Financial hedging instruments:

Current derivative financial instruments 

Available-for-sale financial assets: 

Other financial assets

  Equities and shares

  Investment funds

TOTAL ASSETS

18

27

27

12

FINANCIAL LIABILITIES

Financial liabilities carried at fair value through income statement

Current derivative financial instruments 

Financial hedging instruments:

Current derivative financial instruments 

TOTAL LIABILITIES

27

27

The following table shows the changes that occurred in level 3 during 2015:

(in thousands of euro)

Opening balance

Foreign currency translation differences 

Increases / subscription of capital

Impairment

Fair value adjustments through Equity

Other changes

Closing balance

61,404 

25,634 

3,470 

165,919 

14,822 

180,741 

271,249 

(32,824)

(10,011)

(42,835)

 - 

 - 

 - 

128,402 

 - 

128,402 

128,402 

61,404 

25,634 

3,470 

18,071 

14,822 

32,893 

123,401 

 - 

 - 

 - 

(32,824)

(10,011)

(42,835)

12/31/2015

 - 

 - 

 - 

19,446 

 - 

19,446 

19,446 

 - 

 - 

 - 

19,446 

327 

20,806 

(8,376)

374 

135 

32,712 

These financial assets are primarily represented by share investments in the European Institute of Oncology (euro 5,754 thousand), 
Equinox Two S.C.A. (euro 4,425 thousand) and Tlcom I LP (euro 644 thousand) and F.C. Internazionale (euro 293 thousand).

The item increases refers mainly to the capital increase related to the investment in Alitalia – Compagnia Aerea Italiana S.p.A. 
(euro 1,766 thousand) and to recogniton of the investment in the subsidiary Pirelli de Venezuela C.A. (euro 18,877 thousand) which 
was deconsolidated as of December 31, 2015.

The item impairment refers mainly to investments in Equinox Two S.C.A. (euro 460 thousand) and Alitalia-Compagnia Aerea 
Italiana S.p.A (euro 7,115 thousand) and F.C. Internazionale Milano S.p.A. (euro 265 thousand).

During the financial year 2015, there were no transfers from level 1 to level 2 or vice versa, nor from level 3 to other levels or vice versa. 

The fair value of financial instruments traded on active markets is based on the price quotations published at the date of Financial 
Statements. These instruments, included in level 1, comprise primarily equity investments classified as financial assets available for sale.

159

 
Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

The fair value of financial instruments not traded on active markets (e.g. derivatives) is measured by means of techniques that 
maximise the use of observable and available market data, using widely applied financial measurement techniques: 

  market prices for similar instruments;
  the fair value of interest rate swaps is calculated by discounting estimated future cash flows based on observable yield curves;
  the fair value foreign exchange derivatives (forward contracts) is determined by using the forward exchange rate at the date of 
Financial Statements.

5.2 CAtegories oF FiNANCiAL Assets AND LiABiLities

The table below shows the carrying amounts for each class of financial asset and liability identified by IAS 39:

(in thousands of euro)

FINANCIAL ASSETS

Financial assets carried at fair value through income statement

securities held for trading

Current derivative financial instruments

Loans and receivables

Other non-current receivables

Current trade receivables

Other current receivables

Cash and cash equivalents

160

Available-for-sale financial assets

Other financial assets

Hedging financial instruments

Current derivative financial instruments

FINANCIAL LIABILITIES

Financial liabilities carried at fair value through income statement

Current derivative financial instruments

Financial liabilities carried at amortised cost

Non-current borrowings from banks  
and other financial institutions

Other non-current payables

Current borrowings from banks and other financial institutions

Current trade payables

Other current payables

Hedging financial instruments

Current derivative financial instruments

note

carrying amount  
at 12/31/2015

carrying amount  
at 12/31/2014

18

27

15

14

15

19

12

27

27

23

25

25

24

25

27

 78,167 

 49,166 

 127,333 

 147,624 

 676,192 

 165,408 

 1,082,726 

 2,071,950 

 61,404 

 25,634 

 87,038 

 169,145 

 673,808 

 265,274 

 1,166,669 

 2,274,896 

 225,121 

 180,741 

 12,139 

 2,436,543 

 3,470 

2,546,146 

 51,974 

 32,824 

 1,275,688 

 98,631 

 1,138,592 

 1,313,131 

 404,172 

 4,230,214 

 5 

 4,282,193 

 1,781,726 

 74,692 

 530,890 

 1,394,312 

 443,477 

 4,225,097 

 10,011 

4,267,931 

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

6. caPitaL ManaGeMent PoLicY

The Group’s objective is to maximise the return on net invested capital while maintaining the ability to operate over time, ensuring 
adequate returns for its shareholders and benefits for other stakeholders, with a sustainable financial structure. 
In order to achieve these objectives, as well as pursuing satisfactory earnings results and generating cash flows, the Group may 
adjust its dividend policy and the configuration of Company capital. 

The main indicators used by the Group to manage its capital are:

  R.O.I.: Ratio (%) of operating Income (loss) over average net invested capital: the indicator represents the ability of the corporate 
results to remunerate net invested capital, defined as the sum of fixed assets and net working capital. The Group’s objective is 
to have this ratio higher than the weighted average cost of capital (WACC);
  Gearing: This is calculated as the ratio between net debt and equity. It is an indicator of the sustainability of the ratio between 
debt and equity, which takes into account the market situation and the trend in the cost of capital and debt at different times;
  R.O.E. (return on equity): this is calculated as the ratio (%) between net income (loss) and average equity. It is an indicator 
representing the Group’s ability to remunerate its shareholders. The objective is for this indicator to be higher than the rate of 
return on a risk-free investment, correlated with the nature of the operated businesses. 

The figures for 2015 and 2014 are shown below:

R.O.I. (operating income / average net invested capital)

gearing (net financial position/equity)

R.O.E. (Return on Equity -net income / equity)

2015

2014

20.34%

0.51

n.s.

19.20%

0.38

13.19%

161

7. estiMates and assUMPtions

Preparation of the Consolidated Financial Statements entails management making estimates and assumptions which, under cer-
tain circumstances, are founded on difficult and subjective assessments and estimates that are based on historical experience, 
and assumptions that are periodically considered reasonable and realistic in light of the circumstances applying. The results that 
actually emerge may therefore differ from such estimates. Estimates and assumptions are reviewed periodically and the effects of 
any changes made to them are reflected in the Income Statement in the period in which the estimate is revised. If such estimates 
and assumptions, based on the best evaluation currently available, should differ from actual circumstances, they will be modified 
accordingly for the period in which the actual circumstances differ.
It is to be noted that the situation caused by the economic and financial crisis has entailed making extremely uncertain assumptions 
about future performance. Therefore, it cannot be ruled out that next financial year’s results will be different from those estimat-
ed and that adjustments to the carrying value of the relevant items might be necessary, including significant adjustments, which 
obviously cannot be estimated or foreseen at this time. Such estimates affect the carrying amounts of certain assets and liabilities, 
costs and revenues, and also disclosures relating to contingent assets/liabilities at the date of Financial Statements.
The estimates and assumptions relate mainly to the assessments of the recoverability of the intangible assets, to the definition of 
the useful lives of property, plant and equipment, to the assessment of the recoverability of investments in associated companies, to 
the recoverability of receivables, to the recognition/measurement of provisions for risks and charges, to the evaluation of pension 
schemes and other post-employment benefits, to the exchange rates used in relation to activities by the Group in Venezuela, and 
to the reasons which brought about the deconsolidation of the subsidiary as at December 31, 2015, and are based on data which 
reflects the best available information. 

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

  Estimates entailing greater subjectivity  
  and having a particularly material impact  

What follows is a brief description of the accounting policies 
that, more than others, require management to exercise great-
er subjectivity in the calculation of estimates, and for which 
a change in the conditions underlying the assumptions used 
could  have  a  material  impact  on  the  consolidated  Financial 
Statements, or for which there is a risk that material adjust-
ments  to  the  carrying  amount  of  assets  and  liabilities  may 
emerge in the financial year subsequent to the reference peri-
od of the Financial Statements.

Goodwill
In accordance with the accounting standards adopted for prepa-
ration of the Financial Statements, goodwill is tested annually 
in order to ascertain the existence of any impairment losses to 
be recognised in the Income Statement. In particular, the test 
requires the allocation of goodwill to cash generating units and 
subsequent determination of their recoverable amount, that is 
fair value or value in use, whichever is the greater.
If the recoverable amount proves to be lower than the carry-
ing amount of the cash generating units, the goodwill allocat-
ed to them is impaired. Determination of the recoverable value 
of the cash generating units entails using estimates that de-
pend on subjective assessments and on factors that can change 
over  time,  with  consequent  and  possibly  material  effects  on 
the measurements made by management.

Impairment of property, plant  
and equipment and intangible assets
In accordance with the reference accounting standards, prop-
erty, plant and equipment and intangible assets are tested to 
ascertain whether or not there has been an impairment loss 
when there are signs that difficulties are to be expected in the 
recovery of their net carrying amount through use. 
The  identification  of  aforesaid  indications  requires  that  the 
Directors  make  subjective  judgments  based  on  information 
available from both internal and external sources, as well as 
on historical experience.
Moreover, if it is determined that a potential impairment loss 
may  be  generated,  this  loss  is  calculated  using  appropriate 
measurement techniques.
Proper identification of elements indicating the existence of a 
potential  impairment  loss,  and  estimates  for  calculating  the 
amount of such losses, depend on subjective assessments and 
factors that may vary over time, so affecting the assessments 
and estimates made by management.

Impairment of investments in associates  
and joint ventures
After applying the equity method, where there are indicators 
of impairment of assets, the value of investments in associates 
and joint ventures is compared to the recoverable value (so-
called impairment test). The recoverable amount corresponds 
to the fair value less costs to sell, or the value in use, which-
ever is the higher.
For the purposes of the impairment test of Prelios S.p.A., a list-
ed affiliate, the recoverable value was determined as equal to 
the fair value corresponding to the stock market value on De-
cember 30, 2015. In the case of Fenice S.r.l., an associate with 
unlisted  shares,  the  fair  value  was  determined  on  the  basis 
of valuation prepared by an independent third-party profes-
sional, making use of estimates based on the best information 
available. Specifically, an income approach was used based on 
the options criterion. For the investment in GWM Renewable 
Energy II S.p.A., the recoverable value was determined by as-
sessing  in  a  transparent  manner  Greentech  Energy  System 
A/S, a company listed on the Danish market and the compa-
ny’s principal asset. 

Pension funds
Group companies have set up pension plans, healthcare plans 
and other defined benefit plans in different countries for their 
employees, mainly in the United States and the United King-
dom. Both funds were closed to new entries, in 2005 and 2001 
respectively; so the actuarial risk relates only to previous defi-
cits. Management uses different actuarial assumptions to cal-
culate the liabilities and the future returns on assets serving 
these  employee  benefit  plans.  Actuarial  assumptions  of  a  fi-
nancial nature regard the discount rate, the inflation rate and 
trends in healthcare costs. 
Actuarial  assumptions  of  a  demographic  nature  essentially 
regard mortality rates. 
The  Group  has  identified  discount  rates  deemed  to  be  bal-
anced, given the context. 

Exchange rate used for the translation  
into foreign currency of trade items of Pirelli 
de Venezuela C.A., and the deconsolidation  
of the subsidiary as at December 31, 2015. 
It  is  to  be  noted  that  as  at  December  31,  2015  in  Venezuela 
the currency system was characterised by the simultaneous 
presence of an official exchange rate (the so-called CENCOEX), 
equal to 6.3 Bolivar to the US Dollar, and the exchange rates 
derived  from  auctions  managed  in  accordance  to  the  SICAD 
system (13.5 Bolivars to the US Dollar, 14.70 Bolivar to the Euro 
at the exchange rate set at the last auction held in September 
2015,  applicable  to  the  Automotive  industry  sector,  which  is 
considered strategic for the country), as well as the SIMADI 

162

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

Deferred tax assets
Deferred  tax  assets  are  accounted  for  on  the  basis  of  fore-
casts of taxable earnings expected in future financial years. 
Assessing the expected taxable earnings for the purpose of 
accounting for deferred taxation depends on factors that can 
vary  over  time,  and  may  lead  to  significant  effects  on  the 
measurement of deferred tax assets.
To  determine  the  adjustment,  forecast  figures  and  business 
plans consistent with those used for the impairment tests and 
described in the foregoing paragraph in connection with the 
recoverable  amount  of  non-current  assets  have  been  taken 
into account. It is also deemed that the adjustment items are 
sufficient to cover the risk of deterioration with respect to the 
assumptions in the plan, given the fact that net deferred tax 
assets relate to temporary differences/tax losses that, to a sig-
nificant extent, can be recovered over a very long time, and 
the recovery of which is therefore compatible with scenarios 
in  which  the  actual  data  might  deviate  negatively  with  re-
spect to the assessments made by management.

Provisions for liabilities and charges
Provisions are set aside against contingent legal and fiscal li-
abilities, representing the risk of losing lawsuits. The value of 
provisions recognised in the Financial Statements relating to 
these liabilities represents the best estimate date of Financial 
Statements made by management for lawsuits and tax claims 
regarding a vast range of issues which are subject to the ju-
risdiction of a number of countries. Such an estimate entails 
making assumptions that depend on factors that may change 
over  time  and  which  may  therefore  have  a  material  impact 
with respect to the current estimates made by management 
for the preparation of the Consolidated Financial Statements.

163

exchange  rate  in  force  which  amounted  to  198.7  Bolivars  to 
the US Dollar applicable to imports that did not need specif-
ic authorisation from the government and which is controlled 
by the Venezuelan Central Bank based on the parity setting 
of the open market. Based on the most recent available doc-
umentary  evidence,  the  Group  had  already  during  the  2014 
financial year considered it appropriate to adjust an exchange 
rate of 12 Bolivars to the US Dollar (SICAD exchange rate as 
at December 31, 2014) on all business transactions in foreign 
currency of the subsidiary and outstanding as at the date of 
the  Financial  Statements,  with  a  subsequent  recognition  for 
the  2014  financial  year  of  foreign  exchange  losses  totalling 
euro 72.1 million. 
During  the  course  of  the  2015  financial  year  the  SICAD  I  ex-
change rate was superseded by the SICAD exchange rate (13.5 
Bolivars to the US Dollar - 14.70 Bolivars to the Euro); this in-
crease  in  the  exchange  rate  led  to  an  impact  on  the  Income 
Statement totalling euro 23.9 million, of which euro 17.0 million 
was due to the adjustment of open items as at December 31, 2014 
and euro 6.9 million for transactions which occurred in 2015. 
It is noted that the Group proceeded with deconsolidation of 
the subsidiary Pirelli de Venezuela C.A., effective as of De-
cember 31, 2015. The decision to proceed with the deconsoli-
dation was mainly due to the fact that the Venezuelan subsid-
iary was no longer able to pay dividends and royalties, or able 
to  meet  its  trade  liabilities  towards  other  companies  of  the 
Group.  To  these  limitations  on  the  relevant  activities  of  the 
Venezuelan subsidiary, which were not temporary, addition-
al  permanent  regulatory  restrictions  were  imposed,  which 
included a control on sales margins by the local authorities, 
as  well  as  a  particularly  stringent  labour  legislation.  Given 
this scenario, which was expected to endure for the foresee-
able future, it was considered that the requisite conditions of 
IFRS 10 had not been met in order for an accounting control 
to be carried out on the subsidiary, being the aforementioned 
conditions  which  in  fact  did  not  permit  the  Group  to  devel-
op and implement decisions on the relevant activities of the 
subsidiary.  Therefore,  the  deconsolidation  of  the  subsidiary 
was  proceeded  with.  Given  the  complexity  of  the  Venezue-
lan scenario, the previously summarised considerations and 
assumptions inevitably relied on complex and subjective as-
sessments and estimates based on historical experience, and 
are considered reasonable and realistic in the circumstances; 
these  assessments  and  assumptions  resulted  in  significant 
overall effects on the consolidated Financial Statements of the 
Pirelli Group. Please refer to note 2, “Basis of Presentation – 
Deconsolidation of the subsidiary Pirelli de Venezuela C.A.” 
for more details on these effects.

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

8.  oPerationaL sectors

The operational sectors regarding separate disclosure are defined below: 

  Consumer Business sector: includes for vehicles and motorcycles tyres made for both the original equipment channel and the 
replacement channel;
  Industrial Business sector: includes tyres for trucks and vehicles for agricultural use both for the original equipment channel 
and the replacement channel;

Results broken down by sector for 2015 are as follows:

(in thousands of euro)

Total net sales

gross operating margin

depreciation and amortisation

Operating income (loss)

Net income (loss) from equity investments

Financial income (expenses)

deconsolidation of the venezuelan subsidiary

Net income (loss) before tax

Tax

164

Net income (loss) from continuing operations

Results broken down by sector for 2014 were as follows:

consumer

industrial

other business

2015

 5,048,200 

 1,252,600 

 8,833 

 6,309,633 

 1,031,109 

 (268,204)

 762,905 

 152,107 

 (54,502)

 97,605 

 (8,697)

 (1,502)

 (10,199)

 1,174,519 

 (324,208)

 850,311 

 (41,393)

 (328,216)

 (559,491)

 (78,789)

 (290,137)

 (368,926)

(in thousands of euro)

Total net sales

gross operating margin

depreciation and amortisation

Operating income (loss)

Net income (loss) from equity investments

Financial income (expenses)

Net income (loss) before tax

Tax

Net income (loss) from continuing operations

consumer

industrial

other business

2014

 4,610,320 

 1,397,200 

 10,543 

 6,018,063 

 913,925 

 (237,515)

 676,410 

 235,200 

 (59,000)

 176,200 

 (12,385)

 (2,292)

 (14,677)

 1,136,740 

 (298,807)

 837,933 

 (87,000)

 (262,410)

 488,523 

 (173,309)

 315,214 

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

Assets, liabilities and investments broken down by sector as at December 31, 2015 are as follows:

(in thousands of euro)

goodwill

Allocated assets 

unallocated assets 

TOTAL ASSETS

Allocated liabilities

unallocated liabilities

TOTAL LIABILITIES

Investments:

consumer

industrial

other  
business

other

total 
12/31/2015

 572,703 

 3,706,289 

 - 

 4,278,992 

 1,540,747 

 - 

 306,423 

 893,050 

 - 

 1,199,473 

 463,100 

 - 

 - 

 13,100 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 1,746,552 

 879,126 

 4,612,439 

 1,746,552 

 13,100 

 1,800 

 1,746,552 

 7,238,117 

 - 

 2,005,647 

 - 

 2,888,926 

 2,888,926 

 1,540,747 

 463,100 

 1,800 

 2,888,926 

 4,894,573 

  property, plant and equipment

  intangible assets

 333,572 

 14,587 

 40,998 

 1,795 

 442 

 - 

Assets, liabilities and investments broken down by sector as at December 31, 2014 were as follows:

(in thousands of euro)

goodwill

Allocated assets 

unallocated assets 

TOTAL ASSETS

Allocated liabilities

unallocated liabilities

TOTAL LIABILITIES

Investments:

consumer

industrial

other  
business

other

 577,347 

 3,780,689 

 - 

 4,358,036 

 1,580,253 

 - 

 309,766 

 1,021,015 

 - 

 1,330,781 

 558,668 

 - 

 - 

 46,149 

 - 

 1,938,073 

 1,938,073 

 46,149 

 10,170 

 1,938,073 

 7,673,039 

 - 

 2,149,091 

 - 

 2,912,446 

 2,912,446 

 1,580,253 

 558,668 

 10,170 

 2,912,446 

 5,061,537 

  property, plant and equipment

  intangible assets

 302,512 

 8,860 

 64,300 

 1,903 

 389 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 367,201 

 10,763 

Business assets consist mainly of property, plant and equipment and intangible assets, leased assets, inventories, trade receivables 
and other receivables. Financial receivables, cash and cash equivalents, other financial assets, securities held for trading and both 
current and deferred tax assets are excluded.
Business liabilities mainly comprise trade payables and other payables, advances from customers and provisions for liabilities and 
charges and employee benefits. Financial payables and both current and deferred tax liabilities are excluded. 

Investments in property, plant and equipment were focused on an increase in Premium capacity in Europe, NAFTA and China 
and improvement in the mix.

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 375,012 

 16,382 

total 
12/31/2014

 887,113 

 4,847,853 

165

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

Sales by geographic area are provided below. They are allocated on the basis of the country where the customer resides.

(in thousands of euro)

Europe

Russia & CIs

NAFTA

south America

Asia/Pacific (APAC)

Middle Est/Africa/India (MEAI)

2015

2014

2,209,033 

192,500 

861,100 

1,808,200 

706,000 

532,800 

35.01%

3.05%

13.65%

28.66%

11.19%

8.44%

2,067,300 

237,900 

707,500 

1,963,463 

558,400 

483,500 

34.35%

3.95%

11.76%

32.63%

9.28%

8.03%

Total

6,309,633 

100.00%

6,018,063 

100.00%

Non-current assets by geographic area are allocated below. They are allocated on the basis of the country where the assets are 
located.

(in thousands of euro)

Europe

Russia & CIs

NAFTA

south America

166

Asia/Pacific (APAC)

Middle Est/Africa/India (MEAI)

Non-current unallocated assets 

12/31/2015

12/31/2014

 1,202,887 

 159,913 

 265,429 

 413,980 

 399,059 

 67,600 

 879,126 

35.50%

4.72%

7.83%

12.22%

11.78%

2.00%

25.95%

 1,172,336 

 184,422 

 244,563 

 565,850 

 384,110 

 68,072 

 887,113 

33.44%

5.26%

6.97%

16.14%

10.95%

1.94%

25.30%

Total

 3,387,994 

100.00%

 3,506,466 

100.00%

The allocated non-current assets shown in the previous table consist of property, plant and equipment and intangible assets, 
excluding goodwill. The non-current unallocated assets pertain to goodwill (see note 10).

9. ProPertY, PLant and eQUiPMent

As at December 31, 2015, the breakdown and changes of property, plant and equipment are as follows:

(in thousands of euro)

12/31/2015

12/31/2014

gross 
value

accumulated 
depreciation

net 
value

gross 
value

accumulated 
depreciation

net 
value

Land

buildings

Plant and machinery

95,599 

969,155 

3,231,137 

- 

95,599 

103,808 

- 

103,808 

(375,339)

593,816 

1,025,895 

(407,017)

618,878 

(1,726,778)

1,504,359 

3,344,879 

(1,790,305)

1,554,574 

Industrial and trade equipment

644,704 

(467,045)

177,659 

671,027 

(486,105)

184,922 

Other assets

184,500 

5,125,095 

(136,480)

48,020 

206,295 

(146,013)

60,282 

(2,705,642)

2,419,453 

5,351,904 

(2,829,440)

2,522,464 

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

gross value (in thousands of euro)

12/31/2014

inFlation  
eFFect

decons. 
subsidiary 
veneZuela

trans-
lation 
diFFer.

inc.

dec.

reclas-
siF.

other 12/31/2015

Land

103,808 

buildings

1,025,895 

8,368 

92,475 

(12,705)

(3,515)

- 

(297)

(140,597)

(48,377)

41,499 

(2,128)

158 

(93)

(218)

481 

95,599 

969,155 

Plant and 
machinery

Industrial 
and trade 
equipment

Other 
assets

3,344,879 

186,534 

(276,919)

(196,712) 255,015 

(89,322)

7,992 

(331)

3,231,137 

671,027 

37,361 

(57,349)

(47,466) 45,855 

(28,691)

23,384 

583 

644,704 

206,295 

59,307 

(57,547)

(7,626) 32,643 

(14,965)

(31,441)

(2,165)

184,500 

5,351,904 

384,045 

(545,117)

(303,696) 375,012  (135,403)

- 

(1,650)

5,125,095 

accumulated depreciation  (in thousands of euro)

12/31/2014

inFlation 
eFFect

decons. 
sub-
sidiary 
vene-
Zuela

trans-
lation 
diFFer.

reclas-
siF.

dec. deprec. other 12/31/2015

buildings

(407,017)

(85,239)

131,559 

19,641 

- 

1,017 

(34,665)

(635)

(375,339)

Plant and 
machinery

Industrial 
and trade 
equipment

Other 
assets

(1,790,305)

(106,439)

168,794 

104,173 

16  84,427 

(190,854)

3,410 

(1,726,778)

(486,105)

(31,516)

50,649 

34,116 

1,465  26,279 

(62,609)

675 

(467,045)

167

(146,013)

(17,198)

26,820 

4,131 

(1,481)

13,744 

(16,552)

71 

(136,480)

(2,829,440)

(240,392)

377,823 

162,061 

-  125,467 

(304,680)

3,521 

(2,705,642)

net value (in thousands of euro)

12/31/2014

inFla-
tion 
eF-
Fect

decons. 
subsidi-
ary ven-
eZuela

trans-
lation 
diFFer.

inc. dec.

re-
clas-
siF.

depre-
ciation

other 12/31/2015

Land

103,808 

8,368 

(12,705)

(3,515)

- 

(297)

158 

- 

618,878 

7,236 

(9,038)

(28,736)

41,499 

(1,111)

(93)

(34,665)

(218)

(154)

95,599 

593,816 

1,554,574 

80,095 

(108,125)

(92,539) 255,015  (4,895)

8,008 

(190,854)

3,080 

1,504,359 

184,922 

5,845 

(6,700)

(13,350) 45,855 

(2,412)

24,849 

(62,609)

1,258 

177,659 

buildings

Plant and 
machinery

Industrial 
and trade 
equipment

Other assets

60,282 

42,109 

(30,727)

(3,495) 32,643 

(1,221)

(32,922)

(16,552)

(2,097)

48,020 

2,522,464 

143,653 

(167,294)

(141,635) 375,012  (9,936)

- 

(304,680)

1,870 

2,419,453 

The changes as at December 31, 2014 were as follows:

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

gross value (in thousands of euro)

12/31/2013

inFla-
tion 
eFFect

dis -
con-
tinued 
opera-
tions

business 
combi-
nation

trans-
lation 
diFFer.

inc.

dec.

re-
clas-
siF.

other 12/31/2014

Land

106,896 

1,753 

(8,832)

buildings

1,099,434 

19,373 

(70,214)

- 

- 

289 

- 

(1,858)

5,533 

27 

103,808 

(38,182) 32,606 

(30,137)

13,484 

(469)

1,025,895 

Plant and 
machinery

Industrial 
and trade 
equipment

Other 
assets

3,480,584 

36,549 

(203,033)

742 

(6,171) 256,945  (203,863)

(22,224)

5,350 

3,344,879 

691,235 

7,636 

(16,664)

230,162 

14,970 

(8,653)

- 

- 

(4,658)

40,411 

(74,896)

28,153 

(190)

671,027 

(14,345)

37,239 

(25,543)

(24,946)

(2,588)

206,295 

5,608,311 

80,281 

(307,396)

742 

(63,067) 367,201  (336,297)

- 

2,130 

5,351,904 

accumulated depreciation  (in thousands of euro)

12/31/2013

inFla-
tion 
eF-
Fect

dis -
con-
tinued 
opera-
tions

busi-
ness 
combi-
nation

trans-
lation 
diFFer.

re-
clas-
siF.

dec. deprec. other 12/31/2014

168

buildings

(429,450)

(17,553)

26,410 

Plant and 
machinery

Industrial 
and trade 
equipment

Other 
assets

(1,909,024)

(20,117)

119,883 

(507,690)

(6,210)

10,795 

(153,699)

(3,683)

6,343 

(2,999,863)

(47,564)

163,431 

net value (in thousands of euro)

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

16,375 

(782)

29,166 

(32,267)

1,085 

(407,017)

(13,045)

1,917  201,873 

(173,458)

1,666 

(1,790,305)

(1,166)

1,469 

71,704 

(56,030)

1,023 

(486,105)

935 

(2,604)

22,262 

(16,135)

567 

(146,013)

3,099 

-  325,005 

(277,890)

4,341 

(2,829,440)

12/31/
2013

inFla-
tion 
eF-
Fect

dis -
con-
tinued 
oper-
ations

busi-
ness 
combi-
nation

trans-
lation 
diFFer.

inc. dec.

re-
clas-
siF.

depre-
cia-
tion

other

12/31/
2014

Land

106,896 

1,753 

(8,832)

buildings

669,984 

1,819 

(43,804)

- 

- 

289 

- 

(1,858)

5,533 

- 

(21,807) 32,606 

(971)

12,702 

(32,267)

27 

616 

103,808 

618,878 

Plant and 
machinery

Industrial 
and trade 
equipment

Other 
assets

1,571,560 

16,432 

(83,150)

742 

(19,216) 256,945 

(1,990) (20,307)

(173,458)

7,016 

1,554,574 

183,545 

1,426 

(5,869)

76,463 

11,287 

(2,310)

- 

- 

(5,824)

40,411 

(3,192)

29,622 

(56,030)

833 

184,922 

(13,410)

37,239 

(3,281)

(27,550)

(16,135)

(2,020)

60,282 

2,608,448 

32,717 

(143,965)

742 

(59,968) 367,201  (11,292)

-  (277,890)

6,472 

2,522,464 

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

The increases for 2015 mainly relate to investments aimed at the increase in Premium capacity in Europe, NAFTA and China and 
the improvement in the mix.
The ratio of additions to property, plant and equipment to depreciation in 2015 was 1.23 (1.32 in 2014).

Property, plant and equipment in progress as at December 31, 2015, included in the individual categories of property, plant and 
equipment, totalled euro 140,103 thousand (euro 183,829 thousand as at December 31, 2014).

Impairments during 2015, included in the “gross value-decreases” column of the above table totalled euro 2,796 thousand (euro 
6,048 thousand in 2014) and mainly relate to buildings, plant and machinery and trade equipment in Russia, the United Kingdom 
and Italy.

Regarding restrictions on the ownership of assets, it should be noted that:

  the subsidiary Alexandria Tire Company S.A.E. (Egypt) has pledged, as collateral for loans granted by National Bank of Egypt, 
the value of its plant and machinery for euro 893 thousand (euro 2,416 thousand as at December 31, 2014);
  the subsidiary Pirelli Pneus Ltda. (Brazil) has pledged, as collateral for loans granted by BNDES (Banco Nacional de Desenvolvi-
mento) and litigation with the INSS (National Social Security Institution of Brazil), its machinery and land for a total of euro 
32,704 thousand (euro 43,130 thousand as at December 31, 2014); 
  the subsidiary Pirelli Neumaticos SAIC (Argentina) has pledged its own land and buildings for a total of euro 5,036 thousand 
(euro 9,646 thousand as at December 31, 2014) as collateral for a loan from Banco de la Nacion Argentina;
  the subsidiary Dackia Aktiebolag pledged its facilities and equipment for a total of euro 55 thousand to guarantee assets re-
ceived through leases from Nordea Bank;
  the subsidiary Pirelli Neumaticos S.A. de C.V. (Mexico) refunded the loan provided by Bancomext in full and redeemed the lands, 
buildings and facilities pledged (euro 68,230 thousand as at December 31, 2014).

The value of the facilities and other assets for which the Group signed a financial leasing agreement is included in the related cat-
egories of property, land and equipment.
The breakdown of the item is listed below:

169

(in thousands of euro)

Leased buldings

Other leased assets

Leased plant  
and machinery

12/31/2015

12/31/2014

cost

accumulated 
depreciation

net 
value

cost

accumulated 
depreciation

net 
value

2,519 

2,325 

107 

4,951 

(1,549)

(2,092)

(107)

970 

233 

- 

2,979 

2,396 

101 

(1,465)

(2,052)

(101)

1,514 

344 

- 

(3,748)

1,203 

5,476 

(3,618)

1,858 

Payables for financial leases are included in the financial payables (note 23).

The total of future minimum payments in respect of non-terminable operation leasing transactions amounts to euro 504,156 thou-
sand, of which

  euro 83,048 thousand within one year
  euro 225,670 thousand between one and five years
  euro 195,437 thousand beyond five years

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

10. intanGiBLe assets

The breakdown and changes in intangible assets for the 2015 financial year were as follows:

(in thousands of euro)

Patents and 
intellectual property 
rights

Concessions/
licenses/trademarks 
- finite life

Concessions/
licenses/trademarks 
- indefinite life

goodwill

Application software

Other intangible 
assets

12/31/2014

translation 
diFFerences

inc.

dec.

amorti-
sation

reclassiF. other 12/31/2015

17 

- 

- 

55,848 

(4,074)

1,131 

(15)

- 

 - 

2 

(5,795)

(5,832)

354 

41,632 

- 

- 

- 

- 

(7,987)

(42)

1,552 

887,113 

15,676 

25,348 

- 

- 

(9,422)

5,832 

- 

6,210 

- 

- 

57 

369 

5,832 

879,126 

14,031 

27,918 

(978)

13,699 

(15)

(4,295)

(6,210)

- 

-

- 

- 

-

984,002 

(13,081)

16,382 

(15)

(19,527)

- 

780 

968,541 

The changes which occurred for the 2014 financial year were as follows.

170

(in thousands of euro)

12/31/2013

trans-
lation 
diFFer-
ences

discontin-
ued opera-
tions

eFFect 
oF  
business 
combina-
tion

inc. dec.

amorti-
sation

other 12/31/2014

49 

(9)

- 

- 

- 

52,683 

(5,633)

(2)

5,496 

858 

913,017 

(12,505)

(17,300)

3,901 

- 

- 

- 

- 

(23)

 - 

17 

(6,959)

9,405 

55,848 

- 

 - 

887,113 

18,201 

(51)

(35)

- 

7,111 

(32)

(10,068)

550 

15,676 

30,029 

(3,527)

- 

758  2,794 

(213)

(3,867)

(626)

25,348 

1,013,979 

(21,725)

(17,337)

10,155  10,763 

(245)

(20,917)

9,329 

984,002 

Patents and 
intellectual 
property rights

Concessions/
licenses/
trademarks

goodwill

Application 
software

Other 
intangible 
assets

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

The table below sets forth the allocation of goodwill for the operational sector, the cash generating unit (CGU) to which it was allo-
cated for impairment testing and the method used to measure the recoverable amount:

(in thousands of euro)

operating segment

cgu

12/31/2015

12/31/2014

Consumer

Industrial

Consumer 

Industrial

572,703

306,423

879,126

577,347

309,766

8 87,113

recoverable 
amount

value in use

value in use

As at December 31, 2015, goodwill was tested for impairment (using the assistance of independent third party) and which involved 
estimating the recoverable value of the CGU and comparing it with the net carrying amount of the relevant assets, including good-
will.
Value in use corresponds to the discounted value of the future cash flows that are expected to be associated with the CGU, using a 
discount rate that reflects the specific risks for the individual CGU at the measurement date.

The key assumptions used by management are the estimates of future increases in sales, in operating cash flows, in the rate of 
growth of terminal values and in the average weighted cost of capital (discount rate). 
The expected cash flows cover a two-year period (2016-2017), and refer to the 2016 Budget, and for 2017, to the “2014-2017 Business 
Plan” announced to the financial community on November 6, 2013, corrected downwards by a percentage which corresponds to the 
negative variance between the 2016 Budget and the 2016 Old Plan, as well as the new updated forecasts for 2017. 

With reference to the CGU Consumer segment, since the new updated forecast for 2017 presented higher cash flows compared to the 
2017 Old Plan, the 2017 Old Plan was considered prudent. With reference to the CGU Industrial segment the updated forecasts for 
2017 result as being more prudent than the 2017 Old Plan and therefore the updated forecasts for 2017 were used. 

171

The cash flows for the 2016 Budget and those of the updated 2017 forecast as well as those in the updated 2017 Old Plan, all take the 
deconsolidation of the Venezuelan subsidiary into account. 
Additionally, the reasonableness of the explicit forecast for the margins for the period as compared to the consensus for estimates 
of the sector players operating in the Premium segment was verified.
The calculation also included the hypothetical cash flows deriving from the disposal of the CGUs at the end of the explicit period 
(assumed to be equal to the present value of the perpetual stream of cash flow generated in the last year of the forecast).

The discount rates, defined at the average cost of capital net of taxes, applied to prospective cash flows and the growth factors used 
are listed in the following table:

operating 
segment

cgu

2015

2014

discount 
rate (wacc)

growth 
rate ( g )

wacc - g

discount 
rate (wacc)

growth 
rate (g)

wacc - g

Consumer 

Consumer 

Industrial

Industrial

8.45%

8.45%

- 

- 

8.45%

8.45%

8.00%

8.00%

- 

- 

8.00%

8.00%

On the basis of these tests, no impairment loss was recognised. 
A sensitivity analysis was also carried out of the results for the CGU in question: in all cases the values in use remain higher than 
the carrying amounts even assuming a change in key parameters such as: 

  a change in discount rates by 100 basis points; 
  a change in the growth rate by 100 basis points;
  an change in the EBITDA margin of 150 basis points.

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

The “Concessions, licences and trademarks” with a defined useful life item totalling euro 41,632 thousand mainly including 
trademarks deriving from the acquisition, which occurred in the 2014 financial year, of 29 sales outlets belonging to the Abouchar 
network (euro 4,354 thousand), from purchases that occurred during the course of the 2013 financial year, of 25 sales outlets be-
longing to Wagner in Germany (euro 8,003 thousand), from the purchases made during the course of the 2012 financial year in 
Russia (euro 1,568 thousand) and the Dackia retail chains in Sweden (euro 19,878 thousand). 

The “Concessions, licences and trademarks” with an undefined useful life totalling euro 5,832 thousand, include the Camp-
neus brand which is owned by the Brazil subsidiary. During the 2015 financial year, due to the revision of the business strategy and 
the positioning of the brands relative to the Brazilian sales networks, it was considered that the Campneus brand met the require-
ments to be classified as an intangible asset with an indefinite useful life. The brand was subjected to a specific impairment test on 
the basis of which the value in use was determined to higher than the value recorded in the Financial Statements.

“Other intangible assets” which totalled euro 27,918 thousand include the fair value assessment of customer relationships and 
trade partners deriving from the acquisition of the Abouchar sales network in 2014 (euro 576 thousand) and from the purchases 
made in 2012 in Russia (euro 3,167 thousand) and Sweden (Dackia – euro 4,302 thousand).

11.  inVestMents in associates  

and Joint VentUres

The changes in investments in associates and joint ventures that occurred in the period are as follows:

172

(in thousands of euro)

Opening balance

Increases

distribution of dividends

Impairment

12/31/2015

12/31/2014

associates

Jv

total

associates

Jv

total

158,885 

27,898 

186,783 

12,157 

(1,950)

(21,742)

- 

- 

- 

12,157 

(1,950)

(21,742)

111,525 

118,665 

(1,211)

(20,394)

19,941 

12,109 

- 

- 

131,466 

130,774 

(1,211)

(20,394)

share of net income (loss)

(4,192)

(4,810)

(9,002)

(53,769)

(1,378)

(55,147)

share of other components 
recognized in Equity

Reclassifications and other

1,090 

12 

- 

- 

1,090 

12 

4,340 

- 

4,340 

(271)

(2,774)

(3,045)

Closing balance

144,260 

23,088 

167,348 

158,885 

27,898 

186,783 

Investments in associates and joint ventures are accounted for in Consolidated Financial Statements using the equity method.

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

11.1 iNvestmeNts iN AssoCiAtes

The breakdown by individual investment is as follows:

(in thousands of euro)

12/31/2014 inc.

dis -
trub. 
oF divi-
dends 

im -
pair-
ment

share 
oF net 
income 
(loss)

share oF other 
components 
recogniZed  
in eQuity

re-
class. 
and  
other

12/31/2015

Eurostazioni 
s.p.A.

Prelios s.p.A.

Fenice s.r.l.

gWM Renewable 
Energy II s.p.A.

Idea granda 
società 
Consortile r.l.

60,541 

55,534 

 - 

 - 

16,023 

12,157 

25,112 

633 

 - 

 - 

 - 

(1,680)

 - 

1,637 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

(7,000)

(6,039)

 - 

(14,085)

(533)

 - 

 - 

 - 

(270)

(124)

210 

 - 

(575)

1,665 

 - 

 - 

 - 

Other companies

1,042 

Total associates

158,885 

12,157 

(1,950)

(21,742)

(4,192)

1,090 

 - 

 - 

 - 

60,498 

41,920 

29,845 

134 

11,161 

(100)

(22)

12 

 - 

836 

144,260 

The investment in GWM Renewable Energy II S.p.A. (16.87% as at December 31, 2015, unchanged as compared to the previous fi-
nancial year) is classified as an associate (although there is a percentage of ownership of less than 20%) since the Group exercises 
significant influence due to the presence of its managers on the company’s Board of Directors. 

173

Increases in 2015 refer entirely to the purchase of an investment totalling 7.32% in Fenice S.r.l. On July 29, 2015, the Fenice Credi-
tor Partners (Pirelli & C. S.p.A., Unicredit S.p.A. and Intesa San Paolo S.p.A.) in fact exercised the right to purchase the entire quota 
held by Feidos 11 in Fenice pursuant to the “Right of Redemption” set forth in Fenice S.r.l. by-laws and a purchase option set forth in 
shareholder agreements. Execution of the transfer occurred on September 3, 2015. On September 25, 2015, Fenice Creditor Partners 
also updated the Side Agreements by making a number of changes. It is here mentioned that the updates to the Side Agreements 
constituted  a  modification/integration  of  the  previous  Agreement,  which  therefor  remains  valid  between  the  shareholders  and 
Feidos 11 with particular reference to the earn-out clause for Feidos 11 in the event of transfer by Fenice of the Prelios B shares it 
holds within 12 months of exercising the purchase option. 
Although the percentage of ownership is greater than 50%, based on the provisions 
of the shareholder agreement, this does not entail control over Fenice S.r.l by Pirelli.

Impairments refer to the investments in Prelios S.p.A. for euro 7,000 thousand, GWM Renewable Energy II S.p.A. for euro 14,085 
thousand, Idea Granda Società Consortile for euro 533 thousand and Serenergy for euro 124 thousand.

With reference to the investment in Prelios S.p.A., it has been felt that the Group’s negative results and the difference between fair 
value, represented by the security listing on December 31, 2015 (euro 0.283 per share) and book value in consolidated Financial 
Statements post-application of the equity method (euro 0.33 per share) represented an impairment indicator. The value of the equity 
investment was therefore adjusted to its recoverable value, represented by its actual fair value. 

With reference to the investment in GWM Renewable Energy II S.p.A., it has been felt that the trend in the stock exchange assessment 
of Greentech Energy System A/S, the company’s primary asset, which was significantly below the book value of the equity invest-
ment in GWM Renewable Energy II S.p.A., represented an impairment indicator as at December 31, 2015. The value of the equity in-
vestment was therefore adjusted to its recoverable value, represented by the fair value of GWM Renewable Energy S.p.A. determined 
by valuing by way of transparency at Fair Value the investment therein held by the company Greentech Energy Systems A/S an rep-
resented by its Stock Exchange value. From the comparison, there is a loss of value in the Income Statement of euro 14,085 thousand. 

itive for euro 1,090 thousand), refers primarily to euro 1,665 
thousand,  prorated  (62.56%  until  September  30,  2015  and 
69.88% after this date) of gains recognised directly in equity 
by  Fenice  S.r.l.  in  the  2015  financial  year,  following  the  fair 
value adjustment of the 210,988,201 Category B Prelios S.p.A. 
shares it held; these shares are classified for Fenice S.r.l. as fi-
nancial assets available for sale. The fair value of the Category 
B Prelios shares was determined based on the market value 
as at December 31, 2015 of the ordinary Prelios S.p.A. shares 
(euro 0.283) per share. 

Investments in associates have accounted for using the equity 
method are not significant in terms of their impact on the con-
solidated assets total, either individually, or in aggregate form.

11.2  equitY iNvestmeNts  
iN JoiNt veNtures

The Group holds an equity investment of 60% (of ownership 
unchanged from the previous financial year) in PT Evoluzione 
Tyres, a jointly controlled entity which operates in Indonesia, 
and is active in the production of tyres. Although the compa-
ny is now 60% owned due to contractual agreements between 
shareholders, it falls within the definition of a joint venture as 
the  governance  rules  explicitly  require  the  unanimous  con-
sent in decisions relating to the significant activities.
The equity investment accounted for using the equity method, 
is not significant in terms of the impact on the total consoli-
dated assets.

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

With reference to the investment in Fenice S.r.l., it is to be noted 
that the withdrawal of partner Feidos 11 has in fact “frozen” part 
of the asymmetry applying under the previous version of the 
Side  Agreements  regarding  the  Fenice  allocation  of  net  reve-
nues. Conversely the clause that provides for an asymmetrical 
allocation of earnings amongst the Creditor Partners applies.
Since the allocation between Creditor Partners is now asym-
metrical and given too that the earn-out clause remains valid 
for Feidos 11 in case of the sale of the Prelios B shares it holds 
within 12 months of exercising the purchase option, it has been 
felt  that  this  asymmetry  represents  an  impairment  indicator 
and therefore the investment has been subjected to an impair-
ment test with the goal of comparing the investment value af-
ter application of the equity method with its recoverable value, 
represented by the fair value. 

The  fair  value  of  the  investment  as  at  December  31,  2015, 
which  Pirelli  determines  with  the  help  of  a  professional  in-
dependent third party, was found to be higher than its book 
value and therefore no impairment was applied.

To estimate the fair value, an income approach was used based 
on the criterion of options and the use of level 2 inputs.
The  estimate  was  made  starting  from  the  liquidation  prefer-
ence,  i.e.  the  preferential/asymmetric  sharing  mechanism  of 
any income from Fenice itself following the sale of Prelios class 
B shares. As presumed date of sale it was decided to adopt the 
date of first expiry of the side agreement, that is July 31, 2018.
As the payoff is asymmetrical, it was reproduced on the basis 
of a portfolio of long and short positions of options, valued as at 
December 31, 2015 on the basis of the Black & Scholes formula.

The impairment found for Idea Granda Società Consortile rep-
resents  an  adjustment  to  the  equity  investment  value  at  its 
Fair  Value  represented  by  the  sales  price;  the  company  was 
indeed sold during 2015.

The  share  of  net  income  (loss)  of  associates  (negative  for 
euro  4,192  thousand)  mainly  refers  to  Prelios  S.p.A.  (loss  of 
euro 6,039 thousand) partially offset by the pro-quota positive 
operating  income  of  Eurostazioni  S.p.A.  (gains  of  euro  1,637 
thousand). 
As performed on December 31, 2014, the Prelios S.p.A. Finan-
cial Statements used in applying the equity method refer to a 
different  closing  date  as  compared  to  December  31,  2015;  in 
particular, the portion accruing to the 2015 financial year and 
amounting to euro 6,039 thousand is made up of the sum of:

  loss for the fourth quarter of the 2014 financial year (euro 
2,620 thousand); 
  loss  for  the  first  nine  months  of  2015financial  year  (euro 
3,419 thousand).

The Share of other components recognised in equity (pos-

174

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

12. otHer FinanciaL assets 

These amounted to euro 225,121 thousand compared to euro 180,741 thousand as at December 31, 2014 and are qualified as finan-
cial assets available for sale.

The transactions that occurred in the financial year are as follows:

(in thousands of euro)

Opening balance

Translation differences

Increases

decreases

Impairment

Fair value adjustments recognised in Equity

Other

Closing balance

The breakdown by individual investment is as follows:

(in thousands of euro)

12/31/2015

12/31/2014

180,741 

305 

20,870 

- 

(15,751)

38,853 

103 

225,121 

185,009 

378 

57,035 

(42,894)

(13,434)

(5,231)

(122)

180,741 

12/31/2015

12/31/2014

historical 
cost

cumulative Fv 
adJustments 
recogniZed in 
eQuity 

Fv adJustments 
recogniZed in  
income statement

Previous periods

2015

Fair 
value

Fair  
value

175

A

B

C

D

A+B+C+D

 90,247 

 37,480 

 134 

 127,861 

 38,344 

 14,458 

 13,250 

 4,039 

 7,213 

 373 

 1,406 

 117 

 7,881 

 18,877 

 3,940 

 109,898 

 237,759 

 76,955 

 (27,234)

 - 

 139,968 

 - 

 - 

 (15,860)

 (7,265)

 14,355 

 - 

 (104)

 30 

 106,650 

 21,620 

 134 

 76,955 

 (43,094)

 (7,369)

 154,353 

 128,404 

 - 

 (31,229)

 (7,115)

 - 

 (5,562)

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 18,787 

 14,478 

 5,754 

 5,382 

 5,349 

 14,473 

 14,822 

 (6,655)

 (265)

 (222)

 (701)

 - 

 (47)

 (61)

 - 

 (2,996)

 (460)

 293 

 104 

 644 

 4,789 

 4,425 

 -  

 - 

 18,877 

 (1 ,111)

 (434)

 2,617 

 (48,476)

 (8,382)

 70,768 

 (91,570)

 (15,751)

 225,121 

 558 

 151 

 665 

 3,598 

 4,447 

 - 

 2,892 

 52,337 

 180,741 

 9,891 

 1,228 

 1,715 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 4,672 

 - 

 - 

 222 

 17,728 

 94,683 

Listed securities

Mediobanca s.p.A.

RCs Mediagroup s.p.A. 

Other companies

Unlisted securities

Alitalia - Compagnia Aerea 
Italiana s.p.A. 

Fin. Priv. s.r.l. 

Fondo Anastasia

European Institute of Oncology 
(Istituto Europeo di Oncologia 
s.r.l.)

F.C. Internazionale Milano s.p.A.

Euroqube

Tlcom I LP

Emittenti Titoli

Equinox Two sCA

Pirelli de venezuela C.A.

Other companies

Total

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

The increases mainly refer to the subscription of Alitalia - Compagnia Aerea Italiana S.p.A. (euro 1,766 thousand) and of the fair 
value of the subsidiary Pirelli de Venezuela C.A. (euro 18,877 thousand) deconsolidated as of December 31, 2015. The fair value of the 
subsidiary is substantially represented by the liquidity in the country impaired by the SIMADI exchange rate, which following the 
latest official statements on February 17, 2016, is to replace the SICAD exchange rate.. The SIMADI exchange rate, which is currently 
trading at around 200 Bolivars to the US Dollar, will mostly be allowed to fluctuate freely.

The impairments item mainly refers to investments in RCS MediaGroup S.p.A. for euro 7,265 thousand, Alitalia-Compagnia Aerea 
Italiana S.p.A for euro 7,115 thousand, Equinox Two S.C.A. for euro 460 thousand and F.C. Internazionale Milano S.p.A. for euro 265 
thousand.

The fair value adjustment recognised in equity mainly refers to equity investments in Mediobanca S.p.A. (positive for euro 
33,318 thousand), Fin.Priv. S.r.l. (positive for euro 4,314 thousand) and Emittenti Titoli (positive for euro 1,191 thousand). 

The fair value of listed financial securities corresponds to the listing on the Stock Exchange as at December 31, 2015.

The fair value of unlisted financial instruments was determined by making estimates based on the best information available. 

13.  deFerred tax assets and ProVision  

For deFerred tax LiaBiLities

The composition is the following:

(in thousands of euro)

176

deferred tax assets

Provision for deferred tax liabilities

12/31/2015

12/31/2014

 123,724 

 (43,622)

80,102

 248,564 

 (53,029)

195,535

Deferred tax assets and deferred tax liabilities are offset when a legal right exists to offset current tax receivables and current tax 
payables, and the deferred taxes refer to the same legal entity and the same tax authority.

Their composition gross of the offsets made is as follows:

(in thousands of euro)

Deferred tax assets

  of which recoverable within 12 months

  of which recoverable beyond 12 months

Provision for deferred tax liabilities

  of which recoverable within 12 months

  of which recoverable beyond 12 months

12/31/2015

12/31/2014

 260,454 

 64,484 

 195,970 

 (180,352)

 (20,103)

 (160,249)

 354,697 

 76,718 

 277,979 

 (159,162)

 (11,090)

 (148,072)

 80,102 

 195,535 

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

The tax effect of temporary differences and of tax losses carried forward which make up the item at December 31, 2015 and at 
December 31, 2014 is shown in the following table:

(in thousands of euro)

Deferred tax assets:

Provisions for future liabilities and charges

Employee benefit obligations

Inventories

Tax losses carried forward

Amortisation and depreciation

Trade receivables and other receivables

Trade payables and other payables

derivatives

Other

Total

Provision for deferred tax liabilities:

Amortisation and depreciation

Other

Total

12/31/2015

12/31/2014

 49,950 

 108,593 

 20,258 

 7,486 

 24,534 

 12,650 

 24,105 

 2,330 

 10,548 

 260,454 

 (102,794)

 (77,558)

 (180,352)

 22,386 

 103,966 

 14,492 

 127,645 

 4,888 

 15,299 

 44,099 

 2,828 

 19,094 

 354,697 

 (112,011)

 (47,151)

 (159,162)

The decrease posted under deferred tax assets is primarily attributable to tax asset depreciation on fiscal losses reported by the 
Pirelli & C. S.p.A. parent company. (euro 102,970 thousand) and the US subsidiary Pirelli Tire LLC. (euro 4,600 thousand). The 
impairment of the Parent company is directly related to the adjustment of the forecasts on future taxable gains of the companies 
participating in the Italian tax regime for which there is a significant reduction due to the new financial structure that the Group 
will assume following the reverse merger with the parent company Marco Polo Industrial Holding S.p.A. planned for the first half 
of 2016. It should be noted that tax losses related to the Italian companies of the Group can be carried forward indefinitely.

177

As at December 31, 2015, the value of the active deferred taxes not recognised for temporary differences amounted to euro 25,862 
thousand (euro 39,530 thousand as at December 31, 2014), and those relative to tax losses amounted to euro 144,891 thousand (euro 
37,857 thousand as at December 31, 2014): these amounts refer to situations where recovery was not thought likely. 

The breakdown by maturity of the value of tax losses, for which no deferred tax assets were recognised, are shown below: 

(in thousands of euro)

year oF maturity
2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

2025

2026

2027

without maturity date

12/31/2015

12/31/2014

 842 

 7,988 

 5,646 

 7,835 

 3,651 

 6,396 

 3,996 

 5,521 

 4,902 

 38,884 

 12,690 

 878 

 890 

 455,548 

 555,667 

 1,508 

 8,191 

 5,577 

 7,674 

 3,643 

 6,010 

 4,012 

 5,121 

 - 

 37,066 

 12,690 

 878 

 890 

 72,075 

 165,334 

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

Of the total tax losses without maturity, euro 396,675 thousand refers to losses posted by the Spanish subsidiary Pirelli Neumaticos 
and euro 48,632 thousand in losses due to the UK subsidiary Pirelli UK Ltd. relation to which no sufficient taxable income to recover 
those losses is expected. The increase in fiscal losses for which deferred taxes have not been recognised is mainly attributable to 
the reversal mentioned of deferred income on tax losses of the Parent company.

The  tax  effect  of  gains  and  losses  recognised  directly  in  equity  is  negative  for  euro  19,955  thousand  (positive  for  euro  14,879 
thousand in 2014), and is disclosed in the Statement of Comprehensive Income; these changes were mainly due to the tax effects 
associated with the actuarial gains/losses on employee benefit obligations and the adjustment of derivatives in cash flow hedges to 
their fair value.

14. trade receiVaBLes

The breakdown of trade receivables is set forth as follows:

(in thousands of euro)

12/31/2015

12/31/2014

total

non-current

current

total

non-current current

Customers

 942,000 

Provision for bad debts

(265,808)

676,192 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 942,000 

719,000 

 (265,808)

(45,192)

 676,192 

673,808 

 - 

 - 

 - 

719,000 

(45,192)

673,808 

178

Out of the trade receivables total of euro 942,000 thousand (euro 719,000 thousand as at December 31, 2014), gross of the provision 
for bad debts, euro 375,798 thousand are overdue (euro 125,204 thousand as at December 31, 2014).
The increase in gross receivables was primarily due to the reclassification of third party receivables due to the Group as at Decem-
ber 31, 2015 from the Pirelli de Venezuela C.A.deconsolidated at December 31, 2015, (euro 220,725 thousand); these receivable were 
then fully impaired. This increase is offset by the decrease derived from the deconsolidation, of the receivables due from third 
parties to the Venezuelan subsidiary (euro 89.615 thousand).
Receivables overdue and not yet due were measured in accordance with the Group accounting policies described in the section on 
adopted accounting standards.
Impaired receivables include both significant single positions subject to individual impairment as well as positions sharing similar 
credit risk characteristics that have been regrouped together and impaired on a collective basis.

The change in the provision for bad debts is shown below:

(in thousands of euro)

Opening balance 

Translation differences

Increases

Provision for receivables from venezuelan subsidiary

decreases

deconsolidation of provision for bad debts of the venezuelan subsidiary 

Other

Closing balance 

12/31/2015

12/31/2014

45,192

 (2,108)

 14,181 

 220,725 

 (11,904)

 (487)

 208 

265,808

41,573

 (1,251)

 16,389 

 - 

 (11,504)

 - 

 (15)

45,192

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

Increases to the provision for bad debts (excluding accruals of the Venezuelan subsidiary) were recognised in the Income State-
ment as “Other costs” (note 33).

For trade receivables, the carrying amount is considered to approximate its fair value.

15. otHer receiVaBLes

The breakdown of other receivables is as follows: 

(in thousands of euro)

Financial receivables

Trade accruals and deferrals

Receivables from employees

Receivables from social security 
and welfare institutions

Receivables from tax authorities  
not related to income taxes

Other receivables

Provision for bad debts

total

12/31/2015

non-
current

current

total

12/31/2014

non-
current

current

62,626 

22,689 

6,958 

7,139 

50,738 

2,468 

1,254 

11,888 

20,221 

5,704 

97,651 

21,962 

13,227 

56,167 

4,147 

1,561 

41,484 

17,815 

11,666 

- 

7,139 

10,643 

- 

10,643 

95,556 

8,809 

86,747 

102,889 

12,123 

90,766 

123,262 

318,230 

(5,198)

84,355 

147,624 

38,907 

188,364 

170,606 

434,736 

- 

(5,198)

(317)

95,147 

169,145 

- 

93,217 

265,591 

(317)

313,032 

147,624 

165,408 

434,419 

169,145 

265,274 

179

Non-current financial receivables (euro 50,738 thousand) principally include the amounts in escrow accounts in connection with 
tax and legal disputes of the subsidiary Pirelli Pneus Ltda (Brazil), bearing interest at market rates, for euro 41,267 thousand (euro 
49,956 thousand as at December 31, 2014). 

Current financial receivables (euro 11,888 thousand) refer to euro 2,367 thousand to prepaid commissions on the revolving and 
term loan multicurrency facility granted to Pirelli & C S.p.A. and to interest paid in advance on loans taken out by the subsidiary 
Turk-Pirelli Lastikleri A.S., for euro 3,529 thousand deposited by the Egyptian company to guarantee payments in foreign currency. 
The decrease as compared to December 31, 2014 is mainly due to reimbursement of the loan granted to associate Sino Italian Wire 
Technology Co Ltd. as part of the sale of the steelcord business (euro 31,195 thousand).

Receivables from tax authorities not related to income taxes (euro 95,556 thousand) relate in particular to receivables on VAT, 
withholding and property taxes.

Other non-current receivables (euro 84,355 thousand) mainly refer to amounts in escrow in connection with lawsuits and tax 
litigation involving the Brazilian units (euro 59,300 thousands), receivables for guarantees for the benefit of Pirelli that may be 
exercised if contingent liabilities materialise in relation to the acquired company Campneus Lider de Pneumaticos Ltda (Brazil), 
for euro 7,637 thousand, and a receivable amounting to euro 13,768 thousand relating to a cash contribution in connection with the 
signing of an equity partnership agreement.

Other current receivables (euro 38,907 thousand) mainly include advances paid to suppliers of euro 15,544 thousand, receivables 
from the disposal of property not used for industrial operations in Brazil of euro 2,352 thousand, and contributions for research and 
development to be received from the Region of Piedmont for euro 1,062 thousand. 

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

The movement of the other current receivables and the related provision for bad debts includes the reclassification of intercompany 
receivables previously held by Brazilian and Italian third parties against the Venezuelan subsidiary (euro 4,855 thousand)..

For other current and non-current receivables, the carrying amount is considered to approximate their fair value. 

16. tax receiVaBLes

Tax receivables relate to income taxes and total euro 68,579 thousand (of which euro 6,169 thousand is included in non-current 
assets), as compared to euro 86,028 thousand as at December 31, 2014 (of which euro 12,068 thousand is included in non-current 
assets). This amount mainly refers to receivables for tax prepayments made in respect of taxes for the financial year, receivables for 
withholding tax paid to foreign entities of euro 15,619 and IRES (corporate income tax) receivables from previous years recognised 
in respect of Pirelli & C. S.p.A. for approximately euro 5,343 thousand.

17. inVentories

The breakdown of inventories is as follows:

(in thousands of euro)

Raw and auxiliary materials and consumables

sundry materials

Work in progress and semi-finished products

180

Finished products

goods for resale

Advances to suppliers

12/31/2015

12/31/2014

208,012 

6,796 

67,710 

769,610 

 - 

1,801 

210,699 

7,193 

70,966 

759,387 

2,357 

4,414 

1,053,929 

1,055,016 

The inventory total (which also takes the effect of the deconsolidation of the Venezuelan subsidiary into account to the amount 
of euro 30,039 thousand) was substantially stable for 2015 as compared to the previous financial year in terms of both value and 
composition. The impairment of stocks, expressed net of reinstatements, amounted to euro 11,095 thousand (reversals amounted to 
euro 7,736 thousand as at December 31, 2014).

Inventories are not subject to any collateral pledges.

18. secUrities HeLd For tradinG

Securities held for trading amounted to euro 78,167 thousand as compared to euro 61,404 thousand as at December 31, 2014, an 
increase of euro 16,763 thousand.
They consisted of:

  unlisted floating-rate bonds for euro 68,040 thousand (euro 57,735 thousand as at December 31, 2014);
  unlisted fixed-rate bonds for euro 10,095 thousand (euro 3,631 thousand as at December 31, 2014);
  unlisted equities for euro 32 thousand (euro 38 thousand as at December 31, 2014); 

The fair value of listed financial instruments corresponds to their stock market price as at December 31, 2015. 
The fair value of unlisted financial instruments has been determined by making estimates on the basis of the best information available. 
Changes in fair value are recognised in the Income Statement as “Financial income”. 

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

without par value and having normal entitlements, for a total 
of euro 1,345,381 thousand. Share capital is presented net of the 
value of treasury shares (351,590 ordinary shares and 408,342 
savings shares), for a net total of euro 1,343,285 thousand. Total 
treasury shares represent 0.16% of the share capital. 
Equity per share was euro 4,672, as compared to euro 5,222 
as at December 31, 2014.

20.2  equitY AttriButABLe 
to NoN-CoNtroLLiNg 
iNterests

The  equity  attributable  to  non-controlling  interests  went 
from  euro  63,157  thousand  as  at  December  31,  2014  to  euro 
63,367 thousand as at December 31, 2015, mainly due to the 
net income for the 2015 financial year which was positive for 
euro  7,789  thousand,  and  which  was  offset  by  the  decrease 
due to the deconsolidation of the Venezuelan subsidiary to the 
amount of euro 8,502 thousand.

181

19.  casH and casH 
eQUiVaLents

Cash and cash equivalents went from euro 1,166,669 thousand 
as at December 31, 2014 to euro 1,082,726 thousand as at De-
cember 31, 2015. These were essentially invested on the mar-
ket as short-term maturity deposits with major banking coun-
terparties at interest rates which are in line with prevailing 
market conditions. The evident decrease as compared to the 
previous financial year and which is attributable also to the 
deconsolidation  of  the  Venezuelan  subsidiary  effective  as  of 
December 31, 2015, highlights a positive Net Financial Position 
of euro 277,659 thousand. 
In  the  cash  flow  statement,  the  balance  of  cash  and  cash 
equivalents is net of bank overdrafts amounting to euro 15,568 
thousand as at December 31, 2015 (euro 16,063 thousand as at 
December 31, 2014).

20. eQUitY

20.1  equitY AttriButABLe 

to tHe pAreNt 
CompANY

Equity attributable to the Parent Company went from euro 
2,548,345  thousand  at  December  31,  2014  to  euro  2,280,177 
thousand at December 31, 2015. 
This change as compared to December 31, 2014 (negative for 
euro  268,168  thousand),  was  substantially  due  to  the  net  in-
come  of  the  year  (negative  for  euro  391,366  thousand),  the 
combined effect of inflation/devaluation deriving from the ap-
plication  of  hyperinflation  accounting  in  Venezuela  (positive 
for euro 280,345 thousand), the fair value adjustment of de-
rivative financial instruments in cash flow hedges excluding 
the relative tax effect (positive for euro 4,777 thousand), the 
fair value adjustment of financial assets/investments availa-
ble for sale (positive for euro 38,853 thousand), the actuarial 
losses on pension funds excluding the related tax effect (posi-
tive for euro 12,473 thousand), the payment of dividends (euro 
179,572  thousand),  the  differences  resulting  from  the  trans-
lation into Euro of the foreign Financial Statements (negative 
for euro 145,945 thousand) which were offset by the positive 
effect coming from the reclassification in Income Statement of 
previous foreign exchange losses due to the deconsolidation of 
the  Venezuelan  subsidiary  and  the  disposal  of  the  steelcord 
business (euro 131,952 thousand). 
The  subscribed  and  paid-up  share  capital  at  December  31, 
2015  (including  treasury  shares  in  portfolio)  is  represented 
by 475,740,182 ordinary shares and 12,251,311 savings shares, 

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

21. ProVisions For LiaBiLities and cHarGes

The changes that occurred during the financial year are shown below:

non-current portion  (in thousands of euro)

Opening balance 

Translation differences

Increases

uses

Reversals

Other

Closing balance at 12/31/2015

12/31/2015

97,799 

(19,750)

10,179 

(9,686)

(705)

68 

77,906 

The non-current portion of provisions for liabilities and charges mainly refers to accruals made by the Brazilian subsidiary Pirelli 
Pneus Ltda for lawsuits and tax litigation (euro 34,894 thousand) and labour lawsuits (euro 24,470 thousand) and by the parent compa-
ny Pirelli & C. S.p.A. for tax litigation (euro 9,886 thousand) and trade risks, site remediation and labour disputes (euro 4,501 thousand).

Increases mainly refer to accruals for labour disputes of the subsidiary Pirelli Pneus Ltda – Brazil.

Uses relate to costs incurred, mainly in labour lawsuits by the subsidiary Pirelli Pneus Ltda – Brazil and in labour lawsuits and site 
clean-up by the parent company Pirelli & C. S.p.A..

182

current portion (in thousands of euro)

Opening balance 

Translation differences

Increases

uses

Reversals

deconsolidation of the venezuelan subsidiary

Other

Closing balance at 12/31/2015

12/31/2015

67,030 

49 

21,382 

(21,255)

(9,528)

(1,655)

7,198 

63,221 

The current portion of provisions for liabilities and charges mainly includes accruals for technical claims and product warranties 
(euro 17,574 thousand), site remediation of disused areas of land (euro 4,522 thousand), reorganisation and closure of business units 
(euro 1,443 thousand), litigation for occupational diseases (euro 10,237 thousand), tax risks (euro 10,323 thousand), labour lawsuits 
(euro 2,509 thousand) and industrial accident insurance (euro 3,677 thousand).

Increases mainly refer to provisions for product claims, labour lawsuits, occupational diseases, tax risks and site remediation of 
disused areas of land.

Uses are mainly related to costs incurred to close pending actions against business units domiciled in Italy for occupational disease 
lawsuits and in Germany for corporate reorganisation, and claims received by various units within the Group, site remediation of 
disused areas of land and settlement of legal disputes.

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

The reversals of excess provisions mainly concerned technical claims (euro 1,616 thousand), tax (euro 1,046 thousand) and legal 
risks (euro 1,765 thousand), industrial/workplace accident insurance (euro 1,437 thousand), labour lawsuits (euro 1,400 thousand) 
and legal disputes (euro 1,075 thousand).

22. eMPLoYee BeneFit oBLiGations

The item includes:

(in thousands of euro)

Pension funds:

  funded

  unfunded

Employee leaving indemnities (TFR - Italian companies)

Healthcare plans

Other benefits

  Pension funds  

12/31/2015

12/31/2014

154,413

96,375

38,625

21,449

51,678

362,540 

203,183

107,899

42,451

22,337

83,075

458,945 

The following table shows the breakdown of pension funds as at December 31, 2015:

(in thousands of euro)

Funded funds

Present value of funded 
liabilities

Fair value of plan assets

Unfunded funds

Present value of unfunded 
liabilities

12/31/2015

germany sweden

total 
unFunded 
pension 
Funds

usa

uk 

other 
countries

total 
Funded 
pension 
Funds

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

158,483 

1,247,129 

5,846 

1,411,458 

 - 

(122,875)

(1,129,387)

(4,783)

(1,257,045)

92,779 

3,596 

96,375 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

Net liabilities recognised

92,779 

3,596 

96,375 

35,608 

117,742 

1,063 

154,413 

183

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

The following table shows the breakdown of pension funds as at December 31, 2014:

(in thousands of euro)

12/31/2014

germany

sweden

total 
unFunded 
pension 
Funds

usa

uk 

other 
countries

total 
Funded 
pension 
Funds

Funded funds

Present value of funded 
liabilities

Fair value of plan assets

Unfunded funds

 - 

 - 

Present value of unfunded 
liabilities

104,008 

Net liabilities recognised

104,008 

 - 

 - 

3,891 

3,891 

 - 

 - 

158,128 

1,205,203 

5,985 

1,369,316 

(116,931)

(1,044,306)

(4,896)

(1,166,133)

107,899 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

107,899 

41,197 

160,897 

1,089 

203,183 

The characteristics of the principal pension funds in place at December 31, 2015 are as follows:

  Germany: this is an unfunded defined-benefit plan based on the final salary. It provides a pension in addition to the state pen-
sion. The plan was closed in October 1982; the participants in this plan are thus employees whose employment began prior to 
that date;
  USA: this is a funded defined-benefit plan based on the final salary. It provides a pension in addition to the state pension and is 
administered by a trust. The plan was closed in 2001 and frozen in 2003 for employees who were transferred to a defined-con-
tribution scheme. All participants in this plan have retired;
  UK: these are funded defined-benefit plans based on the final salary. They provide a pension in addition to the state pension and 
are administered in trusts. These plans were closed in 2001. The Pirelli Tyres Ltd plan was frozen in 2010 for employees hired 
before 2001, who were transferred to a defined contribution plan. The plan operated by the subsidiary Pirelli UK Ltd, which 
includes the employees in the Cables and Systems segment sold in 2005, was already frozen as at the date of the sale in 2005; 
  Sweden: this involves a defined benefit plan (ITP2), which was closed to new participants, and the only participants are retired 
employees and recipients of deferred pensions. 

184

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

The changes in net liabilities in 2015 for funded and non-funded defined benefit pension fund assets are as follows:

(in thousand of euro)

Opening balance at January 1, 2015

Translation difference

Movements through income statement:

  current service cost

  interest expense / (income)

Remeasurements recognized in equity:

  actuarial (gains) / losses from change in demographic 
assumptions

  actuarial (gains) / losses from change in financial assumptions

  experience adjustment (gains) losses

  return on plan assets, net of interest income

Employer's contributions

Employee contributions

benefits paid

settlements

Other

present value oF 
gross liabilities

Fair value  
oF plan assets

total net 
liabilities

1,477,209 

92,124 

1,093 

54,996 

56,089 

3,964 

(38,623)

(4,807)

 - 

(39,466)

 - 

24 

(77,120)

(342)

(685)

(1,166,127)

(77,050)

 - 

(45,993)

(45,993)

 - 

 - 

 - 

5,576 

5,576 

311,082 

15,074 

1,093 

9,003 

10,096 

3,964 

(38,623)

(4,807)

5,576 

(33,890)

(51,992)

(51,992)

(24)

77,120 

 - 

1,445 

 - 

 - 

(342)

760 

Closing balance at December 31, 2015

1,507,833 

(1,257,045)

250,788 

185

The changes in net liabilities occurring in 2014 were as follows:

(in thousand of euro)

Opening balance at January 1, 2014

Translation difference

Movements through income statement:

  current service cost

  interest expense / (income)

Remeasurements recognized in equity:

  (gain) loss from change in demographic assumptions

  (gain) loss from change in financial assumptions

  experience (gains) losses

  return on plan assets, net of interest income

Employer's contributions

Plan participants' contributions

benefits paid

Other

Closing balance at December 31, 2014

present value oF 
gross liabilities

Fair value  
oF plan assets

total net 
liabilities

1,196,912 

92,263 

895 

54,973 

55,867 

12,630 

170,829 

11,885 

 - 

195,343 

 - 

22 

(62,668)

(531)

1,477,209 

(880,907)

(75,846)

 - 

(42,086)

(42,086)

 - 

 - 

 - 

(187,135)

(187,135)

316,005 

16,416 

895 

12,887 

13,781 

12,630 

170,829 

11,885 

(187,135)

8,208 

(44,006)

(44,006)

(22)

62,668 

1,207 

 - 

 - 

675 

(1,166,127)

311,082 

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

The service cost is included in the item “Personnel expenses” (note 31), while interest expense/(income) is included in the item 
“Financial expenses” (note 36).

The following table shows the breakdown of funded pension fund assets:

(in thousand of euro)

shares

bonds

Insurance policies

deposits

balanced funds

Real Estate

derivatives

Other

12/31/2015

12/31/2014

listed 

unlisted

total

%

listed 

unlisted

total

%

 70,957 

 361,394 

 432,351 

 173,429 

 116,948 

 290,377 

 - 

 250,344 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 4,783 

 4,996 

 4,783 

 255,340 

 109,778 

 109,778 

 207,262 

 207,262 

 (51,834)

 (51,834)

 8,989 

 8,989 

34%

23%

0%

20%

9%

16%

-4%

1%

 74,725 

 269,765 

 344,490 

30%

 203,615 

 161,826 

 365,441 

 - 

 63,913 

 846 

 - 

 113,151 

 4,896 

 4,468 

 187,179 

 73,210 

 - 

 - 

 8,533 

 4,896 

 68,381 

 188,025 

 73,210 

 113,151 

 8,533 

31%

0%

6%

16%

6%

10%

1%

 494,730 

 762,315 

 1,257,045 

100%

 456,249 

 709,878 

 1,166,127 

100%

The principal risks to which the Group is exposed in relation to pension funds are detailed as follows:

  volatility of assets serving the plans: to limit the liabilities, investment strategy privileges assets which are expected to have 
relatively high and stable returns over the long-term. This means that certain investments, such as listed shares, feature high 
volatility over the short term, and that this exposes the plans to risks of reduction in the value of assets in the short-term, conse-
quently increasing liabilities. However, this risk is mitigated by the diversification of the investments into different investment 
classes, through different investment managers and different investment styles. Moreover, the investments are continuously 
revised in response to market conditions, with adjustments to maintain the overall risk at adequate levels;
  changes in bond yields and expected inflation: forecasts of falling yields on bonds and/or rising inflation lead to an increase in 
the value of liabilities. Plans reduce this risk by making investments in “liability hedging” assets. In the United Kingdom, the 
protection assured by a portfolio of this type has been built up over the last several years, and from the second quarter of 2014 
has reached 100% of the value of the liabilities covered by assets; 
  life expectancy: growing life expectancy entails an increase in the value of plan liabilities. Plans do not protect themselves di-
rectly against this risk. UK plans have set in motion a process that will lead to being protected against longevity risks initially 
to an extent of 50% of liabilities covered by assets. Liabilities are measured by using prudent hypotheses whose adequacy is 
revised periodically. 

In the UK, management of the assets of the plans has delegated, under the supervision and within a precise mandate attributed 
by the Trustees, to a Fiduciary Manager who operates according to a model of Liability Driven Investment (LDI), or having as a 
reference, liabilities (liability benchmark) so as to minimise volatility (and thus the risk) of the deficit, which in fact did reduce to 
about one third as compared to the levels applying before its introduction (early 2011). The key parameters of this mandate may be 
summarised as follows:

  a mix of assets under dynamic management over time, rather than a fixed strategic allocation;
  hedging of about 100% of the risk related to interest and inflation rates – meaning a percentage of the asset value – through the 
use of debt instruments (government bonds) and derivatives;
  management of foreign exchange risk with the goal of hedging at least 70% of the exposure to foreign currencies held in the 
portfolio through use of forward contracts

In the United Kingdom, funding arrangements and funding policies are revised once every three years. The next evaluation of 
funding is foresee for 2017. In the United States evaluations of funding are made on an annual basis.

Contributions expected to be paid into unfunded pension funds during the 2016 financial year amount to euro 6,351 thousand, 
whereas those funded amount to euro 36,415 thousand.

186

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

  Employee leaving indemnities (TFR)  

Changes for the financial year in Employee leaving indemnities (Italian companies) are as follows:

(in thousands of euro)

Opening balance

Liabilities held for sale

Movements through income statement:

  current service cost

  interest expense

Remeasurements recognized in equity:

  actuarial (gains) losses arising from changes in financial assumptions

  experience (gains) losses

Indemnities/advanced payments

Other

Closing balance

12/31/2015

12/31/2014

 42,451 

 - 

 207 

 737 

 (1,932)

 - 

 (2,053)

 (785)

 38,625 

 44,496 

 (6,574)

 146 

 1,254 

 5,787 

 (748)

 (2,129)

 219 

 42,451 

The cost of labour is included in the item “Personnel expense” (note 31), whereas interest expense is included in the item “Financial 
expenses” (note 36).
Contributions which are expected to be paid into Employees’ leaving indemnities during the 2016 financial year amount to euro 
1,707 thousand.

  Healthcare plans  

187

This item refers exclusively to the healthcare plan in place in the United States subsidiary. 

(in thousands of euro)

Liabilities recognised at 12/31/2015

Liabilities recognised at 12/31/2014

The following changes occurred during the period:

(in thousands of euro)

Opening balance

Translation differences

Movements through income statement:

  current service cost

  interest expense

Remeasurements recognized in equity:

  actuarial (gains) losses arising from changes in financial assumptions

  actuarial (gains) losses arising from changes in demographic assumptions

  experience (gains) losses

benefits paid

Closing balance

usa

21,449

22,337

12/31/2015

12/31/2014

22,337

2,508

5

819

(632)

(392)

(1,970)

(1,228)

21,449

17,333 

2,585 

4 

773 

1,610 

854 

303 

(1,125)

22,337

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

The cost of labour is included in the item “Personnel expense” (note 31), while the interest expense is included in the item “Financial 
expenses” (note 36).

Contributions expected to be paid into the healthcare plan during 2016 total euro 1,566 thousand.

  Additional information regarding post-employment benefits  

Net actuarial losses accrued in 2015 and recognised directly in equity totalled euro 17,675 thousand (at December 31, 2014 net ac-
tuarial losses totalled euro 30,263 thousand).

The principal actuarial assumptions used at December 31, 2015 are as follows:

italy

germany netherlands sweden

uk

usa

discount rate

Inflation rate

Expected rate of wage and salary increases

Healthcare cost trend rates - initial

Healthcare cost trend rates - final

2.10%

1.25%

 - 

 - 

 - 

2.10%

1.75%

3.00%

 - 

 - 

2.10%

1.75%

2.00%

 - 

 - 

2.75%

1.50%

3.90%

3.05%

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

4.05%

 N/A 

 N/A 

8.00%

4.50%

The principal actuarial assumptions used at December 31, 2014 are as follows:

188

discount rate

Inflation rate

Expected rate of wage and salary increases

Healthcare cost trend rates - initial

Healthcare cost trend rates - final

italy

germany netherlands sweden

uk

usa

1.75%

1.50%

 - 

 - 

 - 

1.75%

2.00%

3.00%

 - 

 - 

1.75%

2.00%

2.00%

 - 

 - 

2.40%

1.50%

3.70%

2.98%

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

3.75%

 N/A 

 N/A 

6.00%

4.50%

The following table shows the analysis of the payment by due dates related to the post-employment benefits:

(in thousands of euro)

Pension funds

Employees’ leaving indemnities (TFR)

Healthcare plan

within 1 
year

1 to 2 years 3 to 5 years

over 5 
years

total

76,798 

1,707 

1,566 

80,071 

77,725 

1,727 

1,571 

81,024 

239,232 

6,554 

4,625 

418,352 

12,566 

7,360 

250,410 

438,276 

812,107 

22,554 

15,122 

849,781 

The weighted average duration of obligations for post-employment benefits is 15.36 years (15.73 years at December 31, 2014).

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

The following table sets forth the sensitivity analysis for the relevant actuarial assumptions at the end of the financial year:

(in %)

impact on post employment beneFits

change 
in assumption

increase 
in assumption

decrease 
in assumption

discount rate

Inflation rate (only uk plans)

0.25%

decrease by

0.25%

increase by

3.61%

3.15%

increase by

decrease by

3.83%

2.63%

At the end of 2014 the situation was as follows:

(in %)

impact on post employment beneFits

change 
in assumption

increase 
in assumption

decrease 
in assumption

discount rate

Inflation rate (only uk plans)

0.25%

decrease by

0.25%

increase by

3.77%

2.48%

increase by

decrease by

3.96%

1.97%

The sole purpose of the above analysis consists in estimating the change in liability according to changes in the discount rates and 
inflation rate in the United Kingdom close to the principal assumption in respect of rates themselves, rather than referring to an 
alternative set of assumptions.

The sensitivity analysis of the liability related to post-employment benefits is based on the same method used to calculate the lia-
bility recognised in Financial Statements.

189

  Other long-term benefits  

The table below sets forth a breakdown of other long-term benefits:

(in thousands of euro)

Long-term incentive plans

Jubilee awards

Leaving indemnities - non Italian companies

Other long-term benefits

12/31/2015

12/31/2014

 - 

 17,348 

 26,881 

 7,449 

 51,678 

 10,909 

17,252

46,340

8,574

83,075 

The decrease in the Long-term incentive plans item is directly attributable to the reclassification of the amount allocated in 2014 
under “Other current liabilities” and “Other non-current liabilities” due to the decision taken by the Board of Directors on December 
22, 2015 to close early the Long Term Incentive Plan 2014-2016 for Management of the Pirelli Group and approved by the Board of 
Directors and General Meeting of Pirelli & C. S.p.A., respectively, on February 27 and June 12 2014, in view of the delisting of the 
ordinary shares of Pirelli & C. S.p.A.

The decrease in the item “Leaving indemnities” was mainly attributable to the deconsolidation of the Venezuelan subsidiary (euro 
44,283 thousand). 

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

23.  BorroWinGs FroM Banks  

and otHer FinanciaL institUtions

The following table sets forth the amounts owed to banks and other financial institutions:

(in thousands of euro)

total

12/31/2015

non- 
current

current total

12/31/2014

non- 
current

current

bonds

1,231,006 

731,224 

 499,782 

1,214,297 

1,214,297 

- 

borrowings from banks

1,129,394 

540,403 

588,991 

1,034,380 

563,735 

470,645 

borrowings from other financial institutions

20,517 

2,344 

18,173 

16,028 

Financial leasing payables

Accrued financial expenses and deferred 
financial income

Other financial payables

507 

25,593 

7,263 

186 

1,086 

1,055 

903 

14,973 

183 

25,530 

43,644 

159 

43,485 

321 

63 

1,333 

5,930 

3,181 

1,577 

1,604 

190

2,414,280 

1,275,688 

1,138,592 

2,312,616 

1,781,726 

530,890 

The item bonds refers to: 

  for the current portion, to the unrated bond placed by Pirelli & C. S.p.A. on the Eurobond market of an aggregate nominal 
amount of euro 500 million, with a fixed coupon of 5.125% and maturity in February 2016;
  for the non-current portion: 

  the private placement made by Pirelli International Plc on the American market for an aggregate nominal amount of USD 150 
million (equal to euro 137,779 million based on the exchange rate at December 31, 2015), with a duration of between 5 and 12 
years and an average coupon of 5.05%. Following exceeding the threshold of 50%, of the ordinary capital of Pirelli by Marco 
Polo Holding, there was a “change of control” event on the loan. In accordance with contract provisions, Pirelli International 
Plc, made an offer or redemption to underwriters, to which no sign-ups were received. Therefore, the original maturity date 
of the loan has been kept unchanged in preparing the Financial Statements as at December 31, 2015.
  the unrated bond, placed by Pirelli International Plc on the Eurobond market in November 2014 for a nominal amount of euro 
600 million, with a fixed coupon of 1.75%. In respect of this loan, as already advised to the market, no “change of control” 
event occurred and so it will remain in being until its natural maturity.

The carrying amounts of the bonds were determined as follows:

(in thousands of euro)

Nominal value

Transaction costs

Amortisation of effective interest rate

Adjustment for fair value hedge 

12/31/2015

12/31/2014

 1,237,728 

 (13,828)

 7,106 

 - 

1,231,006

1,223,548

 (13,828)

4,304

273

1,214,297

Borrowings from banks, amounting to euro 1,129,394 thousand refer mainly to,:

  loans granted by the European Investment Bank (EIB) to Pirelli Tyre S.p.A. for research and development projects and to S.C. 
Pirelli Tyres Romania S.r.l. for local industrial investments. These loans total euro 150,000 thousand (euro 250,000 thousand at 
December 31, 2014), fully used, of which euro 100,000 thousand was classified as current bank borrowings, and the remainder, 
totalling euro 50,000 thousand, was classified as non-current bank borrowings (at December 31, 2014 euro 150,000 thousand 

 
 
Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

used committed credit facilities of euro 820,480 thousand (euro 
1,125,000 thousand at December 31, 2014) maturing in 2020.

Accrued  financial  expenses  and  deferred  financial  in-
come  (euro  25,530  thousand)  mainly  refer  to  the  portion  of 
interest accrued on bonds (euro 23,757 thousand; euro 23,656 
thousand at December 31, 2014) and accrued interest on bank 
loans  for  euro  853  thousand  (euro  1,203  thousand  as  at  De-
cember 31, 2014). As at December 31, 2014, this also included 
interest rate swaps for euro 18,152 thousand.

Other current financial payables sums received from Mon-
te Titoli for the purchase of Pirelli shares by Marco Polo In-
dustrial Holding and which must be reimbursed to a number 
of shareholders (euro 1,805 million) and new funding for euro 
2,619 thousand.

Other  non-current  financial  payables  includes  the  guar-
antee  deposit  towards  Prelios  S.p.A.  of  euro  1,332  thousand, 
related to the lease of the R&D building, for the entire duration 
of the lease (October 15, 2012 – October 14, 2018). 

Current  and  non-current  financial  payables  backed  by  se-
cured guarantees (pledges and mortgages) totalled euro 8,526 
thousand (euro 84,747 thousand at December 31, 2014).
The reduction is attributable to the full repayment of the debt 
and the cancellation of the mortgage of the Mexican subsidiary.

191

Current financial payables include the quota part of non-cur-
rent  financial  payables,  which  amount  to  euro  793,051  thou-
sand (euro 278,700 thousand as at December 31, 2014) which 
will be adjusted during the subsequent financial year.

was classified as non-current bank borrowings and euro 
100,000 thousand was classified as current bank borrow-
ings). On December 16, 2015, Pirelli Tyre S.p.A. repaid the 
maturing tranche of euro 100,000 thousand;
  euro  279,520  thousand  (euro  75,000  thousand  at  Decem-
ber 31, 2014) for the use of the revolving line of credit and 
multicurrency  term  loan  facility  with  a  five  year  dura-
tion  of  euro  1,000,000  thousand  granted  to  Pirelli  Inter-
national  Limited  which  was  subscribed  to  on  January  9, 
2015, and which replaces the revolving credit facility for 
euro  1,200,000  thousand.  These  uses  were  classified  as 
non-current bank borrowings; 
  euro 100,000 thousand for use of the euro 200,000 thou-
sands’ revolving line of credit and multicurrency term loan 
facility  with  a  five  year  duration  granted  to  Pirelli  &  C. 
S.p.A., which was subscribed to on February 13, 2015. These 
uses were classified as non-current bank borrowings; 
 euro  37.000  thousand  relative  to  the  Schuldschein  (origi-
nally for a nominal aggregate of euro 155,000 which was 
partially  reimbursed  in  June  2015  to  the  amount  of  euro 
112,000 thousand, and in December 2015 to the amount of 
a  further  euro  6,000  thousand)  a  loan  syndicated  by  the 
lender  on  the  basis  of  a  debt  certificate  governed  under 
German law granted to Pirelli International Plc and which 
was disbursed on 14 December 2012, with original maturi-
ty in June 2016, to the amount of euro 32,000 thousand and 
in  December  2017  for  the  residual  amount  of  euro  5,000 
thousand.  This  last  tranche  has  been  reclassified  under 
short-term liabilities as a result of the “change of control” 
event as provided for by the contractual conditions;
  euro  72,242  thousand  relative  to  loans  classified  as  cur-
rent  bank  borrowings  granted  in  favour  of  the  Mexican 
subsidiaries by HSBC for euro 32,575 thousand, by Banco 
Santander and Banco BBVA for euro 15,867 thousand each 
and by Citibank for euro 7,933 thousand. These loans have 
a maturity of 180 days and are not covered by any sort of 
guarantee. 
  euro  2,975  thousand  relative  to  loans  granted  by  Banco 
Nacion Argentina between October 2011 and June 2012 in 
favour  of  Pirelli  Neumaticos  S.A.I.C.  The  duration  of  the 
loan  is  5  years,  expiring  in  October  2016,  provides  for 
monthly repayments amounting to euro 296 thousand and 
is backed by secured guarantee;
  use  of  credit  lines  at  local  level,  in  China,  Brazil,  Co-
lombia,  Egypt,  Turkey  and  USA,  to  the  amount  of  euro 
484,468  thousand,  of  which  euro  374,962  thousand  was 
classified  as  current  bank  borrowings,  and  the  remain-
der,  totalling  euro  109,506  thousand  was  classified  as 
non-current bank borrowings.

As at December 31, 2015 the Group had, aside from cash and 
financial assets held for trading of euro 1,160,893 thousand, un-

 
Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

The carrying amount of current financial payables is considered to approximate their fair value. The table below compares the fair 
value of non-current financial payables with their carrying amount:

(in thousands of euro)

Pirelli & C. s.p.A. bonds

Pirelli International Plc bonds

Private placement - Pirelli International Plc

borrowings from banks

Other financial payables

12/31/2015

12/31/2014

carrying 
amount

Fair value 

carrying 
amount

Fair value 

 -

 594,022

137,202

540,403

4,061

 -

 594,054

131,761

678,671

4,060

1,275,688

1,408,546

498,940

592,483

122,873

563,735

3,695

1,781,726

523,565

605,184

147,731

566,125

3,695

1,846,300

The public bonds issued by Pirelli & C. S.p.A. and by Pirelli International Plc are listed on an active market and the related fair value 
was measured with reference to prices at the end of the year. They are thus classified as level 1 in the hierarchy.
The fair value of the private placement in U.S. Dollars issued by Pirelli International Ltd and the fair value of the bank borrowings 
were calculated by discounting each debtor cash flow at the market swap rate for the currency and at the reference maturity date, 
increased by the Group credit rating. They are classified as level 2 in the hierarchy.

At December 31, 2015, the breakdown of borrowings from banks and other financial institutions to lenders by interest rate and by 
currency of origin of the debt was as follows:

192

(in thousands of euro)

EuR

usd (us dollar)

bRL (brazilian Real)

CNy (Chinese Renminbi)

RON (Romanian Leu)

TRy (Turkish Lira)

ARs (Argentinian Peso)

Other currencies

Current payables

EuR

usd

bRL (brazilian Real)

CNy (Chinese Renminbi)

RON (Romanian Leu)

MxN (Mexican Pesos)

ARs (Argentinian Pesos)

Non current payables

FiXed rate

Floating rate

total 

654,417 

3,272 

322,750 

7,734 

99 

26,871 

2,975 

79,423 

33,515 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

7,536 

687,932 

3,272 

322,750 

7,734 

99 

26,871 

2,975 

86,959 

1,097,541 

96%

41,051 

4%

1,138,592 

599,361 

137,217 

53,971 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

380,285 

 - 

21,708 

33,358 

49,788 

 - 

 - 

979,646 

137,217 

75,679 

33,358 

49,788 

 - 

 - 

790,549 

62%

485,139 

38%

1,275,688 

1,888,090 

78%

526,190 

22%

2,414,280 

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

A breakdown as at December 31, 2014 was as follows:

(in thousands of euro)

EuR

bRL (brazilian Real)

CNy (Chinese Renminbi)

RON (Romanian Leu)

TRy (Turkish Lira)

ARs (Argentinian Peso)

Other currencies

Current payables

EuR

usd (us dollar)

bRL (brazilian Real)

CNy (Chinese Renminbi)

RON (Romanian Leu)

MxN (Mexican Pesos)

ARs (Argentinian Pesos)

Non current payables

FiXed rate

Floating rate

total 

124,828 

176,540 

34,333 

106 

46,731 

5,192 

23,630 

119,530 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

411,360 

77%

119,530 

23%

1,193,922 

123,045 

130,271 

 - 

 - 

 - 

3,860 

151,356 

 - 

44,051 

40,883 

49,495 

44,843 

 - 

244,358 

176,540 

34,333 

106 

46,731 

5,192 

23,630 

530,890 

1,345,278 

123,045 

174,322 

40,883 

49,495 

44,843 

3,860 

1,451,098 

81%

330,628 

19%

1,781,726 

193

1,862,458 

81%

450,158 

19%

2,312,616 

As at December 31, 2015 non hedging derivatives were created in respect of variable rate debt whereas as at December 31, 2014 
the value of fixed rate debt included both debts that were contractually for a fixed rate and debt denominated at a variable rate in 
respect of which hedging derivatives were created.

The Group’s exposure to fluctuations in interest rates on financial payables, both in terms of the type of rate and their resetting, 
are summarised below:

(in thousands of euro)

12/31/2015

12/31/2014

total

FiXed rate

Floating 
rate

total

FiXed rate

up to 6 months

1,136,210 

1,095,032 

From 6 to 12 months

From 1 to 5 years

More than 5 years

4,536 

1,177,479 

96,055 

4,536 

692,467 

96,055 

41,178 

 - 

635,162 

130,602 

185,003 

130,602 

485,012 

1,459,288 

1,459,288 

 - 

87,565 

87,565 

Floating 
rate

450,158 

 - 

 - 

 - 

2,414,280 

1,888,090 

526,190 

2,312,616 

1,862,458 

450,158 

The average cost of debt for 2015 was at 5.90% (6.05% for 2014). 

With regard to the presence of financial covenants and negative pledge clauses, it is to be noted that:

  the revolving and term loan multicurrency facility granted to Pirelli International Plc for a total of euro 1,000,000 thousand, 
and withdrawn for euro 279,520 thousand foresees in cases of negative pledges, an undertaking not to grant secured guarantees 

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

beyond the threshold defined as being Euro 200,000 thousand or 5% of Total Assets (as per the consolidated Financial Statements 
of Pirelli & C. S.p.A.) whichever is the higher, with the exception of secured guarantees on existing debt or debt to replace it, 
and to be granted pursuant to law in respect of trade finance, project finance and subsidised finance, or on loans granted by 
supranational entities;
  the revolving and term loan multicurrency facility granted to Pirelli & C. S.p.A. for a total of euro 200,000 thousand, and used 
for euro 100,000 thousand foresees, in cases of negative pledges, an undertaking not to grant secured guarantees beyond the 
threshold defined as being euro 200,000 thousand or 5% of Total Assets (as per the consolidated Financial Statements of Pirelli & 
C. S.p.A.) whichever is the higher, with the exception of secured guarantees on existing debt or debt to replace it, to be granted 
pursuant to law in respect of trade finance, project finance and subsidised finance, or on loans granted by supranational entities;
  the private placement for a total of USD 150 million with due dates falling between December 5, 2017 and December 5, 2024 
envisages, aside from the commitments indicated herein above:

  keeping to a ratio between non-centralised indebtedness (referring to companies other than Pirelli International Plc, Pirelli 
& C. S.p.A. and Pirelli Tyre S.p.A.) and total assets as reported in the consolidated Financial Statements of Pirelli & C. S.p.A. 
and set at 25% (and the ratio between “secured” debt and total assets not exceeding 15% in any event);
  introduction of a financial covenant whereby the ratio applying to gross operating margin and financial expenses as report-
ed in the consolidated Financial Statements of Pirelli & C. S.p.A. be greater than or equal to 3.5 when the ratio between net 
consolidated indebtedness and gross operating margin is greater than 2.5. 
 These parameters were fully satisfied as at December 31, 2015.
  in cases of negative pledges, an undertaking not to grant secured guarantees beyond the threshold defined as being Euro 
100,000 thousand or 3% of Total Assets whichever is the higher (as per the consolidated Financial Statements of Pirelli & 
C. S.p.A.), with the exception of secured guarantees on existing debt or debt to replace it, to be granted pursuant to law in 
respect of to trade finance, project finance and subsidised finance, or on loans granted by supranational entities.

  the Schuldschein subscribed to by Pirelli International Plc for a nominal total amount of euro 37,000 thousand, with due dates 
falling between June 2016 and December 2017 (originally for an aggregate nominal sum of euro 155,000 and partially reim-
bursed in June and December 2015) envisages, in cases of negative pledges, an undertaking not to grant secured guarantees 
beyond the threshold defined as being euro 100,000 thousand or 3% of Total Asset, whichever is the highest (as defined in the 
Consolidated Financial Statements of Pirelli & C. S.p.A.), with the exception of secured guarantees on existing debt or any debt 
which replaces it (to be granted pursuant to law) relating to trade finance, project finance, subsidised finance, or any loans 
granted by supranational entities. 

The other outstanding financial payables do not contain financial covenants.

24. trade PaYaBLes

Trade payables are listed in the following table:

(in thousands of euro)

suppliers

bill and notes payable

12/31/2015

non-
current

current

total

- 

- 

- 

1,281,810 

1,377,024 

31,321 

17,288 

1,313,131 

1,394,312 

12/31/2014

non-
current

current

- 

- 

- 

1,377,024 

17,288 

1,394,312 

total

1,281,810 

31,321 

1,313,131 

The evident decrease in 2015 as compared to 2014 includes the deconsolidation of the Venezuelan subsidiary to the amount of euro 
44,522 thousand.

The carrying amount of trade payables is considered to approximate their fair value.

194

 
 
 
 
 
Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

25. otHer PaYaBLes

Other payables are listed in detail in the following table:

(in thousands of euro) 

Accrued trade liabilities  
and deferred trade income

Tax payables not related to income taxes

Payables to employees

Payables to social security  
and welfare institutions

dividends payable

Other payables

total

12/31/2015

non-
current

current

total

12/31/2014

non-
current

current

65,812 

40,450 

25,362 

69,354 

36,230 

33,124 

76,682 

149,446 

3,485 

24,186 

73,197 

125,260 

121,692 

103,211 

4,622 

- 

117,070 

103,211 

66,402 

22,195 

44,207 

75,356 

29,098 

46,258 

6,879 

137,582 

502,803 

- 

8,315 

98,631 

6,879 

129,267 

404,172 

9,624 

138,932 

518,169 

- 

4,742 

74,692 

9,624 

134,190 

443,477 

Non-current accrued trade liabilities and deferred trade income relate, for euro 37,670 thousand to capital contributions re-
ceived for investments made in Mexico and Romania, whose benefits are recognised in the Income Statement in proportion to the 
costs for which the contribution has been disbursed.

Current accrued trade liabilities and deferred trade income include euro 5,403 thousand for government grants by the Pied-
mont  Region,  relating  to  financing  for  plants  aimed  at  the  realization  of  the  New  Technological  Centre  and  whose  benefits  are 
recognised in the Income Statement in proportion to the costs for which the contribution was granted, euro 4,119 thousand in tax 
incentives for the Gravatai project carried out in Brazil and deferred for the duration of the amortisation period of the investment, 
euro 2,940 thousand for various trade initiatives, euro 2,235 thousand for the portion not yet recognized in the Income Statement 
of the state contributions received for the investment of Slatina in Romania and euro 2,128 thousand for costs related to insurance 
coverage in some Eurozone countries.

195

Tax payables not related to income taxes is mainly comprised of payables for VAT or equivalent taxes, indirect taxes not related 
to income, and withholding tax for employees.

Payables to employees mainly include compensation accrued during the period but not yet paid, including a estimate of LTI incen-
tives, as well as the value of the three-year monetary incentive plan Long Term Incentive 2014 - 2016, for Pirelli Group Management, 
closed early by resolution of the Board of Directors following the delisting of ordinary shares of Pirelli & C. S.p.A. 

Other current payables (euro 129,267 thousand) mainly include:

  euro 78,333 thousand for the purchase of property, plant and equipment (euro 76,398 thousand as at December 31, 2014); 
  euro 9,914 thousand for income withholding tax (euro 8,342 thousand as at December 31, 2014); 
  euro 6,467 thousand for payables to representatives, agents, professionals and consultants (euro 8,061 thousand as at Decem-
ber 31, 2014);
  euro 6,851 thousand for payables to directors, statutory auditors and supervisory bodies (euro 1,662 thousand as at De-
cember 31, 2014).
  euro 4,747 thousand in advances from customers (euro 16,839 as at December 31, 2014);
  euro 2,963 for customer refunds.

The deconsolidation of the Venezuelan subsidiary impacted particularly on the reduction of payables towards employees to the 
amount of euro 26,553 thousand and payables towards social security and welfare institutions to the amount of euro 3,857 thousand. 

For other current and non-current payables, it is considered that their value approximates fair value.

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

26. tax PaYaBLes

Tax payables totalling euro 65,091 thousand (of which euro 2,646 thousand was recognised in non-current liabilities), mainly relate 
to national and regional income taxes which decreased compared to euro 104,158 thousand as at December 31, 2014 (of which euro 
3,397 thousand was recognised in non-current liabilities).

27. deriVatiVe FinanciaL instrUMents 

The item includes a fair value assessment of derivative instruments and the breakdown is the following:

(in thousands of euro)

12/31/2015

12/31/2014

current  
assets

current 
liabilities

current 
assets

current 
liabilities

Without adoption of hedge accounting

Foreign currency derivatives - trade transactions

 42,327 

 (36,825)

Foreign currency derivatives - included in net financial 
position

 6,840 

 (15,149)

Interest rate derivatives

Other derivatives - included in net financial position

196

Hedge accounting adopted

  cash flow hedge:

Foreign currency derivatives - trade transactions

Interest rate derivatives

Other derivatives

  fair value hedge

 - 

 - 

 - 

 11,608 

 530 

Interest rate derivatives - included in net financial position

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 (5)

 - 

 61,305 

 (51,979)

 19,765 

 5,868 

 - 

 - 

 2,113 

 606 

 545 

 207 

 29,104 

 (26,002)

 (2,553)

 (2,180)

 (2,089)

 - 

 (10,011)

 - 

 - 

 (42,835)

- Total derivatives included in net financial position

 6,840 

 (15,149)

 6,075 

 (4,642)

  Derivative financial instruments without adoption of hedge accounting  

The value of foreign currency derivatives corresponds to the fair value of forward currency purchases/sales outstanding as at 
the closing date of the period. These involve hedges of Group trade and financial transactions for which hedge accounting was not 
adopted. Fair value has determined by using a forward exchange rate as at the date of Financial Statements. 

  Derivative financial instruments with adoption of hedge accounting  

  Cash flow hedge

The value of interest rate derivatives, recognised among current liabilities for euro 11,608 thousand refers to fair value assess-
ment of 4 cross currency interest rate swaps negotiated in November 2012 to cover the exchange rate risk exposure and limit expo-
sure to the risk rate associated with the private placement by Pirelli International Plc on the US market for a total nominal amount 
of USD 150 million with a duration of between 5-12 years (see note 23 “Borrowings from banks and other financial institutions”). 
The goal is to cover the change in debt cash flows denominated in foe reign currency (principal and interest) tied to changes in 

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

be ascertained and ruled.
Judgement has been suspended by the Court of Milan pending 
a final ruling by community judges. Pirelli has impugned the 
order for suspension before the Court of Cassation.
On November 23, 2015, Prysmian Cavi e Sistemi served suit 
on Pirelli for damages before the High Court of Justice against 
Prysmian and other members of the cartel by National Grid 
and Scottish Power, a company felt to have been injured by an 
alleged illicit understanding. Specifically, Prysmian has sub-
mitted a plea to obtain from Pirelli and Goldman Sachs, based 
on the role played at the time by its parent companies, to hold 
it harmless in respect of any obligations to indemnify National 
Grid and Scottish Power.
Pirelli has challenged a flaw in jurisdiction of the High Court 
of Justice because, since the action recalled above before the 
Court of Milan is still pending, it holds that a decision in re-
spect  of  merit  must  be  handed  down  by  the  aforementioned 
court submitted to.
On  the  basis  of  careful  judicial  analyses  and  supported  by 
opinions drawn up by outside counsel, Pirelli believes it is not 
involved in the alleged irregularities of its former subsidiary 
and that full final liability for any breach must be borne exclu-
sively by the company directly involved.
As a consequence of the foregoing, assessment of the risk is 
such as not to require any specific provision to be set aside in 
annual Financial Statements as at December 31, 2015.

197

exchange rates. The amount for this derivative found in equity 
is negative for euro 4,987 thousand. 

28.  coMMitMents and 
continGencies 

  Commitments to purchase property,  
  plant and equipment  

Commitments for the purchase of tangible fixed assets amount 
to euro 131,074 thousand (euro 167,122 thousand as at Decem-
ber 31, 2014), and mainly refer to the companies in Romania, 
Brazil, Mexico and Italy. 

  Commitments to purchase of equity  
  investments/fund units  

These  refer  to  commitments  to  purchase  shares  in  Equinox 
Two  S.c.a.,  a  private  equity  company  specialised  in  invest-
ments in listed and unlisted companies with high growth po-
tential, for a maximum counter value of euro 2,208 thousand.

  Other contingencies  

At  the  beginning  of  April  2014  the  European  Commission 
communicated  to  Pirelli,  and  other  parties  involved  (includ-
ing Prysmian Cavi e Sistemi, a subsidiary of Pirelli until July 
2005), a decision taken at the conclusion of a antitrust inves-
tigation  initiated  for  the  energy  cables  business  and  which 
provides  for  a  penalty  against  Prysmian  of  approximately 
euro 104 million for a portion of which, amounting to euro 67 
million, Pirelli is jointly liable with Prysmian. This decision 
confirms  that  there  was  no  direct  involvement  by  Pirelli  in 
the  alleged  cartel.  The  alleged  antitrust  violation  is  attrib-
utable  solely  to  the  principle  of  “parental  liability”,  because, 
during part of the period of the alleged cartel, Prysmian was 
controlled  by  Pirelli.  Pirelli  appealed  to  the  European  Court 
of  Justice  against  the  decision  of  the  European  Commission, 
challenging application of the principle of “parental liability”. 
Indeed, Pirelli believes that the principle of “parental liability” 
is not applicable to it.
The European Commission also ordered Pirelli to deposit bank 
surety to cover the payment, if and when due, of 50% of the 
penalty  levied  on  Prysmian  and  Pirelli  jointly.  As  a  conse-
quence of the foregoing, on December 17, 2014, Pirelli provided 
the Commission with the sureties requested.
Pirelli has commenced legal action before the Court of Milan 
so  that  the  obligation  of  Prysmian  to  hold  Pirelli  harmless 
from  any  claim  made  including  that  made  by  the  European 
Commission, in connection with the aforementioned penalty, 

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

29. reVenUes FroM saLes and serVices

A breakdown of revenue from sales and services is as follows:

(in thousands of euro)

Revenues from sale of goods

Revenues from services

30. otHer incoMe

A breakdown of this item is as follows:

(in thousands of euro)

gains on disposal of property, plant and equipment

Rent income

Insurance indemnities and other refunds

Recoveries and reimbursements

198

government grants

Other income

2015

2014

6,187,347 

122,286 

6,309,633 

5,913,216 

104,847 

6,018,063 

2015

2014

1,846 

7,259 

13,547 

62,643 

5,968 

77,372 

168,635 

18,279 

7,887 

17,277 

58,467 

6,981 

95,185 

204,076 

Gains on disposal of property, plant and equipment in 2014 included mainly gains to the amount of euro 6,261 thousand deriv-
ing from sale of the land in the Sumaré area in Brazil, for a total of euro 9,365 thousand, from sale of land and buildings in Germany 
and Turkey. 

The item recoveries and reimbursements includes in particular:

  tax refunds for euro 15,082 thousand arising from tax facilitations in Argentina, Egypt, and in the state of Bahia in Brazil on 
trade exports;
  refunds of taxes and duties totalling euro 21,926 thousand received in Italy for euro 12,459 thousand, in Brazil for 5,575 thousand 
as reimbursement of tax credits for fiscal payables (VAT) in respect of the 2013 and 2014 financial years and in Germany for euro 
3,294 thousand in the form of contributions for tyre disposal and contributions for the purchase of gas and energy;
  proceeds from the sale of scrap materials obtained from Egypt, Turkey and the United Kingdom for a total of euro 10,990 thousand; 
  recoveries of costs for marketing events, rental management fees, development and product transfer in Italy, Germany and the 
United Kingdom for a total of euro 4,079 thousand; 
 refunds from utilities (electricity) for euro 2,169 thousand. 

The item other income includes income from sports for euro 34,351 thousand (euro 36,676 thousand in 2014), income from the re-
lease of provisions for liabilities and charges for euro 10,152 thousand (euro 22,040 thousand for 2014) and provisions for bad debts 
of euro 3,842 thousand. The reduction of the item “other” amounting to about euro 17,813 thousand, is due to the increased release 
during the 2014 financial year of the contingencies fund for a total of euro 11,888 thousand mainly related to guarantees issued 
within the area of extraordinary transactions occurring in previous financial years and lower income achieved from sports activity 
to the amount of euro 2,325 thousand.

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

31. PersonneL exPenses

The breakdown of this item is as follows:

(in thousands of euro)

Wages and salaries

social security and welfare contributions

Costs for employee leaving indemnities and similar 

Costs for defined contribution pension funds

Costs for defined benefit pension funds

Costs for jubilee awards

Costs for defined contribution healthcare plans

Other costs

2015

2014

1,016,961 

171,939 

30,097 

22,313 

1,093 

3,222 

40,834 

8,671 

1,295,130 

960,867 

174,268 

31,539 

21,390 

895 

5,865 

38,742 

6,204 

1,239,770 

Personnel expenses include non-recurring events for a total of euro 47,621 thousand (3.7% of the total) of which euro 24,112 thou-
sand for the early closure of the LTI plan and euro 23,509 thousand tied to restructuring costs. 
In 2014, the item included euro 24,744 thousand for restructuring costs (2.0% of the total).

32.  aMortisation, dePreciation  

and iMPairMent

199

The breakdown of this item is as follows:

(in thousands of euro)

Amortisation

depreciation

Impairment of property, plant and equipment

2015

2014

19,527 

304,681 

2,796 

327,004 

20,917 

277,890 

6,048 

304,855 

Impairment mainly relates to buildings, plants, machinery, and industrial and trade equipment located in Russia and Italy. Of 
these impairments, euro 1,867 thousand qualifies as non-recurring events (0.6% of the item total).

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

33. otHer costs

A breakdown of this item is as follows: 

(in thousands of euro)

selling costs

Purchases of goods for resale

Fluids and power

Advertising

Professional advice

Maintenance

Warehouse operating costs

Leases, rental and lease installments

Outsourcing

Travel expenses

IT expenses

key managers compensations

Other provisions

duty stamps, duties and local taxes

Canteen

bad debts

Insurance

Cleaning expenses

Waste disposal

security expenses

Telephone expenses

Other

200

2015

2014

315,773 

314,651 

199,438 

243,081 

76,534 

66,891 

60,865 

122,133 

40,966 

55,895 

28,281 

14,269 

31,562 

43,375 

26,464 

14,182 

30,329 

19,472 

20,707 

12,493 

11,997 

206,192 

1,955,550 

305,041 

306,783 

223,611 

219,051 

53,968 

66,276 

53,578 

113,253 

44,961 

49,241 

27,435 

10,058 

26,341 

37,916 

24,052 

16,389 

28,587 

21,031 

2 1 ,111 

12,081 

12,181 

156,821 

1,829,766 

The other costs item includes non-recurring events for euro 18,743 thousand (1% of the total of the item) related primarily to pro-
fessional services connected to the spin-off transaction from Industrial.
In 2014 the item included euro 1,800 thousand (0.1% of the item total) of expenses connected with real estate gains achieved 
in Brazil.

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

34  net incoMe (Loss)  

FroM eQUitY inVestMents

34.1  sHAre oF Net iNCome (Loss)  

oF AssoCiAtes AND JoiNt veNtures

The Group’s share of net income (loss) for associates and joint ventures accounted for under the equity method was negative to the 
amount of euro 9,002 thousand, as compared to the negative result of euro 55,147 thousand for the 2013 financial year.
It basically comprised the transposition of the result portions for the investment in Prelios S.p.A. (negative for euro 6,039 thousand, 
as compared to euro 23,612 thousand in 2014), in Eurostazioni S.p.A. (positive for euro 1,637 thousand compared to euro 3,587 thou-
sand in 2014) and in PT Evoluzione Tyre (negative for euro 4,810 thousand as compared to euro 1,378 thousand in 2014).
In 2014, the share also included the share for investments in Fenice S.r.l. (negative for euro 30,770 thousand) and in GWM Renew-
able Energy II S.p.A. (negative for euro 3,244 thousand).
In this regard, reference should be also made to the foregoing note 11 “Investments in associates and joint ventures”.

34.2 gAiNs oN equitY iNvestmeNts

These can be analysed thus:

(in thousands of euro)

gain on the disposal of subsidiaries

Conversion effect of Prelios s.p.A. bond 

Other income from investments

2015

2014

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

201

4,781 

13,307 

901 

18,989 

The gain on the disposal of subsidiaries includes the results from the disposal of the investment in Pirelli Finance (Luxembourg) S.A..

34.3 Losses oN equitY iNvestmeNts

This item as follows: 

(in thousands of euro)

Fair value adjustment of Prelios s.p.A. class b shares

Impairment of investments in associates 

Impairment of available-for-sale financial assets 

Other losses on investments

2015

2014

 - 

21,742 

15,751 

927 

38,420 

4,772 

20,393 

29,294 

256 

54,715 

Impairment of investments in associates refers to investments in Prelios S.p.A. for euro 7,000 thousand and GWM Renewable 
Energy II S.p.A. for euro 14,085 thousand. In this regard, reference should be made to foregoing note 11 “Investments in associates 
and joint ventures”.

The item impairment of available-for-sale financial assets mainly refers to investments in Alitalia – Compagnia Aerea Italiana 
S.p.A. (euro 7,115 thousand), in RCS MediaGroup S.p.A. (euro 7,265 thousand) and Equinox Two S.C.A. (euro 460 thousand). In 2014 

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

the item referred mainly to investments in RCS MediaGroup S.p.A. (euro 15,860 thousand), Alitalia – Compagnia Aerea Italiana 
S.p.A. (euro 11,229 thousand), Equinox Two S.C.A (euro 1,764 thousand). 

34.4 DiviDeNDs

Dividends in 2015 amounted to euro 6,029 thousand compared to euro 3,873 thousand in 2014.
These refer primarily to euro 3,938 thousand for the investment in Mediobanca S.p.A. (euro 2.363 thousand in 2014), for euro 788 
thousand for revenues from common investment funds (euros 680 thousand in 2014) for euro 513 thousand in Fin. Priv. S.r.l. (euro 
308 thousand in 2014) and euro 202 thousand for Emittenti Titoli S.p.A..

35. FinanciaL incoMe

The breakdown of this item is as follows: 

(in thousands of euro)

Interests

Other financial income

Fair value measurement of currency derivatives

2015

2014

64,444 

9,520 

- 

73,964 

40,100 

8,595 

42,982 

91,677 

202

Interests include euro 29,858 thousand for interest income from financial institutions (euro 15,405 thousand as at December 31, 
2014), euro 22,139 thousand of interest on fixed income shares (euro 10,475 thousand as at December 31, 2014), euro 6,596 thousand 
for interest rate swaps (euro 8,337 thousand in 2014), euro 2,333 thousand for trade receivables interest (euro 2,620 thousand in 
2014) and euro 1,604 thousand for interest on state securities (euro 2,058 thousand as at December 31, 2014). 

The other financial income item primarily includes euro 8,226 thousand interest on tax credits and interest accrued on security 
deposits paid by the Brazilian associates for legal and fiscal disputes. 

36. FinanciaL exPenses

A breakdown of this item is as follows:

(in thousands of euro)

Interests

Fees

High inflation effect venezuela

Other financial expenses

Net losses on foreign currency translation 

Net interest costs on employee benefit obligations

Fair value measurement of securities held for trading

Fair value measurement of currency derivatives

Fair value measurement of other derivatives 

2015

2014

108,699 

20,981 

143,477 

6,678 

84,146 

17,362 

10 

19,817 

1,010 

124,757 

17,100 

28,974 

9,736 

147,973 

19,453 

477 

- 

5,617 

402,180 

354,087 

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

Interests include euro 26,789 thousand for bonds issued by Pirelli & C. S.p.A. in 2011 (euro 26,730 thousand in 2014), euro 6,548 
thousand for the private placement made by Pirelli International Plc on the US market at the end of 2012 (euro 5,805 thousand in 
2014), euro 12,035 thousand for bonds placed by Pirelli International Plc on the Eurobond market in November 2014 and euro 8,672 
thousand for interest on interest rate swaps (euro 22,996 thousand in 2014). 

Net losses on foreign currency translation totalling euro 84,146 thousand (losses from exchange rate totalling euro 2,360,410 
thousand and gains from exchange rate of euro 2,276,264 thousand) refer to adjustment to year-end exchange rates of items ex-
pressed in currencies other than the functional currency outstanding at the date of the Financial Statements and net losses on items 
closed during the course of the financial year.

The Fair value measurement of currency derivatives item refers to the purchase/sale of the trade and financial transaction 
hedging in agreement with the exchange rate risk management policy for the Group. For operations which were open at the end of 
the financial year, the fair value has been determined by applying the exchange rate at the end of the date of Financial Statements. 
The fair value assessment is made up of two elements: the interest component, tied to the interest rate difference between the two 
items covered by the individual hedging, amounting to a net hedging expense of euro 61,756 thousand and an exchange rate com-
ponent equal to a net income of euro 41,939 thousand.
Comparison of these net losses on exchange rates, totalling euro 84,146 thousand, with the fair value measurement of the foreign 
exchange component of currency hedges negotiated as part of the Group currency risk management strategy (net gain of euro 
41,939 thousand, as previously indicated in the “fair value measurement of currency derivatives” item), shows that management of 
foreign exchange risk is substantially in balance, considering that the negative imbalance, amounting to euro 42,207 thousand is 
mostly related to the depreciation of the Venezuelan currency (euro 23,970 thousand) and the Egyptian currency (euro 10,114 thou-
sand) that are not subject to hedging. The adjustment to the 13.5 Bolivars to the US Dollar (14.70 Bolivar to the Euro) exchange rate 
for a significant part of trade transactions in foreign currency registered by the subsidiary Pirelli de Venezuela C.A. has an impact 
on the Venezuelan currency which is outstanding as of December 31, 2015. 

Net interest costs on employee benefit obligations primarily includes euro 9,004 thousand regarding the pension funds, euro 
737 thousand for employee leaving indemnities (TFR) and euro 819 thousand for healthcare plans (see note 22 “Employee benefit 
obligations”).

203

Fair value measurement of other derivatives instruments (see note 27 “Derivative financial instruments”) mainly consists of 
euro 2,119 thousand related to the gains on derivatives maturing in the period and euro 2,751 thousand relating to the loss from an 
adjustment to fair value of other derivatives for which hedge accounting has not been activated.

37. taxes

A breakdown of the income taxes for the period is as follows:

(in thousands of euro)

Current taxes

deferred taxes

2015

2014

187,139 

102,998 

290,137 

194,949 

(21,640)

173,309 

The Group’s effective tax burden for 2015 in respect of current taxes is wholly attributable to taxes payable by the Tyre Segment 
(euro 185,657 thousand) for the positive taxable income of its subsidiaries, partially offset by the accounting recognition by Pirelli 
& C. S.p.A. of the positive effects deriving from the option for domestic tax consolidation.
The increase in total tax burden reflects the impact resulting from assessment of the sustainability of deferred tax assets recog-
nised in relation to prior-period tax losses of deferred tax assets on tax losses carried forward in relation to the lack of expected 
recoverability of the tax losses by the Italian companies in the Group as a result of the new financial structure that the Group 
will take on due to the reverse merger with the parent company Marco Polo Industrial Holding S.p.A. planned for the first half of 
2016. The increase in tax expense was also affected by the effect of higher non-deductible expenses of the Venezuelan subsidiary 

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

attributable to an effect of the high levels of inflation recorded in country and the devaluation of the trade payables/receivables.
The reconciliation between estimated taxes and effective taxes is presented below:

(in thousands of euro)

gains / (losses) before taxes

Reversal of deconsolidation of the venezuelan subsidiary

Reversal of share of net income (loss) of associates and joint ventures

A) Total taxable income

B) Estimated taxes 

Main causes for changes between estimated and effective taxes:

Income not subject to taxation

Non-deductible costs

use of tax losses carried forward

unrecognised deferred tax assets and/or release of deferred tax assets previously recognised 

Taxes not related to income and costs for tax assessment

Other

C) Effective taxes before release of deferred tax assets previously recognised 

Released deferred tax assets

D) Effective taxes after release of deferred tax assets previously recognised 

Theoretical tax rate (b/A)

Effective tax rate before release of deferred tax assets previously recognised (C/A)

204

Effective tax rate post release of deferred tax assets previously recognised (d/A)

2015

2014

(78,789)

559,491 

9,002 

489,704 

144,984 

(78,898)

82,371 

(14,995)

22,250 

13,192 

12,645 

181,549 

108,588 

290,137 

30%

37%

59%

488,523 

 - 

55,147 

543,670 

176,327 

(65,539)

91,402 

(5,961)

9,259 

806 

(32,986)

173,309 

 - 

173,309 

32%

29%

29%

The Group’s estimated tax burden has been calculated by taking into account the nominal tax rates of the countries where the 
Group’s principal companies operate, as shown below:

Europe

Italy

germany

Romania

great britain

Turkey

Russia

NAFTA

usA

Mexico

Central and South America

Argentina

brazil

venezuela

Asia / Pacific

China

Middle East / Africa

Egypt

2015

2014

31.40%

29.58%

16.00%

20.00%

20.00%

20.00%

38.00%

30.00%

35.00%

34.00%

34.00%

31.40%

29.58%

16.00%

21.50%

20.00%

20.00%

38.00%

30.00%

35.00%

34.00%

34.00%

25.00%

25.00%

22.50%

30.00%

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

The nominal tax rate in Great Britain was reduced from 21.5% in 2014 to 20.0% in 2015, in accordance with local tax laws (Finance 
Act 2015).
The nominal tax rate in Egypt also decreased, going from 30% in 2014 to 22.5% in 2015 as a result of a change in legislation.

38.  assets and LiaBiLities HeLd For saLe  

and discontinUed oPerations 

As a result of the signing of a sale agreement for 100% of the steelcord business inked by Pirelli and Bekaert on February 28, 2014, 
steelcord business qualifies as a “discontinued operation”. With the sale on February 6, 2015 of the steelcord activities in Turkey 
and on March 27, 2015 in China, the sale of the entire Pirelli steelcord business to Bekaert was completed. The steelcord activities 
were part of the Industrial business operating segment.

It is recalled in this regard that the steel cord business provided the steel cord required for the production of tyres and that the 
sales agreement with Bekaert includes a long-term supply agreement for providing Pirelli with this material.

The result of discontinued operations is as follows:

income statement discontinued operations  (in thousands of euro)

2015

2014

Revenues from sales and services

Raw materials and consumables (net of change in inventories)

Personnel expenses

Amortisation, depreciation and impairment

Other costs

Operating income (loss)

Net income (loss) from investments

Financial expenses

Net income (loss) before tax

Tax 

Net income (loss)

Gain (loss) on disposal 

Disposal tax effect 

Net gain (loss) on disposal 

Reversal of reserve on foreign currency translation 

Net income (loss) from discontinued operations 

205

11,058

(10,139)

(484)

 - 

 - 

435

 - 

435

 - 

435

(1,136)

(13,950)

(14,651)

25,698

(7,820)

73,500

(24,358)

(15,611)

(2,200)

(24,999)

6,332

411

(1,700)

5,043

(2,000)

3,043

 - 

17,878

(3,298)

17,623

(705)

(431)

The net loss on disposal for euro 1,136 thousand (inclusive of indirect taxes on the sale amounting to euro 431 thousand) refers 
to the sale of the Turkish subsidiary Celikord A.Ş and Chinese associate Sino Italian Wire Technology Co. Ltd. This loss partially 
reduces the net capital gain (before rollover of exchange reserves), for a total of euro 17,878 thousand, registered for the 2014 finan-
cial year relating to the sale of the steel cord activities in Italy, Brazil and Romania. When preparing the Financial Statements as at 
December 31, 2014, steel cord activities in China and Turkey had been valued at the lower of the book value or their fair value on 
the basis of elements predictable as at that date.

The reversal of reserve on foreign currency translation relates to foreign exchange losses from the translation into Euro of 
the financial statements of the Turkish subsidiary, accruing in previous years, recorded in equity, and reclassified to the Income 
Statement following the sale.

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

39. diVidends Per sHare

In 2015, Pirelli & C. S.p.A. paid to its shareholders, dividends based on 2014 earnings of euro 0.367 for each of the 475,388,592 
ordinary shares (excluding treasury shares) and euro 0.431 for each of 11,842,969 savings shares (excluding treasury shares) for a 
total of euro 179,572 thousand.

In 2014 Pirelli & C. S.p.A. paid to its shareholders, dividends based on 2013 earnings of euro 0.32 for ordinary shares (excluding 
treasury shares) and euro 0.39 for savings shares (excluding treasury shares). Total dividends paid out amounted to euro 156,743 
thousand.

40. HYPerinFLation

In accordance with Group accounting policies regarding the criteria for entering/removing from accounts in respect of inflation, 
the subsidiary Pirelli de Venezuela C.A. has adopted inflation accounting with effect from the preparation of the consolidated Fi-
nancial Statements at December 31, 2009. It is the only Group company operating in a high-inflation country. The price index used 
for this purpose was a mixed index: up until December 31, December, 2007, a consumer price index (IPC) covering only the cities 
of Caracas and Maracaibo was used. Beginning in 2008, the Banco Central de Venezuela and the National Institute for Statistics 
started to publish a national consumer price index (Indice Nacional de precios al consumidor - INPC) that covers the entire country 
and uses December 2007 as its basis for calculation.
For the Financial Statements as at December 31, 2014 an inflation index of 192.8% has been used, calculated on the basis of an 
estimate made of annual inflation, amounting to 189.9%, to which an inflation adjustment for the 2014 year, being the difference 
applying between the official inflation index for the 2014 year (66.54%) and the estimate of this index used at the end of the previ-
ous financial year (68.84%) has been added. The official inflation index published by the Banco Central de Venezuela was found to 
amount to 180.9%.

206

december 31, 2013

december 31, 2014

december 31, 2015

indeX

conversion Factor

498.1

831.0

2,434.0

1.6684 

2.9289 

1.0000 

Losses on net monetary positions are recognised in the Income Statement as “Financial Expenses” (note 36) for euro 143,477 thou-
sand (euro 28,974 thousand for 2014). 

41. reLated PartY transactions

Related party transactions, including intercompany transactions, are neither unusual nor exceptional, but are rather part of the 
ordinary course of business of Group companies. These transactions, when not carried out at standard conditions or dictated by 
specific regulations, are settled on an arm’s length basis and executed in compliance with the rules set out in the Procedure for 
Related Party Transactions the Group has taken on.

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

The effects of related party transactions on the Consolidated Income Statement, and Statement of Financial Position, of the Pirelli & 
C. Group as at December 31, 2015 are shown below.

transactions with associates and Joint ventures  (in millions of euro)

Revenues from sales/services  
and other income

Other costs 

3.4 

31.5 

The amount refers mainly to, rental income and relevant management fees paid by Prelios 
group (euro 2,0 million), to services rendered to Prelios s.p.A. (euro 0.1 million), to services 
rendered to PT Evoluzione Tyres (euro 0.9 million), and royalties paid by Idea granda società 
Consortile s.r.l. to Pirelli & C. Ambiente s.r.l. (euro 0.2 million). 

The amount includes energy purchases and machinery lease from Industriekraftwerk 
breuberg gmbH (euro 22.2 milion), costs for the purchase of goods from sino Italian Wire 
Technology Co. Ltd (euro 7.7 million) and PT Evoluzione Tyres (euro 1.3 milion), and services 
provided by CORIMAv (euro 0.2 million).

Financial income

0.4 

The amount refers to interest from the loan granted to sino Italian Wire Technology Co. Ltd. 

Current trade receivables

1.4 

The amount mainly concerns receivables for services provided to Prelios group s.p.A. (euro 
0.7 million) and to PT Evoluzione Tyres (euro 0.7 million)

Other current receivables

0.1 

The amount refers to financial receivables from Fenice s.r.l. (euro 0.1 million). 

Non-current borrowings from banks  
and other financial institutions 

1.3 

security deposit received from Prelios s.p.A. as guarantee for the rental of the Milan 
premises.

Current trade payables

Other current payables

22.4 

This amount mainly consists of payables for the purchase of energy from Industriekraftwerk 
breuberg gmbH. 

0.1 

Other current payables refers to the deferral of a portion of the rental charges for the Milan 
premises of Prelios s.p.A. (euro 0.1 million). 

transactions with other related party  (in millions of euro)

Financial expenses 

0.7

The expenses are related to interests payable to unicredit (euro 0.2 million) and Intesa-san 
Paolo group (euro 0.4 million)

207

  Benefits for key managers of the company  

As at December 31, 2015, the compensation to which key managers with strategic responsibilities were entitled to amounted to 
euro 27,853 thousand (euro 18,268 thousand as at December 31, 2014). The portion relating to employee benefits was recognised 
in the Income Statement as “Personnel expenses” for euro 13,584 thousand (euro 8,209 thousand as at December 31, 2014) and for 
euro 14,269 thousand under the item “Other Costs” in the Income Statement (euro 10,058 thousand as at December 31, 2014). The 
remuneration also includes euro 1,572 thousand for employee leaving indemnity (TFR) and retirement benefits (euro 1,835 thousand 
as at December 31, 2014).

42.  siGniFicant eVents sUBseQUent  
to tHe end oF tHe FinanciaL Year

On February 9, 2016 Pirelli and the Lombardy Region signed a competitiveness agreement for a regional grant of euro 1.9 million 
to the R & D project “Total Safety System” conducted at the research centre of Milan Bicocca. The project, which will last for 24 
months and have a total cost of euro 5.35 million, is part of activities related to the development of a new generation of tyres based 
on the concept of “total safety”. The project will allow Pirelli to study new product mixes oriented towards higher value-added seg-
ments, and to achieve positive results in environmental and social issues in terms of road safety, by reducing the fuel consumption 
of vehicles and increasing tyre mileage.

On February 15, 2016, Ren Jianxin, Yang Xingqiang, Bai Xinping, Ze’ev Goldberg, Tao Haisu, Wang Dan and Zhang Junfang, previ-
ously co-opted by the Board, were reappointed as directors by the ordinary general meeting of Pirelli & C. S.p.A. The Extraordinary 
General Meeting also approved a proposal of mandatory conversion of savings shares into newly issued special category unlisted 
shares without voting rights, as well as a proposal to adopt new Articles of Association. The mandatory conversion and adoption 
of the new Articles of Association were also approved, to the extent applicable, by a special savings general meeting of Pirelli & C. 

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

S.p.A.. The extraordinary general meeting of Pirelli & C. S.p.A. also approved the merger by incorporation of the controlling Parent 
company Marco Polo Industrial Holding S.p.A. into Pirelli & C. S.p.A, for 6.30 Pirelli shares to be allotted after the merger to Marco 
Polo International Holding Italy S.p.A. (Holdco) - the sole partner of Marco Polo Industrial Holding S.p.A. - for every 1 share held 
before the merger by Marco Polo International Holding Italy S.p.A. (Holdco) in Marco Polo Industrial Holding S.p.A.. The merger is 
expected to be finalised within the first half of 2016. 
Following the mandatory conversion of savings shares into special category unlisted shares, the savings shares ceased 
to be listed on regulated markets as of February 26, 2016. 

On February 16, 2016, the Board of Directors of Pirelli & C. S.p.A. approved the essential lines of a refinancing plan for an amount 
up to a maximum of euro 7 billion aimed at extending debt maturities and optimizing their structure thanks to the use of bond and 
banking markets. 
The terms and conditions of the refinancing, including any guarantees, will be defined in light of market conditions and practices 
of reference, also taking into account the rights incorporated in the Terms and Conditions in favour of bond holders for euro 600 
million maturing in 2019 and that will remain in place until maturity. The refinancing plan leaves the right to activate the loan 
Mergeco Facility alternatively unchanged for Pirelli, if appropriate, and already made available to the company by a syndicate of 
banks as part of the public purchase offer of Marco Polo Industrial Holding S.p.A. on Pirelli.
Following the confirmation by the General Meeting of the directors co-opted on September 2 and October 20, 2015, the Board of 
Directors confirmed Ren Jianxin Chairman of the Board of Directors and the governance structure approved on October 20, 2015. 

43.  otHer inForMation

  Research and Development Expenses  

208

Research expenses rose from euro 205.5 million in 2014 (3.4% of sales) to euro 214.4 million in 2015 (3.4% of sales). They were entered 
in the Income Statement as incurred since the requirements set under IFRS standards regarding their capitalisation do not subsist.

  Compensation for Directors and Statury Auditors  

(in thousands of euro)

directors

statutory Auditors

  Employees  

2015

2014

12,772 

200 

12,972 

The breakdown by category of the average consolidated headcount of employees is as follows:

(in thousands of euro)

Executives and white collar staff

blue collar staff

Temporary workers

2015

2014

7,379 

27,748 

2,346 

37,473 

8,553 

198 

8,751 

7,536 

28,546 

2,854 

38,936 

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

  Compensation for the auditing firm  

Pursuant to the applicable regulations, details are listed below of the aggregate compensation paid during the 2015 financial year for 
auditing and other non-auditing services , rendered by the company Reconta Ernst and Young S.p.A. and other entities of their network:

(in thousands of euro)

company that provided  
the service

company that 
received the 
service

partial 
Fees

total 
Fees

Independent auditing 
services and certification 
services (1)

Reconta Ernst & young s.p.A.

Pirelli & C. s.p.A.

Reconta Ernst & young s.p.A.

Network Ernst & young 

subsidiaries

subsidiaries

Reconta Ernst & young s.p.A.

Pirelli & C. s.p.A.

services other than auditing

Reconta Ernst & young s.p.A.

Network Ernst & young 

subsidiaries

subsidiaries

492 

572 

2,052 

3,116 

86.7%

 - 

 - 

480 (2)

480 

13.3%

3,596 

100.0%

(1)  the item “independent auditing and certification services” includes amounts paid for auditing services and other services that envisage the issu-
ance of an auditor’s report as well as amounts paid for the so called certification services since they create synergies with the auditing services.

(2) support for the analysis of the distribution network and go-to-market activities.

  Exchange rates  

The main exchange rates used for consolidation are as follows:

(local currency against euro)

209

period-end

average 

12/31/2015

12/31/2014

change 
in %

2015

2014

change 
in %

14.6975 

9.1895 

1.4897 

1.5116 

1.5417 

1.0887 

14.5692 

9.3930 

1.4829 

1.4063 

1.6058 

1.2141 

35.7769 

38.4336 

1.0835 

8.5214 

3.1776 

4.5245 

14.1357 

18.9074 

16.9530 

4.2504 

7.0696 

79.6972 

0.7340 

1.2924 

8.6840 

2.8207 

4.4821 

10.3818 

17.8808 

14.0353 

3.2270 

7.4291 

68.3427 

0.7789 

131.0700 

145.2300 

0.88%

(2.17%)

0.46%

7.49%

(3.99%)

(10.33%)

(6.91%)

(16.16%)

(1.87%)

12.65%

0.95%

36.16%

5.74%

20.79%

31.71%

(4.84%)

16.61%

(5.77%)

(9.75%)

14.6975 

9.3533 

1.4776 

1.4186 

1.5256 

1.1096 

14.5692

9.0986

1.4726

1.4672

1.6833

1.3295

35.2600 

40.2949

1.0679 

8.5460 

3.0153 

4.4444 

10.2493 

17.5516 

14.1737 

3.6935 

6.9103 

67.7749 

0.7259 

134.3157 

1.2146

9.4226

2.9042

4.4442

10.7954

17.6321

14.4062

3.1206

8.1669

50.9928

0.8066

140.3142

0.88%

2.80%

0.34%

(3.31%)

(9.37%)

(16.54%)

(12.50%)

(12.08%)

(9.30%)

3.83%

0.00%

(5.06%)

(0.46%)

(1.61%)

18.36%

(15.39%)

32.91%

(10.00%)

(4.28%)

venezuelan bolivar

swedish krona

Australian dollar

Canadian dollar

singaporean dollar

u.s. dollar

Taiwan dollar

swiss Franc

Egyptian Pound

Turkish Lira (new)

New Romanian Leu

Argentinian Peso

Mexican Peso

south African Rand

brazilian Real

Chinese Renminbi

Russian Ruble

british Pound

Japanese yen

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

scoPe oF consoLidation

companies consolidated line-by-line

company

business

headQuar-
ter

cur-
ren-
cy

share 
capital

% 
hold-
ing

held by

EUROPE

Austria

Pirelli gmbH

Belgium

Pirelli Tyres belux s.A.

France

Pneus Pirelli s.A.s

Germany

deutsche Pirelli Reifen Holding gmbH

drahtcord saar geschaeftsfuehrungs 
gmbH I.L in liquidation

drahtcord saar gmbH & Co. kg I.L. 
in liquidation 

driver Handelssysteme gmbH

Pirelli deutschland gmbH

Pirelli Personal service gmbH

Pk grundstuecksverwaltungs gmbH

Pneumobil gmbH

TP Industrial deutschland gmbH 
(ex T3 Industrial germany gmbH)

Greece

210

Tyre

Tyre

Wien

Euro

 726,728 

100.00% Pirelli Tyre (suisse) sA 

brussels

Euro

 700,000 

100.00% Pirelli Tyre (suisse) sA 

Tyre

villepinte

Euro

 1,515,858 

100.00%

Pirelli Tyre s.p.A.

Tyre

Tyre

Tyre

Tyre

Tyre

Tyre

Tyre

Tyre

Tyre

breuberg / 
Odenwald

Euro

 7,694,943 

100.00%

Pirelli Tyre s.p.A.

Merzig

Euro

60,000 50.00%

Merzig

Euro

30,000,000 50.00%

breuberg / 
Odenwald

breuberg / 
Odenwald

breuberg / 
Odenwald

Hoechst / 
Odenwald

breuberg / 
Odenwald

breuberg / 
Odenwald

Euro

 26,000 

100.00%

Euro

 26,334,100 

100.00%

Euro

Euro

Euro

Euro

 25,000 

100.00%

 26,000 

100.00%

 259,225 

100.00%

 25,000 

100.00%

Pirelli deutschland 
gmbH

Pirelli deutschland 
gmbH

deutsche Pirelli 
Reifen Holding gmbH

deutsche Pirelli 
Reifen Holding gmbH

deutsche Pirelli 
Reifen Holding gmbH

deutsche Pirelli 
Reifen Holding gmbH

deutsche Pirelli 
Reifen Holding gmbH

deutsche Pirelli 
Reifen Holding gmbH

Elastika Pirelli C.s.A.

Tyre

kallithea (Athens)

Euro

 11,630,000 

99.90%

Pirelli Tyre s.p.A.

Pirelli Hellas s.A. (in liquidation)

The Experts in Wheels - driver Hellas s.A.

Tyre

Tyre

Athens

us $

 22,050,000 

79.86%

Pirelli Tyre s.p.A.

kallithea (Athens)

Euro

 100,000 

72.80% Elastika Pirelli C.s.A.

0.10% Pirelli Tyre (suisse) sA 

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

companies consolidated line-by-line

company

business

headQuar-
ter

cur-
ren-
cy

share 
capital

% 
hold-
ing

held by

Italy

driver Italia s.p.A.

driver servizi Retail s.p.A.

Hb servizi s.r.l.

Maristel s.p.A.

Pirelli & C. Ambiente s.r.l.

Pirelli Consumer Italia s.r.l.

Pirelli Industrie Pneumatici s.r.l.

Pirelli Labs s.p.A.

Pirelli servizi Amministrazione  
e Tesoreria s.p.A.

Pirelli sistemi Informativi s.r.l.

Pirelli Industrial s.r.l.  
(ex-Pirelli Tyre Commerciale Italia s.r.l.)

Pirelli Industrial s.r.l.

Pirelli Tyre s.p.A.

Poliambulatorio bicocca s.r.l.

servizi Aziendali Pirelli s.C.p.A.

Tyre

Tyre

services

services

sustainable 
mobility

Tyre

Tyre

services

services

Information 
systems

services

services

Tyre

services

services

Milan

Milan

Milan

Milan

Milan

Milan

Euro

Euro

Euro

Euro

Euro

Euro

 350,000 

71.48%

Pirelli Tyre s.p.A.

 120,000 

100.00%

Pirelli Tyre s.p.A.

 10,000 

100.00%

Pirelli & C. s.p.A.

 1,020,000 

100.00%

Pirelli & C. s.p.A.

 10,000 

100.00%

Pirelli & C. s.p.A.

 10,000 

100.00%

Pirelli & C. s.p.A.

settimo Torinese 
(To)

Euro

40,000,000 100.00%

Pirelli Tyre s.p.A.

Milan

Milan

Milan

Milan

Milan

Milan

Milan

Milan

Euro

Euro

Euro

Euro

Euro

Euro

Euro

Euro

 5,000,000 

100.00%

Pirelli & C. s.p.A.

 2,047,000 

100.00%

Pirelli & C. s.p.A.

 1,010,000 

100.00%

Pirelli & C. s.p.A.

 10,000 

100.00%

Pirelli Tyre s.p.A.

 30,000 

100.00%

Pirelli Tyre s.p.A.

 756,820,000 

100.00%

Pirelli & C. s.p.A.

 10,000 

100.00%

Pirelli Tyre s.p.A.

 104,000 

92.25%

Pirelli & C. s.p.A.

211

2.95%

Pirelli Tyre s.p.A.

1.95%

Pirelli & C. Ambiente 
s.r.l.

0.95%

Pirelli servizi  
Amministrazione  
e Tesoreria s.p.A.

0.95%

Pirelli Labs s.p.A.

0.95%

Pirelli sistemi  
Informativi s.r.l. 

ultrasic s.r.l.

The Netherlands

E-vOLuTION Tyre b.v.

Pirelli China Tyre N.v.

Pirelli Tyres Nederland b.v.

Poland

driver Polska sp. z o.o.

Pirelli Polska sp. z o.o.

TP Industrial Polska sp. z o.o.  
(ex T3 Industrial Poland sp z.o.o.)

sustainable 
mobility

Milan

Euro

 20,000 

100.00%

Pirelli & C. Ambiente 
s.r.l.

Tyre

Tyre

Tyre

Tyre

Tyre

Tyre

Rotterdam

Rotterdam

Rotterdam

Warsaw

Warsaw

Warsaw

Euro

Euro

Euro

Pol. 
Zloty

Pol. 
Zloty

Pol. 
Zloty

 261,700,000 

65.00%

Pirelli Tyre s.p.A.

 38,045,000 

100.00%

Pirelli Tyre s.p.A.

 18,152 

100.00% Pirelli Tyre (suisse) sA 

 100,000 

68.00% Pirelli Polska sp. z o.o.

 625,771 

100.00%

Pirelli Tyre s.p.A.

 5,000 

100.00%

Pirelli Tyre s.p.A.

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

companies consolidated line-by-line

company

business

headQuar-
ter

United Kingdom

CTC 2008 Ltd

Tyre

burton on Trent

Pirelli Cif Trustees Ltd

Financial

burton on Trent

cur-
ren-
cy

british 
Pound

british 
Pound

share 
capital

% 
hold-
ing

held by

 100,000 

100.00%

Pirelli uk Tyres Ltd

 4 

25.00%

Pirelli general  
Executive Pension 
Trustees LTd

Pirelli general &  
Overseas Pension 
Trustees LTd

Pirelli Tyres Executive 
Pension Trustees LTd

Pirelli Tyres Pension 
Trustees LTd

Pirelli International plc

Financial

burton on Trent

Euro

 250,000,000 

100.00%

Pirelli Tyre s.p.A.

Pirelli Motorsport services Ltd

Tyre

burton on Trent

Pirelli general Executive Pension  
Trustees Ltd

Pirelli general & Overseas Pension 
Trustees Ltd

212

Pirelli Tyres Executive Pension  
Trustees Ltd

Pirelli Tyres Ltd

Pirelli Tyres Pension Trustees Ltd

Financial

burton on Trent

Financial

burton on Trent

Financial

burton on Trent

Tyre

Tyre

burton on Trent

burton on Trent

Pirelli uk Ltd

Financial

burton on Trent

Pirelli uk Tyres Ltd

TP Industrial uk Limited

Slovakia

Tyre

Tyre

burton on Trent

burton on Trent

british 
Pound

british 
Pound

british 
Pound

british 
Pound

british 
Pound

british 
Pound

british 
Pound

british 
Pound

british 
Pound

 1 

100.00%

Pirelli Tyre s.p.A.

 1 

100.00%

Pirelli uk Ltd

 1 

100.00%

Pirelli uk Ltd

 1 

100.00%

Pirelli Tyres Ltd

 16,000,000 

100.00%

Pirelli uk Tyres Ltd

 1 

100.00%

Pirelli Tyres Ltd

 163,991,278 

100.00%

Pirelli & C. s.p.A.

 85,000,000 

100.00%

Pirelli Tyre s.p.A.

 1 

100.00%

Pirelli Tyre s.p.A.

Pirelli slovakia s.R.O.

Tyre

bratislava

Euro

 6,638.78 

100.00%

Pirelli Tyre s.p.A.

Romania

s.C. Pirelli & C. Eco Technology RO s.r.l.

sustainable 
mobility

Oras bumbes-
ti-Jiu

s.C. Pirelli Tyres Romania s.r.l.

Tyre

slatina

Rom. 
Leu

Rom. 
Leu

 40,000,000 

100.00%

Pirelli & C. Ambiente 
s.r.l.

 853,912,300 

100.00%

Pirelli Tyre s.p.A.

companies consolidated line-by-line

company

business

headQuar-
ter

Russia

Closed Joint stock Company  
"voronezh Tyre Plant"

OOO Pirelli Tyre services

Limited Liability Company  
"AMTEL-Russian Tyres"

Limited Liability Company Pirelli Tyre 
Russia

Limited Liability Company  
"vyatskaya shina"

Open Joint stock Company  
"kirov Tyre Plant"

Spain

Euro driver Car s.L.

Omnia Motor s.A. - sociedad 
unipersonal

Pirelli Neumaticos s.A. - sociedad 
unipersonal

TP Industrial Espana y portugal s.L.- 
sociedad unipersonal

Tyre

Tyre

Tyre

Tyre

Tyre

Tyre

Tyre

Tyre

Tyre

Tyre

Tyre & Fleet s.L. - sociedad unipersonal

Tyre

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

cur-
ren-
cy

Russian 
Rouble

Russian 
Rouble

Russian 
Rouble

Russian 
Rouble

Russian 
Rouble

Russian 
Rouble

share 
capital

% 
hold-
ing

held by

 1,520,000,000 

100.00%

Limited Liability  
Company Pirelli Tyre 
Russia 

 54,685,259 

95.00% Pirelli Tyre (suisse) sA 

5.00%

Pirelli Tyre s.p.A.

 10,000 

100.00%

 4,000,000 

99.91%

Limited Liability  
Company Pirelli Tyre 
Russia 

E-vOLuTION Tyre 
b.v.

0.09%

OOO Pirelli Tyre 
services

 4,912,000 

100.00%

 354,088,639 

100.00%

Open Joint stock 
Company "kirov Tyre 
Plant"

Limited Liability  
Company Pirelli Tyre 
Russia

voronezh

Moscow

Moscow

Moscow

kirov

kirov

L'Hospitalet del 
Llobregat

Euro

 951,000 

56.15%

Pirelli Neumaticos 
s.A. - sociedad  
unipersonal

213

0.32%

Omnia Motor s.A. -  
sociedad unipersonal

L'Hospitalet del 
Llobregat

L'Hospitalet del 
Llobregat

L'Hospitalet del 
Llobregat

L'Hospitalet del 
Llobregat

Euro

 1,502,530 

100.00%

Pirelli Neumaticos 
s.A. - sociedad  
unipersonal

Euro

 25,075,907 

100.00%

Pirelli Tyre s.p.A.

Euro

 3,000 

100.00%

Pirelli Tyre s.p.A.

Euro

 20,000 

100.00%

Pirelli Neumaticos 
s.A. - sociedad  
unipersonal

Sweden

dackia Aktiebolag

Inter Wheel sweden Aktiebolag

Pirelli Tyre Nordic Aktiebolag

Switzerland

Tyre

Tyre

Tyre

Taby

karlstad

bromma

Pirelli group Reinsurance Company sA

Reinsurance

Lugano

Pirelli Tyre (suisse) sA

TP Industrial (suisse) sA 

Tyre

Tyre

basel

basel

swed. 
krona

swed. 
krona

swed. 
krona

swiss 
Franc

swiss 
Franc

swiss 
Franc

 31,000,000 

100.00%

Pirelli Tyre s.p.A.

 1,000,000 

100.00%

dackia Aktiebolag

 950,000 

100.00%

Pirelli Tyre s.p.A.

 8,000,000 

100.00%

Pirelli & C. s.p.A.

 1,000,000 

100.00%

Pirelli Tyre s.p.A.

 100,000 

100.00%

Pirelli Tyre s.p.A.

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

companies consolidated line-by-line

company

business

headQuar-
ter

Turkey

Turk-Pirelli Lastikleri A.s.

Pirelli Otomobil Lastikleri A.s.

Hungary

Tyre

Tyre

Istanbul

Istanbul

Pirelli Hungary Tyre Trading and services 
Ltd

Tyre

budapest

cur-
ren-
cy

Turkey 
Lira

Turkey 
Lira

Hun. 
Forint

share 
capital

% 
hold-
ing

held by

204,500,000 

100.00%

Pirelli Tyre s.p.A.

85,000,000 

100.00%

Pirelli Tyre s.p.A.

 3,000,000 

100.00%

Pirelli Tyre s.p.A.

NORTH AMERICA

Canada

Pirelli Tire Inc.

U.S.A.

Pirelli North America Inc.

Pirelli Tire LLC

CENTRAL/SOUTH AMERICA

Argentina

Tyre

Tyre

Tyre

st-Laurent (que-
bec)

Can. $

 6,000,000 

100.00% Pirelli Tyre (suisse) sA 

New york (New 
york)

us $

 10 

100.00%

Pirelli Tyre s.p.A.

Rome (georgia)

us $

 1 

100.00%

Pirelli North America 
Inc.

214

Pirelli Neumaticos s.A.I.C.

Tyre

buenos Aires

 TP Industrial Tyres s.A. 

Tyre

buenos Aires

Brazil

Comercial e Importadora de Pneus Ltda

CPA - Comercial e Importadora de 
Pneus Ltda

Ecosil - Industria quimica do brasil Ltda

Tyre

Tyre

Tyre

sao Paulo

barueri

Meleiro

Pirelli Ltda

Financial

sao Paulo

Pirelli Pneus Ltda

Tyre

santo Andrè

Pirelli Properties Ltda

Financial

santo Andrè

RF Centro de Testes de Produtos 
Automotivos Ltda

TP Industrial de Pneus brasil Ltda

TLM - Total Logistic Management 
serviços de Logistica Ltda

Tyre

Tyre

Tyre

Elias Fausto (sao 
Paulo)

san Paolo

santo Andrè

Arg. 
Peso

Arg. 
Peso

bra. 
Real 

bra. 
Real 

bra. 
Real 

bra. 
Real 

bra. 
Real 

bra. 
Real 

bra. 
Real 

bra. 
Real 

bra. 
Real 

 101,325,176 

95.00%

Pirelli Tyre s.p.A.

5.00%

Pirelli Pneus Ltda

 100,000 

95.00%

Pirelli Tyre s.p.A.

5.00%

Pirelli Pneus Ltda

 101,427,384 

64.00%

Pirelli Pneus Ltda

 200,000 

100.00%

Comercial e Importa-
dora de Pneus Ltda

 9,699,055 

97.88%

Pirelli Pneus Ltda

 14,000,000 

100.00%

Pirelli & C. s.p.A.

 750,117,627 

100.00%

Pirelli Tyre s.p.A.

 2,000,000 

100.00%

Pirelli Ltda

6,812,000 100.00%

Pirelli Pneus Ltda

90,020,522

99.00%

Pirelli Tyre s.p.A.

 3,074,417 

99.98%

Pirelli Pneus Ltda

0.02%

Pirelli Ltda

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

companies consolidated line-by-line

company

business

headQuar-
ter

Chile

Pirelli Neumaticos Chile Ltda

Tyre

santiago

cur-
ren-
cy

Chile 
Peso/
000

share 
capital

% 
hold-
ing

held by

 1,918,451 

99.98%

Pirelli Pneus Ltda

0,02%

Pirelli Ltda

Colombia

Pirelli de Colombia sAs

Tyre

santa Fe de 
bogota

Col. 
Peso/
000

 3,315,069 

96.12%

 TP Industrial de 
Pneus brasil Ltda

Pirelli Tyre Colombia s.A.s.

Tyre

santa Fe de 
bogota

Perù

Pirelli de Peru s.A.C.

Tyre

Lima

Mexico

Pirelli Neumaticos de Mexico s.A. de C.v.

Tyre

Mexico City

Pirelli Neumaticos s.A. de C.v.

Tyre

silao 

Pirelli servicios s.A. de C.v.

Tyre

silao 

servicios Pirelli Mexico s.A. de C.v. (In 
liquidation)

Tyre

Mexico City

TP servicios Industrial Tyre Mexico s.A. 
de C.v.

Tyre

Mexico City

TP Tyre industrial Mexico s.A. de C.v.

Tyre

Mexico City

Col. 
Peso/
000

Nuevos 
soles

Mex. 
Peso

Mex. 
Peso

Mex. 
Peso

Mex. 
Peso

Mex. 
Peso

Mex. 
Peso

2.28%

Pirelli de venezuela 
C.A.

1.60%

TLM - Total Logis-
tic Management 
serviços de Logistica 
Ltda

 57,080,000 

100.00%

Pirelli Pneus Ltda

 837,745 

100.00%

Pirelli Pneus Ltda

215

 35,098,400 

99.98%

Pirelli Tyre s.p.A.

0.02%

Pirelli Ltda

 3,249,016,500 

99.40%

Pirelli Tyre s.p.A.

0.60%

Pirelli Pneus Ltda

 50,000 

99.00%

Pirelli Tyre s.p.A.

1.00%

Pirelli North America 
Inc.

 50,000 

99.00%

Pirelli Pneus Ltda

1.00%

Pirelli Ltda

 50,000 

99.00%

Pirelli Tyre s.p.A.

1.00%

TP Industrial de 
Pneus brasil Ltda

 50,000 

99.00%

Pirelli Tyre s.p.A.

1.00%

TP Industrial de 
Pneus brasil Ltda

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

companies consolidated line-by-line

company

business

headQuar-
ter

cur-
ren-
cy

share 
capital

% 
hold-
ing

held by

AFRICA

Egypt

Alexandria Tire Company s.A.E.

Tyre

Alexandria

International Tire Company Ltd

Tyre

Alexandria

South Africa

Pirelli Tyre (Pty) Ltd

Tyre

Centurion

OCEANIA

Australia

Egy. 
Pound

Egy. 
Pound

s.A. 
Rand

 393,000,000 

89.08%

Pirelli Tyre s.p.A.

0.03% Pirelli Tyre (suisse) sA 

 50,000 

99.80%

Alexandria Tire  
Company s.A.E.

 1 

100.00% Pirelli Tyre (suisse) sA 

Pirelli Tyres Australia Pty Ltd

Tyre

sydney

Aus. $

 150,000 

100.00% Pirelli Tyre (suisse) sA 

New Zealand

Pirelli Tyres (NZ) Ltd

Tyre

Auckland

N.Z. $

 100 

100.00%

Pirelli Tyres Australia 
Pty Ltd

ASIA

China

216

Pirelli Tyre Co., Ltd

Pirelli Tyre Trading (shanghai) Co., Ltd

Tyre

Tyre

yanzhou HIxIH Ecotech Environment 
Co., Ltd

sustainable 
mobility

Korea

yanzhou

shangai

yanzhou

Pirelli korea Ltd

Tyre

seoul

Japan

Ch. 
Ren-
minbi

us $

Ch. 
Ren-
minbi

korean 
Won

 1,721,150,000 

90.00% Pirelli China Tyre N.v.

 700,000 

100.00% Pirelli China Tyre N.v.

 130,000,000 

100.00%

Pirelli Tyre Co. Ltd

 100,000,000 

100.00%

Pirelli Asia Pte Ltd

Pirelli Japan kabushiki kaisha

Tyre

Tokyo

Jap. yen 2,200,000,000 

100.00%

Pirelli Tyre s.p.A.

Singapore

Pirelli Asia Pte Ltd

Taiwan

Tyre

singapore

sing. $

 2 

100.00% Pirelli Tyre (suisse) sA 

Pirelli Taiwan Co. Ltd

Tyre

New Taipei City

N.T. $

 10,000,000 

100.00% Pirelli Tyre (suisse) sA 

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

investments accounted For by the eQuity method

company

business

headQuar-
ter

cur-
ren-
cy

share 
capital

% 
hold-
ing

held by

EUROPE

Germany

Industriekraftwerk breuberg gmbH

Cogeneration

Hoechst / Oden-
wald

Euro

 1,533,876 

26.00%

Pirelli deutschland 
gmbH

Greece

Eco Elastika s.A.

Italy

Tyre

Athens

Euro

 60,000 

20.00% Elastika Pirelli C.s.A.

Consorzio per la Ricerca di Materiali 
Avanzati (CORIMAv)

Eurostazioni s.p.A.

Fenice s.r.l.

Financial

Financial

Financial

gWM Renewable Energy II s.p.A.

Enviroment

Prelios s.p.A.

Romania

Financial

Milan

Rome

Milan

Rome

Milan

s.C. Eco Anvelope s.A.

Tyre

bucarest

Spain

Euro

Euro

Euro

Euro

Euro

Rom. 
Leu

103,500 100.00%

Pirelli & C. s.p.A.

160,000,000

32.71%

Pirelli & C. s.p.A.

41,885,034

69.88%

Pirelli & C. s.p.A.

15,063,016

16.87%

Pirelli & C. s.p.A.

426,441,257

29.22%

Pirelli & C. s.p.A.

160,000

20.00%

s.C. Pirelli Tyres  
Romania s.r.l.

signus Ecovalor s.L.

Tyre

Madrid

Euro

200,000

20.00%

Pirelli Neumaticos s.A. 
- sociedad  
unipersonal

217

ASIA

Indonesia

PT Evoluzione Tyres

Tyre

subang

$ usA

68,000,000

60.00%

Pirelli Tyre s.p.A.

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

other investments considered signiFicant

company

business

head-
Quarter

cur-
rency

share 
capital

% 
hold-
ing

held by

Belgium

Euroqube s.A. (in liquidation)

services

brussels

Euro

84,861,116

17.79%

Pirelli & C. s.p.A.

France

Aliapur s.A.

Italy

Fin. Priv. s.r.l.

Poland

Centrum utylizacji Opon Organizacja 
Odzysku s.A.

United Kingdom

Tyre

Lion

Euro

262,500

14.29%

Pneus Pirelli s.A.s.

Financial

Milan

Euro

20,000

14.29%

Pirelli & C. s.p.A.

Tyre

Warsaw

Pol. Zloty

1,008,000

14.29% Pirelli Polska sp. ZO.O.

Tlcom I Ltd Partnership

Financial

London

Euro

1,154

9.39%

Pirelli uk Ltd

Tunisia

société Tunisienne des Industries 
de Pnéumatiques s.A.

Venezuela (*)

Tyre

Tunis

Tun. dinar

12,623,469

15.83%

Pirelli Tyre s.p.A.

Pirelli de venezuela C.A.

Tyre

valencia

ven. 
bolivar/
000

 20,062,679 

96.22%

Pirelli Tyre s.p.A.

218

(*) subsidiary deconsolidated at 12/31/2015

Consolidated Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

219

04.parent 

Financial 
statements

220

Directors’ Report on Operations  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORTParent Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

statement oF Financial position  (in euro)

12/31/2015

12/31/2014

7 

8 

9 

Property, plant and equipment

Intangible assets

Investments in subsidiaries

10 

Investments in associates

11  Other financial assets

12 

deferred tax assets

13  Other receivables

Non-current assets

14 

Trade receivables

13  Other receivables

15  Cash and cash equivalents

16 

17 

18

19

222

Tax receivables

derivative financial instruments

Current assets

Total assets

Equity:

  share capital

  Other reserves

  Retained earnings reserve

  Net income (loss)

Total Equity

borrowings from banks and other financial institutions

23 Other payables

20 Provisions for liabilities and charges

21

Employee benefit obligations

Non-current liabilities

19 

borrowings from banks and other financial institutions

22 

Trade payables

23  Other payables

20  Provisions for liabilities and charges

24 

Tax payables

Current liabilities

Total Liabilities and Equity

95,168,661 

6,595,475 

1,141,926,126 

134,332,227 

199,062,058 

- 

15,499,628 

1,592,584,175 

41,687,151 

984,868,245 

146,152 

62,105,317 

339,959 

1,089,146,824 

2,681,730,999 

1,343,285,421 

261,111,674 

311,232,731 

(1,701,751)

1,913,928,075 

101,332,467 

6,562,751 

14,346,127 

2,103,617 

124,344,962 

523,734,313 

40,932,464 

34,374,696 

400,001 

44,016,488 

643,457,962 

2,681,730,999 

98,475,019 

6,004,723 

1,141,058,670 

125,099,440 

173,459,081 

119,085,130 

509,063,077 

2,172,245,140 

32,745,336 

422,632,944 

7,883 

91,003,635 

208,573 

546,598,371 

2,718,843,511 

1,343,285,421 

209,191,418 

245,738,903 

257,963,959 

2,056,179,701 

500,590,378 

- 

17,055,654 

4,194,187 

521,840,219 

21,997,360 

27,302,326 

24,571,419 

2,656,657 

64,295,829 

140,823,591 

2,718,843,511 

income statement (in euro)

25

Revenues from sales and services

26 Other income

27

28

29

Raw materials and consumables 

Personnel expenses

Amortisation, depreciation and impairment

30 Other costs

Operating income (loss)

31

Net income (loss) from equity investments

  gains on equity investments

  losses on equity investments

  dividends

32

33

Financial income

Financial expenses

Net income (loss) before taxes

34

Taxes

Net income (loss)

Parent Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

2015

2014

22,793,825 

121,961,642 

(303,230)

(33,122,362)

(6,987,974)

(106,701,393)

(2,359,492)

122,321,771 

 - 

(52,340,619)

174,662,390 

17,078,556 

(30,997,521)

106,043,314 

(107,745,065)

(1,701,751)

19,321,622 

123,892,638 

(233,230)

(28,236,505)

(5,870,715)

(80,274,818)

28,598,992 

192,741,651 

18,941,099 

(139,120,559)

3 1 2 ,9 2 1 , 1 1 1 

19,619,201 

(29,615,039)

211,344,805 

46,619,154 

257,963,959 

statement oF other comprehensive income  (in thousands of euro)

A

B

Net income (loss)

Other components of other comprehensive income:

Items that will not be reclassified to income statement:

  Net actuarial gains (losses) on employee benefits

Total B

C

Items reclassified / that may be reclassified to income statement:

Fair value adjustment of other financial assets:

  gains / (losses) for the period

  (gains) / losses reclassified to income statement

Total C

B+C

Total other components of other comprehensive income

A+B+C Total comprehensive income (loss) for the year

2015

2014

 (1,702)

 257,964 

223

69 

69 

(156)

(156)

38,854 

100 

38,954 

39,023 

37,321 

(5,542)

20,632 

15,090 

14,934 

272,898 

Parent Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

statement oF changes in e Quity (in thousands of euro)

share 
capital 

legal 
reserve 

merger 
reserve 

ias  
reserve

retained 
earnings 
reserve

net 
income 
(loss)

total 

Total at 12/31/2013 

1,343,285

129,620

12,467

42,576

220,185

191,891

1,940,024

Profit Allocation as per resolution of June 12, 2014: 

  dividends 

  Legal Reserve 

  Reatined Earnings 

Other components of other 
comprehensive income 

Net income (loss) 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

9,595

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

14,934

- 

Profit Allocation as per resolution of May 14, 2015: 

  dividends 

  Legal Reserve 

  Retained Earnings 

Other components of other 
comprehensive income 

Net income (loss) 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

12,898

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

39,021

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

(156,743)

(156,743)

(9,595)

25,554

(25,554)

- 

- 

- 

14,934

257,964

257,964

(179,572)

(179,572)

(12,898)

65,494

(65,494)

- 

- 

- 

39,021

(1,702)

(1,702)

- 

- 

- 

- 

Total at 12/31/2014 

1,343,285

139,215

12,467

57,510

245,739

257,964

2,056,180

Total at 12/31/2015 

1,343,285

152,113

12,467

96,531

311,233

(1,702)

1,913,928

224

(in thousands of euro)

 ias reserve 

reserve For Fair value 
adJustment oF Financial 
assets available-For-sale

reserve  
For actuarial  
gains/losses

total

Balance at 12/31/2013

Other components of other comprehensive income 

Balance at 12/31/2014

Other components of other comprehensive income 

Balance at 12/31/2015

 40,422 

 15,090 

 55,512 

 38,952 

 94,464 

 2,154 

 42,576 

 (156)

 14,934 

 1,998 

 57,510 

 69 

 39,021 

 2,067 

 96,531 

Parent Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

statement oF cash Flow s (in thousands of euro)

Net income (loss) before taxes

Amortisation, depreciation, impairment losses and reversals of impaired property, plant and equipment 
and intangible assets

gains/(losses) on equity investments

Reversal of financial income

Reversal of financial expenses

Taxes

Change in trade receivables/payables

Change in other receivables/payables and other provisions

Change in employee benefit obligations

Capital (gains)/losses on sales of plant, property and equipment and intangible assets 

A

Net cash flows provided by (used in) operating activities

Investments in property, plant and equipment

disposal of property, plant and equipment

Investments in intangible assets

Investments in subsidiaries

Investments in associates

Investments in other financial assets

disinvestments in subsidiaries

dividends received

B

Net cash flow provided by (used in) investing activities

dividends paid

Change in financial receivables

Interests receivable and other financial income

Change in financial payables

Interests payable and other financial expenses

C

Net cash flow provided by (used in) financing activities

2015

2014

106,043 

211,345 

6,988 

5,871 

(122,322)

(192,742)

(17,079)

30,998 

(107,745)

4,688 

132,427 

(2,023)

 - 

31,975 

(1,455)

 - 

(19,619)

29,615 

46,619 

478 

(61,935)

2,571 

(91)

22,112 

(553)

458 

(2,818)

(3,135)

(22,663)

(13,030)

(23,337)

(1,766)

20 

174,662 

 - 

(5,349)

15,271 

312,921 

122,643 

306,583 

(179,572)

(156,745)

(60,243)

(161,927)

13,853 

102,479 

19,619 

(34)

(30,998)

(29,615)

(154,480)

(328,702)

225

D

Total cash flow in the period provided by (used in) continuing operations (A+B+C)

138 

(7)

E

Net cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year

F

Net cash and cash equivalents at end of the period (D+E)

8 

146 

15 

8 

Every Mark Is Unique  /  PIRELLI

Every Mark Is Unique  /  PIRELLI

 Steve McCurry 

Photographer

“People often ask me how I describe a good photograph. 
Aesthetics alone will take you only so far. 
I believe that a successful photograph has to tell a story 
about the human condition and the connections between people 
that resonate at the most basic emotional level. 
If I am successful, my pictures should be understood by anyone, 
regardless of their individual circumstances.„

s
a
p
m
a
L
s
a
r
k
o
P

 
Parent Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

exPLanatorY notes 

1. GeneraL inForMation

Pirelli & C. S.p.A. (hereinafter also the “Company” or the “Parent Company”) is a corporation organised under the laws of the Re-
public of Italy.
Founded in 1872, it is a holding company that manages, coordinates and finances the operations of its subsidiaries.

At the reporting date, the main investment of the Company is a shareholding in Pirelli Tyre S.p.A. – a company operating in the tyre 
sector - of which it owns 100% of the share capital. 

The registered office of the Company is in Milan, Italy.

228

Following the outcome of the Public Purchase Offer made by Marco Polo Industrial Holding S.p.A. and subsequent transactions of 
purchase in respect of the ordinary shares of Pirelli & C. S.p.A. which led to Marco Polo Industrial Holding S.p.A. to holding 100% 
of this category share, they were delisted on October 6, 2015. Additionally, the General Meeting, in extraordinary sitting, approved 
a motion for obligatory conversion of savings shares into special category unlisted shares of new issue and without voting rights. 
Following this resolution, savings shares too were delisted with effect from February 26, 2016.

Pirelli & C. S.p.A. is subject to the management and coordination of Marco Polo International Italy S.p.A., which indirectly is the 
sole shareholder of Marco Polo Industrial Holding S.p.A. that directly controls the Company. Both the aforesaid companies are ulti-
mately controlled by China National Chemical Corporation (“ChemChina”), a “state-owned enterprise” (SOE) under Chinese law, with 
registered office in Beijing, referable to the Central Government of the People’s Republic of China.

2. Basis oF Presentation

FormAt oF FiNANCiAL stAtemeNts 

The separate financial statements at December 31, 2015 consist of a Statement of Financial Position, an Income Statement, a State-
ment of Other Comprehensive Income, a Statement of Changes in Equity, a Statement of Cash Flows and Explanatory Notes, and are 
accompanied by the Directors’ Report on Operations.
The format adopted for the Statement of Financial Position classifies assets and liabilities as current and non-current.
The components of profit/loss for the year are presented in a separate Income Statement, and not included directly in the Statement 
of Other Comprehensive Income. The Income Statement adopted classifies costs by their nature.
The Statement of Other Comprehensive Income includes the result for the period and, for homogeneous categories, revenues and 
expenses which, in accordance with IFRS are recognised directly in equity. The Company has decided to present both tax effects 
and reclassifications in the Income Statement recognised directly in equity in previous periods directly in the Statement of Other 
Comprehensive Income and not in the Explanatory Notes.
The Statement of Changes in Equity includes amounts of transactions with equity holders and the changes in the period of retained 
earnings. 
In the Statement of Cash Flows, cash flows deriving from operating activities are presented using the indirect method, according to 
which the profit or loss for the period is adjusted by the effects of non-monetary items, by any deferment or accrual of past or future 

Parent Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

operating  receipts  or  payments,  and  by  any  revenue  or  cost 
items  connected  with  the  cash  flows  arising  from  investing 
activities or financing activities.
The Statement of Financial Position and Income Statement are 
presented in Euro, while the Statement of Other Comprehen-
sive Income, the Cash Flow Statement, the Statement of Chang-
es in Equity and the values stated in the Explanatory Notes are 
presented in thousands of Euro. 

3.  accoUntinG 
standards 

Pursuant to Italian Legislative Decree no. 38 of February 28, 
2005,  the  separate  financial  statements  of  Pirelli  &  C.  S.p.A. 
have been prepared in accordance with the International Fi-
nancial Reporting Standards issued by the International Ac-
counting  Standards  Board  (“IASB”)  and  endorsed  by  the  Eu-
ropean Union, in force at December 31, 2015. The term “IFRS” 
includes  all  the  revised  International  Accounting  Standards 
(“IAS”) and all the interpretations of the International Finan-
cial  Reporting  Interpretations  Committee  (“IFRIC”),  formerly 
the Standing Interpretations Committee (“SIC”).
Following approval by the General Meeting of obligatory con-
version of saving shares into special category unlisted shares 
of new issue and without voting rights. Due to this resolution 
the saving shares were also delisted on February 26, 2016. The 
company  will  continue  to  prepare  separated  financial  state-
ments on the basis of IFRS accounting principles taking ad-
vantage of the leave granted under at. 3 of Legislative Decree 
no. 38/2005. 
The separate financial statements have been prepared using 
the historical cost basis except for derivative financial instru-
ments, and financial assets available for sale, which are meas-
ured at fair value.
These separate financial statements have been prepared on a 
going concern basis. 
Information concerning the principal risks and uncertainties 
has been summarised in the management report.
The accounting policies used in preparing the separate finan-
cial statements are the same as used for the preparation of the 
consolidated financial statements, where applicable, except in 
connection with the valuation of investments in subsidiaries 
and associates and dividends, as indicated below. 

criteria of IAS 28.
In  the  event  that  a  loss  pertaining  to  the  Company  exceeds 
the carrying amount of the investment and the subsidiary is 
obliged to fulfil legal or implicit obligations of the subsidiary 
or in any event cover its losses, any excess over the carrying 
amount is recognized in a specific provision for liabilities un-
der the provisions for liabilities and charges.
In the presence of specific impairment indicators, the value of 
investments is subjected to impairment tests. For the purposes 
of an impairment test, the carrying amount of the investment is 
compared with the recoverable amount, which is defined as fair 
value less costs to sell or value in use, whichever is the greater.
If the recoverable amount of an investment is lower than the 
carrying  amount,  the  latter  is  reduced  to  the  recoverable 
amount. This reduction constitutes an impairment loss, which 
is recognised in the Income Statement.
For  the  purposes  of  the  impairment  test  in  cases  of  invest-
ments in listed companies, fair value is determined with ref-
erence to the market value of the investment regardless of the 
percentage of ownership. In cases of investments in unlisted 
companies, fair value is determined using estimates based on 
the best information available.
The value in use is determined by applying “Discounted Cash 
Flow  -  asset  side”,  as  accepted  by  the  relevant  accounting 
standards, and which consists in calculating the present value 
of the future cash flows estimated to be generated by the in-
vestee, including cash flows arising from operating activities 
and any final payment from the sale of the investment.
If  the  reason  for  impairment  ceases  to  apply,  the  carrying 
amount of the investment is recognised in the Income State-
ment, up to original cost.

DiviDeNDs 

Dividend  income  is  recognised  in  income  statement  when 
the  right  to  receive  payment  is  established,  which  normally 
matches the time of the resolution approved by the Sharehold-
ers’ Meeting for the distribution of dividends.

4.  FinanciaL risk 
ManaGeMent 
PoLicY

iNvestmeNts  
iN suBsiDiAries AND 
AssoCiAteD CompANies 

Investments in subsidiaries and related companies are stated 
at  cost,  adjusted  for  any  impairment  losses  according  to  the 

The Group is exposed to financial risks. These are principally 
associated with foreign exchange rates, fluctuations in interest 
rates, the price of financial assets held as investments, the abil-
ity of customers to meet their obligations to the Group (credit 
risk), and the raising of funds in the market (liquidity risk).
Financial risk management is an integral part of Group busi-
ness management and is handled directly by headquarters in 

229

Parent Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

accordance with guidelines issued by the Finance Department 
on the basis of general risk management strategies defined by 
the Managerial Risk Committee. 

4.1  tYpes oF FiNANCiAL 

risks

  Exchange rate risk  

This risk is generated by the commercial and financial trans-
actions that are executed in currencies other than the Euro. 
Exchange rate fluctuations occurring between the time when 
the  commercial  or  financial  relationship  is  established  and 
when the transaction is completed (collection or payment) may 
generate foreign exchange gains or losses.
The objective of the Group is to minimise the effects on the 
Income Statement of foreign exchange rate risk related to vol-
atility. To achieve this objective, Group procedures make Op-
erating Units responsible for collecting complete information 
about the assets and liabilities that are subject to transaction 
exchange rate risk. This risk is hedged with forward contracts 
made with Group Treasury. 
Items  subject  to  exchange  rate  risk  are  mainly  represented 
by receivables and payables denominated in foreign currency.
Group Treasury is responsible for hedging the net position for 
each currency and, in accordance with established guidelines 
and restrictions, it closes all risk positions by trading deriva-
tive hedging contracts in the market, which typically take the 
form of forward contracts.
The Group does not felt it is worthwhile to activate hedge ac-
counting pursuant to IAS 39, insofar as the representation of 
the economic and financial effects of the hedging strategy on 
foreign exchange rate risk is still substantially covered even 
without adopting this option. 
Furthermore, it is mentioned at this point that exchange rate 
forecasts are made as part of the annual and three-year plan-
ning process using the best information available in the mar-
ket. Any fluctuation in exchange rates between the time when 
the forecast is made and the time when the commercial or fi-
nancial transaction occurs represents the exchange rate risk 
on future transactions. 
The  suitability  of  hedging  future  transactions,  with  each 
hedge being authorised by the Finance Department on a case-
by-case basis, is monitored continuously. When the conditions 
are met, hedge accounting in accordance with IAS 39 is used. 

  Interest rate risk  

Interest rate risk is the risk that the fair value or future cash 
flows of a financial asset or liability will change due to fluctu-
ations in market interest rates. 

Group  policy  is  to  seek  to  maintain  the  following  ratio  be-
tween fixed rate and variable rate exposures: 70% fixed and 
30% variable.
In order to maintain this trend ratio, the Group enters into de-
rivative contracts, typically interest rate swaps, to hedge for 
which hedge accounting is activated when the conditions set 
out in IAS 39 are met. 
As part of this policy, individual Group companies may pres-
ent situations of greater or lesser exposure to changes in in-
terest rates; in detail, at December 31, 2015, the Company had 
a positive net financial position, wherein financial debt had an 
allocation of 80% fixed and 20% floating and financial receiva-
bles had an allocation of 52% fixed and 48% floating.
At December 31, 2014, the Company had a net financial posi-
tion where financial debts had an allocation of 88% fixed 12% 
floating rate, gross of interest rate swaps for hedging purpos-
es, while financial loans were entirely at a variable rate.
All  other  conditions  being  equal,  a  hypothetical  increase 
or decrease of 0.50% in the level of interest rates would re-
sult - year on year - in a net positive impact on the income 
statement of euro 1,726 thousand, in the case of an increase 
occurring, and a negative impact of euro 1,726 thousand, in 
the case of a decrease. 

  Price risk associated with financial assets  

The company is exposed to price risk confined to the volatil-
ity of financial assets such as listed and unlisted stocks and 
bonds; these assets are classified as financial assets availa-
ble for sale.
Derivatives hedges to limit the volatility of these assets are not 
normally set up.
An  increase  of  5%  in  the  share  price,  all  other  things  being 
equal,  would  entail  an  increase  of  euro  8,860  thousand  in 
shareholders  equity  (euro  7,244  thousand  at  December  31, 
2014),  a  decrease  of  5%  in  the  shares,  all  other  things  being 
equal,  would  entail  a  decrease  of  euro  8,142  thousand  in  net 
equity (euro 6,163 thousand at December 31, 2014) and euro 718 
thousand of expenses in the Income Statement of the Company. 

  Credit risk  

Credit  risk  represents  the  exposure  of  the  Company  to  con-
tingent  losses  resulting  from  default  by  trade  and  financial 
counterparties. The exposure of the Company from trade ob-
ligations is mainly towards Group companies in respect of fi-
nancial obligations totally towards Group companies.
To limit the risk from commercial obligations towards third 
parties, the Company has implemented procedures to eval-
uate  the  potential  and  financial  solidity  of  its  customers  to 
monitor expected cash flows and take credit recovery action 
if necessary.

230

Parent Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

The Company operates only with highly rated financial counterparties for the management of its temporary cash surpluses and con-
stantly monitors its exposure to individual counterparties.
The Company does not hold public debt instruments from any European country, and constantly monitors its net credit exposure 
to the banking system.

  Liquidity risk  

Liquidity risk represents the risk that the available financial resources of the Company be insufficient to meet its financial and 
commercial obligations pursuant to the contractual terms and conditions set.
The principal instruments used by the Group to manage liquidity risk comprise its annual and three-year financial and cash-pool-
ing plans. These allow complete and fair detection and measurement of incoming and outgoing cash flows. The differences between 
plans and actual data are analysed constantly.
Prudent management of the risk described above requires maintaining an adequate level of cash or cash equivalents and/or highly 
liquid short-term financial instruments, and the availability of funds through an adequate amount of committed credit facilities 
and/or recourse to capital markets.
The Parent Company has implemented a centralised cash pooling system for management of collection and payment flows in com-
pliance with various local currency and tax regulations. Negotiation and management of bank credit lines in the short and long 
term takes place centrally, partly in order to maximise economic benefits.
At December 31, 2015 Pirelli & C. S.p.A. had a “Term and Revolving Facility”, with Mediobanca as leader, of euro 200 million – five-
year duration.
The line is divided into: Term Facility of euro 100 million (used) and a Revolving Facility of euro 100 million, which at December 
31, 2015 was not used by the Company. 

The maturities of financial liabilities at December 31, 2015 may be broken down as follows:

(in thousands of euro)

borrowings from banks  
and other financial institutions

Trade payables

Other payables

up to 1 year

From 1 to 3 
years

over 3 years

total 12/31/2015

 523,734 

 40,932 

 34,375 

 599,041 

 - 

 - 

 6,563 

 6,563 

 101,332 

 - 

 -  

 101,332 

 625,066 

 40,932 

 40,938 

 706,936 

The maturities of financial liabilities at December 31, 2014 may be broken down as follows:

(in thousands of euro)

borrowings from banks  
and other financial institutions

Trade payables

Other payables

up to 1 year

From 1 to 3 
years

over 3 years

total 12/31/2014

 21,997 

 27,302 

 24,571 

 73,870 

 498,940 

 - 

 - 

 498,940 

 1,650 

 - 

 - 

 1,650 

 522,587 

 27,302 

 24,571 

 574,460 

231

Parent Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

5. inForMation on Fair VaLUe

5.1 FAir vALue meAsuremeNt

In relation to financial instruments measured at fair value, the following table shows the classification of these instruments on the 
basis of the hierarchy of levels pursuant to IFRS 13, reflecting the significance of the inputs used in determining the fair value. The 
following levels are defined:

  Level 1 – unadjusted quotations recorded on an active market for assets or liabilities subject to valuation;
  Level 2 – inputs different from the quoted prices referred to at the preceding level, which are observable on the market either 
directly (as in the case of prices) or indirectly (because they are derived from prices);
  Level 3 – inputs that are not based on observable market data.

The following table shows assets and liabilities measured at fair value at December 31, 2015, divided into the three levels defined 
above:

(in thousands of euro)

Available-for-sale financial assets:

Other financial assets

  equities and shares

  investment funds

232

Derivative hedging instruments

Current derivative financial instruments

Total

note

carrying amount  
at 12/31/2015

level 1

level 2

level 3

11

11

17

 184,584 

 154,324 

 14,478 

 340 

 - 

 - 

 23,576 

 14,478 

 340 

 6,684 

 - 

 - 

 199,402 

 154,324 

 38,394 

 6,684 

At December 31, 2014, the breakdown was as follows:

(in thousands of euro)

note

carrying amount  
at 12/31/2014

level 1

level 2

level 3

Available-for-sale financial assets:

Other financial assets

  equities and shares

  investment funds

Derivative hedging instruments

Current derivative financial instruments

Total

11

11

17

During 2015, there were no transfers from level 1 to level 2 or vice versa.

 158,637 

 128,271 

 14,822 

 209 

 - 

 - 

 18,071 

 14,822 

 209 

 12,295 

 - 

 - 

 173,668 

 128,271 

 33,102 

 12,295 

Parent Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

The following table shows the changes that occurred in level 3: 

(in thousands of euro)

Opening balance

Increases

Reclassification

valuation adjustment

Fair value adjustments recognized in Equity

Closing balance

12/31/2015

12/31/2014

12,295

1,767

100

 (7,852)

374

6,684

118,671

9,043

 (104,087)

 (11,641)

309

12,295

During the year, there were no transfers from level 3 to other levels or vice versa (refer to note 11).

The fair value of financial instruments traded on active markets is based on price quotations published at the reporting date. These 
instruments, which are included in level 1, comprise primarily equity investments classified as financial assets available for sale.
The fair value of financial instruments not traded on active markets (e.g. derivatives) is measured by means of techniques that 
maximise the use of observable and available market data and using widely applied financial measurement techniques: 

  market prices for similar instruments;
  the fair value of interest rate swaps is calculated by discounting estimated future cash flows based on observable yield curves;
  the fair value of foreign exchange derivatives (forward contracts) is determined by using the forward exchange rate at the 
reporting date.

233

Parent Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

5.2 CAtegories oF FiNANCiAL Assets AND LiABiLities

The table below shows the carrying amounts for each class of financial asset and liability identified by IAS 39:

(in thousands of euro)

FINANCIAL ASSETS

Loans and receivables

Other non-current receivables

Current trade receivabels

Other receivables

Cash 

Available-for-sale financial assets:

Other financial assets

Derivative hedging instruments

derivative financial instruments

Total financial assets

FINANCIAL LIABILITIES

Financial liabilities at amortized cost

Non-current borrowings from banks  
and other financial institutions

Current borrowings from banks  
and other financial institutions

Current trade payables 

Other non-current payables

Other current payables

Total financial liabilities

234

note

carrying amount 
at 12/31/2015

carrying amount  
at 12/31/2014

13

14

13

15

11

17

19

19

22

23

23

 15,500 

 41,687 

 984,868 

 146 

 199,062 

 340 

 1,241,603 

 101,332 

 523,734 

 40,932 

 6,563 

 34,375 

 706,936 

 509,063 

 32,745 

 422,633 

 8 

 173,459 

 209 

 1,138,117 

 500,590 

 21,997 

 27,302 

 - 

 24,571 

 574,460 

Parent Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

6. caPitaL ManaGeMent PoLicY

The objective of the Company is to maximise its return on net invested capital while maintaining an ability to operate over time, 
and ensuring adequate returns for its shareholders and benefits for other stakeholders through a sustainable financial structure. 
In order to achieve these objectives, and pursue satisfactory earnings results and generating cash flows, the Company may adjust 
its policy regarding dividends and the configuration of Company capital. 

The main indicators used by the Company to manage its capital are as follows:
1)  R.O.I. (Return on investment): this is calculated as the ratio in percentage terms between operating income (loss), including 
income (loss) from investments, and average net invested capital: the indicator represents the ability of corporate results to re-
munerate net invested capital, which is defined as the sum of fixed assets and net working capital. The net income (loss) from 
investments is included in the calculation as the main representative magnitude of the performance of an investment holding 
company. The objective of the Group is for this ratio to be higher than the weighted average cost of capital (WACC);

2)  Gearing: this is calculated as the ratio between net debt and equity. It is an indicator of the sustainability of the ratio between 

debt and equity, which takes into account the market situation and trends in the cost of capital and debt at different times;

3)  R.O.E. (Return on equity): this is calculated as the ratio, in percentage terms, between net income (loss) and average equity. It 
is an indicator representing the ability of the Company to remunerate its shareholders. The objective is for this indicator to be 
higher than the rate of return on a risk-free investment, correlated with the nature of the businesses operated.

The figures for 2015 and 2014 are shown below: 

1)  R.O.I. (Ratio between operating income inclusive of net income from equity investments  

and average net invested capital)

2) gearing*

3) R.O.E. (Return on Equity)

* this index is not applicable in view of positive net financial (liquidity) debt position in Fy 2015 and 2014

2015

2014

7.32%

N/A

-0.09%

12.86%

N/A

12.91%

235

Parent Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

7. ProPertY, PLant and eQUiPMent

The movements during the period 2014-2015 are summarised in the following table:

(in thousands of euro)

gross 
value

Land

buildings

Plant and ma-
chinery

Industrial and 
commercial 
equipment

Other assets

balance at 
12/31/2013

inc.

dec.

balance at 
12/31/2014

inc.

dec.

balance at 
12/31/2015

21,209 

110,852 

5,066 

1,193 

13,964 

152,284 

- 

- 

- 

- 

(97)

- 

- 

- 

21,112 

110,852 

- 

- 

5,066 

923 

1,193 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

553 

553 

(362)

(459)

14,155 

152,378 

532 

1,455 

(21)

(21)

accumulated 
depreciation

balance  
at 
12/31/2013

depreciation dec.

balance  
at  
12/31/2014

(39,348)

(4,806)

(1,158)

(8,591)

(53,903)

depreciation dec.

(4,018)

(61)

(11)

(671)

(4,761)

- 

- 

- 

21 

21 

(4,018)

(51)

(11)

- 

- 

- 

(533)

(4,613)

362 

362 

21,112 

110,852 

5,989 

1,193 

14,666 

153,812 

balance  
at 
12/31/2015

(43,366)

(4,867)

(1,169)

(9,241)

(58,643)

236

buildings

Plant and machinery

Industrial and com-
mercial equipment

Other assets

(35,330)

(4,755)

(1,147)

(8,420)

(49,652)

net  
value

Land

buildings

Plant and 
machinery

Indus-
trial and 
commercial 
equipment

Other 
assets

balance at 
12/31/2013

inc./ 
dec.

21,209 

(97)

75,522 

311 

46 

- 

- 

- 

5,544 

553 

102,632 

456 

depreciation

balance at 
12/31/2014

inc./ 
dec.

depreciation

balance at  
12/31/2015

- 

(4,018)

(51)

(11)

(533)

(4,613)

21,112 

71,504 

- 

- 

260 

923 

35 

- 

5,564 

532 

98,475 

1,455 

- 

(4,018)

(61)

(11)

(671)

(4,761)

21,112 

67,486 

1,122 

24 

5,425 

95,169 

No financial expenses on property, plant and equipment were capitalised.
No impairment was carried out during the 2015 financial year.

Parent Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

8. intanGiBLe assets

The changes during the period 2014-2015 were as follows:

(in thousands of euro)

12/31/2013

inc. depreciation 12/31/2014 inc. depreciation 12/31/2015

software licenses

515

 558 

(217)

856

837 

(268)

1,425

Other:

  software expenses

343

 -   

  expenses for other 
projects

3,269

 2,577 

(163)

(877)

180

- 

4,969

1,981 

(132)

(1,828)

48

5,122

TOTAL

4,127 

3,135 

(1,257)

6,005 

2,818 

(2,228)

6,595 

Increases in the year consist mainly of charges incurred for implementing staff management systems (euro 1,396 thousand for a 
project under development), for the activation of a new SAP system for treasury management (euro 330 thousand) and for the pur-
chase of licenses (euro 837 thousand). 
No impairment was carried out during the 2015 financial year.

9. inVestMents in sUBsidiaries

These amounted to euro 1,141,926 thousand (euro 1,141,058 thousand at December 31, 2014), an increase as compared to the previous 
year of euro 868 thousand.

237

Below are details:

(in thousands of euro)

Pirelli servizi Amministrazioni e Tesoreria s.p.A.

Maristel s.p.A. 

Pirelli Labs s.p.A. 

Pirelli sistemi Informativi s.r.l. 

Pirelli & C. Ambiente s.r.l.

Pirelli Tyre s.p.A. 

Pirelli Tyre Commerciale s.r.l.

PZero srl 

servizi Aziendali Pirelli s.C.p.A. 

Hb servizi s.r.l.

Pirelli Ltda 

Pirelli uk ltd. 

Pirelli group Reinsurance Company s.A.

Pirelli Consumer Italia s.r.l.

TOTAL

12/31/2015

12/31/2014

 3,238 

 1,315 

 4,079 

 1,655 

 2,878 

 3,238 

 1,315 

 4,079 

 1,655 

 - 

 1,090,755 

 1,085,861 

 - 

 - 

 103 

 - 

 9,666 

 21,871 

 6,346 

20

 20 

 4,894 

 103 

 2,010 

 9,666 

 21,871 

 6,346 

1,141,926

1,141,058

Parent Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

The table pursuant to article 2427 of the Civil Code is provided in the annexes.
It is here mentioned that on July 28, 2015, the deed of merger of PZero S.r.l. into Pirelli Tyre S.p.A. was signed, effective from 
August 1, 2015.

The changes are outlined below:

(in thousands of euro)

Opening balance

subscriptions, increases and replenishment of capital

Impairment

decreases

Closing balance

12/31/2015

12/31/2014

1,141,058 

27,557 

(21,775)

(4,914)

1,141,926 

1,162,188 

13,030 

(23,670)

(10,490)

1,141,058 

Increases refer to the recapitalization of Pirelli & C. Ambiente S.r.l. for euro 21,643 thousand, the increase of investment in Pirelli 
Tyre S.p.A. for euro 4,894 thousand following the merger with PZero S.r.l., a capital contribution of euro 1,000 thousand into HB 
Servizi S.r.l. and establishment of the company Pirelli Consumer Italia S.r.l. for euro 20 thousand and which is a company set up in 
the area of the project for corporate reorganisation of the Industrial business unit.

Impairments relate to the investment in Pirelli & C. Ambiente S.r.l. (euro 18,765 thousand) and in HB Servizi S.r.l. (euro 3,010 
thousand) and in this case the excess over the carrying amount has been recorded in a specific provision for liabilities and charges.
The value of the two investments has been adjusted to their fair value, which is estimated to be the value of shareholders’ net equity.

238

The decreases, amounting to euro 4,914 thousand, refer to the investment in PZero S.r.l. merged into Pirelli Tyre S.p.A. for euro 4,894 
thousand and to the sale of the subsidiary Pirelli Industrial S.r.l. (formerly Pirelli Tyre Commerciale S.r.l.) to Pirelli Tyre S.p.A.. 

10. inVestMents in associates

At December 31, 2015, these amounted to Euro 134,332 thousand (euro 125,100 thousand at December 31, 2014).

The breakdown is as follows:

(in thousands of euro)

Listed securities

Prelios s.p.A.

Unlisted securities

Consortium for the Reseaкch into Advanced Materials (CORIMAV)

Eurostazioni s.p.A. - Rome

Fenice s.r.l.

gWM Renewable Energy II s.p.A.

TOTAL

12/31/2015

12/31/2014

 41,920 

 56,037 

 104 

 52,937 

 28,179 

 11,192 

134,332

 104 

 52,937 

 16,022 

 - 

125,100

Parent Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

The following table shows the changes:

(in thousands of euro)

Opening balance

subscriptions, increases and replenishment of capital

Impairment

Closing balance

12/31/2015

12/31/2014

125,100 

23,349 

(14,117)

134,332 

93,062 

112,622 

(80,584)

125,100 

The increases for the year refer to investments in Fenice S.r.l. (euro 12,157 thousand) and the acquisition by Pirelli & C. Ambiente 
S.r.l. of the shareholding in GWM Renewable Energy II S.p.A. (euro 11,192 thousand).
The increase in the investment in Fenice S.r.l. is due to the purchase of a portion of 7.32% of the capital. On July 29, 2015, the Cred-
itor Partners of Fenice (Pirelli & C. S.p.A., Unicredit S.p.A. and Intesa San Paolo S.p.A.) actually exercised the right to purchase the 
entire portion held by Feidos 11 in Fenice under a “Redemption Right” required by the by-laws of Fenice S.r.l. and a purchase option 
provided for in side agreements. Transfer was carried out on September 3, 2015. On September 25, 2015, the Creditor Partners of 
Fenice also updated the Side Agreement by making a number of changes. It is here mentioned that the updated Agreement consti-
tutes a modification/integration of the previous Agreement, and so it remains valid between the partners and with respect to Feidos 
11, with particular reference to the earn-out clause in favour of Feidos 11 in the case of sale by Fenice of Prelios B shares held by it 
within 12 months from exercising the purchase option. 
On December 21, 2015, the subsidiary Pirelli & C. Ambiente S.r.l. purchased the investment in GWM Renewable Energy II S.p.A. 
amounting to 16.87% of the company capital. 

The impairment refers to the investment in Prelios S.p.A. (euro 14,117 thousand) as it was considered that the loss made by the 
company, and the difference between the share price at December 31, 2015 (euro 0.283 per share) and the carrying amount of euro 
0.378 per share, represents an impairment indicator. The value of the investment was therefore adjusted to the recoverable amount, 
represented by fair value. 

239

11. otHer FinanciaL assets 

At December 31, 2015, these amounted to euro 199,062 thousand (euro 173,459 thousand at December 31, 2014). 

Below are details:

(in thousands of euro)

Available-for-sale financial assets

Listed securities

Mediobanca s.p.A. - Milan

RCs Mediagroup s.p.A. - Milan

Unlisted securities

Fin. Priv srl 

Real Estate Investment Fund - Anastasia

Alitalia - Compagnia Aerea Italiana s.p.A.

European Institute of Oncology (Istituto Europeo di Oncologia s.r.l.)

F.C. Internazionale Milano s.p.A.

Other companies

Total

12/31/2015

12/31/2014

 139,969 

 14,356 

 18,787 

 14,478 

 - 

 5,754 

 293 

 5,425 

 106,650 

 21,621 

 14,473 

 14,822 

 5,349 

 5,382 

 558 

 4,604 

 199,062 

 173,459 

Parent Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

The table below shows the changes in the item available-for-sale financial assets:

(in thousands of euro)

Opening balance

Increases

decreases

Fair value adjustment in Equity

Impairment

Reclassification 

Closing balance 

12/31/2015

12/31/2014

173,459 

1,766 

- 

38,854 

(15,117)

100 

199,062 

176,764 

56,579 

(42,764)

(5,542)

(11,578)

- 

173,459 

The increases relate to the subscription of 678,914,731 Alitalia-Compagnia Aerea Italiana S.p.A. shares for euro 1,766 thousand. 
After this operation the investment of the company reached 1.56% of the share capital.

Fair value adjustments in equity mainly relate to investments in Mediobanca S.p.A. (positive for euro 33,318 thousand), Fin. Priv. 
S.r.l. (positive for euro 4,314 thousand), Emittente Titoli (positive for euro 1,191 thousand), Istituto Europeo di Oncologia S.r.l. (positive 
for euro 372 thousand), Fondo Comune di investimento Anastasia (negative for euro 344 thousand). 

The impairments item mainly refers to the investment in RCS Mediagroup S.p.A. (euro 7,265 thousand), Alitalia-Compagnia Aerea 
Italiana S.p.A. (euro 7,115 thousand), Movincom Servizi S.p.A. (euro 337 thousand) and F.C. Internazionale Milano S.p.A. (euro 265 
thousand).

240

The fair value of listed securities matches the stock market price at December 30, 2015. For unlisted securities and real estate 
funds, the fair value was estimated on the basis of available information. 

Further details are set out in the Annexes to the explanatory notes.

12. deFerred tax assets 

In 2015, an impairment of deferred tax assets (euro 102,970 million) was recorded and was directly attributable to the revision 
of forecasts over a medium period time horizon of future taxable income of companies participating in Italian tax consolidation, 
for which, during this period, a significant reduction is expected due to the new financial structure that the Group will take on as a 
result of the merger with Marco Polo Industrial Holding S.p.A. and expected in the first half of 2016. It should be noted that the tax 
losses relating to Group Italian companies are carried forward indefinitely.

Parent Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

13. otHer receiVaBLes 

Other receivables can be broken down as follows: 

(in thousands of euro)

Other receivables from subsidiaries

Financial receivables from subsidiaries

guarantee deposits

Other receivables from third parties

Receivables from tax authorities not related 
to income taxes

Financial accrued interest income

Financial prepaid expenses

12/31/2015

non  
current

current

total

12/31/2014

non  
current

current

- 

- 

695 

14,181 

- 

- 

624 

3,555 

3,039 

- 

3,039 

964,472 

901,917 

500,000 

401,917 

- 

1,616 

9,405 

3,453 

2,367 

2,244 

9,726 

7,425 

5,286 

2,059 

637 

8,426 

- 

- 

- 

1,607 

1,300 

7,425 

5,286 

2,059 

total

3,555 

964,472 

695 

15,797 

9,405 

3,453 

2,991 

1,000,368 

15,500 

984,868 

931,696 

509,063 

422,633 

Current financial receivables from subsidiaries mainly include loans disbursed in favour of Pirelli Tyre S.p.A. (euro 350,000 
thousand, duration 02/24/2014 - 02/24/2016), Pirelli Industrie Pneumatici S.r.l. (euro 150,000 thousand, duration 04/02/2014 - 
04/04/2016) and the use of euro 462,000 thousand of the short-term credit facility (euro 600,000 thousand) by Pirelli Tyre S.p.A.. 

Other non-current receivables from third-parties refer mainly to a contribution made in cash upon signing an investment 
partnership contract.

241

Current accrued financial interest income mainly refers to interest accrued but not yet received on financial receivables from 
the subsidiary Pirelli Tyre S.p.A. for euro 2,715 thousand, Pirelli Industrie Pneumatici S.r.l. for euro 738 thousand.

Financial prepaid expenses mainly refer to commissions on the revolving and term loan credit facility. 

For other receivables, it is considered that the carrying amount approximates fair value.

14. trade receiVaBLes

These amounted to euro 41,687 thousand compared to euro 32,745 thousand the previous year. 
The breakdown is as follows:

(in thousands of euro)

Receivables from subsidiaries 

Receivables from associates 

Receivables from other companies 

Total receivables 

Provision for bad debts 

12/31/2015

12/31/2014

36,902 

406 

7,481 

44,789 

(3,102)

41,687 

30,389 

- 

5,458 

35,847 

(3,102)

32,745 

Parent Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

Of total gross trade receivables amounting to euro 44,789 thousand (euro 35,847 thousand at December 31, 2014), euro 7,481 thou-
sand are towards other companies (euro 5,458 thousand as at December 31, 2014) of which euro 6,894 thousand fell due on Decem-
ber 31, 2015.
Receivables due and past due have been written down based on the Group policies described in the paragraph relating to manage-
ment of credit risk within the “Financial Risk Management Policy”.
The impaired receivables include both significant positions written down separately, and positions with similar characteristics in 
terms of credit risk, grouped and written down on a collective basis.

The analysis of trade receivables by geographical area is as follows:

12/31/2015

12/31/2014

receivables From 
subsidiaries 

receivables From 
other companies 

receivables From 
subsidiaries 

receivables From 
other companies 

Italy 

Rest  
of Europe 

Other 

92.42%

6.88%

0.70%

100.00%

79.26%

20.40%

0.34%

100.00%

94.38%

5.46%

0.16%

100.00%

35.00%

28.13%

36.87%

100.00%

The change in the provision for bad debts is shown below:

242

(in thousands of euro)

Opening balance

Increases/decreases

12/31/2015

12/31/2014

 3,102 

 - 

 3,102 

 3,042 

 60 

 3,102 

For trade receivables, the carrying amount is considered to approximate fair value.

15. casH and casH eQUiVaLents

These amounted to euro 146 thousand (euro 8 thousand at December 31, 2014). 

(in thousands of euro)

bank deposits

Cash on hand

12/31/2015

12/31/2014

140

6

146

3

5

8

Parent Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

16. tax receiVaBLes

These amounted to euro 62,105 thousand (euro 91,004 thousand at December 31, 2014). The amount mainly includes:

  receivables from the inland revenue for withholding tax (euro 26,397 thousand);
  receivables from Group companies participating in tax consolidation for euro 27,842 thousand (euro 39,112 thousand at Decem-
ber 31, 2014). The decrease as compared to the previous year depends essentially on a lower contribution of the positive taxable 
result achieved by Pirelli Tyre S.p.A.; 
  receivables from the inland revenue for IRES for 2008/2014 of euro 5,343 thousand (euro 5,058 thousand at December 31, 2014) 
and for VAT litigation in 2004 (euro 1,102 thousand). 

17. deriVatiVe FinanciaL instrUMents

The item amounted to euro 340 thousand (euro 209 thousand at December 31, 2014). 

18. eQUitY

Equity amounted to Euro 1,913,928 thousand (euro 2,056,180 thousand at December 31, 2014). The analysis of changes and their 
composition are provided in the main financial statements.

18.1 sHAre CApitAL

The share capital at December 31, 2015 amounted to euro 1,345,381 thousand, and was represented by 475,740,182 ordinary and 
12,251,311 special shares.
Share capital is shown net of treasury shares, amounting to euro 969 thousand for ordinary shares (no. shares 351,590, representing 
0.07% only of ordinary shares) and euro 1,126 thousand for special shares (no. shares 408,342, representing 3.33% only of special 
shares) and therefore amounted to euro 1,343,285 thousand. The total of treasury shares represents 0.16% of the share capital.
The table below shows an analysis of the availability and distribution of individual equity items.

243

(in thousands of euro)

share capital (1)

Legal reserve

Other reserves

  Merger Reserve

  IAs Reserve

Retained earnings

Total

Non available share (2)

Residual available share

amount

possible 
use

available 
share

summary oF reserves  
use in 2013-2015 

1,343,285 

152,114 

 - 

b

12,467 

96,531 

A, b, C

 - 

311,233 

A, b, C

1,915,630 

 - 

152,114 

12,467 

 - 

311,233 

475,814 

(6,595)

469,219 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

A - increase the share capital; b - cover losses; C - distribute to the shareholders.
(1)  Total value of euro 2.095 thousand net of nr. 351.590 ordinary shares and nr.408.342 savings shares without nominal value 
(2)  Represents the total amount of the non distributable share due to cover multi-year unamortized deferred costs in accordance with ex-Article 

2426 of the Italian Civil Code

Parent Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

19.  BorroWinGs FroM Banks  

and otHer FinanciaL institUtions

The item borrowings from banks and other financial institutions can be broken down as follows:

(in thousands of euro)

12/31/2015

12/31/2014

total

non current current

total

non current current

bonds

borrowings from other 
financial institutions 

Other financial payables

Accrued liabilities

 499,833 

 101,332 

 1,805 

 22,096 

 - 

 499,833 

 498,940 

 498,940 

 101,332 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 1,805 

 22,096 

 1,650 

 - 

 21,997 

 1,650 

 - 

 - 

 625,066 

 101,332 

 523,734 

 522,587 

 500,590 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 21,997 

 21,997 

The item bonds refers to an unrated bond placed by Pirelli & C. S.p.A. on the Eurobond market for an aggregate nominal amount of 
euro 500 million, with a fixed coupon of 5.125% and maturity in February 2016.

The carrying amount of the bond at December 31, 2015 was determined as follows:

244

(in thousands of euro)

Nominal value

Transaction costs

Amortisation of effective interest rate

Adjustment for fair value hedge

12/31/2015

12/31/2014

 500,000 

 (5,296)

 5,129 

 - 

499,833

500,000

 (5,296)

3,964

272

498,940

The borrowings from other financial institutions item mainly includes euro 100,000 thousand relating to the use of the revolving 
and term loan credit facility for euro 200,000 thousand with duration five years subscribed on February 13, 2015.

The accrued liabilities essentially refer to interest that has accrued on the bond loan but has not yet been paid for euro 21,974 
thousand. 

Below is the fair value of borrowings from banks and other financial institutions, compared with the relevant carrying amount: 

(in thousands of euro)

bond

Other non-current borrowings

carrying amount

Fair value

12/31/2015

12/31/2014

12/31/2015

12/31/2014

499,833 

498,940 

101,332 

601,165 

1,650 

500,590 

502,935 

101,332 

604,267 

523,565 

1,650 

525,215 

Borrowings from banks and other financial institutions are denominated in euros.

Parent Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

20. ProVisions For LiaBiLities and cHarGes 

Below are the changes for the non-current part during the period:

provision For liabilities and charges - non-current part  (in thousands of euro)

Opening balance

Increases

Releases

uses

Closing balance 

12/31/2015

12/31/2014

17,056 

264 

(410)

(2,564)

14,346 

37,167 

1,012 

(19,455)

(1,668)

17,056 

Increases are mainly due to the allocation to adjust the provision to the actual demand for legal and tax disputes.

Uses refer substantially to costs associated with reclamation.

The provision for liabilities and charges current portion amounted to euro 400 thousand and refers to the surplus over carrying 
amount, for the adjustment of the value of the investment in HB Servizi S.r.l..

21. eMPLoYee BeneFit oBLiGations 

Employee benefit obligations amounted to euro 2,104 thousand (euro 4,194 thousand at December 31, 2014). This item includes provi-
sion for employee leaving indemnities which amounts to euro 1,548 thousand (euro 1,489 thousand at December 31, 2014) and other 
employee benefits of euro 555 thousand (euro 2,705 thousand at December 31, 2014).
The decrease is attributable to reclassification of the amount allocated in 2014 under Other current liabilities and Other non-cur-
rent liabilities due to the decision taken by the Board of Directors on December 22, 2015 in respect of early closing of the Long-
Term Incentive Plan 2014-2016 for the Management of the Pirelli Group and approved by the Board of Directors and Shareholders 
of Pirelli & C., respectively on February 27 and June 12, 2014, in view of the delisting of the ordinary shares of Pirelli & C. S.p.A..

245

  Employee leaving indemnities (TFR)  

The changes during the year 2015 for the provision for leaving indemnities are as follows: 

(in thousands of euro)

Balance at 12/31/2013 

Movements through income statement 

Actuarial (gains)/losses recognized in Equity 

Indemnities, advance payments, relocations 

Balance at 12/31/2014 

Movements through income statement 

Actuarial (gains)/losses recognized in Equity 

Indemnities, advance payments, relocations 

Balance at 12/31/2015 

The amounts shown in the Income Statement have been included in the item “Personnel Expenses” (note 28).

 1,114 

 92 

 156 

 127 

 1,489 

 89 

 (69)

 39 

 1,548 

Parent Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

The net actuarial losses accrued in 2015 and attributed directly to net equity, amount to euro 68 thousand. The cumulative amount 
at December 31, 2015 of net income attributed directly to net equity amounts to euro 2,066 thousand (euro 1,998 thousand at De-
cember 31, 2014). 

The principal actuarial assumptions used at December 31, 2015 are as follows:

2015

discount rate

Inflation rate

The principal actuarial assumptions used at December 31, 2014 were as follows:

2014

discount rate

Inflation rate

2.1%

1.3%

1.8%

1.5%

Employees in service at December 31, 2015 came to 131 units (125 units at December 31, 2014).

Other conditions being equal, a hypothetical change of 0.25% in the discount rate would result in a decrease in liabilities amounting 
to 2.57%, in the case of an increase occurring (2.37% at December 31, 2014), and an increase in liabilities of 2.64%, in the case of a 
decrease (2.43% at December 31, 2014).

246

22. trade PaYaBLes

This breakdown of trade payables is as follows:

(in thousands of euro)

Payables to subsidiaries

Payables to associates

Payables to other companies

12/31/2015

12/31/2014

825 

607 

39,500 

40,932 

1,149 

56 

26,097 

27,302 

The carrying amount of trade payables is considered to approximate their fair value.
The change over December 31, 2014 in the item payables to other companies refers mainly to costs incurred for transactions of 
corporate reorganisation.

Parent Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

23. otHer PaYaBLes 

The breakdown is as follows:

(in thousands of euro)

12/31/2015

12/31/2014

total 

non-current  current 

total 

non-current  current 

Payables to subsidiaries 

10,796 

Payables to social security  
and welfare institutions 

Payables to employees 

Other payables 

Accrued liabilities 

deferred income 

2,296 

17,017 

9,834 

 - 

995 

 - 

 - 

6,182 

381 

 - 

 - 

10,796 

8,119 

2,296 

1,989 

10,835 

9,453 

 - 

995 

3,989 

9,884 

590 

 - 

40,938 

6,563 

34,375 

24,571 

Payables to subsidiaries refer to receivables related to VAT consolidation.

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

8,119 

1,989 

3,989 

9,884 

590 

 - 

24,571 

Payables to social security and welfare institutions mainly include contributions payable to INPS and INAIL.

Payables to employees refer to the wages to be paid to employees. This item includes a payable for the LTI incentive 2014-2016, due 
to the early closure of the Long-Term Incentive Plan 2014 - 2016 approved by the Board of Directors of Pirelli & C. S.p.A.

247

Other payables include liabilities for compensation to be paid to directors and auditors, for withholding taxes on income from 
self-employed and employed work and other minor items. 
For other payables it is considered that the carrying amount approximates their fair value.

24. tax PaYaBLes

These amounted to euro 44,016 thousand (euro 64,296 thousand at December 31, 2014) mainly including payables IRES tax (euro 
27,309 thousand) and payables for WHT (euro 15,385 thousand). 

25. reVenUes FroM saLe and serVices

These mainly refer to:

(in thousands of euro)

sale of services to subsidiaries 

sale of services to other companies 

 2015 

 2014 

 22,062 

 732 

 22,794 

 18,707 

 615 

 19,322 

The increase is mainly due to reorganization of facilities with the consequent extension of services provided to Group’s Italian 
affiliates.

Parent Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

26. otHer incoMe

This amounted to euro 121,962 thousand, (euro 123,892 thousand in 2014), and is as follows:

(in thousands of euro)

Other income from subsidiaries 

Other income from other companies 

2015 

2014 

110,571 

11,391 

121,962 

104,357 

19,535 

123,892 

Other income from subsidiaries includes royalties paid by Group companies in order to use the trademark (euro 83,865 thou-
sand in 2015 - euro 80,087 thousand in 2014), recovery of expenses and other income (euro 17,603 thousand in 2015 - euro 14,450 
thousand in 2014), rents and recoveries of management fees on rents (euro 9,102 thousand in 2015 - euro 9,820 thousand in 2014). 

Other income from other companies mainly consists of royalties paid by other companies in order to use the Pirelli trademark 
(euro 3,579 thousand in 2015 - euro 2,109 thousand in 2014), reversal of excess funds (euro 260 thousand in 2015 - euro 10,000 
thousand in 2014), recovery of expenses and other incomes (euro 3,775 thousand in 2015 - euro 3,287 thousand in 2014), rents and 
recoveries of management fees on rents (euro 3,777 thousand in 2015 - euro 9,820 thousand in 2014).

27. raW MateriaLs & consUMaBLes

248

These amounted to euro 303 thousand (euro 233 thousand in 2014) and include purchases of advertising materials, fuel and other 
materials.

28. PersonneL exPenses

These amounted to euro 33,122 thousand (euro 28,237 thousand in 2014) broken down as follows:

(in thousands of euro)

Wages and salaries 

social security and welfare contributions 

Employee leaving indemnities (TFR) 

Leaving indemnities and similar obbligations 

Other costs 

Staff in service on average is as follows:

  Executives: 36
  Employees: 92
  Workers: 2

2015

2014

 27,136 

 4,497 

 72 

 1,075 

 342 

 33,122 

 22,301 

 4,473 

 62 

 1,030 

 371 

 28,237 

The increase over the previous year is essentially due to what was described previously in note 21 in connection with variable 
annual medium term incentives (three-year LTI plan 2014/2016).

Parent Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

29.  aMortisation, dePreciation  

and iMPairMent

The breakdown is as follows:

(in thousands of euro)

depreciation - property, plant and equipment 

Amortisation - intangible assets 

30. otHer costs

The breakdown of other costs is the following:

(in thousands of euro)

services rendered by subsidiaries

Advertising

Consultancy and collaboration services

Accruals for the provision of future liabilities and charges

Legal and notarial expenses

Travel expenses

Compensation of board members and supervisory board

Membership fees and contributions

Rental and lease instalments

IT expenses

Power, gas and water expenses

security service

Insurance premiums

Patents and trademarks expenses

Cleaning and property ordinary maintenance expenses 

Property maintenance

Other

2015

2014

 4,761 

 2,227 

 6,988 

 4,613 

 1,258 

 5,871 

2015

2014

 5,664 

 29,728 

 18,446 

 265 

 3,882 

 10,514 

 2,813 

 5,031 

 9,602 

 2,295 

 2,032 

 2,200 

 1,627 

 1,339 

 278 

 1,111 

 9,874 

 106,701 

249

 6,473 

 25,076 

 8,917 

 1,071 

 1,564 

 3,442 

 2,928 

 3,516 

 9,808 

 2,445 

 1,836 

 1,839 

 1,228 

 764 

 551 

 985 

 7,832 

 80,275 

Parent Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

31.  net incoMe (Loss)  

FroM eQUitY inVestMents

31.2. Losses oN equitY iNvestmeNts

These amounted to euro 52,341 thousand (euro 139,121 thousand in 2014), in detail: 

(in thousands of euro)

Impairment losses on equity investments in subsidiaries:

  PZero s.r.l. 

  Pirelli & C. Ambiente s.r.l. 

  Pirelli Finance Luxembourg s.A. 

Impairment losses on equity investments in associates:

  Prelios s.p.A. 

  Fenice s.r.l. 

Impairment losses on other financial assets:

  Prelios category b shares 

  Alitalia s.p.A. - Compagnia Aerea Italiana s.p.A. 

250

  RCs Mediagroup s.p.A. 

  Movincom servizi s.p.A. 

  Others

Losses on disposals:

  sirio s.p.A. 

2015 

2014 

 - 

18,766 

3,410 

 14,117 

 -  

 - 

7,115 

7,265 

337 

400 

 931 

52,341 

10,169 

16,156 

 - 

 35,657 

 44,927 

 4,772 

11,229 

15,860 

 - 

351 

 -  

139,121 

Impairment losses on equity investments in subsidiaries refer to an adjustment in respect of the subsidiary Pirelli & C. Am-
biente S.r.l. and HB Servizi S.r.l.

Impairment losses on equity investments in associates refer to an adjustment of Prelios S.p.A.

Impairment losses on other financial assets mainly refer to impairments on investments available for sale, in Alitalia – Com-
pagnia Aerea Italiana S.p.A. (euro 7,115 thousand), RCS MediaGroup S.p.A. (euro 7,265 thousand). 

For fuller details please see the notes relating to equity investments in subsidiaries, associates and other financial assets

Parent Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

31.3. DiviDeNDs

These amounted to euro 174,662 thousand compared to euro 312,921 thousand in 2014. In detail:

(in thousands of euro)

From subsidiaries:

  Pirelli Tyre s.p.A. - Italy 

  Pirelli Ltda - brasil 

  Pirelli sistemi Informativi s.r.l. - Italy 

  Pirelli servizi Amministrazione e Tesoreria s.p.A. - Italy 

  Pirelli Labs s.r.l. - Italy 

  Maristel s.p.A. - Italy 

  Pirelli group Reinsurance Company sA 

From associates:

  Eurostazioni s.p.A. - Italy 

From other companies:

  Mediobanca s.p.A. - Italy 

  sirio s.p.A. - Italy 

  ECA Ltd - great britain 

  Fin. Priv. s.r.l. - Italy 

  Emittente Titoli s.p.A. - Italy 

  Anastasia Fund - Italy 

  Euroqbe s.A. (in liquidation) - belgium 

2015

2014

163,000 

294,000 

 - 

 - 

 - 

1,000 

 - 

3,309 

167,309 

1,680 

1,680 

3,938 

137 

24 

513 

202 

788 

71 

5,673 

174,662 

7,671 

500 

800 

 - 

1,000 

4,299 

308,270 

1,011 

1,011 

2,363 

 - 

 - 

308 

33 

680 

256 

3,640 

312,921 

251

The reduction as compared to 2014 is due essentially to non-collection of the interim dividend from Pirelli Tyre S.p.A. which will be 
resolved and collected in a single settlement.

32. FinanciaL incoMe

These amounted to euro 17,079 thousand (euro 19,619 thousand in 2014).
They mainly include interest on loans granted to the subsidiary Pirelli Tyre S.p.A. (euro 11,583 thousand in 2015, euro 13,964 thou-
sand in 2014) and Pirelli Industrie Pneumatici S.r.l. (euro 2,991 thousand in 2015, euro 3,791 thousand in 2014). 

33. FinanciaL exPenses

These amounted to euro 30,998 thousand (euro 29,615 thousand in 2014 and essentially include euro 26,789 thousand for interest ac-
crued on the Bond (euro 26,730 thousand in 2014) and euro 533 thousand related to interest on loans (euro 2,440 thousand in 2014). 

Parent Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

34. taxes

Taxes are analysed in the following table:

(in thousands of euro)

Current income taxes 

Foreign WHT

Regional tax on production (IRAP)

Taxes previous years

Consolidated corporate income tax (IREs)

Other taxes

A

Total Current income taxes 

Deferred taxes

Through tax consolidation

On tax losses carried forward

B

Total Deferred taxes

A+B Total Taxes

2015

2014

8,184 

 - 

(1,353)

4,037 

150 

11,018 

322 

(119,085)

(118,763)

(107,745)

18,373 

(2,257)

(1,503)

5,669 

9,331 

29,613 

(767)

17,773 

17,006 

46,619 

252

Current taxes include the effect of withheld income from foreign sources for previous years, as well as the benefits of fiscal consol-
idation of the Italian group, and release of funds previously set aside. Total taxes also reflect the impairment of deferred tax assets 
in connection with the expected recoverability of tax losses by the Italian Group companies (refer to note 12). 

Parent Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

The transfer of the estimated tax burden to the current in 2015 is analysed in the following table:

(in thousands of euro)

Net Income (loss) before tax 

Net income (loss) from discontiuned operations 

Net income (loss) before tax including income  
from discontiuned operations 

Tax rate 

Estimated tax 

Decrease

detaxation of dividends

gains on disposal of share investments 

Reserves

Other decrease

deferred tax

Income from WHT previous years

Increase 

Impairment

Taxes previous years

Not recovered WHT

Release of deferred tax

Other increase

A 

B 

ires

irap 

 106,043 

 106,043 

 106,043 

 -  

 -  

 -  

C=A-B 

 106,043 

 106,043 

 106,043 

 d 

 27.5%

 5.57%

E = C*d 

 (29,162)

 (5,907)

 (35,069)

 F 

 g 

 H

 I 

 L 

 M 

 N 

 O 

 P 

 q 

 R 

 45,425 

 18,485 

 63,909 

 -  

 1,342 

 373 

 -  

 8,184 

 (14,138)

 (521)

 -  

 (102,970)

 -  

 -  

 961 

 -  

 -  

 -  

 -  

 -  

 -  

 -  

 1,342 

 1,334 

 -  

 8,184 

 (14,138)

 (521)

 -  

 (102,970)

 (3,346)

 (13,539)

 (16,885)

253

Taxes 

s=E+F+g+H+I+L+M+N+O+P+q+R 

 (94,813)

Current tax burden Pirelli & C. S.p.A.

Net income from tax consolidation 

Total tax

Net income (loss) 

S

T

U=S+T

V=C+U

 -  

 - 

 (94,813)

 (94,813)

 (94,813)

 (12,932)

 (12,932)

 (107,745)

 -  

 (107,745)

 (1,702)

Parent Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

The transfer of the estimated tax burden to the current in 2014 is analysed in the following table:

(in thousands of euro)

Net Income (loss) before tax 

Net income (loss) from discontiuned operations 

Net income (loss) before tax including income  
from discontiuned operations 

Tax rate 

Estimated tax 

Decrease

detaxation of dividends

gains on disposal of share investments 

Reserves

Other decrease

deferred tax

Income from WHT previous years

254

Increase 

Impairment

Taxes previous years

Not recovered WHT

Release of deferred tax

Other increase

A 

B 

ires

irap 

 211,345 

 211,345 

 211,345 

 -  

 -  

 -  

C=A-B 

 211,345 

 211,345 

 211,345 

 d 

 27.5%

 5.57%

 E = C*d 

 (58,120)

 (11,772)

 (69,892)

 F 

 g 

 H

 I 

 L 

 M 

 N 

 O 

 P 

 q 

 R 

 81,417 

 1,315 

 3,209 

 10,265 

 35,465 

 18,373 

 (40,379)

 (1,852)

 18,484 

 961 

 -  

 -  

 (9,931)

 99,901 

 1,315 

 3,209 

 11,226 

 35,465 

 18,373 

 (40,379)

 (1,852)

 -  

 -  

 (3,923)

-

 (3,923)

Taxes 

 s=E+F+g+H+I+L+M+N+O+P+q+R 

 45,770 

 (2,258)

 43,512 

Current tax burden Pirelli & C. S.p.A.

Net income from tax consolidation 

Total tax

Net income (loss) 

tAx CoNsoLiDAtioN 

S

T

U=S+T

V=C+U

 45,770 

 (2,258)

 43,512 

 3,106 

 3,106 

 48,876 

 (2,258)

 46,618 

 257,963 

It is mentioned at this point that starting from 2004, the Company has exercised an option for consolidated taxation as consolidator, 
pursuant to art. 117 and following of the TUIR, with regulation of relations arising from adhering to consolidation through special 
“Regulations”, and which involves a common procedure for the application of laws and regulations.
Said regulation has been updated in subsequent years as a result of amendments made within the companies participating in the 
agreement and the related shareholding structure, as well as in the light of the corrective and supplementary interventions occur-

 
Parent Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

ring in relevant legislation. 
The above amendments have concerned particularly the remuneration of the tax losses used by the companies adhering to the con-
solidation. Adoption of consolidation allows the Parent Company Pirelli & C. S.p.A. to offset any taxable income or loss of the Parent 
Company with those of its resident subsidiaries that have exercised the option, but taking into account that any tax losses accrued 
during periods prior to the introduction of group taxation may only be used by the companies concerned.

35. reLated PartY transactions

Related Party Transactions, including intra-group transactions, are not classified as unusual and occur during the ordinary course 
of business of Group companies. Such transactions, when not concluded at standard conditions or dictated by specific regulations, 
are in any case conducted under market conditions (at arm’s length).

The tables below show the main transactions with related parties for the years ended December 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014 
(amounts are expressed in euro millions).

YeAr 2015
trANsACtioNs WitH suBsiDiAries

(in millions of euro)

items oF balance sheet

Current assets

Trade receivables

36.9 

Refers mainly to receivables for services/provisions (euro 33.6 million Pirelli Tyre s.p.A., euro 2.6 million Pirelli 
Tyre Russia, euro 0.2 million Pirelli sistemi Informativi s.r.l., euro 0.2 million PZero s.r.l.)

Other receivables

971.4 

Refers mainly: for euro 814,7 million to loans granted and related interest accrued and not paid with Pirelli 
Tyre s.p.A.; eur 153,7 million to a loan granted and related interest accrued but not paid with Pirelli Industrie 
Pneumatici s.r.l.; euro 2,4 million to the intra-group current account with Pirelli International Plc

255

Tax receivables

27.8 

The amount refers to receivables from group companies that adhere to tax consolidation (mainly euro 25.8 
million Pirelli Tyre s.p.A., euro1.8 million Pirelli Industrie Pneumatici s.r.l)

Financial instruments

0.3 

The sum refers to receivables for hedging income and related accruals from Pirelli International Plc

Currents liabilities

Trade payables

Other payables

Tax payables

0.8 

11.3 

Refer mainly to payables for the provision of services (the main ones are: euro 0.3 million Pirelli Tyre s.p.A., 
euro 0.3 million Pirelli Amministrazione e Tesoreria s.p.A., euro 0.1 million servizi Aziendali Pirelli s.c.p.a.)

Refer mainly to payables to group companies that adhere to vAT consolidation, the main ones are:  
euro 10.6 million Pirelli Tyre s.p.A., euro 0,1 million driver Italia s.p.A. and the deferred liablity for rent  
in force withPirelli Tyre s.p.A. euro 0.5 million

16.5 

Refers to payables to subsidiaries that adhere to tax consolidation, mainly euro 16.3 million Pirelli Tyre, euro 0,1 
million Pirelli & C. Ambiente s.r.l.

Parent Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

(in millions of euro)

items oF income statement

Revenues from sales 
and services

22.1 

The amount mainly refers to service agreements. The main relations are: euro 20.8 million Pirelli Tyre s.p.A., 
euro 0.3 million Pirelli & C. Ambiente s.r.l., euro 0.3 million Pirelli sistemi Informativi s.r.l., euro 0.2 milion Pirelli 
servizi Amministrazione e Tesoreria s.p,A.,euro 0.2 million Hb servizi s.r.l.)

Other income

109.2 

Other costs

5.4 

The amount mainly refers to: brand license agreements (euro 82,8 million Pirelli Tyre s.p.A., euro 1,0 million 
Pirelli Tyre Russia); other recoveries (euro 17,2 million Pirelli Tyre s.p.A., euro 0.4 million Pirelli sistemi 
Informativi s.r.l.); lease agreements (euro 0,8million Pirelli sistemi Informativi s.r.l., euro 5,7 million Pirelli Tyre 
s.p.A., euro 0,3 million Pirelli servizi Amministrazione e Tesoreria s.p.A., euro 0.1 million Pirelli Ambiente s.r.l.)

The amount mainly refers to charges for various services and expenses (euro 1.2 million Pirelli servizi 
Amministrazione e Tesoreria s.p.A., euro 1,4 million Pirelli sistemi Informativi s.r.l., euro 1.2 million Pirelli Tyre 
s.p.A., euro 0.7 Hb servizi s.R.L., euro 0.4 million servizi Aziendali Pirelli s.c.p.a.).

Net income (loss)  
from equity investments 
- dividends

167.3 

These refer to: euro 163.0 million Pirelli Tyre s.p.A., euro 3.3 million Pirelli group Reinsurance Company s.r.l., 
euro 1.0 million Pirelli Labs s.p.A

Financial income

15.8 

Taxes

26.8 

Income deriving from loans granted (euro11,6 million Pirelli Tyre s.p.A, euro 3,0 million Pirelli Industrie 
Pneumatici s.r.l., euro 0,7 million Pirelli & C. Ambiente s.r.l.) and hedging transactions euro 0.5 million Pirelli 
Internatonal Plc.

Refer to income and expenses with group companies that adhere to tax consolidation. Tax income - the main 
items are: Pirelli Tyre s.p.A. euro 24.3 million, Pirelli sistemi Informativi s.r.l. euro 0.2 million, Pirelli Industrie 
Pneumatici s.r.l. euro 1.9 mllion; Tax charges - the main items are: Pirelli Tyre s.p.A. euro 0.3 million

(in millions of euro)

Сash Flow investments and disinvestments

Investments in 
subsidiaries

33.9 

The amount refers for euro 21.7 million to the capital increase in Prelli Ambente s.r.l., for euro 1.0 million for 
capital payments in Hb servizi s.r.l. and for euro 11.2 million to the acquisition of gWM Renewable Energy II 
s.p.A. by Pirelli Ambiente s.r.l.

256

trANsACtioNs WitH AssoCiAtes

(in millions of euro)

items oF balance sheet

Current assets

Trade receivables

Other receivables

Currents liabilities

Trade payables

Other payables

Non-current liabilities

0.4 

0.1 

0.6 

0.1 

The sum refers to receivables for services rendered to Prelios s.p.A. 

The amount refers to the loan and its applicable interest provided to Fenice s.r.l.

Refers to payables for services received from Lambda s.p.A. (euro 0.5 million) and from Corimav (euro 0.1 million)

Refers to deferred liabilities to Prelios s.p.A. for rent of the R&d building

Financial payables

1.3 

Refers to the Prelios s.p.A. security deposit for rent of the R&d building

(in millions of euro)

items oF income statement

Other income

1.4 

The amount refers to the rent of the R&d building by Prelios s.p.A.

Other costs

0.2 

Refers to relations with the Consortium for Research on Advanced Materials - Corimav (euro 0.2 million)

Net income (loss) from 
equity investments - 
dividends

1.7 

The amount refers to dividends distributed by Eurostazioni s.p.A.

Parent Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

YeAr 2014 
trANsACtioNs WitH suBsiDiAries

(in millions of euro)

items oF balance sheet

Current assets

Trade receivables

30.4 

Refers mainly to receivables for services/provisions (euro 27,9 million Pirelli Tyre s.p.A., euro 1,6 million Pirelli Tyre 
Russia, euro 0,3 million Pirelli sistemi Informativi s.r.l., euro 0,2 million PZero s.r.l.)

Other receivables

408.4 

Refers mainly: for euro 365,7 million to loans granted and related interest accrued and not paid with Pirelli Tyre 
s.p.A.; euro 33,2 million to a loan granted and related interest accrued but not paid with Pirelli Ambiente s.r.l.; euro 
5,2 million to the intra-group current account with Pirelli servizi Amministratizione e Tesoreria s.p.A.

Tax receivables

39.1 

The amount refers to receivables from group companies that adhere to tax consolidation (mainly euro 38,7 million 
Pirelli Tyre s.p.A., euro 0,2 million Pirelli sistemi Informativi s.r.l., euro 0,1 million Pirelli servizi Amministrazione e 
Tesoreria s.p.A.)

Non-current assets

Other receivables

500.0  Refer to loans granted to Pirelli Tyre s.p.A. (euro 350,0 million) to Pirelli Industrie Pneumatici s.r.l. (euro 150,0 million)

Currents liabilities

Trade payables

1.1 

Refer mainly to payables for the provision of services (the main ones are: euro 0,5 million Pirelli Tyre Ltd., euro 0,3 
million Pirelli Amministrazione e Tesoreria s.p.A., euro 0,1 million servizi Aziendali Pirelli s.c.p.a., euro 0,1 million 
Pirelli sistemi Informativi s.r.l.)

Other payables

8.2 

Refer mainly to payables to group companies that adhere to vAT consolidation, the main ones are: euro 7,8 million 
Pirelli Tyre s.p.A., euro 0,1 million PZero s.r.l.

257

Tax payables

18.6 

Refers to payables to subsidiaries that adhere to tax consolidation, mainly euro 18,4 million Pirelli Tyre,  
euro 0,1 million Pirelli Ambiente s.r.l.

(in millions of euro)

items oF income statement

Revenues from sales 
and services

18.7 

The amount mainly refers to service agreements. The main relations are: euro 17,3 million Pirelli Tyre s.p.A., euro 
0,4 million Pirelli Ambiente s.r.l., euro 0,3 million Pirelli sistemi Informativi s.r.l., euro 0,4 million PZero s.r.l.)

Other income

102.6 

Other costs

6.3 

The amount mainly refers to: brand license agreements (euro 78,7 million Pirelli Tyre s.p.A., euro 1,2 million 
Pirelli Tyre Russia); other recoveries (euro 13,7 million Pirelli Tyre s.p.A., euro 0,1 million Pirelli International Ltd); 
lease agreements (euro 1,1 million Pirelli sistemi Informativi s.r.l., euro 6,5 million Pirelli Tyre s.p.A., euro 0,3 
million Pirelli servizi Amministrazione e Tesoreria s.p.A.)

The amount mainly refers to charges for various services and expenses (euro 2,1 million PZero s.r.l., euro 1,1 
million Pirelli servizi Amministrazione e Tesoreria s.p.A., euro 1,1 million Pirelli sistemi Informativi s.r.l., euro 
0,6 million Pirelli Tyre s.p.A., euro 0,5 million Pirelli Tyre Russia, euro 0,2 million Pirelli Tyres Limited, euro 0,3 
million servizi Aziendali Pirelli s.c.p.a.)

Net income (loss) from 
equity investments - 
dividends

308.3 

They refer to: euro 294,0 million Pirelli Tyre s.p.A., euro 7,7 million Pirelli Ltda, euro 4,3 million Pirelli group 
Reinsurance Company s.r.l., euro 1,0 million servizi Aziendali Pirelli s.c.p.a., euro 0,8 million Pirelli servizi 
Amministrazioni e Tesoreria s.p.A., euro 0,5 million Pirelli sistemi Informativi s.r.l..

Financial income

18.6 

Income deriving from loans granted (euro 13,9 million Pirelli Tyre s.p.A, euro 3,8 million Pirelli Industrie 
Pneumatici s.r.l., euro 0,7 million Pirelli Ambiente s.r.l.).

Taxes

35.7 

Refer to income and expenses with group companies that adhere to tax consolidation. Tax income - the main 
items are: Pirelli Tyre s.p.A. euro 36,3 million, Pirelli sistemi Informativi s.r.l. euro 0,2 million; Tax charges - the 
main items are: Pirelli Tyre s.p.A. euro 1,2 million

(in millions of euro)

Сash Flow investments and disinvestments

Investments in 
subsidiaries

13.0 

The amount refers for euro 11,0 million to the capital increase in PZero s.r.l., for euro 2,0 million for the 
acquisition and capital payments in Hb servizi s.r.l. 

Parent Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

trANsACtioNs WitH AssoCiAtes

(in millions of euro)

items oF balance sheet

Current assets

Other receivables

0.1 

The amount refers to the loan and its applicable interests provided to Fenice s.r.l.

Currents liabilities

Trade payables

Other payables

0.1 

0.1 

Non-current liabilities

Refers to payables for services received from Corimav 

Refers to deferred liabilities to Prelios s.p.A. for rent of the R&d building

Financial payables

1.7 

Refers to the Prelios s.p.A. security deposit for rent of the R&d building

(in millions of euro)

items oF income statement

Other income

Other costs

Net income (loss) from 
equity investments - 
dividends

gains from equity 
investments

258

1.7 

The amount refers to the rent of the R&d building by Prelios s.p.A.

0.2 

Refers to relations with the Consortium for Research on Advanced Materials - Corimav (euro 0,2 million)

1.0 

The amount refers to dividends distributed by Eurostazioni s.p.A.

13.3 

Refers to the gain following the conversion of the Prelios s.p.A. bond.

trANsACtioNs WitH reLAteD pArties  
tHrougH DireCtors

(in millions of euro)

items oF income statement

Other costs

6.6 

The amount refers to FC Internazionale Milano s.p.A. sponsorship costs 

trANsACtioNs WitH otHer reLAteD pArties

(in millions of euro)

items oF income statement

Other income

0.1 

The amount refers to the leasing agreement with Camfin s.p.A. 

Financial expenses

0.2 

Interests on credit facility to banca IMI banca Intesa (euro 0,1 million) and unicredit (euro 0,1 million)

BeNeFits For keY mANAgers oF tHe CompANY

The compensation payable to key managers amounted to euro 8,237 thousand at December 31, 2015 (euro 6,582 thousand at De-
cember 31, 2014) of which being recognised in the Income Statement as “Personnel Expenses” euro 5,457 thousand (euro 3,638 
thousand in 2014) and in the Income Statement as “Other Costs” euro 2,781 thousand (euro 2,944 thousand at December 31, 2014). 
Compensation also includes euro 355 thousand for employee leaving indemnity (TFR) and retirement benefits (euro 353 thousand 
at December 31, 2014). 

Parent Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

36. otHer inForMation

exterNAL AuDitors’ Fees

The table below shows the fees paid in financial year 2015 for the audit services and those paid for other non-audit services carried 
out by the audit firm Reconta Ernst & Young S.p.A..

(in thousands of euro)

Independent auditing services  
and certification services (1)

company that  
provided the service

company that  
received the service

partial 
Fees

total 
Fees

Reconta Ernst & young s.p.A.

Pirelli & C. s.p.A.

492 

492 

(1)  the item "independent auditing services and certification services" includes amounts paid for legal accounting auditing services and other 

services that envisage the issuance of an auditor's report as well as amounts paid for certification services linked with legal auditing activities

37. coMMitMents and continGencies

guArANtees proviDeD oN BeHALF  
oF suBsiDiAries AND otHer CompANies

The guarantees were issued for loans and contractual commitments of subsidiaries for euro 1,109,997 thousand.
The sum includes euro 1,103,617 thousand for guarantees given for the benefit of Pirelli Tyres Ltd. (UK) and Pirelli UK Ltd. in respect 
of local pension funds.

259

otHer risks 

At the start of April 2014, the European Commission notified Pirelli and other Parties involved (among which being Prysmian Cavi 
and Sistemi, controlled by Pirelli up until July 2015) of a decision taken at the conclusion of antitrust inquiries begun in respect of 
the energy cables business, and which foresees a penalty to be borne by Prysmian amounting to around euro 104 million for a part 
of which, amounting to euro 67 million, Pirelli is liable jointly with Prysmian. This decision confirms the fact that there was no 
involvement of Pirelli in the alleged cartel. The antitrust Breach contested is attributable exclusively to a principle of the so-called 
“parental liability” as during part of the period of the alleged cartel, Prysmian was a subsidiarity of Pirelli. Pirelli has submitted 
recourse to the Court of the European Union against the decision of the European Commission, challenging application of the prin-
ciple of “parental liability”.
The European Commission has additionally demanded Pirelli file a bank surety to cover payment, if and when owed, of 50% of the 
penalty applied to Prysmian and Pirelli jointly. As a consequence of the foregoing, Pirelli handed over the guarantee requested by 
the Commission on December 17, 2014.
Pirelli has taken legal action before the Court of Milan so that the obligation of Prysmian to hold Pirelli harmless from any de-
mand including that of the European Commission in connection with the aforesaid penalty be held and ruled. Judgement has been 
suspended by the Court of Milan pending the final judgement of community judges. Pirelli has impugned the order of suspension 
before the Court of Cassation.
On November 23, 2015, Prysmian Cavi e Sistemi served suit for damages commenced before the High Court of Justice against 
Prysmian and other participants in the cartel, on the part of National Grid and Scottish Power, a company that felt it had been 
injured by the alleged illicit understanding. Specifically, Prysmian submitted a plea to have Pirelli and Goldman Sachs, based on 
the role played at the time of the cartel, of its controlling companies, hold it harmless in respect of any obligations to indemnify 
National Grid and Power.
Pirelli has raised a flaw in jurisdiction of the High Court of Justice as the action before the Court of Milan recalled above is pending, 
and feels that the decision as to merit must be put before the Court previously addressed. Pirelli, on the basis of careful judicial anal-
yses supported by authoritative opinions from outside counsel, does not feel it is involved in the alleged irregularities of its former 

On February 16, 2016, the Board of Directors of Pirelli & C. 
S.p.A. approved the essential lines of a refinancing plan for an 
amount up to a maximum of euro 7 billion aimed at extending 
debt maturities and optimizing their structure thanks to the 
use of bond and banking markets. 
The  terms  and  conditions  of  the  refinancing,  including  any 
guarantees, will be defined in light of market conditions and 
practices of reference, also taking into account the rights in-
corporated in the Terms and Conditions in favour of bond hold-
ers for euro 600 million maturing in 2019 and that will remain 
in place until maturity. The refinancing plan leaves the right 
to activate the loan Mergeco Facility alternatively unchanged 
for  Pirelli,  if  appropriate,  and  already  made  available  to  the 
company  by  a  syndicate  of  banks  as  part  of  the  public  pur-
chase offer of Marco Polo Industrial Holding S.p.A. on Pirelli.
Following  the  confirmation  by  the  General  Meeting  of  the 
directors co-opted on September 2 and October 20, 2015, the 
Board  of  Directors  confirmed  Ren  Jianxin  Chairman  of  the 
Board of Directors and the governance structure approved on 
October 20, 2015. 

Parent Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

subsidiary and that full final liability for any breach must be 
borne exclusively by the company directly involved.
As a consequence of the foregoing, the assessment of the of risk 
is such that it does not require any specific provision to be made 
in the annual Financial Statements as at December 31, 2015.

38.  siGniFicant 
eVents 
sUBseQUent  
to tHe end  
oF tHe Year

On February 9, 2016 Pirelli and the Lombardy Region signed a 
competitiveness agreement for a regional grant of Euro 1.9 mil-
lion to the R & D project “Total Safety System” conducted at the 
research center of Milan Bicocca. The project, which will last 
for 24 months and have a total cost of Euro 5.35 million, is part 
of activities related to the development of a new generation of 
tyres based on the concept of “total safety”. The project will al-
low Pirelli to study new product mixes oriented towards higher 
value-added segments, and to achieve positive results in envi-
ronmental and social issues in terms of road safety, by reducing 
the fuel consumption of vehicles and increasing tyre mileage.

On February 15, 2016, Ren Jianxin, Yang Xingqiang, Bai Xin-
ping,  Ze’ev  Goldberg,  Tao  Haisu,  Wang  Dan  and  Zhang  Jun-
fang, previously co-opted by the Board, were reappointed as 
directors by the ordinary general meeting of Pirelli & C. S.p.A. 
The Extraordinary General Meeting also approved a proposal 
of mandatory conversion of savings shares into newly issued 
special category unlisted shares without voting rights, as well 
as a proposal to adopt new Articles of Association. The manda-
tory conversion and adoption of the new Articles of Association 
were also approved, to the extent applicable, by a special sav-
ings general meeting of Pirelli & C. S.p.A.. The extraordinary 
general meeting of Pirelli & C. S.p.A. also approved the merg-
er by incorporation of the controlling Parent company Marco 
Polo Industrial Holding S.p.A. into Pirelli & C. S.p.A, for 6.30 
Pirelli  shares  to  be  allotted  after  the  merger  to  Marco  Polo 
International Holding Italy S.p.A. (Holdco) - the sole partner of 
Marco Polo Industrial Holding S.p.A. - for every 1 share held 
before the merger by Marco Polo International Holding Italy 
S.p.A.  (Holdco)  in  Marco  Polo  Industrial  Holding  S.p.A..  The 
merger is expected to be finalised within the first half of 2016. 
Following the mandatory conversion of savings shares 
into  special  category  unlisted  shares,  the  savings 
shares  ceased  to  be  listed  on  regulated  markets  as  of 
February 26, 2016. 

260

Parent Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

261

annexes to tHe  
exPLanatorY notes

movements oF e Quity investments From 12/31/2014 to 12/31/2015

12/31/2014

changes 

12/31/2015

number
oF shares

carrying 
amount
(€/thousand)

% oF total
eQuity inv.

oF which
direct

number oF shares

(€/thousand) 

number

carrying amount

oF shares

(€/thousand)

% oF total

eQuity inv.

oF which

direct

INVESTMENTS IN SUBSIDIARIES

ITALY

Unlisted:

Pirelli servizi Amministrazioni e Tesoreria s.p.A.

Maristel s.p.A. - Milan

Pirelli Labs s.p.A. - Milan

Pirelli sistemi Informativi s.r.l. - Milan

Pirelli & C. Ambiente s.r.l. 

Pirelli Tyre s.p.A. - Milan

Pirelli Industrial s.r.l. (former Pirelli Tyre Commerciale Italia s.r.l.) - Milan

Pirelli Consumer Italia s.r.l. - Milan

PZero srl - Milano

servizi Aziendali Pirelli s.C.p.A. - Milan

262

Hb servizi srl

Total investments in subsidiaries - Italy

FOREIGN COMPANIES

Brasil

Pirelli Ltda 

T3 brasil Industrial de Pneus Agricol

Pirelli Pneus Ltda

UK

Pirelli uk ltd. - London - ordinary

Switzerland

Pirelli group Reinsurance Company s.A.

Total investments in foreign subsidiaries

Total investments in subsidiaries

INVESTMENTS IN ASSOCIATES 

ITALY

Listed

Prelios s.p.A. - Milan (*)

Total listed Italian companies

Unlisted

Fenice srl

Consorzio per le Ricerche sui Materiali Avanzati  (CORIMAv)

Eurostazioni s.p.A. - Rome

gWM Renewable Energy II s.p.A. - Rome

Total unlisted companies

Total investments in associates - Italy

Total investments in associates

(*) quota 29.2% refers to the percentile of the investment in the voting capital

2,047,000 

1,020,000 

5,000,000 

1 quota 

1 quota 

3,237.5 

1,315.2 

4,079.1 

1,655.4 

- 

756,820,000 

1,085,860.9 

- 

- 

1 quota 

95,940 

- 

20.0 

- 

4,894.3 

103.3 

2,010.2 

1,103,175.9 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

- 

100.0 

100.0 

- 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

- 

100.0 

92.3 

- 

14,000,000 

9,665.9 

100.0 

100.0 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

163,991,278 

21,871.1 

100.0 

100.0 

163,991,278 

21,871.1 

100.0 

100.0 

800,000 

148,127,621 

1 quota 

1 quota 

52,333,333 

- 

6,345.8 

37,882.8 

1,141,058.7 

56,036.7 

56,036.7 

16,022.1 

103.5 

52,937.1 

- 

69,062.8 

125,099.4 

125,099.4 

100.0 

100.0 

800,000 

100.0 

100.0 

29.2 

29.2 

32.8 

100.0 

32.7 

- 

32.8 

100.0 

32.7 

- 

12,863,908 

148,127,621 

29.2 

29.2 

69.9 

100.0 

32.7 

16.9 

69.9 

100.0 

32.7 

16.9 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

1 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

756,820,000 

1,090,755.2 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

- 

- 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

- 

- 

100.0 

92.3 

100.0 

14,000,000 

9,665.9 

100.0 

100.0 

- 

- 

- 

- 

2,047,000 

1,020,000 

5,000,000 

1 quota 

1 quota 

95,940 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

1 

1 quota 

1 quota 

52,333,333 

12,863,908 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

2,877.6 

4,894.3 

(20)

20.0 

(4,894.3)

(2,010.2)

867.4 

867.4 

(14,116.6)

(14,116.6)

12,157.0 

11,192.3 

23,349.3 

9,232.7 

9,232.7 

3,237.5 

1,315.2 

4,079.1 

1,655.4 

2,877.6 

20.0 

103.3 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

1,104,043.3 

6,345.8 

37,882.8 

1,141,926.1 

41,920.1 

41,920.1 

28,179.1 

103.5 

52,937.1 

11,192.3 

92,412.1 

134,332.1 

134,332.1 

Directors’ Report on Operations  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORTParent Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

movements oF e Quity investments From 12/31/2014 to 12/31/2015

12/31/2014

changes 

12/31/2015

number

oF shares

carrying 

amount

(€/thousand)

% oF total

eQuity inv.

oF which

direct

number oF shares

(€/thousand) 

number
oF shares

carrying amount
(€/thousand)

% oF total
eQuity inv.

oF which
direct

Pirelli Industrial s.r.l. (former Pirelli Tyre Commerciale Italia s.r.l.) - Milan

756,820,000 

1,085,860.9 

INVESTMENTS IN SUBSIDIARIES

ITALY

Unlisted:

Pirelli servizi Amministrazioni e Tesoreria s.p.A.

Maristel s.p.A. - Milan

Pirelli Labs s.p.A. - Milan

Pirelli sistemi Informativi s.r.l. - Milan

Pirelli & C. Ambiente s.r.l. 

Pirelli Tyre s.p.A. - Milan

Pirelli Consumer Italia s.r.l. - Milan

PZero srl - Milano

servizi Aziendali Pirelli s.C.p.A. - Milan

Hb servizi srl

Total investments in subsidiaries - Italy

FOREIGN COMPANIES

T3 brasil Industrial de Pneus Agricol

Brasil

Pirelli Ltda 

Pirelli Pneus Ltda

UK

Pirelli uk ltd. - London - ordinary

Switzerland

Pirelli group Reinsurance Company s.A.

Total investments in foreign subsidiaries

Total investments in subsidiaries

INVESTMENTS IN ASSOCIATES 

Prelios s.p.A. - Milan (*)

Total listed Italian companies

ITALY

Listed

Unlisted

Fenice srl

Eurostazioni s.p.A. - Rome

gWM Renewable Energy II s.p.A. - Rome

Total unlisted companies

Total investments in associates - Italy

Total investments in associates

Consorzio per le Ricerche sui Materiali Avanzati  (CORIMAv)

(*) quota 29.2% refers to the percentile of the investment in the voting capital

2,047,000 

1,020,000 

5,000,000 

1 quota 

1 quota 

1 quota 

95,940 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

92.3 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

14,000,000 

9,665.9 

100.0 

100.0 

163,991,278 

21,871.1 

100.0 

100.0 

800,000 

100.0 

100.0 

148,127,621 

29.2 

29.2 

1 quota 

1 quota 

52,333,333 

- 

32.8 

100.0 

32.7 

- 

32.8 

100.0 

32.7 

- 

3,237.5 

1,315.2 

4,079.1 

1,655.4 

20.0 

4,894.3 

103.3 

2,010.2 

1,103,175.9 

- 

- 

- 

- 

6,345.8 

37,882.8 

1,141,058.7 

56,036.7 

56,036.7 

16,022.1 

103.5 

52,937.1 

- 

69,062.8 

125,099.4 

125,099.4 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

1 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

12,863,908 

- 

- 

- 

- 

2,877.6 

4,894.3 

(20)

20.0 

(4,894.3)

- 

(2,010.2)

867.4 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

867.4 

(14,116.6)

(14,116.6)

12,157.0 

- 

- 

11,192.3 

23,349.3 

9,232.7 

9,232.7 

2,047,000 

1,020,000 

5,000,000 

1 quota 

1 quota 

3,237.5 

1,315.2 

4,079.1 

1,655.4 

2,877.6 

756,820,000 

1,090,755.2 

- 

- 

- 

95,940 

- 

- 

20.0 

- 

103.3 

- 

1,104,043.3 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

- 

100.0 

- 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

- 

100.0 

- 

92.3 

100.0 

263

14,000,000 

9,665.9 

100.0 

100.0 

- 

1 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

163,991,278 

21,871.1 

100.0 

100.0 

800,000 

148,127,621 

1 quota 

1 quota 

52,333,333 

12,863,908 

100.0 

100.0 

29.2 

29.2 

69.9 

100.0 

32.7 

16.9 

69.9 

100.0 

32.7 

16.9 

6,345.8 

37,882.8 

1,141,926.1 

41,920.1 

41,920.1 

28,179.1 

103.5 

52,937.1 

11,192.3 

92,412.1 

134,332.1 

134,332.1 

Parent Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

movements oF other available-F or-sale Financial assets From 12/31/2014 to 12/31/2015

12/31/2014

other changes 

12/31/2015

number
oF shares

carrying 
amount
(€/thousand)

% oF total
eQuity inv.

oF which
direct

number  

oF shares

(€/thousand) 

number

carrying amount

oF shares

(€/thousand)

% oF total

eQuity inv.

oF which

direct

264

INVESTMENTS IN OTHER COMPANIES

ITALIAN LISTED COMPANIES

Mediobanca s.p.A. - Milan

RCs Mediagroup s.p.A. - Milan

Total other Italian listed companies

Total other listed companies

ITALIAN UNLISTED COMPANIES

Aree urbane s.r.l. (in liquidation) - Milan

C.I.R.A. - Centro Italiano di Ricerche Aerospaziali s.c.p.A. - Capua (CE)

15,753,367 

23,135,668 

1 quota 

30 

106,650.3 

21,620.3 

128,270.6 

128,270.6 

- 

- 

Alitalia - Compagnia Aerea Italiana s.p.A. - Rome

229,104,399 

5,348.6 

CEFRIEL - società Consortile a Responsabilità limitata

Consorzio dIxIT (in liquidation) - Milan

MIP Politecnico di Milano - graduate school of business società 
consortile per azioni già Consorzio per L’Innovazione nella gestione  
di Azienda -Mip -(Master Imprese Politecnico) Milano

Consorzio Milano Ricerche - Milan 

Fin breda s.p.A. (in liquidazione) - Milan

società generale per la Progettazione Consulenze  
e Partecipazioni (ex Italconsult) s.p.A. - Roma

Emittenti Titoli s.p.A. - Milan

F.C. Internazionale Milano s.p.A. - Milan

Fin. Priv. s.r.l. - Milan

Istituto Europeo di Oncologia s.r.l. - Milan

Nomisma - società di studi Economici s.p.A. - bologna

Redaelli sidas s.p.A. (in liquidazione) - Milan

s.In.T s.p.A. - Torin 

Consorzio Movincom scrl

Movincom servizi s.p.A.

Tiglio I s.r.l. - Milan

Total other Italian unlisted companies

FOREIGN COMPANIES

Libia

Libyan-Italian Joint Company - ordinary shares b

Belgium

Euroqube s.A. (in liquidation)

U.S.A.

gws Photonics Inc - Wilmington - private shares b 

gws Photonics Inc - Wilmington - private shares C

UK

Eca International 

Total other foreign companies

OTHER PORTFOLIO SECURITIES

1 quota 

1 quota 

12,000 

1 quota 

1,561,000 

1,100  

229,000  

55,805,625  

1 quota 

1 quota 

959.429  

750,000  

90,000  

1  

435,600  

1 quota 

300  

67,570  

1,724,138  

194,248  

100  

Fondo Comune di Investimento Immobiliare - Anastasia - nr quote 53

53 quota 

Total other portfolio securities

TOTAL AVAILABLE-FOR-SALE FINANCIAL ASSETS

-

-

-

-

-

-

3,597.5  

558.1  

14,473.3  

5,381.8  

243.5  

- 

92.7  

6.0  

372.7  

109.7  

30,183.9  

31.5  

151.2  

- 

- 

- 

182.7  

14,822.0  

14,822.0  

173,459.2  

1.8 

4.4 

- 

0.1 

2.7 

5.2 

14.3 

3.4 

7.1 

0.4 

3.7  

2.8  

0.5  

14.3  

6.1  

3.3  

4.6  

10.0  

5.8  

9.7  

0.6  

1.0  

17.8  

- 

- 

1.8 

4.4 

- 

0.1 

2.7 

5.2 

14.3 

3.4 

7.1 

0.4 

3.7  

2.8  

0.5  

14.3  

6.1  

3.3  

4.6  

10.0  

5.8  

9.7  

0.6  

1.0  

17.8  

- 

- 

2.8  

2.8  

- 

- 

Fair value 

valuation  

at 12/31/2015

33,318.4 

33,318.4 

33,318.4 

- 

-

-

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

1,191.3  

4,313.9  

372.0  

1.8  

5,879.0  

(343.5) 

(343.5) 

38,853.9  

678,914,731 

(5,348.6) 

908,019,130 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

15,753,367 

23,135,668 

1 quota 

30 

1 quota 

1 quota 

12,000 

1 quota 

1,561,000  

1,100  

229,000  

55,805,625  

1 quota 

1 quota 

959,429  

750,000  

90,000  

1  

435,600  

1 quota 

300  

1,724,138  

194,248  

100  

53  

33,318.4 

(7,264.6) 

26,053.8 

26,053.8 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

1,191.3  

(265.2) 

4,313.9  

372.0  

(83.2) 

- 

1.8  

(2.8) 

(237.6) 

(2.3) 

(60.7) 

(46.7) 

(343.5) 

(343.5) 

25,602.9  

(46.7) 

67,570  

139,968.7 

14,355.7 

154,324.4 

154,324.4 

- 

- 

- 

-

-

-

-

-

-

- 

- 

- 

4,788.8  

292.9  

18,787.2  

5,753.8  

160.3  

- 

94.5  

3.2  

135.1  

107.4  

30,123.2  

31.5  

104.5  

136.0  

14,478.5  

14,478.5  

199,062.1  

1.8 

4.4 

- 

0.1 

1.5 

5.2 

14.3 

3.4 

7.1 

0.4  

3.7  

2.8  

0.5  

14.3  

6.1  

3.3  

4.6  

10.0  

5.8  

4.4  

0.6  

1.0  

17.8  

- 

- 

- 

- 

1.8 

4.4 

0.1 

1.5 

5.2 

14.3 

3.4 

7.1 

0.4  

3.7  

2.8  

0.5  

14.3  

6.1  

3.3  

4.6  

10.0  

5.8  

4.4  

0.6  

1.0  

17.8  

- 

- 

- 

2.8  

2.8  

Parent Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

movements oF other available-F or-sale Financial assets From 12/31/2014 to 12/31/2015

12/31/2014

number

oF shares

carrying 

amount

(€/thousand)

% oF total

eQuity inv.

oF which

direct

Fair value 
valuation  
at 12/31/2015

other changes 

12/31/2015

number  
oF shares

(€/thousand) 

number
oF shares

carrying amount
(€/thousand)

% oF total
eQuity inv.

oF which
direct

C.I.R.A. - Centro Italiano di Ricerche Aerospaziali s.c.p.A. - Capua (CE)

Alitalia - Compagnia Aerea Italiana s.p.A. - Rome

229,104,399 

5,348.6 

CEFRIEL - società Consortile a Responsabilità limitata

Consorzio dIxIT (in liquidation) - Milan

MIP Politecnico di Milano - graduate school of business società 

consortile per azioni già Consorzio per L’Innovazione nella gestione  

di Azienda -Mip -(Master Imprese Politecnico) Milano

INVESTMENTS IN OTHER COMPANIES

ITALIAN LISTED COMPANIES

Mediobanca s.p.A. - Milan

RCs Mediagroup s.p.A. - Milan

Total other Italian listed companies

Total other listed companies

ITALIAN UNLISTED COMPANIES

Aree urbane s.r.l. (in liquidation) - Milan

Consorzio Milano Ricerche - Milan 

Fin breda s.p.A. (in liquidazione) - Milan

società generale per la Progettazione Consulenze  

e Partecipazioni (ex Italconsult) s.p.A. - Roma

Emittenti Titoli s.p.A. - Milan

F.C. Internazionale Milano s.p.A. - Milan

Fin. Priv. s.r.l. - Milan

Istituto Europeo di Oncologia s.r.l. - Milan

Nomisma - società di studi Economici s.p.A. - bologna

Redaelli sidas s.p.A. (in liquidazione) - Milan

s.In.T s.p.A. - Torin 

Consorzio Movincom scrl

Movincom servizi s.p.A.

Tiglio I s.r.l. - Milan

Total other Italian unlisted companies

FOREIGN COMPANIES

Libia

Belgium

U.S.A.

Euroqube s.A. (in liquidation)

Libyan-Italian Joint Company - ordinary shares b

gws Photonics Inc - Wilmington - private shares b 

gws Photonics Inc - Wilmington - private shares C

UK

Eca International 

Total other foreign companies

OTHER PORTFOLIO SECURITIES

Fondo Comune di Investimento Immobiliare - Anastasia - nr quote 53

53 quota 

Total other portfolio securities

TOTAL AVAILABLE-FOR-SALE FINANCIAL ASSETS

15,753,367 

23,135,668 

1 quota 

30 

1 quota 

1 quota 

12,000 

1 quota 

1,561,000 

1,100  

229,000  

55,805,625  

1 quota 

1 quota 

959.429  

750,000  

90,000  

1  

435,600  

1 quota 

300  

67,570  

1,724,138  

194,248  

100  

106,650.3 

21,620.3 

128,270.6 

128,270.6 

- 

- 

-

-

-

-

-

-

3,597.5  

558.1  

14,473.3  

5,381.8  

243.5  

- 

92.7  

6.0  

372.7  

109.7  

30,183.9  

31.5  

151.2  

- 

- 

- 

182.7  

14,822.0  

14,822.0  

173,459.2  

1.8 

4.4 

- 

0.1 

2.7 

5.2 

14.3 

3.4 

7.1 

0.4 

3.7  

2.8  

0.5  

14.3  

6.1  

3.3  

4.6  

10.0  

5.8  

9.7  

0.6  

1.0  

17.8  

- 

- 

- 

1.8 

4.4 

- 

0.1 

2.7 

5.2 

14.3 

3.4 

7.1 

0.4 

3.7  

2.8  

0.5  

14.3  

6.1  

3.3  

4.6  

10.0  

5.8  

9.7  

0.6  

1.0  

17.8  

- 

- 

- 

2.8  

2.8  

33,318.4 

- 

33,318.4 

33,318.4 

-

-

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

1,191.3  

- 

4,313.9  

372.0  

- 

- 

1.8  

- 

- 

- 

5,879.0  

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

(343.5) 

(343.5) 

38,853.9  

- 

- 

- 

- 

15,753,367 

23,135,668 

33,318.4 

(7,264.6) 

26,053.8 

26,053.8 

- 

- 

1 quota 

30 

678,914,731 

(5,348.6) 

908,019,130 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

1,191.3  

(265.2) 

4,313.9  

372.0  

(83.2) 

- 

1.8  

(2.8) 

(237.6) 

(2.3) 

(60.7) 

1 quota 

1 quota 

12,000 

1 quota 

1,561,000  

1,100  

229,000  

55,805,625  

1 quota 

1 quota 

959,429  

750,000  

90,000  

1  

435,600  

1 quota 

- 

300  

(46.7) 

67,570  

1,724,138  

194,248  

100  

53  

- 

- 

- 

(46.7) 

(343.5) 

(343.5) 

25,602.9  

265

139,968.7 

14,355.7 

154,324.4 

154,324.4 

- 

- 

- 

-

-

-

-

-

-

4,788.8  

292.9  

18,787.2  

5,753.8  

160.3  

- 

94.5  

3.2  

135.1  

107.4  

30,123.2  

31.5  

104.5  

- 

- 

- 

136.0  

14,478.5  

14,478.5  

199,062.1  

1.8 

4.4 

- 

0.1 

1.5 

5.2 

14.3 

3.4 

7.1 

0.4  

3.7  

2.8  

0.5  

14.3  

6.1  

3.3  

4.6  

10.0  

5.8  

4.4  

0.6  

1.0  

17.8  

- 

- 

2.8  

- 

1.8 

4.4 

- 

0.1 

1.5 

5.2 

14.3 

3.4 

7.1 

0.4  

3.7  

2.8  

0.5  

14.3  

6.1  

3.3  

4.6  

10.0  

5.8  

4.4  

0.6  

1.0  

17.8  

- 

- 

2.8  

- 

Parent Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

inventory at 12/31/2015   
list oF eQuity investments in subsidiaries and associates  
(pursuant to art. 2427 oF the civil code)
(in thousands of euro)

legal 
address

carrying 
amount

share %

share 
capital

attrib-
utable 
eQuity

attribut-
able net 
income 
(loss)

EQUITY INVESTMENTS IN SUBSIDIARIES - ITALY

Pirelli servizi Amministrazioni e Tesoreria 
s.p.A.

Maristel s.p.A.

Pirelli Ambiente s.r.l.

Pirelli sistemi Informativi s.r.l.

Pirelli Labs s.p.A.

Pirelli Tyre s.p.A. 

Pirelli Consumer Italia s.r.l.

servizi Aziendali Pirelli s.c.p.a.

Hb servizi srl

Milan

Milan

Milan

Milan

Milan

Milan

Milan

Milan

Milan

Total equity investments in subsidiaries 
- Italy

EQUITY INVESTMENTS IN FOREIGN SUBSIDIARIES

Switzerland

3,238

100.0%

1,315

2,878

1,655

4,079

1,090,755

20

103

0

1,104,043

100.0%

100.0%

100.0%

100.0%

100.0%

100.0%

92.3%

100.0%

2,047

1,020

10

1,010

5,000

3,991

2,137

2,878

2,207

5,484

33

11

(17,135)

52

(77)

756,820

1,292,960

264,218

10

104

10

16

276

389

(4)

18

(1,582)

Pirelli group Reinsurance Company s.A.

Lugano

6,346

100.0%

7,383

14,024

4,089

Brasil

Pirelli Ltda

UK

Pirelli uk ltd.

sao Paulo

9,666

100.0%

3,294

1,374

(3,880)

London

21,871

100.0%

250,000

283,822

17,663

Total equity investments in foreign 
subsidiaries

Total equity investments in subsidiaries

EQUITY INVESTMENTS IN ASSOCIATES - ITALY

37,883

1,141,926

Consortium for the Reserach into 
Advanced Materials (CORIMAv)

Eurostazioni s.p.A.

Fenice s.r.l.

Prelios s.p.A.

gWM Renewable Energy II spa

Total equity investments in associates 
- Italy

Total equity investments in associates

* data not yet available

Milan

Rome

Milan

Milan

Rome

104

100.0%

104

104

32.7%

69.9%

29.2%

16.9%

165,233

23,345

426,432

*

*

*

52,937

28,179

41,920

11,192

134,332

134,332

0

*

*

*

266

Parent Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

267

Every Mark Is Unique  /  PIRELLI

 Jonathan Rea 

2015 SBK World Champion

“When thinking about motorcycling in the future, 
I hope I leave my mark as someone who is remembered 
for always giving 100% no matter the circumstances 
and also for having fun when I ride the motorcycle. 
For me that is the most important, 
because when we strip it back I started competing 
because it was fun and to this day 
I always have a lot of fun when I race!„

s
a
p
m
a
L
s
a
r
k
o
P

 
Every Mark Is Unique  /  PIRELLI

Parent Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

rePort oF tHe 
Board oF stat UtorY 
aUditors to tHe 
GeneraL MeetinG  
oF sHareHoLders

Dear Shareholders,
The Board of Statutory Auditors must, in the terms of art. 2429 paragraph 2 of the Civil Code report to the general meeting on the 
results of the corporate financial year and the activity performed in meeting its duties and making comments and proposals con-
cerning the financial statements and their approval.
During the course of the financial year the Board of Statutory Auditors performed its tasks of oversight in the terms foreseen under 
current regulations and taking into account standards of conduct recommended by the National Council of Qualified Accountants 
and Accounting Experts and the provisions of the Consob in the matter of corporate controls and the activities of the Board of 
Statutory Auditors.

270

* * *

The financial statements for the 2015 financial year show revenues amounting to euro 6,309.6 million , an operating income (loss) 
(Ebit) of euro 850.3 million with an Ebit margin attaining 13.7% of these revenues. 
The aggregate consolidated loss, which includes residual amount of assets and liabilities held for sale (final tranche of Steelcord 
business) amounts to euro -383.5 million. This loss was mainly brought about by the deconsolidation of the Venezuelan company 
(euro -559.5 million).
It is here mentioned that as at the date of reference December 31, 2015, Pirelli has proceeded to deconsolidating the Venezuelan 
equity invested company (held 96.22%) and recognize the fair value of the investment (amounting to euro 18.9 million). The grounds 
for this deconsolidation have been the growing and permanent restrictions on converting foreign currency and the increasingly 
lower availability of USA dollars in the country which, in a manner that cannot be held to be temporary, do not permit payment of 
dividends, royalties and commercial payables to other companies of the Group. To this must be added further regulatory limitations 
(for example controls of sales margins and especially stringent labour legislation), which are not temporary either, and which in fact 
do not allow the Group to implement business decisions on the assets of the equity invested company nor govern its main activities. 
On the basis of this scenario the company has considered, in line with what has already been done by other multinationals, that 
conditions required for assuming accounting oversight on the company in the terms of IFRS 10 did not apply. The economic results 
of the Venezuelan company have been consolidated for the entire 2015 financial year. Deconsolidation of the equity invested Vene-
zuelan company has led to detecting an adverse impact in the Income Statement for euro 559.5 million including deconsolidation of 
the net financial position of the company which as at December 31, 2015 was favourable for euro 277.7 million. A detailed analysis 
of the intention to proceed to deconsolidation was provided to the Board of Statutory Auditors in its meeting on March 10, 2016 held 
jointly with the Audit, Risks, Sustainability and Corporate Governance Committee.
Consolidated net financial position is negative for euro 1,199.1 million (979.6 at the end of 2014). 
The parent company Pirelli & C. S.p.A. closed the financial year with a net loss of euro 1.7 million (net profit of euro 258 million in 
2014) mainly due to impairments of deferred taxes plus for euro 103 million.

* * *

Parent Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

We here point out that the financial statements for Pirelli & C. S.p.A. have been drawn up on the basis of the IAS/IFRS international 
accounting standards issued by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) and approved by the European Union, applying 
as at December 31, 2015 With effect from February 26, 2016 it no longer has shares listed on the Milan Stock Exchange. In the con-
solidated financial statements as at December 31, 2015 the company declared that it will continue to prepare consolidated financial 
statements on the basis of IFRS accounting standards, on the basis of the option granted under art. 3 of Legislative Decree. 38/2005.
In the Directors’ Report on Operations, the main risks and uncertainties are itemised and account is given of the foreseeable pro-
gress in management.
The financial statements for the Company are made up of a statement of financial position, an income statement, a statement of other 
comprehensive income, a statement of changes in equity, a statement of cash flows and explanatory notes. 
The financial statements are accompanied by Directors’ Report on Operations.

AppoiNtmeNt oF tHe BoArD oF stAtutorY AuDitors 

The Board of Statutory Auditors in office as at the date of this report is made up thus:

  Dr. Francesco Fallacara (Chairman), appointed by the General meeting of shareholders on May 14, 2015 
  Dr Fabio Artoni (statutory auditor), appointed by the General meeting of shareholders on May 14, 2015 
  Dr. Fabrizio Acerbis (statutory auditor), appointed by the General meeting of shareholders on March 15, 2016
  Dr. Giovanni Bandera (statutory auditor) appointed by the general meeting of shareholders on March 15, 2016
  Dr. David Reali (statutory auditor) appointed by the General meeting of shareholders on March 15, 2016

Deputy auditors are Dr. Fabio Facchini and Dr. Giovanna Oddo.
The Board of Statutory Auditors expires from office by completion of mandate with the General Meeting of Shareholders called to 
approve the financial statements as at December 31, 2017
The Board of Statutory Auditors was, from January 1, 2015 up until May 14, 2015, made up of Francesco Fallacara, Chairman, An-
tonella Carù and Sebastiano Umile Iacovino, statutory auditors and from May 14, 2015 to March 15, 2016 by Francesco Fallacara, 
Chairman, Antonella Carù and Fabio Artoni, statutory auditors.
In the light of these circumstances, and considering the inspection activities performed by the oversight body in office during the 
course of the financial year 2015, it must be pointed out that all mention in this report of oversight and verification activities per-
formed during the course of the financial year is to be understood as referring to the actions of the members pro tempore in office 
of auditing body. 

271

sigNiFiCANt eveNts

The significant events are detailed in the Directors’ Report on Operations. In particular:

  On August 11, 2015 – following the acquisition by Marco Polo Industrial Holding S.p.A., a company controlled by CNRC and with 
an equity investment by Camfin, of 20.34% Pirelli & C. S.p.A. from Camfin S.p.A. and the signing of the Pirelli side agreement 
with subject matter, in addition to the quota acquired, also the 5.85% of the capital held indirectly by Camfn S.p.A. in Pirelli 
through Cam 2012 S.p.A. - Marco Polo Industrial Holding S.p.A. launched a mandatory POA on the entirety of ordinary shares 
of Pirelli at 15 euros per share and a voluntary POA on the entirety of savings shares at 15 euros per share. 
  On November 6, 2015 ordinary shares were delisted 
  On November 23, 2015 the Board of Directors of Pirelli convened an extraordinary general meeting to resolve on a mandatory 
conversion of savings shares into special category unlisted shares of new issue without voting rights, adoption of new articles 
of association and merger with the controlling company Marco Polo Industrial Holding S.p.A. 
  On December 22, 2015 the Board of Directors of Pirelli & C. S.p.A. and Marco Polo Industrial Holding S.p.A. approved the project 
for merger through incorporation of Marco Holding Industrial Holding S.p.A. into Pirelli & C. S.p.A. 

As also set out by directors in their report among significant events after the end of the financial year we would mention:

  On February 15, 2016 an extraordinary general meeting of partners of Pirelli & C. S.p.A.:

  approved the project for merger by incorporation of the controlling company Marco Polo Industrial Holding S.p.A. into Pirelli 
& C. S.p.A. on the basis of 6.30 Pirelli shares to be assigned post-merger to Marco Polo Industrial Holding Italy S.p.A. (Holdco) 

 
Parent Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

- sole partner in Marco Polo Industrial Holding S.p.A. - for each 1 share held prior to the merger by Marco Polo Industrial 
Holding S.p.A. (Holdco) in Marco Polo Industrial Holding S.p.A. It is foreseen that the merger can be concluded in the first 
half-year of 2016.
  also approved the proposal for mandatory conversion of savings shares into special category unlisted shares of new issue 
and without voting rights. Following the mandatory conversion of savings shares into special category unlisted shares, the 
savings shares cease to be listed on regulated markets with effect from February 26, 2016
  approved the proposal to adopt new articles of association. 

  On March 15, 2016 the General meeting: 

  dealt with the appointment of the Board of Directors in the persons of Messrs. REN Jianxin, President, Marco Tronchetti 
Provera Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer, Carlo Acutis, Giorgio Luca Bruno, Andrey Kostin, Igor Sechin, 
YANG Xun, BAI Xinping, Ze’ev Goldberg, Emerson Milenski, WANG Dan, ZHANG Haitao, Gustavo Bracco, JIAO Chonggao, 
Luca Rovati e YANG Xingqiang, Directors; the new Board of Directors will expire as at the general meeting of shareholders 
convened to approve the financial statements as at December 31, 2018.
  Consistently with new provisions of the articles of association, it resolved an increase to 5 in the number of regular mem-
bers of the Board of Statutory Auditors appointing regular auditors Fabrizio Acerbis, Giovanni Bandera and David Reali – of 
which one by way of replacement for regular auditor Antonella Carù resigning from office with effect from the same date 
and did not deal – consistently with the new provisions of the articles of association – with replacement of the alternate au-
ditor Andrea Lorezatti, who resigned with effect from the date 15/3/2016. The board will expire as at the general meeting 
convened to approve the financial statements as at December 31, 2017.

AtYpiCAL AND uNusuAL trANsACtioNs

Significant transactions detected in the 2015 financial year are set out in detail in the Directors’ Report on Operations. No atypical 
or unusual transactions were found to apply.

272

trANsACtioNs iNtrAgroup or WitH reLAteD pArties

In the terms of art. 2391-bis of the Civil Code and Consob resolution no. 17221 dated March 12, 2010 bearing “Regulations in respect 
of transactions with related parties”, subsequently modified by Consob resolution no. 17389 dated June 23, 2010, on November 3, 
2010 the Board of Directors of Pirelli & C. S.p.A. subject to the favourable opinion by the Committee concerned made up only of 
independent directors (appointed for this in the terms of art. 4 of the Regulation mentioned by specific resolution of the Board of 
Directors) unanimously approved a “Procedure for transactions with related parties” 
Following revoking of all shares from listing, the Board of Directors also revoked the foregoing procedure among others with effect 
from March 15, 2016. 
We would point out that the Procedure adopted by the Company and followed in respect of transactions effected during the course 
of the 2015 financial year (i) is consistent with the standards contained in the Consob Regulations mentioned, (ii) was made public 
on the website of the Company (www.pirelli.com)
During the course of the 2015 financial year transactions with related parties both intragroup and third parties were carried out.
Intragroup transactions examined by us were found to be done in the ordinary course of business as being essentially made up of 
mutual administration, financial and organisational services. They were governed by applying normal conditions determined in 
accordance with standard parameters, and which reflect the actual enjoyment of the services, and were performed in the interests 
of the Company as they aimed to rationalise the use of Group resources.
Transactions with non-intragroup related parties examined by us were these too found to be of an ordinary kind (as falling into 
the ordinary carrying on of the operational business or financial business connecter therewith) and/or concluded at conditions 
equivalent to those of the market or standard, and meeting the interests of the Company. These transactions were notified to us 
periodically by the Company.
We took part in meetings of the Audit, Risks, Sustainability and Corporate Governance Committee (also meeting as Committee 
for Transactions with Related Parties) during which it expressed a favourable opinion in respect of a number of transactions with 
related parties of “lesser relevance” as the Committee assessed the interests of the Company in performing the transaction and the 
related conditions as being worthwhile and proper.

 
 
 
 
Parent Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

Transactions with Related Parties are indicated in the notes commenting upon the financial statements for the financial year and 
the consolidated financial statements of the Company wherein the consequent economic, assets and liabilities effects are set out.
We have had oversight on abidance by the Procedure concerning this adopted by the Company and the propriety of the process 
followed by the Board and Committee concerned in the matter of qualifying related parties and we have nothing to report.

impAirmeNt test proCeDure

We would report that following revoking of the listing the Board of Directors was no longer bound, as suggested in the joint doc-
ument of the Bank of Italy/Consob/ISVAP dated March 3, 2010, to approve autonomously and beforehand in respect of the time of 
approval of the financial statements, that the prescriptions of international accounting standard IAS 36 were met concerning an 
impairment test, subject to prior sharing of this by the Audit, Risks, Sustainability and Corporate Governance Committee.
The impairment test procedures were conducted by the Company on the goodwill allocated to the Consumer and Industrial cash 
generating units and were submitted at the meeting to approve the financial statements in a manner preliminary as compared to 
the passing the resolution for approval of these, on March 15, 2016.
In the explanatory notes to the financial statements information and outcomes are shown in the terms of the assessment process 
followed with the aid of a highly qualified expert. 

oversigHt ACtivities iN tHe terms oF LegisLAtive  
DeCree 39/2010 “LegAL AuDitiNg oF ACCouNts”

The Board of Statutory Auditors together with the Audit, Risks, Sustainability and Corporate Governance Committee had oversight 
in respect of:

  financial information process;
  effectiveness of the system of internal control, internal auditing and risk management
  legal auditing of annual accounts and consolidated accounts;
  independence of the firm of auditors, especially in respect of the provision of non-auditing services.

273

* * *

  Activities of oversight of the financial briefing process  

The Board of Statutory Auditors checked upon there being adequate rules and processes presiding over the process of “forming” 
and “disclosing” financial information and so expresses an assessment of adequacy in respect of the process of forming of the finan-
cial information and does not feel that there are queries for submission to the General meeting.

  Oversight of activities on the effectiveness of internal control, internal auditing  
  and risk managements systems and legal auditing of annual accounts  
  and consolidated accounts  

The Board of Statutory Auditors, together with the Audit, Risks, Sustainability and Corporate Governance Committee met with the 
Director of Internal Audit on a quarterly basis so being informed in connection with the results of the actions of auditing aimed at 
verifying the adequacy and operation of the System of Internal Control, abidance by the law, corporate procedures and processes 
and activity of implementing related plans for improvement. It also received the Audit Plan for the financial year and related actual 
figures as well as the Annual Risk Assessment and Annual Risk Management Plan.
Additionally, at half-yearly intervals it received from the Audit, Risks, Sustainability and Corporate Governance Committee and 
from the Oversight Body, their respective reports on activities performed.
The Board of Statutory Auditors also took due note of what was reported by the Chief Financial Officer who at the time of approv-
ing the the financial statements confirmed the adequacy and suitability of the powers and means granted to them by the Board of 
Directors of the Company, confirming too having had direct access to all the information necessary for producing accounting data, 
without any need for authorisation whatsoever; the Board of Statutory Auditors also took due note that the Chief Financial Officer 
reported having taken part in the internal flows of briefing for accounting purposes and having approved all the corporate proce-

Parent Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

dures bearing on the income statement and the statement of financial position of the Company.
The Board of Statutory Auditors hereby expresses an assessment of adequacy of the system of internal control, internal auditing 
and governance of risks overall, and there are no queries to be submitted to the General Meeting.
The Board of Statutory Auditors met the firm of auditors at least quarterly intervals and from these meetings no fundamental 
questions arising at the time of auditing came to light nor significant shortcomings in the system of internal control in respect of 
the process of financial briefing, also in the terms of what is laid down under art. 19, paragraph 3 of Legislative Decree 39/2010.

  Activities of oversight in respect of the independence of the firm of auditors,  
  especially in respect of matters concerning the provision of non-auditing services  

The Board of Statutory Auditors had oversight in respect of the independence of the Firm of Auditors and in particular received pe-
riod evidence of the appointments other than for auditing services to be attributed (or attributed on the basis of specific regulatory 
provisions) to the Legal Auditor of accounts.
In respect of the independence of the Firm of Auditors, a detailed procedure was issued at a Group level in this regard and which 
sets forth a prohibition in respect of all companies of the Pirelli Group of awarding appointments to companies belonging to the 
network of the Legal Auditor appointed without prior and expressed authorisation from the Chief Financial Officer, who, with the 
aid of the Internal Audit Director, has the task of verifying the fact that the appointment to be awarded does not fall among those 
not admitted under art. 17 of the Legislative Decree mentioned no. 39/2010 and that in any event, given its features, does not impact 
upon the independence of the auditor.
All appointments other than those of legal auditor of accounts or are mandatory in the terms of the law of and foresee an annual 
compensation in excess of 50 thousand euros are to be submitted to prior examination by the Board of Statutory Auditors of Pirelli 
& Company, save for grounded and specific reasons. the Internal Audit Director has provided the Board of Statutory Auditors with 
a listing on a quarterly basis of the non-auditing services awarded to the Auditor.
During the course of the 2105 financial year Reconta Ernst&Young S.p.A. performed activities summarised below for the benefit of 
the Group:

(in thousands of euro)

Independent auditing 
services and certification 
services (1)

services other  
than auditing

company that  
provided the service

company that  
received the service

partial 
Fees

total 
Fees

Reconta Ernst & young s.p.A.

Pirelli & C. s.p.A.

Reconta Ernst & young s.p.A.

Network Ernst & young 

subsidiaries

subsidiaries

Reconta Ernst & young s.p.A.

Pirelli & C. s.p.A.

Reconta Ernst & young s.p.A.

Network Ernst & young 

subsidiaries

subsidiaries

492 

572 

2,052 

3,116 

86.7%

 - 

 - 

480 (2)

480 

13.3%

3,596 

100.0%

(1)  the item “independent auditing and certification services” includes amounts paid for auditing services and other services that envisage the 

issuance of an auditor’s report as well as amounts paid for the so called certification services since they create synergies with the auditing services.

(2)  support for the analysis of the distribution network and go-to-market activities.

The Board of Statutory Auditors deems that the considerations mentioned above are adequate to the size, complexity and character-
istics of the works carried out and believes also that the appointments (and related compensation) other than auditing services are 
not such as to impact upon the independence of the Legal Auditor.
In this latter regard, it is here pointed out that the Audit, Risks, Sustainability and Corporate Governance Committee shared this 
assessment.

274

Parent Financial Statements  /  2015 ANNUAL REPORT

orgANisAtioNAL struCture

The Board of Statutory Auditors has assessed the organisational structure of Company as being adequate to its needs and suited to 
ensuring abidance by standards of proper administration.

CompeNsAtioN oF DireCtors AND DirigeNti  
WitH strAtegiC respoNsiBiLities

During the course of the financial year the Board of Statutory Auditors expressed the opinion required under the law in respect of the 
compensations paid to directors awarded special appointments, expressing the opinion foreseen under article 2389 of the Civil Code.
The Board of Statutory Auditors detected the fact that the system of compensation applying foresees awarding compensation utilis-
ing a fixed element and an additional (variable) element tied to the economic results achieved, also in the long term at a Group level 
and related to achieving specific objectives set by the Board of Directors as proposed by the Remuneration Committee.
During the meeting on December 22, 2015, the Board of Directors, as proposed by the Remuneration Committee and subject to prior 
approval by the Board of Statutory Auditors, resolved early closing as at December 31, 2015 of the three-year cash incentive plan 
2014/2016 (LTC 2014/2016). 
At the subsequent meeting on March 15, 2016 following on from the foregoing resolution, the Board of Directors resolved approval of 
the MBO proposal for 2016 and the LTI proposal 2016/2018, a three-year incentive plan connected with attaining creation of positive 
value in the three-year period and two further distinct objectives. 
This three-year incentive plan is directed towards all executives in general of the group and foresees settling the incentive at the 
end of the three-year term.

FurtHer ACtivities oF tHe BoArD  
oF stAtutorY AuDitors 

275

In exercising its functions, the Board of Statutory Auditors, as prescribed under article 149 of the Consolidation Act, oversaw:

  the observance of the law and memorandum of association;
  the abidance by principles of proper administrations;
  the adequacy of the structure of the Company in respect of matters of its concern;
  the  manner  of  actual  implementation  of  rules  of  corporate  governance  foreseen  in  codes  of  conduct  to  which  the  Company, 
through briefings to the public, has declared abiding by for the 2015 financial year;
  the adequacy of dispositions imparted to subsidiary companies in the terms of art. 114, paragraph 2, of Legislative Decree