Fiat Group

ACEA

The European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA), founded in 1991, whose key objective is to promote, publicize and defend the interests of its member manufacturers for all matters pertaining to the automobile industry and transport in general.

Active Safety

All the mechanical characteristics that contribute to the dynamic performance of the vehicle on the road: road holding, prompt and effective brake application, drivability and ease of handling; responsive and performing power units.

ANFIA

National association of the Automobile Industry; established in Turin on March 20, 1912 (one of the first Italian trade associations) to help the newborn Italian motor industry to liaise more effectively with the public administration on all matters arising from the spread of the motor vehicle.

Audit of the Environmental Management System

It is a process of assessment and monitoring, on a regular basis, of the environmental management system. It is one of the instruments used for environmental certification.

Biofuels

Vegetable-derived alcohols or oils often containing oxygen, used in their existing form or transformed into ethers (MTBE or ETBE) or esters for use as combustible fuels for application in propulsion systems or stationary plants.

Biogas

Gases derived from the decomposition of organic materials (e.g., from organic household waste) which, after the appropriate processing, can be used as combustibles for thermal power generation plants.

Biomass

Biological matter which can be recovered and converted into electric energy, heat or chemical products which substitute petroleum derivatives (biofuels). Because they can be regenerated, they are generally considered renewable energy sources.

Butane

Hydrocarbon gas (C4H10) produced from refined crude petroleum. Being denser than air and highly flammable makes it an extremely dangerous gas and facilitates the creation of flammable compounds. An odour is therefore added to it so that its presence in the air can be more easily detected. It is one of the components in LPG.

Car sharing

Shared utilization of a vehicle fleet by several people. This service supplements collective transport and is geared to the improvement of mobility and the environment.

Carbon Dioxide (CO2)

Carbon dioxide is a gas produced by combustion, breathing, decomposition of organic materials through the total oxidization of carbon. It is indispensable to plant life and is a practically inert substance. CO2 is transparent to sunlight but absorbs infrared radiation emissions from the earth's surface, resulting in the so called "greenhouse effect". Over time, variations in the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere from various human activities (e.g., combustion, deforestation, etc.) generate climate changes.

Climate change

Alteration in the balance of the earth's natural global climate. Principal climate changes relate to the increase in intensity and frequency of extreme weather phenomena (hurricanes, storms, floods, drought), rising sea levels, increases in desert areas, higher temperatures and reduced biodiversity. The term global climate refers to the equilibrium between the total flow of energy entering the planet, which consists almost entirely of solar energy, and the total flow of energy leaving the planet, which consists partially of solar radiation reflected by the atmosphere, clouds and soil and partially of energy emitted or radiating from the earth as a whole.

CNG

Acronym for Compressed Natural Gas, i.e. natural gas compressed to 220 bar, different from LPG – liquefied petroleum, gas. It is used as an environmentally "clean" alternative to other more polluting fuels for automobiles.

COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand)

It is the measurement of the oxygen demand, i.e. the amount of oxygen required to oxidize organic and inorganic substances present in a water sample. This parameter is used primarily to estimate the organic content of water, and thus the potential level of pollution due to oxidisable substances.

Code of Conduct

It defines the commitments and the conduct principles adopted by a Company in its relations with businesses, employees, environment and external communities. For the Fiat Group, it is an integral and substantial part of the work contract.

Cogeneration

Combined production of thermal energy and power (at the same plant) providing significant savings in energy compared to separate production.

Combustion

Reaction of organic substances with oxygen present in the atmosphere: it produces carbon oxides, water vapour and thermal energy.

Compliance Officer

Within each Sector of the Fiat Group there are specific functions responsible for the monitoring of the internal control system, the improvement of the risk management system and the management of the Group's whistleblowings procedure.

Corporate Governance

Set of rules for the management of an organization aimed at the creation of social and economic value for all entities involved.

COSO

Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission; a voluntary private sector organization, established by professional accounting and auditing associations, dedicated to improving the quality of financial reporting through business ethics, effective internal controls and corporate governance. See: www.coso.org

CRM

The concept of Customer Relationship Management is connected to the concept of customer loyalty. CRM introduces a new market approach that puts the customer, and not the product, at the centre of the business.

CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility)

Voluntary integration of "social and environmental concerns in business operations and interaction with stakeholders". [...] "CSR means not only fulfilling legal expectations, but also going beyond compliance and investing more in human capital, the environment and relations with stakeholders." - from the European Commission Green Paper "Promoting a European framework for Corporate Social Responsibility".

Defined Contribution Retirement Plans

Plans where the Retirement Fund guarantees the payment of a determined contribution in each working period (weekly, fortnightly, monthly). In this case, there is no guarantee about the life annuity, which will be calculated at the moment of retirement. The financial risk rests on the employee.

Defined Retirement Benefit Plans

Plans where the Retirement Fund guarantees a life annuity, which usually corresponds to a percentage of the last salary or to an average salary calculated over a certain number of working years. In this case, the Company's contribution varies over the years so as to ensure the existence of a capital (liability) sufficient to pay the promised annuities. The financial risk rests on the Fund.