Optimising the organisation and defining procedures can only improve a company's results. They are also an important element of competitiveness in a market that is less and less willing to accept improvisation and disorganisation. The decree of the Ministry of Development of December 28, 2012 established that to access the mechanism of "White Certificates" (starting from two years from the issuance of the decree) to third companies in the energy services sector (ESCo) is required certification according to UNI CEI 11352. In addition, individuals who assume the function of responsible for the conservation and rational use of energy through the appointed Energy Managers and through companies, is required certification UNI CEI 11359 (EGE - Energy Management Expert). The UNI CEI 11352 standard is integrated with the ISO 50001 standard (Energy Management Systems). ISO 50001 provides companies with a framework of recognition of reference for the integration of energy performance in the management of business processes, and the basic standards of management systems UNI EN ISO 9001. for quality and UNI EN ISO 14001. The 11352 therefore provides the minimum elements to verify the ability of ESCos to offer energy efficiency improvement services, in compliance with UNI CEI 15900, and thus improve end-user confidence.

The objectives of increasing energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions have generated a new model of reference for energy management. In fact, already at European level, in view of the objectives set by the so-called "20/20/20 climate-energy package" (2009/29/Ce), the new Directive 2012/27/EU, which entered into force on 4 December 2012, calls on Member States to save energy by setting national indicative energy efficiency targets based on primary or final energy consumption, primary or final energy savings or energy intensity.In addition to simple energy consumption, today the end user requires guarantees and services that are profoundly transforming the relationship between production, distribution and supply. 

ESCo (Energy Service Companies) are increasingly effective interlocutors for businesses and public administrations that set themselves the objectives of energy efficiency and improvement of energy use. The technical standard for voluntary certification UNI CEI 11352:2010 for ESCos was recently issued with reference to Decree 115/08 and with a view to validating, through the satisfaction of objective criteria, the ESCo structure in general, the energy management systems used and energy audits. In an increasingly competitive market for energy management and energy efficiency services, the publication of UNI CEI 11352 represents an opportunity for those ESCos who intend to provide services with added value in both the private and public sectors (PA).The certification according to UNI CEI 11352, as a third party certification, is the confirmation to stakeholders of the fundamental role of ESCo or the ability to provide energy services aimed at improving energy efficiency, at its customers with a guarantee of results. Specifically, the standard has led to a clearer definition of the requirements required of energy professionals, regulating services and defining certification criteria - currently on a voluntary basis - regarding the organisational, diagnostic, managerial and economic-financial skills that an ESCo must have in order to correctly qualify as such.