The further decrease in suppliers (who received at least one order during the year), is essentially due to the pursuit of rationalisation of purchases undertaken in 2010; the use of master orders and qualification systems reduced the number of orders and increased their average value. Supplies from social cooperatives In 2011, consistently with the provisions of the Protocol signed in June 2009 with associations representing social cooperatives, we continued to hold periodic meetings to monitor the employment of disadvantaged personnel by type B social cooperatives in the management of the work contracts awarded by Hera Group companies.