UN 2030 Agenda

Sofidel’s sustainable growth strategy is completely in line with “building an inclusive, sustainable and resilient future for people and the Planet” pursued by the United Nations (UN).

Building a better future. A common goal.

Within the UN 2030 Agenda – the plan of action for people, the Planet and prosperity (agreed in September 2015 by the governments of the 193 member countries), Sofidel contributes to achieving the following Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

Good health
and well-being

Sofidel is committed to promoting the health, safety and psycho-physical well-being of its workers.

The Group believes that real and lasting improvement in the health and well-being of workers can be achieved by adopting of healthier lifestyles, improving the work environment and work organisation, promoting active participation and encouraging personal development.

Sofidel pursues the promotion of the culture of health (from working environments to the health and hygiene properties of our products and their distribution) as one of the elements at the core of our value creation process and as a development leverage for people.

 

Quality
education

Sofidel pays close and constant attention to the education of the future generations, all the more so at a time when the current digital revolution, Industry 4.0 and new demands for sustainability are profoundly innovating the tissue paper industry, with repercussions on production, products, logistics and distribution.

In particular, Sofidel is committed to supporting students, teachers, head teachers and rectors in the implementation of innovative, open, competence-driven training that represents a real development factor for the tissue industry. A task of safeguarding, transmitting and increasing the wealth of professionalism, helping students to acquire high-level skills and better equipping companies to face global competition.

 

Clean water
and sanitation

Being aware of how precious water is for the survival of the Planet, Sofidel safeguards and manages responsibly water resources and its production processes are constantly monitored in order to optimise the use of water. The aim of reducing water consumption is pursued through management measures, specific investments, and through policies of reusing waste water.

Sofidel aims to achieve a production process that is as efficient as possible – i.e. “closed cycle” –, with the water taken from the environment reused for multiple production cycles. A substantial part of non-recoverable water is, instead, reintroduced into the environment as water vapour, during the final part of the tissue paper drying process, while the remaining part, once treated through purification plants, is returned to the environment.

Affordable
and clean energy

The paper production process is defined as an energy-intensive activity, which requires great amounts of energy. In order to reduce the impacts on natural capital and encourage the transition to a low carbon economy, Sofidel focuses great attention on the sustainability of the energy sources employed, as well as the energy efficiency of its production plants and production processes. Since 2009, the Group is committed to improving energy efficiency and reducing direct emissions of its plants through investments in biomass power plants, cogeneration plants and energy production from renewable sources (photovoltaic and hydroelectric).

Sofidel has also implemented a “proximity strategy” that resulted in a geographical coverage for the European plants within a range of 350/400 km from clients, and 700/800 km for the US plants. This also resulted in fewer transport kilometres travelled and lower CO2 emissions.

Responsible consumption
and production

Containing environmental impacts, reducing waste and promoting responsible consumption are the core values underpinning Sofidel’s development policies. The objective is to create products with an ever-shrinking ecological footprint and which perform better at the same time. Products that contain lower amounts of natural capital thanks to the higher functional qualities of the production plants and technologies used.

From the introduction of more sustainable packaging to the development of a new generation of products: the Group works to offer tissue paper with higher performance and to achieve higher efficiency from the production point of view, with consequent advantages also in terms of environmental sustainability.

Climate
action

Sofidel’s sustainable approach has enabled a significant reduction in the environmental impact of production. In particular, the Group is the first Italian manufacturer – and the first company in the world from the tissue industry – to join the WWF Climate Savers international programme in 2008 (aimed at market-leading businesses with regards to the “low carbon economy”), which sets particularly ambitious objectives to reduce direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions and increase the use of renewable energy.

In 2020, the Group has had its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction targets to 2030 (scopes 1 and 2) approved by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) as consistent with levels required to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement, in line with what the latest climate science says is needed to prevent the worst impacts of climate change.

Life
on land

Protecting, restoring and promoting sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems”. Sofidel’s commitment to safeguarding forests and biodiversity translates in strict procurement policies: 100% of the pulp – used as raw material in the production process – is certified by independent third parties with forest certification schemes, such as FSC® and PEFC.

In particular, much of the Sofidel Group tissue paper products in the Consumer and in the Private Label industries bear the FSC® (Forest Stewardship Council) mark. FSC® is an independent, non-governmental, international organisation whose aim is to promote responsible management of forests and plantations globally. In 2017, Sofidel also supported the Vancouver Declaration launched as part of the FSC General Assembly, a public promise made by companies across the globe to work towards a more sustainable supply chain of forest products.

Partnerships
for the goals

Sofidel believes in dialogue and cooperation. For this reason, the Group has set up a network of relationships with influential partners to share knowledge and experience and to pursue common goals. The sustainable development agenda requires partnerships between governments, the private sector and civil society. These inclusive collaborations, built on principles and values, on a common vision and shared objectives, are needed at global, regional, national and local levels.

In addition to institutional and technical-educational collaborations with schools and universities, Sofidel has also developed partnerships through its brands and products.