Green Week is now a regular event to take stock of progress in the field of ecological transition and green economy.
Yesterday morning at Crédit Agricole green life in Via Spezia, the opening event of the festival was held in the presence of several outstanding speakers. The proceedings were opened by Giampiero Maioli, managing director Crédit Agricole Italy and senior country officer. “This is a great event to discuss issues that directly affect us,” he began, “because we have placed sustainability at the center of our banking.
The role of credit
Crédit Agricole is at the forefront of the Parma 2030 carbon neutrality project. “This is the only case in Europe where a major bank is acting as an advisor to an urban project such as Parma 2030,” he continued. “There is a widespread awareness in this area that being sustainable brings wealth and well-being to all.
“Parma excellence”
Daniele Manca, deputy editor of Corriere della Sera, spoke of Parma as “an excellence in the field of sustainability.”
Mayor Michele Guerra spoke about the Parma 2030 mission, recalling the recent trip to Brussels to certify the climate contract. “The committee was impressed with our team,” he said, “consisting of 46 signatories and supporters of actions weighing more than 5 billion euros, to be put in place between now and 2030. “Alongside the green challenge,” he continued, “we have put the candidacy for European Youth Capital in 2027, because ecological and digital transition are challenges that speak above all to the generations that will administer the country in the future.
“Challenging goals.”
Gabriele Buia, president of the Parma Union of Industrialists, stressed the need for a joint effort to achieve goals related to the European Green Deal. “Social and environmental sustainability must be accompanied by economic sustainability,” he noted. “Businesses are committed to the energy transition because sustainability is a factor in competitiveness and growth. We need to understand whether we are asking too much effort from companies and accompany them both economically and by reducing bureaucracy.”
Chancellor Paolo Martelli, stressing the commitment to building tomorrow’s professionals, also dwelt on the actions the University has put in place for the environment. “By the end of the year,” he announced, “the University will have a 20 percent drop in energy costs and a resulting reduction of 13,500 tons of CO2 emitted each year.
“Winning business choice”
Davide Bollati, president of the Davines Group, explained how the topic of sustainability has already been at the center of company policies for some 20 years. “This is a choice that is proving successful,” he said, “Sustainability alone is not enough to be competitive in the market, but it is a central element. As for the Parma 2030 project, “we were inspired by Bristol, which has a decarbonization project with a thousand signatories,” he pointed out. “As Bcorp, we are used to conducting business with the goal of not losing any stakeholders. It is with this logic that we must work compactly toward the goal.”
Alberto Figna, president of Agugiaro & Figna Mills, explained, “We purchase and produce energy from renewables, we have planted a forest of 18 thousand trees next to our headquarters, and we are engaged in a project to enhance the forests of our Apennines.”
“Low-impact inhalers”
Alessandro Chiesi, president of the Chiesi Group, focused on the commitment to the transition to a sustainable economy. “The goal as a company,” he specified, also explaining the work done by “Parma, I’m in!” starting with the “Transition Farm” project, “is to achieve zero net emissions of climate-altering gases by 2035. To do this we need to work on the whole supply chain. We have a multi-year project to change inhaler propellants and reduce the impact on the environment by more than 90 percent.” It is also important, according to Chiesi, that the Italian system “make its weight felt in Europe when the rules are written, rather than intervening in extra time.” Parma 2030 “represents an important first step,” he reiterated, “but we must not forget that we produce 6 million tons of CO2 in Parma, and in order to meet this challenge we need to work as a system.
Nicola Bertinelli, president of the Parmigiano Reggiano Consortium, outlined the “green” projects that have been put in place, but above all, he focused on the need to “attract young people, to give the supply chain a future.”
“Pursuing Beauty”
“Sustainability pays off. Ermete Realacci, president of the Symbola foundation and chairman of the festival’s scientific committee, has no doubts. “Businesses that have moved in this direction,” he continued, “are doing better and attracting young people. The pursuit of beauty is not an aesthetic whim, but a key lever to stay in the market. For citizens, in fact, sustainability rhymes with quality.”
Pietro Negra, founder and president of Pinko, spoke about sustainability at three levels: that of large intergovernmental initiatives, in the corporate sphere and the individual. “As a company we adhere to numerous green initiatives,” he said, “we have built a garden factory and promoted a variety of projects. However, I am convinced that individual consciousness is the most important in fostering change.”
“Sustainability is innovation,” emphasized Luca Ruini, vice president Safety, Environment and Energy of the Barilla Group, also recalling the successful experience of “Food Farm,” because the same problem is approached from a different point of view. This requires the right skills, which need to be developed through schools and universities.”
Also speaking were Fulvia Bacchi, dg Unic Concerie italiane, Valeria Brambilla, partner and president of Deloitte & Touche, Chiara Angeli (Volvo Car Italia), Giuseppe Pasini, president Feralpi Group, and Filippo Zuppichin, ad PiovanGroup.
“Europe needs to be more persuasive,” concluded Monica Araya, executive director International European Climate Foundation, “otherwise the risk is that regulations will drive businesses away. We need a strong public-private partnership to achieve important results.”