One of the latest projects related to the Circular Economy, carried out by the Sfridoo team, was the Zero WasteZero Waste (translated "Zero Waste") is a philosophy and lifestyle that aims to reduce the amount of waste that is generated and sent to landfills or incinerators. The goal of... to Landfill (ZWL) in collaboration with the iGuzzini Group, a leading company in the field of lightning for architecture.
A project that stands out in the field of corporate sustainability because of its peculiarity in investigating how the company today manages waste from an Industrial Symbiosis perspective.
To tell about the project, we asked Sauro Stacchiotti, Sustainability Responsibility at iGuzzini, to describe the steps that led the company to adopt this model and what the results of the project were.
Sauro thank you for your availability can you tell us about your role within iGuzzini and what your company is all about?
I have worked at iGuzzini since 2003 and today I hold the position of Sustainability Manager, also coordinating other areas of the company such as some departments related to production, industrial accounting and assembly.
I became Sustainability Manager in 2021, when the company decided in 2019 to embark on a structured sustainability path.
iGuzzini is a company that was founded in 1959 and since 2019 has been part of the third largest group in Europe for the lighting sector: the Fagerhult Group.
Within this group, the company is distinguished by its particular offering: specifically, we offer lightning services for architecture, based on the culture of light that includes issues such as safety on workplaces and quality of light use.
Our growth drivers are design, culture, sustainability and connectivity, which connect to the company’s values of humanity, integrity, beauty and innovation.
What is iGuzzini’s commitment to sustainability and the Circular Economy?
iGuzzini was the first in the lighting industry to launch an advertising campaign against light pollution in the 1980s.
Since then, the company has promoted attention to the need to save light and improve the quality of lighting, creating a culture of sustainability and energy conservation.
In particular, the company has always used recycled Italian aluminium as the main material for its architectural lighting fixtures.
This choice not only demonstrated a form of circularity and sustainability even at the time, but also an effective technical solution, as aluminum efficiently dissipates the heat generated by light sources, facilitating the operation of electronics.
In addition, Italy has a good aluminum collection and recycling infrastructure, making it an available and affordable material. The use of recycled aluminum has given iGuzzini’s products unique characteristics in terms of technical performance and cost-effectiveness.
Recently, we have begun to explore the use of recycled plastics within products, particularly in the optics that are the heart of the luminaires.
However, the choice of materials must balance sustainability with lighting efficiency and product durability.
We believe that sustainability is not only limited to the materials used, but involves the entire supply chain. It is necessary to evaluate the sustainability of the suppliers themselves and look for alternatives that meet sustainability and circularity criteria.
Can you explain where the Zero Waste To Landfill project started from?
iGuzzini set up the project with the goal of knowing and measuring every action toward its waste management to minimize negative consequences and maximize positive ones, based on two fundamental rules:
- doing before communicating, to avoid greenwashing;
- focus on the methodological and organizational approach to properly manage waste.
Before starting the project, the company had a manufacturing operation with a proper approach to waste management, but was unfamiliar with the Circular Economy.
Therefore, there was a need to identify partners specialized in this area.
The project began with the need to prepare a group-wide sustainability report.
During the study and in-depth phase, we structured business activities by following ESGEnvironmental Social Governance (ESG) is a set of criteria that are used by investors and companies to assess the degree of sustainability and social responsibility of business activities. In particular,... (Environmental, Social, and Governance) and obtaining certifications related to knowledge and organizing processes from a sustainable perspective.
Later, we extended our focus to waste, trying to interpret the principle of Circular EconomyThe circular economy is an economic model involving a production and consumption system that involves sharing, lending, reusing, repairing, reconditioning and recycling existing materials and products for as long as... by participating in improvement programs to reduceReduce is one of the strategies contained within the R-strategies framework. The objective of this action is to think about more efficient production or consumption methods, which imply less use... waste, but we realized that it was necessary to go beyond the company boundaries and adopt a more circular approach.
The lack of knowledge and expertise prompted us to seek outside help to address the issue in a structured way.
After extensive research, we decided to choose Sfridoo as our technical partner, specializing in Circular EconomyThe circular economy is an economic model involving a production and consumption system that involves sharing, lending, reusing, repairing, reconditioning and recycling existing materials and products for as long as... issues, to implement this ambitious project.
Do you want to make your production processes circular?
With Sfridoo® you transform your processes from linear to circular, reaping economic, fiscal and environmental benefits through the principles of the Circular Economy and collaboration with other companies in the network.
BECOMES CIRCULARHow did you get to know Sfridoo and what was the element that made you decide to collaborate with us?
As with most things, the meeting with Sfridoo was accidental.
We were looking for a technical partner for the project, when one day a colleague of mine read an article in a magazine about the fastest-growing circular startups in the last period, among which Sfridoo was mentioned.
So this colleague of mine told me that we should contact Sfridoo to find out if a collaboration on the corporate sustainability project related to the principles of Industrial SymbiosisIndustrial symbiosis means the interaction between different industrial plants, grouped in districts or at a distance useful to make the operation feasible, used in order to maximize the reuse of... was available.
After a few meetings, we were pleasantly surprised by the startup’s structured approach and flexibility in meeting our needs.
We appreciated Sfridoo’s willingness to collaborate with us and carry out a study to understand how best to use our waste.
What were the stages of the project?
During the project, several phases were followed.
Initially, a visit was made to the plant by Sfridoo technicians to understand the company’s processes and the management of our waste.
Next, a range of data and information necessary for the development of the project was collected. External support (Sfridoo, ed.) was brought in to obtain additional information on specific waste management.
The goal was to standardize and measure the percentage of waste that was not being reintegrated into the circular economyThe circular economy is an economic model involving a production and consumption system that involves sharing, lending, reusing, repairing, reconditioning and recycling existing materials and products for as long as... process.
Through the involvement of other partners, additional data were collected and a final report was developed.
After the results were processed, we presented the project.
The results were positive, with 95% waste recovery and recycling achieved.
We are now working to further spread the culture of sustainability by involving suppliers and trying to reduceReduce is one of the strategies contained within the R-strategies framework. The objective of this action is to think about more efficient production or consumption methods, which imply less use... the use of plastic materials.
Also, during the project, the opportunity to use PMMA (polymethylmethacrylate) waste for the production of a lamp was discovered, demonstrating that products can also be made sustainably.
As a result of the project, iGuzzini has developed a greater cultural awareness of sustainability and is engaging suppliers to promote the adoption of sustainable practices along the supply chain.
This has proven to be a competitive advantage and has prepared us for new regulations and sustainability reporting requirements.
What advice would you give to a company in the industry that is approaching these topics for the first time?
In my opinion, one factor a company should focus on is the approach and mindset with which certain issues are approached.
If we talk about sustainability, the responsible approach is a must, because that approach is based on awareness and knowledge.
So the suggestion I would humbly make to someone is to start questioning themselves.
I would advise companies that are approaching these topics for the first time to question themselves and develop a thorough knowledge.
Creating a roadmap, identifying traceable metrics, and choosing competent partners are just a few factors a company should consider when it comes to sustainability and circularity.
Finally, it is critical to focus on the long term and work toward sustainable goals, as true results and improvements require a responsible approach over time.
Do you want to make your production processes circular?
With Sfridoo® you transform your processes from linear to circular, reaping economic, fiscal and environmental benefits through the principles of the Circular Economy and collaboration with other companies in the network.
BECOMES CIRCULAR
Simone Tabellini
Green Marketer
Una delle sfide del settore dell’Economia Circolare, è quella di riuscire a comunicare in maniera chiara ed efficace i vantaggi che questo modello economico può dare alle aziende. Investendo su tale aspetto possiamo incrementare consapevolezza e conoscenza nelle persone.
