UniFor ensures, every day, a commitment to responsible practices towards the environment and the surrounding society. The mission is to promote sustainable projects and products that drive innovation, preserve resources, and improve management processes to reduce the impact on climate change. UniFor actively engage in conscious practices related to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) considerations.
SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2022
The 2022 Sustainability Report report is an exploration of the journey undertaken by UniFor and Citterio, part of Molteni Group, united under the vision “Together as One”, towards a more sustainable and innovative future.
Sustainability lies at the core of the mission, guiding us towards ambitious goals and responsible practices, as evidenced by our EPD® Process certifications and adherence to ESG guidelines.
THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS
In 2022, UniFor and Citterio launched their Sustainable Development Project, which aims to express the companies’ future ambitions to contribute to the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and to create and share value through a strategy structured by concrete, responsible and sustainable actions.
UniFor’s and Citterio’s Sustainability Project is characterised by an all-encompassing view of environmental, social and economic criteria applied to the macro-categories that make up the business structure:
• CORPORATE
• PRODUCT
• BUILDING
UniFor and Citterio have structured their sustainability strategy around four priority areas, the “Pillars”.
CLIMATE AND ENERGY TRANSITION
Assessment of the impact of climate change on business activities and consequent adaptation and mitigation policies. Development of a corporate strategic plan for measuring and reducing GHG (Green House Gas) emissions.
ECO-DESIGN AND THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY
Incorporation of environmental impact assessment in the design and development of products from their conception, during their use and subsequent disposal/recycling, in order to improve their environmental performance throughout their life cycle.
RESPONSIBLE SUPPLY CHAIN
Responsible management of procurement processes along the supply chain. Implementation of programs and actions aimed at offering sustainable products with a reduced or limited impact on the environment, including research and development activities to identify alternative materials with a lower environmental impact.
PEOPLE FIRST
Promoting a safe and welcoming working environment that fosters personal and professional growth. Development of initiatives and training courses aimed at enhancing the skills of employees and collaborators. Ensuring product quality and safety levels that meet regulatory requirements and ensure full customer satisfaction.
THE ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY
UniFor and Citterio are committed to implementing policies aimed at increasing the environmental sustainability of business activities and meeting all relevant legislative and regulatory requirements. Both UniFor’s and Citterio’s production sites are duly authorised from an environmental point of view, and compliance with these authorisations is a fundamental part of the management’s responsibility for each site.
Furthermore, demonstrating their commitment to environmental protection and continuous improvement, both production sites have implemented an ISO 14001-certified Environmental Management System, UniFor since 2010 and Citterio since 2014. This certification shows that both production sites have an adequate system to mitigate and manage the environmental impacts of their activities and a quest for continuous improvement with a view to responsibility and sustainability.
From time to time, UniFor and Citterio carry out internal inspections in order to continuously verify compliance with applicable laws, and are subject to audits by certification bodies (for the purposes of ISO 14001 and FSC® certification) and by regulatory authorities.
One of the focal points of the companies’ sustainability strategy is the conduct of in-depth LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) analyses on the product and the implementation of dedicated tools and processes to make this methodology the basis for future design.
In 2022, both UniFor and Citterio embarked on a virtuous path of awareness-raising, training, integration and development of the LCA methodology within the organisation’s management and design processes, selecting an initial set of high-quality products for which the life cycle study was conducted, leading to the achievement of EPD® (Environmental Product Declaration) certification.
The EPD® is a voluntary, credible, informative and versatile certification for environmental communication between manufacturers (business to business) and between distributors and consumers (business to consumer) that describes the environmental performance of a product.
Among the objectives for 2024 is the life cycle study and the certifications for:
UniFor | Renzo Piano | RP Partition System
UniFor | Andrèe Putman | AP Partition System
UniFor | David Chipperfield | DCA Partition System
UniFor | iSatelliti S200
SUPPLIERS AND VALUABLE MATERIALS
UniFor and Citterio attach a crucial role to the production of valuable products to reflect their image, satisfy customers and ensure the safety and well-being of the end user. The careful choice of materials, with a preference for those that are certified, recycled and recyclable at the end of their life, is essential in the companies’ sustainable vision.
For UniFor and Citterio, suppliers of products, raw materials and services represent a key stakeholder in their value chain. This is why the organisations see their suppliers as strategic partners with whom they can forge long-term collaborations. Before starting a collaboration, UniFor and Citterio evaluate and qualify all their suppliers in order to verify alignment with the values that characterise the two companies, and whether there is compliance with economic-financial, legal compliance, quality and health requirements. Only upon successful completion of the envisaged checks will the cooperation be activated.
The main materials handled and purchased by UniFor and Citterio are:
ALUMINIUM AND STEEL
The two companies conducts market analyses to identify raw materials with a high recycled content that meet the required technical and aesthetic specifications. In addition, UniFor and Citterio with their suppliers are working to certify the amount of recycled material in the material supplied.
GLASS
UniFor and Citterio purchases glass from suppliers who have declarations in accordance with UNI EN ISO 14021 (“Self-declared Environmental Assertions”) in order to meet environmental sustainability criteria.
WOOD
UniFor and Citterio source materials and offers wood products with FSC® (Forest Stewardship Council) certification. FSC® certification is an independent, international, third-party scheme, specific to the forestry segment and for identifying timber and non-timber products derived from responsibly managed forests. The FSC® Principles and Criteria (P&C) describe the essential elements or rules for respectful forest management. Furthermore, UniFor and Citterio are committed to purchasing and using wood panels that have formaldehyde emissions well below the limits set by current legislation.
PAINTS
UniFor and Citterio engage in research and development to replace solvent-based paints in the production process with water-based paints in order to reduce the impact of both production and the finished product in terms of Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) emissions. This strategy is already fully in place at Citterio, where only water-based paints will be used from the end of 2022.
The importance attributed by UniFor and Citterio to environmental protection is also implemented in the commitment adopted to reduce the production of waste related to the performance of their activities and to the adoption of a circular approach, aimed at the recovery and reuse of materials.
Waste recovery and the application of circular economy practices and policies are closely related concepts that are of growing importance to UniFor and Citterio in a world increasingly oriented towards environmental sustainability and long-term economic well-being.
UniFor and Citterio also engages in research and development in order to make the production process more efficient and reduce the use of hazardous chemicals, such as by replacing solvent-based paints with water-based paints, thus leading to the production of less hazardous and more easily recoverable paint waste.
UniFor and Citterio hold within them a long history of names, authors and talents; communities made up of people both within and outside the companies, without which no design sign takes shape.
A close bond of loyalty and belonging binds the two companies and their people. UniFor and Citterio have always forged relationships based on trust and direct involvement, capable of generating value and fostering an enriching participatory dialogue between suppliers, workers and the local community.
OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICY
UniFor and Citterio’s commitment to the prevention and protection of workers’ health and safety is an aspect considered essential for responsible business management. UniFor and Citterio implement a careful empowerment of management with regard to occupational health and safety aspects, defining and formalising roles and responsibilities.
In addition, UniFor and Citterio recognise the important value that a health and safety management system, certified according to UNI EN ISO 45001, has for controlling these specific aspects, which is why UniFor started in 2023 to implement the management system, with the aim of achieving certification during 2024.
DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION
UniFor and Citterio recognise the need to maintain and increase the inclusive practices currently applied, as creating a diverse environment, in terms of perspectives, cultures, backgrounds, gender, age, ensures a better capacity for innovation and is a success factor for the business.
The companies are committed to respecting the standards and principles enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, as well as the guide published by the International Labour Organisation (ILO). Furthermore, as recalled in the Code of Ethics, UniFor and Citterio undertake to ensure that in their respective workplaces there is no form of discrimination based on age, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, language, nationality, political and trade union opinions.
CONTINUOUS LEARNING AND UNIFOR ACCADEMIA
Continuous learning plays an important role in empowering people and supporting cultural and organisational growth. It is an effective means of improving people’s skills and knowledge, through courses, workshops, seminars, or even informally through on-the-job training.
Continuous learning is not just about developing new skills, but can also help consolidate existing ones in order to help shape corporate culture and support organisational growth. Health and safety training, for example, is essential to protect the health and well-being of employees and helps promote a safety culture within the organisation.
ACCADEMIA UNIFOR
Accademia UniFor is an ongoing initiative that invests in employees from their first day. The program nurtures internal talent by providing a stimulating environment and high-quality learning resources. In addition to technical training, the Accademia focuses on developing soft skills such as leadership, effective communication, time management, and cross-departmental knowledge.
UniFor and Citterio believe that contributing to the well-being of the community and dedicating part of its resources to actions of solidarity, is not a mere corporate fulfilment or a professional duty, but rather a moral requirement; a requirement that is considered an essential part of a healthy company, able, that is, to grow, but at the same time to support and develop the territory in which it operates and to make those who work in it proud.
UniFor and Citterio actively contribute to supporting local charitable initiatives, particularly by honoring local non-profit organizations with their products, various sponsorships, and cultural and museum events.
ISO 9001
The ISO 9001 standard covers the quality management system (QMS) and focuses on the provision of products and services that meet customer needs and regulatory expectations. The main aim of this standard is to establish a framework for a systematic approach to quality management, including processes for monitoring performance, controlling risks and continuously striving for improvement.
ISO 14001
This is an internationally accepted standard designed to address the delicate balance between maintaining profit and reducing environmental impact. It provides a framework for the development of environmental policies and objectives, the implementation of processes for monitoring environmental performance, and the appropriate management and mitigation of environmental risks.
ISO 45001
ISO 45001 is an international standard that specifies the requirements for an Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) management system. It was developed to help organizations improve worker safety, reduce workplace risks, and create safer working conditions. Implementing a management system compliant with ISO 45001 can help organizations reduce workplace incidents, improve regulatory compliance, increase risk awareness, and promote a culture of safety.
FSC®
The FSC® - Forest Stewardship Council is a non-govern - mental, non-profit organisation whose mission is to promote world - wide the correct and responsible management of forests and plantations that protects the natural environment, respects the rights of local populations and workers and is economically viable, in line with the principles of sustainable development.
EPD®
The Environmental Product Declaration is a voluntary certification scheme, which originated in Sweden but is of international significance, and is part of the EU’s environmental policies. Developed in application of the UNI ISO 14025:2006 standard, the EPD provides useful information for the design and evaluation of construction products and for making comparisons between different products when subjected to the same conditions, e.g. in the design, construction and management phases of a green building.
GREENGUARD
GreenGuard is an environmental product certification that started in the United States of America. The owner of the standard is the UL (Underwriters Laboratories) testing body, one of the most important in the world. The GreenGuard certification mark communicates that representative samples of a product have undergone rigorous scientific testing to meet stringent chemical emission requirements.