The entire product line certified across the whole supply chain. The historic Cremona-based company reduces emissions and certifies its environmental commitment.
With two centuries of history behind it, Zucchi oil mill today produces up to 1 million litres of packaged oils per day. With this in mind, the company, led by Giovanni Zucchi, has chosen a path that has led it over the years to invest in technology and innovation, sustainability and social responsibility.
A journey that has lasted 20 years, at a time when sustainability was not even a topic of conversation, and that has led the oil mill to invest in its production facilities, increasing their efficiency and reducing their consumption. The figures speak for themselves: -5 per cent in methane, -14 per cent in electricity, -28 per cent in water and -35 per cent in the quantity of waste produced.
The journey continues today, thanks to the calculation of the carbon footprint, carried out in collaboration with and co-funded by the Ministry of the Environment. The entire range of seed oils, comprising 7 products, is certified to ISO TS 14067, a certification that adds to those achieved by the company over the years, such as UNI EN ISO 14001, SA 8000 and BS OHSAS 18001. These acronyms signify a commitment to quality, safety and the reduction of environmental impact, as well as respect for workers' rights and company measures to protect health.
"With these actions we expect consumers to perceive our commitment and our transparency," says Giovanni Zucchi. Transparency is indeed an indispensable value for corporate social responsibility today.
Take maize and soya oil as an example. "The company," reads a statement, "has chosen suppliers of non-genetically modified products, requiring an additional certification in order to guarantee a maximum accidental contamination by GMO products of 0.1 per cent, instead of 0.9 per cent, as provided for by regulations."
A commitment confirmed by Zucchi: "Precisely because we believe it is necessary to improve further, we are considering new initiatives, in particular along the supply chain." The oil mill's voluntary commitment has also led the company to offset its emissions through the purchase of carbon credits, quantifiable at 180 tonnes of CO2.