At Metal’s, commitment to sustainability and the environment remains a top priority throughout 2024. Respect for the planet – and the community in which we operate – is a topic we deeply care about, and there are several projects we intend to undertake to further develop our Green Mission.
Furthermore, in recent years, attention towards these aspects has been very high, both in European and non-European markets. For example, some regulations have been introduced (such as the European directives CSRD and CSDDD to promote responsible corporate behavior towards the environment and human rights), which are pushing companies to move increasingly towards clear and transparent communication regarding environmental, social, and governance issues. Equally important, even the most attentive and demanding customers are interested in the environmental impact of production and the product itself.
For this reason, we have planned a series of initiatives aimed at developing an effective path for sustainable development. A path that we want to embark on from now on, even in the absence of a legal obligation, because we want to anticipate the times, provide our customers with increasingly precise and updated data on our activities, but above all because we want to set concrete goals in terms of ESG development.
The first project we have decided to undertake is aimed at measuring our current environmental impact. This is a fundamental operation to define the starting point for future actions and establish tangible improvement objectives.
So, we started with the calculation of our organization’s CO2 emissions, as well as the development of a tool that calculates the emissions required for the production of our clients’ products.
Metal’s and the environment: commitment for 2024
Indeed, there will be two significant projects in our green journey for the first half of 2024: measuring the company’s Carbon Footprint – started in January 2024 – and developing an LCA tool. All these activities will be carried out with the support of external companies specialized in this field. Let’s see how.
1. Measurement of the company’s Carbon Footprint
The measurement of the Carbon Footprint allows us to calculate the exact amount of carbon dioxide (CO2), both direct and indirect, that we release into the atmosphere every day.
The calculation of company emissions adheres to the international standard ‘Greenhouse Gas Protocol’ (GHGP), a global framework for the measurement and management of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions derived from the operations of public or private entities. Everything is based on a standardized method – contained in the ‘Corporate Standard‘ guide – that classifies company emissions into categories:
- Scope 1: corresponds to direct emissions generated by the company through production processes and the company fleet. To obtain the data, we analyze, for example, energy bills, various company invoices, consumption monitoring systems, also evaluating fuel usage and travel distances.
- Scope 2: represents the data for indirect emissions, generated by an external supplier (both for electricity and thermal energy). To extract the necessary information to calculate it, we compare bills and supply contracts, or proceed with meter readings, inverter readings, and GSE reports (if there are photovoltaic systems).
- Scope 3: considers all other forms of indirect emissions not included in Scope 2, such as: purchased goods, freight transport, business travel, investments. There are a total of 15 Scope 3 categories, to be evaluated based on the type of business.
The calculation therefore involves all areas of our operations and also involves our suppliers. Therefore, it requires a few months of development, but the results are expected by the end of this month (May 2024).
2. Development of an LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) tool for the products we produce
During the same period, we will also focus on the development of an LCA tool (Life Cycle Assessment). What is it? It’s a very important tool that will allow us to understand the impact of every product created at Metal’s throughout its entire life cycle, from the extraction of steel for semi-finished products (and any other raw materials associated with complex assemblies) to production, transportation, and delivery to our customer.
This way, we will be able to provide our customers with accurate and specific information for each product sold. To calculate the CO2 emissions of each item produced, a series of data will be analyzed. In particular, the tool will evaluate:
- The type of steel and other materials used;
- Internal and external manufacturing processes;
- Transportation of raw materials to our facility;
- Modes and transportation to our customers.
Again, to ensure the most accurate measurements possible, some operations will directly involve our suppliers.
Sustainability is a topic that we care deeply about
What we have just described is only the beginning of a long journey towards sustainability that we have decided to undertake some time ago and is part of our Green Mission. The real challenge, in the coming years, will be to implement all the necessary measures and interventions to further improve our performance in terms of ESG, namely environmental, social, and governance programs.
Today, at Metal’s, we can be satisfied with our path towards sustainability. In particular, we have:
- Implemented an environmental management system (in accordance with the guidelines provided by ISO 14001 standards) to ensure constant monitoring of the environmental impact of our activities;
- Upgraded our machinery park with increasingly efficient equipment;
- Installed photovoltaic panels to utilize more energy from renewable sources;
- Launched a new plant for nitrogen self-production.
In the social sphere, in addition to various welfare tools already in place to support workers and achieve a better work-life balance, we obtained ISO 45001 certification in 2018, which pertains to management systems for occupational health and safety.
But this is not enough for us: as long as there is room for improvement, at Metal’s, we will seek to adopt all necessary practices to do so, involving all stakeholders, both internal and external, with a comprehensive assessment of risks and opportunities in mind.
Do you want to know more?
If you care about sustainability like we do and are looking for a reliable partner already committed to developing good sustainable practices, trust Metal’s to bring your projects to life.