Our approach


Our history of responsible business goes back a long way, but it was in 2016 that we consolidated our environmental leadership in the gelato industry. We became the first company in the sector to sign a voluntary agreement with the Ministry of the Environment at that time.


Over the years, this agreement has been renewed and expanded to include our frozen pastry production, committing us to a certified and transparent path of integrated environmental management.



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A THREE-PILLAR

COMMITMENT


Since 2020, following the guidelines of the European Green Deal and the Farm to Fork strategy, Sammontana Italia has organised its environmental, social, and governance sustainability journey around three key commitments:



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Health and well-being


We care about our consumers, and well-being, offering indulgent, healthy, and safe products to meet their nutritional needs.

 

We also care about our people, our wide community, who should find a place in Sammontana where they can grow and achieve their goals.         

 

Therefore, we are committed to: 

 

Improving the nutritional profile and safety of our products in line with category standards, while maintaining their indulgent flavours.

 

Rethinking our recipes to provide access to tasty products for those who choose or need specific dietary options (lactose-free, sugar-free, gluten-free, vegan, or vegetarian).

 

Reducing food waste, both in production, packaging solutions, and distribution, as well as supporting the practice of donating soon-to-expire products to charitable organisations.

 

Ensuring the safety and promoting the well-being of Sammontana's people, through fair and inclusive policies, training and participation in company life.          




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Sustainable supply chains


We have chosen to prioritise sustainable sourcing and adhere to certification standards that ensure sustainability requirements in social, economic, and environmental requirements.

 

Alongside commitments to animal welfare, we have projects focused on responsible supply chains, starting from the main ingredients of our products and extending to secondary supply chains such as cocoa and fruit.

 

Milk supply chain, for our authentically flavoured gelato.  

 

Wheat supply chain, which provides the flour for our quality frozen pastries.  

 

Almond supply chain, a key ingredient for our sustainable dairy-free ice cream, Amando.  



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Environment


We have set a goal to reduce the environmental impact of our activities. To achieve this, we are working on several fronts:  

 

Decarbonization: reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

 

Water use: rationalizing our use of this precious resource, promoting reuse, and minimizing waste.

 

Energy: pursuing energy efficiency and opting for renewable sources whenever possible.

 

Industrial waste: promoting greater process circularity and waste differentiation, as well as making use of waste.

 

Packaging: reducing environmental impact by using recyclable packaging, secondary, and tertiary packaging made from recycled materials. We also aim to raise consumer awareness about the benefits of proper waste management.




Our contribution to sustainable development goals


With the goal of building a sustainable future for our planet, countries participating in the United Nations have endorsed the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that make up the Agenda 2030.

The SDGs integrate the three dimensions of sustainable development: environmental, social, and economic. They are globally recognised and serve as reference points for all those who aspire to promote a sustainable world.



Ispirati dal nostro purpose


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Sammontana Italia has chosen to focus on nine SDGs within the framework of the company's three-pillar sustainability strategy:



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#2 End hunger, achieve food security, improve nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture.

 

#6 Ensure availability  and sustainable management of  water and sanitation for all.

 

#7 Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all.

 

#8 Promote  sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all.

 

#12 Ensure  sustainable consumption and production patterns.

 

#13 Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.

 

#14 Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas, and marine resources.

 

#15 Protect, restore, and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation, and halt biodiversity loss.

 

#17 Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for  sustainable development.



Our guiding goal:


to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2027 compared to 2016 levels,


anticipating the European Climate Directive by 3 years




Designing the future through eco-design


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<Eco-design is a systematic approach that considers environmental aspects in the design and development of products, aiming to reduce environmental impact throughout their lifecycle.> ISO 14050:2020


We apply eco-design to the whole product/ process life cycle while developing a new product/ process or when we modify an existing product/ process.

Sammontana has developed its own eco-design procedure in collaboration with Spinlife, a spin-off of the University of Padua. This procedure defines the methods for integrating environmental aspects into the design and development of all our products, with proper reporting based on the scientific methodology of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA).

 

To date, Sammontana's activities in the evaluation of environmental performance through eco-design include:

 

Monitoring and reducing the carbon footprint of the Barattolino Line, with modification of the packaging by introducing certified paper and reformulating recipes without sacrificing on flavour. 

 

Researching optimisation of formulations and selecting alternative and more sustainable packaging solutions;  

 

Assessing the environmental performance of gelato and frozen pastry products through LCA studies.

 

Implementing eco-design choices in production processes and logistics.   

 

Furthermore, certain product lines have been designed following this approach:

 

Amando, a delicious gelato made solely with Sicilian almond milk and the first Sammontana product created according to eco-design principles, thus “born” as already sustainable. By using plant-based ingredients, Amando reduces CO2eq emissions by 26% compared to an equivalent gelato made with milk and dairy products. 

 

Fruttiamo, which is made 100% from plant-based ingredients, with an inner wrapping made from coated paper and an outer box made from 100% recycled paper.