Sofidel, Italy, a producer of paper for hygiene and domestic use, reports that it has met its five-year target to reduce CO2 emissions by 11%, a target that was set in 2008 when the company joined WWF’s international Climate Savers program. Sofidel is the only Italian company and the first worldwide in the tissue sector  to sign up to WWF’s Climate Savers program, which encourages companies to play a leading role in fighting climate change by pledging to reduce their greenhouse gases on a voluntary basis. 

To meet its target, over a five-year period Sofidel has invested more than EUR 25 million in renewable sources (photovoltaic and hydro-electric), cogeneration (combined production of electricity and steam), and improvement works to increase energy efficiency (e.g., LED lighting). 

Today the emissions produced by Sofidel’s companies that were active in 2007 have been reduced by 11.1% (approximately 186,000 metric tons, roughly equal to the amount of emissions made by 150,000 Italian families of four in one year for their electricity consumption). Regarding specific emissions (emissions set against the amount of paper produced), Sofidel has recorded a reduction of 14.4%. Not only has the company met its environmental targets, these results are also significant because at the same time, Sofidel has been able to consolidate its position on the market, becoming the second largest player in Europe in the tissue sector. 

"Meeting WWF’s Climate Savers objective while at the same time significantly strengthening the company’s position is proof that economic and environmental sustainability can go hand in hand. Reducing its CO2 emissions is just one of Sofidel’s efforts to curb its environmental impact and to underpin a more general commitment: do more with less. Results obtained so far make us more determined to consider sustainability as a central lever for innovation and competitive consolidation," said Luigi Lazzareschi, CEO of the Sofidel Group. 

In collaboration with WWF, Sofidel aims to consolidate its commitment to reducing emissions by 2020 and to extend these objectives to its newly-acquired plants in Europe and the U.S. The company’s reduction in CO2 emissions is part of a wider commitment to sustainability that also sees the Group environmentally active in terms of responsible sourcing of raw materials (cellulose) and in limiting the use of water in the production cycle. 

For its involvement in WWF’s Climate Savers program, Sofidel was given the Award of Excellence within the framework of the Tuscany Eco-efficient Awards 2009-2010 by the Tuscany Region. It also received a special mention for the best environmental initiative at the Sodalitas Social Award 2012 by Fondazione Sodalitas.