Acqua dell’Elba’s sustainability journey: structured and shared
In 2000, the Acqua dell’Elba sailing ship set sail. An entrepreneurial project whose aim is to recreate, in a fragrance, the Essence of the Sea. Today, it tells the story of a company that, through deep listening and respect for the world in which it lives and its needs, is fully aware of its role within the social context it belongs to. A context on which it depends and to which it must—and wants to—provide responses, in order to improve the quality of life of people and society as a whole, through a structured and shared approach.
A journey that:
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Begins internally, with an in-depth revision of management and production processes and with a strong, structured commitment to social responsibility. Becoming a Benefit Corporation, the decarbonisation pathway launched in 2021, and the decision to start, in 2023, the procedures to obtain important certifications such as ISO 14001, EMAS III and FSC, are just the latest steps in a long-standing journey that opens new competitive challenges for the company;
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Involves relationships with employees, through targeted actions aimed at health, safety, gender equality, and the growth and well-being of its workforce, and with the incorporation into daily practice of strong social priorities, such as those related to women’s work, which in the company represents more than 90% of staff. In this direction also goes the decision to start, in 2023, the procedures to obtain three important certifications: ISO 45001, PAS 24000 and DpR:UNI 125:2022;
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Extends to the local community, through numerous projects aimed at the care and enhancement of the territory, managed both directly and through the Acqua dell’Elba Foundation, established in 2022 and focused on initiatives supporting the environment, education, social issues, culture and the arts;
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Reaches the broader “extended community”, all the people who are friends of Acqua dell’Elba throughout Italy, through support for awareness-raising projects on marine themes and initiatives that place human well-being at the centre, especially through support to major organisations engaged in research and medical assistance.
Since 2021, Acqua dell’Elba has been a Benefit Corporation. A clear commitment to generate a positive impact not only for shareholders but for all the company’s stakeholders: employees and collaborators, suppliers and customers, the local community and territory, and the environment.
Being a Benefit Corporation means understanding one’s role in society differently: no longer limited to pursuing economic goals, but assuming direct responsibilities and concrete obligations to create value for the environment and society. The aim is to contribute to building a new model of society, more equitable and attentive to the needs of human beings and the environment.
The transformation into a Benefit Corporation was the natural evolution of a commitment that is still evolving and that, in the coming years, will lead towards increasingly ambitious goals—above all, a renewed boost for territorial enhancement projects.
The certification processes, with the exception of FSC and ISO 22716, are currently ongoing. The boxes below describe the various certifications and include the documents available so far. FSC certification was obtained on 08/11/2024, while ISO 22716 was obtained on 04/12/2024.
