Providing consumers with clear and transparent information that can orient buying decisions toward socially and environmentally sustainable products. This is the objective of “Social Footprint – Product Social Identity”, the first certification that assesses the social footprint of a product and service, valorising the organization, people, manufacturing and chain.
Ecopneus, the leading manager of the recovery of end-of-life tyres in Italy, was the first company to obtain the AAA level certification for its services, the maximum standard recognised. Now sports surfaces, street furniture, sound insulation, modified asphalts, waterproofing membranes, anti-slip flooring and all the other “Made in Italy” recycled rubber products of the Ecopneus chain enjoy an important statement of ethical, environmental and social sustainability along the entire recovery process that generated them.
Created through the collaboration of a working group coordinated by Marco Capellini that includes the three major certification bodies – Bureau Veritas, Certiquality, and DNV GL Business Assurance – the Social Footprint aims to involve the consumer in more aware purchasing decisions and to support producer companies in a more transparent communication with the market: 96% of the companies, in fact, are influenced in purchasing decisions by sustainability aspects*.
“Ecopneus, the leading consortium for the recovery of end-of-life tyres in Italy, has obtained the AAA level certification – the maximum of the recognized standard – ‘Social Footprint – Product Social Identity’, the first certification that assesses the social footprint of a product or service, paying particular attention to the environmental and ethical dimension of the organization,” commented Edo Ronchi, the President of the Sustainable Development Foundation of which Ecopneus is a member. “This certification confirms that Ecopneus is one of the excellences of the Italian green economy and contributes to a transparent communication with citizens and institutions at various levels”.
“Managing the production chain in a responsible way means respecting the rights of workers, improving the environmental impact of the production processes, and offering higher quality products to consumers. It also, and above all, means contributing to legality in a concrete way. Today the strong commitment of Ecopneus, which in 2014 had won the Sodalitas Social Award for the commendable work of collection and recovery of the tyres in the “Terra dei Fuochi” area [English: “Land of Fires”], is confirmed,” commented Carlo Antonio Pescetti, Managing Director of the Sodalitas Foundation that Ecopneus recently joined.
Ecopneus’ broader objective is the consolidation of the markets for the applications of recycled rubber in sports, asphalt, street furniture, construction and in many other sectors; the Social Footprint certification is a distinctive element that rewards these products through the recognition of the ethical value of the companies. The recent transposition of Directive 2014/24 of the European Parliament on public procurement, which introduced the social aspects of products and services among the bonus criteria of the public tenders, also helps to give a further boost to the entire sector, which can count on environmentally and socially sustainable purchases even in the public sector.
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