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We face environmental challenges by leveraging courage, vision and accountability.
We are guided by a passion for change and the foresight of those who never stop innovating, integrating sustainable technologies and practices into daily operations. Our journey is one of continuous transformation, built on both imagination and pragmatism, and aimed at new horizons for people, communities and the environment.
The commitments we have made
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To cut energy consumption and CO₂ emissions
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To prevent all forms of pollution
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To manage water and natural resources responsibly
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To promote circular economy and waste reduction models
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To select sustainable products, materials and suppliers
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To protect biodiversity and animal welfare
Our commitment to tackling climate change
In 2024, we took important steps in the fight against climate change: we cut energy consumption, boosted in-house energy production from renewable sources and improved mobility across the company in terms of the corporate fleet and staff travel.
Concrete actions that reflect our broader commitment: to manage climate risks and opportunities and promote increasing environmental awareness within the company.
THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES OF OUR CLIMATE ACTION
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Sustainable mobility
To promote sustainable mobility, we are improving the efficiency of our company fleet by increasing the proportion of low-environmental impact vehicles. We have worked on commuting initiatives, focused on our employees, aimed at improving their well-being and reducing the environmental impact of travel.
We are working on similar initiatives at our site in Austria, with the replacement of the fleet (planned for 2025) and a study on the introduction of electric vehicles for our workers.
In Austria, we have launched a series of projects and initiatives aimed at promoting a more sustainable company fleet and at reducing the CO₂ emissions generated by staff travel.
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Emission offsetting initiatives
Markas Austria annually offsets its emissions from air travel and from fuel used by its company fleet. A seminar was given on saving fuel and on driving safely to raise awareness among personnel. At the same time, an information campaign was launched to raise awareness among our workers on the financing opportunities available and on the environmental benefits of electric mobility.
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Making energy consumption more efficient
We have launched initiatives at various production sites to improve energy efficiency and cut consumption.
In Cervasca, in 2024, we improved thermal insulation.
In Bolzano, in 2025, we plan to optimise heat pump management with remote management systems to reduce electricity consumption.
In Vigasio, in 2027, we will upgrade the refrigeration circuits to improve temperature control and cut consumption.
We are also establishing an Energy Management System (EMS), which will become operational in 2025 and enable us to monitor energy consumption and obtain ISO 50001:2018 certification.
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In-house energy production from renewable sources
We have launched various initiatives regarding in-house renewable energy production, aimed at boosting our energy generation from photovoltaic installations and so cutting our dependency on electricity purchased from the national grid.
At Markas Italy, the first initiative, expected to be completed in 2025, involves repowering the photovoltaic system at the cooking hub in Cervasca.
We will replace the existing inverters, to improve efficiency, and launch a remote monitoring system.
The second initiative, on the other hand, planned for 2026, entails the installation of a new photovoltaic system at the food production facility in Vigasio. We plan to co-finance this project by making use of funding mechanisms specific to energy efficiency.
At Markas Austria, in 2025, we plan to develop a concept to optimise the use of surplus energy generated by the photovoltaic system at the St. Pölten site. The initiative is part of the Optimisation of Electricity Consumption programme and aims to make the use of energy generated in-house more efficient.
In the front line in the fight against pollution
Reducing energy consumption and emissions is a challenge we face every day, from monitoring to supplier selection, because environmental protection is an integral part of how we work.
TARGETS ACHIEVED IN 2024
* Markas Italy
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From strategy to action
We translate our commitments into real decisions, which reduce risk and enhance the opportunities of responsible management.
Water management: a resource to be protected
Precious, fragile and essential, we manage water responsibly, adopting efficient technologies and raising awareness among our people on its mindful use.
TARGETS ACHIEVED IN 2024
OUR MEASURES TO ENSURE RESPONSIBLE WATER USE
We translate our commitments into real decisions, which minimise our impact and enhance efficiency.
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Circular economy: giving resources a new life
Reduce waste, optimise the use of materials and promote personal responsibility: that is how we translate circular economy principles into real practices across the value chain.
TARGETS ACHIEVED IN 2024
FROM CONSUMPTION TO REUSE: OUR CIRCULAR JOURNEY
We transform consumption and waste into sustainability opportunities through an approach that combines innovation and responsibility.
INTEGRATION FOR GROWTH
Walking the talk
Robotics in cleaning services
In 2024, we made an important step forward towards managing our cleaning services more sustainably by introducing robotics solutions into manual floor cleaning.
The project, launched in 2023 with a trial stage, is aimed at supporting the work of our people with cutting edge technology that can reduce our environmental footprint and improve service quality.
The first trials took place in Austria, at Johannes Kepler University Linz and the Institute of Science and Technology (IST), where the robot's effectiveness, versatility and flexibility were evaluated in various operational scenarios.
It was first used at the care facilities for the elderly, GGZ (Geriatrischen Gesundheitszentren), in Graz, Austria. In Germany, on the other hand, after an initial trial, over 20 robots are now operational at various facilities in Bavaria, such as Ohlstadtklinik and BG Unfallklinik Murnau.
In Italy, too, several hospital trials were conducted, including at Borgo Trento Hospital in Verona, Bolognini Hospital in Seriate and the Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital in Rome. The trials enabled the testing of innovative solutions, such as the recycling of wash water, providing valuable insights into possible future developments.
The project's success was made possible through the work of the Group's multi-disciplinary Robotics Taskforce and through the active role played by the Key Account Managers in promoting the adoption of robotics by raising awareness among customers of the benefits in terms of sustainability and service quality.
The Upcycling project
In 2024, Markas Austria successfully completed the Upcycling project, launched the previous year on a trial basis. The initiative, aimed at significantly reducing the use of single-use plastic bags, provided about 700 cleaning trolleys with reusable bags for the collection of used mops and cloths.
Replacing single-use bags with reusable bags, manufactured by the GW company in St. Pölten, Austria, saved an estimated 500,000 single-use bags, the equivalent of nearly 25 tonnes of plastic per year.
In this way, Markas Austria has taken a further step towards the more responsible use of resources and a significant reduction in its environmental impact: it both limits the purchase of single-use plastic and avoids the associated generation of waste.
The partnership with Last Minute Market and the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano
Within the context of initiatives to tackle food waste, Markas Italy is offering its customers all the benefits of its partnership with Last Minute Market, which has been giving surplus food a second life since 1998 using a circular economy approach.
Last Minute Market facilitates the recovery of food that has not been distributed, yet is still in perfect condition for consumption. The initiative effectively combines tackling food waste and supporting vulnerable communities, helping to generate a positive social and environmental impact.
In partnership with a group of researchers from the University of Bolzano, we are involved in the Food Waste project, aimed at tackling food waste by using a nudging approach, i.e. steering individual behaviour without being coercive, particularly in terms of raising awareness among young people.