We’ve a real respect for tradition, honouring the wisdom of age-old techniques in growing and preserving vegetables, following the rhythm of the seasons wherever we possibly can.
We’ve spent decades developing and nurturing intense and supportive relationships with our farmers and growers, investing together in quality and sustainability. Together, we work to get rid of the use of pesticides and other nasties, preferring instead to encourage a more organic approach to farming.
Sacla' are making efforts to manage environmental risks and liabilities responsibly. We've made our aims transparent, we've set realistic targets and we're measuring our success with our Environmental Management System (EMS). We're also starting to shout about it and market our progress internally and externally; half the battle is getting the word out and bringing people on board.
We believe very strongly that green is good for business. As a part of our everyday work we want to be a positive force for good, one that brings real benefits. To that end, we keep our customers and their needs in mind at all times whilst staying focused on what is achievable.
We celebrate and champion real food by using generations' worth of expertise and resource to make sure that future generations will continue to share in Mother Nature's endless bounty.
When it comes to climate change, we believe there's more jargon around expressing the problem than there are solutions.
So we're taking five simple and practical steps to do something about it...
Lowering our manufacturing energy consumption through technical improvements, like thermal recovery systems, heat dispersion reduction and heat recapture. Reducing our energy consumption through simple energy saving initiatives, like switching off lights, computers and air conditioning.
Using renewable sources of energy, like fitting solar panels at our main site and Head Office in Asti. This is helping us save 400 tonnes of CO2 per year. Fighting deforestation - because trees are the lungs of the world. They soak up CO2 and create oxygen.
Embracing the 3 R's:
Reduce - increasing efficient production processes means that in 2009 we have used 5% less raw material than in 2008 and in 2010 we are planning to reduce it even further.
Reuse - from paper to plates in our offices and barrels to crates in our factories.
Recycle - all our waste is separated into more than thirty different categories for recycling.
Going bare! We've stripped off as much packaging as we dare, including getting rid of our outer sleeves, reducing the size of our labels and trays. We have also reduced the thickness of our wrapping materials. And everything that's left is fully recyclable.
Using Italian ingredients from Italian suppliers wherever possible. That way they travel fewer miles from field to fork and plough to plate with less CO2 emissions. And, naturally, we prefer to buy in season.
Using railroad and sea freight to transport our products all over the world, wherever possible. By doing so we have reduced our CO2 emission by 30% in 2009 and are planning to reduce it even further in 2010.
Restricting air travel to the bare minimum. After all, isn't a 10 minute video conference better than queues, security checks and delays at airports? It's a great way to save lots of time, plenty of money and huge amounts of environmental damage.
Improving how we wash our vegetables. Improving our in-line cleaning systems. In 2009 alone, we have saved an amount of water equivalent to 12,000 bottles of water... enough to satisfy the water consumption of a football team for the next 2 years.
By measuring it, we're more aware of the impact we're making. And that knowledge gives us the power to do something about it. There's an effective environmental management system in place, and at our manufacturing site and local office there's a single individual who's accountable and empowered to effect change - our very own "Environmental Friend".
ISO 14001 - an international stamp of approval, is the accreditation scheme that we have achieved in 2009 and that covers every aspect of how our company is run. It is further proof that we have a good environmentally conscious management system.