ESG LAB x WILIER TRIESTINA

ESG LAB: the Wilier Triestina lab that redefines the way we do business. 

Andrea, Enrico and Michele Gastaldello, representing the majority of the Board of Directors of Wilier Triestina, tell us about the path embarked upon to promote corporate sustainability and the actions taken to improve the Organisation’s ESG performance. 

We all know that the bicycle is the best tool for fast, zero-emission travel. But how do actions relating to bicycle production impact the environment? This simple question tackles a highly complex issue that at Wilier Triestina we have decided to address with the ESG LAB, an important project that promotes numerous opportunities for shared growth and development. 

With ESG LAB, we have chosen to investigate, reduce and improve the environmental impact of our production. We have invested significant resources and started defining responsible production processes touching on the issues of social sustainability and corporate governance. 
To identify areas for improvement and focus our efforts in this regard, we underwent our first ESG assessment certified by GRI, the international non-profit body that develops and defines sustainability reporting standards for companies. This assessment allowed us to understand the starting point of this project and monitor its future progress. 

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT 

Assessing our Organisation’s Carbon Footprint made it possible to scientifically track and report the greenhouse gas emissions caused directly and indirectly by our business activities during the year 2022.
The study was certified under the international UNI EN 14064-1:2019 standard. Below is a breakdown of the assessment phases that led Wilier Triestina to obtain this important certification:

• Analysis of inflows and outflows at our facilities 
• Analysis of energy consumption throughout the production process
• On-site inspection to assess internal processes
• Quantification of tons of CO2e under UNI EN ISO 14064-1
• Interpretation of results and presentation of conclusions, recommendations and analyses
• Preparation and drawing up of ISO pre-certification documentation 

The study showed that 98% of CO2e produced derives from indirect emissions attributable to the life cycle of all the goods produced and marketed. Emissions from supplies throughout the supply chain contribute predominantly to the overall figure, while only 2% of the CO2e emitted (direct emissions) is under the company’s direct operational control. 

BREAKDOWN PER CATEGORY - UNI EN ISO 14064-1 

BREAKDOWN BY INDIVIDUAL CATEGORY - UNI EN ISO 14064-1, DIRECT EMISSIONS 

BREAKDOWN BY INDIVIDUAL CATEGORY - UNI EN ISO 14064-1, INDIRECT FROM IMPORTED ENERGY 

BREAKDOWN BY INDIVIDUAL CATEGORY - UNI EN ISO 14064-1, TRANSPORT 

BREAKDOWN BY INDIVIDUAL CATEGORY - UNI EN ISO 14064-1, PRODUCTS USED BY THE ORGANISATION 

The data highlights the need to take action externally through significant, targeted investments and working virtuously with all our partners and suppliers to minimise the CO2e emissions generated by the life cycle of each product and service. The results of the corrective actions carried out will be monitored progressively with ever-more accurate data and increasingly extended to the various (direct and indirect) emission reporting categories. 


SOCIAL & GOVERNANCE 

The ESG analysis also covered performance in the social and governance spheres. This is because, to guarantee a better future, it is essential to be aware of how our company contributes to the economic development of the areas in which we operate and to have an understanding of the corporate policies adopted to improve the working conditions of our employees. 

For several years now, Wilier has been contributing to social growth and well-being through several initiatives: collaborations with non-profit associations, support for local sports events and initiatives, adoption of welfare policies for its employees. Now, with our ESG analysis, we can finally quantify what is being done and monitor the results achieved over time. Our goal is to improve performance also from this standpoint, implementing new initiatives in the hope of soon becoming a point of reference in the bike industry and beyond. 

Our commitment to corporate sustainability will be progressively extended to other Group companies, both current and future. Ours is a young group, established in 2022 to leverage all-round synergistic growth - in industrial and commercial terms, and now also from the perspective of corporate sustainability - alongside Miche. 


IMPROVEMENT ACTIONS 

Obtaining the ISO certification is just the first step in our new way of doing business. It is the first, strong signal of the new corporate philosophy being implemented within the company, which sees our operational industrial plan being supplemented by ESG-oriented strategies and actions. This virtuous path has already been mapped out through the identification of an important number of corrective actions, some to be implemented in the coming months and the rest by the end of 2024: 

•  Use of certified recycled materials by our suppliers
• Implementation of energy efficiency actions  
• Use of energy from renewable sources
• Optimisation of transportation into and out of Wilier Triestina
• Drawing up of an annual Sustainability Report, on a voluntary basis and in advance of the obligations set forth under the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD). This is the European directive that extends sustainability reporting requirements to a greater number of companies in order to increase transparency and comparability of information on the ESG performance of companies
• Strengthening and supplementing of corporate welfare initiatives  
• Support for local initiatives designed to inform/raise awareness on the issue of equal opportunities
• Support to associations/bodies operating in our territory 

Our partnership with Pamoja Capital constitutes a further commitment on our part to support sustainability. The fund, through the McCall MacBain Foundation, is a leading advocate for several international projects that work to tackle the climate crisis, including The Nature Conservancy, Global Manthrop Hub and European Climate Foundation. The McCall MacBain Foundation is also a major supporter of educational initiatives, scholarships, and healthcare projects.

Improving performance is part of our DNA. We do it for our products, which compete in the most important races worldwide. We do it to help ensure a better future for everyone.