FCA AND AUTOGRILL AT EXPO MILAN 2015: THE SUSTAINABILITY OF MATERIALS
FCA, official sponsor of Expo 2015 and partner for sustainable mobility, and Autogrill present, for the World Food Day, the most innovative projects in the field of the recovery and transformation of organic waste into alternative raw materials.
FCA, together with Autogrill, is the protagonist at the meeting on the theme "Food waste as a raw material for the future: a journey from catering to the automotive sector", presented at the Slow Food Theatre on Friday 16 October from 12.45 onward. An important moment for reflecting on sustainability connected to the theme of reusing food waste. Through a number of innovative projects, FCA and Autogrill show how waste can be a real source of wealth, as long as it is reused in a conscientious, alternative and sustainable way. Producing value from waste is one of the challenges that must be won if we are to achieve a cleaner world, as it is demonstrated by the best practices of the two Groups.
FCA highlights how the group's commitment to protecting the environment also includes the study and use of eco-compatible materials in its vehicles. A more aware viewpoint in the theme of the exploitation of raw materials, as well as recovery and recycling, can help reduce the ecological footprint of the vehicles in every stage of their life cycle. This is why, through the activities of the Global Materials Labs, the Group takes part in research projects for the exploitation of organic waste, including waste from the food industry, to use as filler for sustainable polymers.
With the development and application of new, ecological and sustainable materials for various car parts, including oils and paints, a contribution can be made to the continuous improvement of the product and its performance in terms of recycling and durability, thus reducing its impact on the environment.
For Autogrill too, sustainability is a competitive lever for company growth and development. This awareness led, in 2007, to the creation of a long-term strategy, "Afuture", to guide the Group's business. In this international experimental laboratory, best practices and projects were launched in all fields of activity - people, products and environment - with particular attention to the theme of managing refuse and waste produced in the Autogrill outlets during preparation and service. Some of the main projects: the experimental hub on the theme of food waste carried out in 2013 with WWF Italia, thanks to which the organic waste from a number of sales outlets was transformed into compost to "feed" a vegetable garden in the WWF Oasis as Bosco di Vanzago, and, in 2015, the agreement signed with the FAO for the reduction of waste in the food chain.
Representatives from the two companies will take part in the discussion, drawing the public's attention to the experiences and the results obtained in the last decades through a global and transversal approach to sustainability issues. Speakers for FCA will be Claudia Berruti, Head of Environmental & Chemical Analysis in the Global Materials Labs, Silvia Avataneo, from Environmental Issues & Innovation at the Global Materials Labs, Laura Viada, FCA Sustainability Manager, and Giuseppe Tecco, proprietor of Agrindustria.
For Autogrill there will be Silvio de Girolamo, Autogrill Group Chief Internal Audit & CSR Officer, with the participation of Michele Fino, Professor and Vice-Rector of the University of Gastronomic Sciences at Pollenzo. Lastly, Lisa Casali, environmental scientist and expert in eco-sustainable cuisine, with her latest book "Tutto fa brodo. Dagli scarti alle scorte: la mia rivoluzione in cucina" ("Everything goes in the soup. From waste to stock: my revolution in the kitchen").
To stay in touch with FCA and follow its commitment and activities in the field of sustainability you can download the FCA Sustainability App from Apple store or Google Play store and visit the website http://www.fcagroup.com/en-us/sustainability/pages/default.aspx
Turin, 15 October 2015
