Environmental Sustainability at Beretta

BePlanet

BePlanet is not a slogan or a logo, but represents a concrete and tangible commitment to achieving, year by year, results that succeed in preserving the environment while improving production quality standards. It is the synthesis of a path of sustainable innovation begun many years ago in which strategic objectives were defined for reducing the footprint on water, soil, air and energy. The project brings together and structures the initiatives that Beretta undertakes every day to protect the environment. The project brings together and organizes the initiatives Beretta undertakes every day to protect the environment. There are six main areas of intervention taking as reference the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals:

1. Reduction in CO2 emissions

2. Reduction in the consumption of raw materials

3. Reduction in waste production

4. Reduction in the use of harmful materials

5. Reclamation of contaminated territories

6. Smart Energy Management

Sustainability report

From all these "good initiatives" the Sustainability Report was born. Although it is not mandatory for the company, Beretta, since 2021 has been publishing a document in which it shows the stakeholders its own vision of a sustainable company. It was decided to highlight all concrete actions, creating a Manifesto, to contribute to global development and to promote human and environmental well-being. For a new paradigm of sustainability.

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Authorisations and certifications

Beretta has held the Integrated Environmental Authorisation (AIA or IEA), compliant with the Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC) principles since 1996. This authorisation is mandatory for certain production installations that could impact the environment if not managed with the best available techniques. ISO 14001 certified, Beretta draws up an annual environmental analysis that considers the impacts on air, water, soil, resource consumption, waste production and energy. The company uses systems to reduce pollutants and dust, with internal performance exceeding the regulations, setting an internal limit of 50% of the emission limit required by law.

Reducing water consumption

Thanks to the implementation of process water purification plants, Beretta has saved over 55 million litres of water per year from a requirement of 200 million litres per year. The water used for surface washing of parts is purified before being fed into the Mella river, with a part treated in a closed-circuit demineralisation plant to reduce waste. The American subsidiary also benefits from this system, reducing water consumption at evaporation. Since 2000, a second water recovery circuit allows the recycling of coolant emulsions.

Reducing material consumption

Within the company, Beretta manages various types of waste according to regulations, adopting technological and management solutions to achieve sustainability goals. Sustainable packaging initiatives have been undertaken, such as replacing plastic cases with cardboard packaging and digitising instruction booklets. This has reduced 130 tonnes of plastic and 'saved' 51 tonnes of paper between 2020 and 2022. In addition, the use of water-based paints and degreasers has halved the use of solvents.

Reduction in CO2 emissions

Great attention is paid to all policies on CO2 emissions into the atmosphere: the 455-tonne cut is not enough for us. Constant monitoring of the company's impact guarantees a continuous and substantial margin for improvement through increasingly targeted future investments. The Carbon Footprint Assessment is the guide to better target all future investments, defining the areas of greatest improvement for emission reduction and offsetting actions. In parallel, fleet renewal activities and infrastructure for hybrid vehicles are implemented. Smart working also contributes to positive results.

Smart energy management

Beretta is not an energy-intensive company. Since 1913, it has built hydroelectric power plants, gas cogeneration plants and photovoltaic plants, with a total capacity of 157 kW. In 2021, 45 per cent of energy needs were covered by renewable energy, rising to 75 per cent with cogenerator energy. In the same year, software was implemented to monitor energy consumption and reduce waste, as well as installing energy-efficient equipment and replacing window frames and lighting with LED technology.