7.4 GRUPPO MASTROTTO EXPRESS TURNS CARBON NEUTRAL

Since June 2022 all Gruppo Mastrotto Express products are “Carbon Neutral”, with regards to direct and indirect emissions, without therefore any negative impact on global warming.

With regards to the products offered by its prompt delivery leather service, Gruppo Mastrotto has been able to zero the Scope 1 emissions (those associated with assets owned or under the operational control of the company) and Scope 2 emissions (those attributable to the energies used).

The goods made with the products of the Express service will therefore contain leathers obtained with a production process that does not affect climate change.

The result is the consequence of a three-stage process:

Measurement of greenhouse gas emissions

Gruppo Mastrotto conducted an LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) analysis that allowed to calculate the greenhouse gas emissions of a square meter of finished leather throughout its life cycle. Based on the LCA analysis, it was possible to estimate the potential impact on global warming of the items of the Gruppo Mastrotto Express service.

Reduction of emissions by intervening in processes

The data obtained enabled to launch a number of initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions:

• use of electricity coming exclusively from certified renewable sources and installation of solar panels

• reduction of water consumption through its reuse and optimization of recipes

• energy efficiency of the production process stages and reduced use of chemicals.

These interventions have yielded significant environmental benefits, but have not allowed the potential impacts on global warming to be eliminated.

Offsetting of emissions through recognised and credible instruments

The Gruppo Mastrotto has joined a number of compensation projects supported by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), an international environmental treaty that aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The offsetting of emissions takes place within the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), a process provided for by the Kyoto Protocol, which allows member organizations to offset their emissions by supporting sustainable development projects carried out in countries with emerging or developing economies.

This reduction is tangibly achieved through the purchase of CERs (Certified Emission Reduction), which are equivalent to one ton of CO2 not emitted.

To date there are three projects chosen for this purpose; they are located in India and Brazil, and consist in the production of electricity from renewable sources (wind and hydroelectric) and biomass cogeneration (recovery of chaff, by-product of rice processing). Alongside environmental benefits, these projects also have significant economic, social, cultural and technological benefits for these areas and their communities.