STARTING WITH THE DECISION TO MEASURE PERFORMANCE - In 2020, ARD Raccanello decided to take a more structured approach to measuring its sustainability practices and to benchmark itself against diverse organizations, including those outside its own sector. The initial goal was not to obtain certification, but rather to establish benchmarks for observing and evaluating its own way of working. A first real step was the Sustainability Report, published for the first time in 2022 and covering the 2021 financial year. While the first edition was produced with the support of an external consultancy, following editions have been prepared directly by internal departments. This evolution required not only gathering information but also organizing the work needed to ensure a collaborative approach. BUILDING A COMMON LANGUAGE - One of the most challenging aspects of the process was not simply finding the necessary data, but establishing a common language and shared working tools for gathering information. Administration, HR, procurement, production, and R&D were the functions most heavily involved, alongside sales, marketing, customer support, IT, and logistics. People used to working on different tasks, information, and objectives found themselves contributing to the same set of questions. Before the work on the Sustainability Report and the journey toward B Corp™ certification, the need to connect such a wide range of resources and information had never arisen with the same intensity. This required coordination, time, and consistency, but it also gave some people the opportunity to showcase activities and experiences that would normally remain inside their specific areas of work.
DIFFERENT QUESTIONS, DIFFERENT EXPERTISE - The cross-functional nature of the process was particularly evident when it was necessary to delve into the specifics of the questions. A technical issue might require input from the plant manager, while a more analytical one called for the CFO’s expertise. In other cases, it was necessary to involve people with direct knowledge of a specific process, activity, or data point. The task, therefore, was not to funnel all answers through a single department, but rather to determine, on a case-by-case basis, which areas of expertise needed to be brought together. It is against this backdrop that the CFO of ARD Raccanello summarizes the experience: “It was a challenging and demanding journey, made possible by everyone’s collaboration.” This collaboration meant more than just dividing up tasks; it involved learning to view the same issues from different perspectives.
VIEWING THE SAME PROJECTS FROM MULTIPLE PERSPECTIVES - Engaging with this process also means asking different questions about existing activities. ARD Raccanello had already included sustainability as a key pillar in its 2022–2026 Industrial Plan. From the second year onwards, the Sustainability Plan was integrated into the Industrial Plan, leading to an approach where projects are evaluated not only in terms of efficiency and cost-effectiveness but also regarding their impact on employees, the community, and the environment. One specific instance that arose during this journey involved a discussion regarding a project for a new coating facility at the Castelguglielmo plant. During the discussion, the relevant department had already factored in sustainability objectives—without any need for prompting from the administration or senior management. This is a real yet telling detail: some of the questions introduced through this process were becoming part of the way decisions were evaluated.
THE LEGACY OF THE WORK DONE - The journey toward B Corp™ certification required extensive data collection and documentation. Much of the necessary information already existed, though it was scattered across various functions, processes, and people. The task lay in connecting this information, making it comparable, and establishing a shared framework for interpreting it. What remains is a set of tools, internally developed expertise, and a greater habit of bringing diverse perspectives to the table. Today, B Corp™ certification makes the outcome of this journey visible to the outside world. Within the company, however, a significant part of the work endures in the methodology itself: the ongoing practice of measuring performance, asking questions, and engaging the necessary expertise to build solid solutions.