Casalasco Releases Its 2024 Group Sustainability Report

In 2024, the Group further strengthened its commitment across the entire value chain to generate shared value for the environment, people, and local communities.

Casalasco, a leading agri-food Group specialized in the selection, cultivation, processing, packaging, and marketing of tomato products, presents its 2024 Sustainability Report, which also consolidates the data of its subsidiaries Emiliana Conserve S.p.A., SAC S.p.A., Pomì USA Inc., and De Martino srl.

Casalasco, Italy’s largest integrated tomato supply chain by size, recorded a 2024 turnover of €605 million. Its five production plants have a total processing capacity exceeding 800,000 tons of fresh tomatoes, delivered by 800 farming companies through the Consorzio Casalasco del Pomodoro.

Environment, Innovation, Research & Development, People, and Supply Chain are the five pillars that guide the Group’s sustainability strategy. Casalasco is committed to a transparent approach with all stakeholders, aiming to build an efficient and responsible value chain. Its sustainable growth strategy enhances the entire Italian agri-industrial sector, ensuring a fair distribution of generated value while respecting nature, local communities, and people’s quality of life.

In this context, the 2024 Sustainability Report reinforces the Group’s identity, values, and vision, confirming its role as a solid and innovative agri-food player focused on balancing economic development, environmental protection, and social well-being.

Costantino Vaia, CEO of Casalasco Group, declared: “2024 has been a year of challenges, transformation, and significant progress. We have laid the foundations for a new phase of growth, while strengthening our commitment to even more sustainable and responsible development. Every step forward – from FSI’s entry into the company to the expansion of our brand portfolio – has been supported by increasingly ambitious environmental, social, and governance goals, in line with the commitments made to our stakeholders, the communities we operate in – which remain at the heart of our decisions – and to all those involved throughout the supply chain, who contribute with passion and dedication to building our future.”

GOVERNANCE & STRATEGY

The Group has adopted a solid and transparent governance model, aligned with the highest ethical and organizational standards, supported by advanced monitoring and reporting tools. This approach aims to protect employees and ensure the integrity of all operations.

To confirm this commitment, Casalasco Società Agricola S.p.A. and Emiliana Conserve S.p.A. obtained Ecovadis certification, an internationally recognized and independent assessment that evaluates corporate sustainability performance in areas such as environment, human rights, ethics, and responsible sourcing. In parallel, the Group applies ESG criteria to both internal activities and supplier evaluations, through the Synesgy platform.

The commitment to responsible management is further reflected in adherence to the UN Global Compact principles and participation in the SEDEX platform. Financial transparency is guaranteed by the adoption of IAS/IFRS international accounting standards.

Within this context of innovation and growth, the “Evolution” project was launched, including a Cyber Security Awareness initiative. Involving all employees, the project strengthens the Group’s digital and organizational transformation.

ENVIRONMENT

In 2024, Casalasco continued its “Road to Net Zero Emission” plan, launched in 2023, aiming to minimize the environmental impact throughout the entire value chain. Key results include: 100% of electricity used across all production sites and warehouses was sourced from renewable energy, and 98% of waste was recovered.

Investments in energy efficiency and water treatment continued, with the start-up of a new 420,000 PE wastewater treatment plant at the Rivarolo del Re site.

In terms of packaging, the cartons for Pomì purée destined for the Italian market are plant-based, made up of 78% certified plant-derived material that meets environmental, ethical, and social standards.

Regarding the environmental management system of production sites, 80% of the facilities are already UNI EN ISO 14001:2015 certified, with a goal of reaching 100% by 2026.

SUPPLY CHAIN & QUALITY CONTROL

In 2024, the Casalasco Consortium further strengthened its integrated supply chain model by promoting regenerative and low-impact agricultural practices through participation in the Carbon Farming program, developed with the Faculty of Agriculture at the University of Piacenza.

In the second half of the year, a new basil supply chain was launched, based on a controlled model ensuring high standards of quality and sustainability. These efforts are part of the broader “Casalasco Sustainable Supply Chain” project, led by Casalasco within the scope of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), with over €40 million in funding aimed at reducing environmental impact and improving sustainability across the entire production chain.

Casalasco confirmed its national leadership in tomato processing, with a production of 549,978 tons of raw material in 2024, generating an economic value of €82.7 million. All products are 100% Italian, sourced from a controlled supply chain using non-GMO seeds and carrying the QC – Qualità Controllata certification.

Food safety is ensured through rigorous controls throughout the production process, including 1,463 multiresidue tests on tomato berries, 417,930 chemical-physical analyses, 95,140 microbiological tests, 483 multiresidue tests on semi-finished products, and 117 specific tests for Alternaria toxins.

In terms of environmental sustainability and innovation, the Consortium continues to implement MVR (Mechanical Vapor Recompression) technology to reduce methane gas consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. The use of reusable polypropylene seed trays was also increased, with 9,500 units already in use and a target of 70,000 by 2025, currently enabling a 66% CO2eq reduction compared to traditional polystyrene trays. In addition, 3,125 trees have been planted, with a target of 3,500 by next year.

PEOPLE, HEALTH & INCLUSION

Casalasco continues to place great focus on people, the true engine of the Group’s sustainable growth.

In 2024, the total number of employees reached 2,037, including 1,200 FTEs (Full-Time Equivalents) hired during the harvesting season. The workforce is evenly split by gender (45% women and 55% men) and highly multicultural, with 32% of employees representing 66 different nationalities.

The Group increased investments in training and employee well-being, raising the average hours dedicated to health and safety at work per capita to 13.8, a significant increase from 9.4 hours in 2023.

As part of its corporate welfare programs, Casalasco promoted numerous free initiatives to support employee well-being, including training and medical visits aimed at encouraging healthy lifestyles, cancer prevention, and sustainable mobility. Notably, the cancer screening program enabled 782 diagnostic tests.

Source: Casalasco