Within the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN 2030 Agenda – aimed at promoting a balance between environmental, economic and social dimensions – the fight against climate change and the promotion of responsible production models represent challenges shared by institutions, businesses and citizens. In this context, the INALCA Group recognizes the strategic importance of addressing the transition to a low-carbon economy and, for nearly 30 years, has been pursuing a concrete commitment to the environment. The Group monitors its greenhouse gas emissions (scope 1, 2 and 3) with a view to collecting reliable data and building a sound knowledge base. This approach allows the Group to have a clear vision of its environmental footprint.
Research trajectories aimed at improving the sustainability of the production chain are developed in all three ESG guidelines. In the environmental sphere, they focus primarily on combating climate change, through the adoption of energy efficiency technologies, the production of energy from renewable sources –particularly solar and biomass–, and the promotion of circular economy processes. These initiatives are accompanied by further research and innovation activities, partly supported by concessional finance projects, focused on food safety, process and product technological innovation, animal welfare, and strengthening national beef supply chains.
€9 million
invested in 2024 in sustainable development,
research and innovation activities
Energy, efficiency and valorization of by-products
Thanks to an energy self-production process that began in the mid-1990s ’90, INALCA is now able to independently generate a significant share of the energy needs of its factories.
This achievement is the result of an integrated and distributed system of plants installed on the Group’s main production sites and farms, which includes: photovoltaic systems, trigeneration and cogeneration systems powered by natural gas, cogeneration plants and powered by renewable sources (such as biogas and animal fats), as well as anaerobic digestion plants using sewage sludge, manure, and other organic by-products.
This infrastructure allows the Group to combine energy production from renewable sources (photovoltaic, anaerobic digestion, endothermic combustion) with that from cogeneration and trigeneration, thus ensuring high efficiency of its consumption. For nearly thirty years, INALCA has consistently pursued a strategy oriented towards self-production of energy, valorization of by-products, recycling and reuse of materials, in full adherence to the principles of the circular economy.
Each resource is managed with a view to waste minimization and maximum valorization, fueling a virtuous cycle that integrates environmental sustainability and technological innovation. In particular, within agricultural activities, the Group is constantly engaged in improving the efficiency of livestock farming, with the aim of implementing increasingly aware management of its environmental impacts and energy consumption. Great attention is paid to waste recovery and the development of virtuous circular economy processes, with a focus on the use of animal waste and other biomass for the production of renewable energy (biogas) and natural fertilizers (digestate). In support of this commitment, INALCA invests in modern and efficient plants, capable of ensuring integration between agricultural and industrial activities, promoting a resilient and circular production model.
77.6%
of self-produced energy
28%
from renewable sources
19,380 KW
peak installed on 22 factories
