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Responsible waste management In 2017 57% of hazardous waste was sent for recycling.

Responsible waste management, governed by Legislative Decree no. 152 of 2006 (also known as the “Consolidated Environment Act”) represents a distinctive value for Poste Italiane, committed in a conscious manner to the matter in order to guarantee the prevention, or reduction of produced waste and the recovery of materials and energy. In performing its corporate activities, the Company mainly generates two categories of waste: similar t urban and special waste (hazardous and non hazardous).

With reference to waste assimilated to urban waste, Poste Italiane subscribed, with AMA, Azienda Municipale Ambiente di Roma Capitale [municipal environment company of Rome] an Experimental Memorandum of Understanding for differentiated collection within the structures of the Headquarters in the Roma Eur Complex by means of dedicated containers. Part of this waste (for example paper and plastic) is sent directly for recycling by means of operators authorised to manage special waste - observing, in this case, the requirements provided for special waste and the Company benefits from the reduction in the tax/rate established by the regulations in force.

In the context of uniform management and creation of corporate culture, the Group promoted information and training programmes aimed at making personnel aware, both at the work place and in their private sphere, of adopting correct behaviours during waste conferral.

As regards special waste produced by Poste Italiane, on the other hand, the highest portion is represented by non hazardous waste (e.g. paper packaging, cardboard, plastic, wooden pallets, etc.). nonetheless, within some postal centres and at the Group Data Centres, considering the substances used, there can be a production of some special waste (e.g. containers for printer ink and ink effluents). Pursuant to the provisions under the Consolidated Environment Act, special waste is sent for recovery/disposal according to passive cycle contracts stipulated by the Company with authorised firms in observance of the requirements pertaining to moving and tracing waste (e.g. forms, load/unload log, MUD - Single Environmental Declaration Form). Transfer agreements stipulated according to active cycle, instead, govern the portion of special waste sent for recycling/recovery.

Since 2012 Poste Italiane has launched various initiatives in order to change from waste management based on landfill disposal to an integrated system aimed at the transition towards a stronger and circular economy, in which resources are used more sustainably.

The objective of “closing the circle” of the life cycle of products and draw maximum value from them is inserted into a wider process aimed at the gradual elimination, starting from the procurement phase, of products and materials which give rise to hazardous waste at the end of their life, by favouring similar but more eco-compatible products. Moreover, in light of the corporate commitment to guaranteeing an increasingly more efficient and sustainable management of waste and consequent reduction of that which is generated, Poste Italiane has launched and projects which are kept active for the “virtuous” reuse to goods and equipment/tools that are obsolete for the Company but still having a “second life. Such goods such as obsolete electrical equipment (about 2500 pieces) and some types of vehicles (about 250) were removed from the waste management cycle and “transferred” to third parties for reuse.

The same procedure applied to equipment and furnishings decommissioned by the company canteen in Rome which were freely given to primary Third Sector organisations for their reuse in social canteens for persons under hardship.

With a view to reducing food waste, as from 2012 Poste Italiane has joined the “Siticibo” programme promoted by the Banco Alimentare Onlus foundation having the purpose of recovering food left over from the company canteen in Roma Eur.

The “Solidarity Package

Based on the normative in force, SDA Express Courier is obliged to keep and preserve at its expense, for a given period of time (from 6 to 12 months according to typology) the so-called “anonymous batches” or “abandoned batches” that are not delivered due to force majeure, as well as arrange for their disposal or destruction at the end of the period in question.

SDA Express Courier, in concert with the Group Risk Governance - Corporate Social Responsibility function of Poste Italiane, scheduled the activation of a recovery and reuse process for social purposes of containers used in the “anonymous and abandoned batches”.

The Poste Italiane Group – in further confirmation of its proximity to families and local communities and its widespread ability to also intercept social needs - intends to organically contribute to the corporate strategy by means of realising an experimental activity called “Joint Package” aimed at making the assets constituted by the content of parcels that have not been delivered due to force majeure available to families in conditions of poverty or social hardship;

According to an analysis related to the type of beneficiaries and capillary circulation over the territory, Caritas was identified as the ideal partner for such initiative, with particular reference to the national network of Solidarity Emporiums which, starting from that opened in Rome, has spread throughout the nation, touching 60 units.

The project envisages that Caritas:
  • makes its industrial depot available as well as other spaces in the “Emporium of Solidarity” network in Rome, in which to store the received goods;
  • takes over, selects and registers the received goods, managing their effective destination for social purposes by means of subsequent reassignment and reuse by users of the “Solidarity Emporium” or, in the case of unusable goods or not needed for such purpose or of a significant value, oversee the sale thereof to third parties by means of special auctions or fundraising initiatives, also online, with conditions, terms and procedures compliant to the normative in force;
  • where necessary, arrange for any fulfilments pertaining to legal obligations related to their disposal;
  • involve diocesan Caritas to which the identified “Solidarity Emporiums” refer, sending them the portion of goods received according to the related user catchment. 

​For goods having more value not suited or needed for the purposes of directly supporting Emporium users, forms of economic valorisation are foreseen by means of fundraising activities and sale to third parties through special “solidarity auctions”. Such funds are expressly restricted to activating professional requalification and work reinsertion courses for the same disadvantaged subjects by means of establishing a specific “fund”.

Also foreseen is active participation of the corporate volunteer network by means of support activity carried out by the competed Corporate Social Responsibility function of Poste Italiane.

The use of the “fund” may also envisage - again through dedicated projects and personalised course to be submitted for the approval of the assessment Team - funding of training internships or apprenticeships for entry to work at companies firms partners of SDA Express Courier S.p.A. aimed at members of the counted families who are users of the Emporiums, in particular the unemployed are unoccupied for a long time regarding whom the completion of the six months of admission to Emporium services is forthcoming.