Whoever chose EPDItaly tells its story: AFV Beltrame Group

Interview with Dr. Valerio Forti, Director of Environment Health and Safety AFV Beltrame Group.

What are the advantages of an EPD certification for a company?
The AFV Beltrame Group firmly believes in the path of sustainability undertaken and identifies in the environmental product declaration (EPD) a tool with multiple advantages: from external communication, to marketing support of our products, to the evaluation of environmental performance. The EPD can provide real operational support in the continuous improvement process. In the current context it is clear that the issue of environmental sustainability is closely linked to the performance and success of any organization and this is especially true for companies in the steel industry.

What are the reasons that led you to EPDItaly?
The EPD of the Laminati Mercantili of the AFV Beltrame Group has been validated and registered within the main international schemes (International EPD® System and Institut Bauen und Umwelt) and has obtained validation by ICMQ and subsequent publication by the Program Operator national EPDItaly. Participating in the EPDItaly program will improve visibility internationally and, at the same time, will promote Italian commitment to the issue of environmental product declarations. EPDItaly is also a platform that allows a better understanding of the European and Italian regulatory framework linked to Green Public Procurement – “Minimum Environmental Criteria for the assignment of design services and works for new buildings, renovation and maintenance of buildings and for management of public administration sites “(CAM-Building).

Do you think EPDItaly can contribute to spreading the culture of product sustainability?
Certainly, EPDItaly, in addition to what has been described above, allows us to actively promote the issues of product sustainability at an international level, favoring the concepts of the circular economy. In a certain sense I can say that it contributes to supporting the transition to a truly sustainable society and productivity, with particular reference to the Italian context.

How important in your opinion is the presence of sustainable products made in Italy within a Program Operator that makes the international network one of its strengths?
The belonging of the EPDItaly program to the Eco Platform circuit, in which the main Program Operators of the construction sector are present, is a guarantee of standardization of the environmental product declarations present in Europe. Having a “made in Italy brand” is proof of seriousness, and guarantees a visible commitment on the subject.