Who chose EPDItaly tells its story: Valagussa Group

Sara Santambrogio, PR & Communications manager at Valagussa Group

The Valagussa Group is an international network of companies operating with different brands on different but contiguous sectors: from construction to mining, from reclamation to sales of topsoil, from design to interior design. The Lombard company decided to rely on EPDItaly to obtain EPD certification for some products. In this regard, we interviewed Sara Santambrogio, PR & Communications manager, who told us about the reasons why the company decided to adopt EPD certification and what the benefits of such a document are.

What are the main motivations that pushed you toward voluntary EPD certification?

In an ever-changing market, our company is called to continuous improvement: society’s growing awareness of the negative effects of human activities on the environment has made it an increasing priority for operators to transition to ethical and sustainable solutions capable of limiting their environmental impacts.

Through the path of voluntary EPD (Environmental Product Declaration) certification, we intend to demonstrate the company’s ongoing commitment to environmental sustainability and transparency. We consider EPD a useful tool to ensure value and recognition for our products also from the environmental point of view, a certification verified by an independent third party that can increase the credibility and trust of all stakeholders towards the company.

In addition, we have discovered how, the very process of obtaining certification, can be an opportunity to measure and improve environmental performance, involving an in-depth analysis of the product life cycle and allowing the company to identify possible new areas of intervention.

Which product(s) in your company has obtained EPD? What are its main characteristics?

Currently, the company has obtained EPD certification for 4 of its products. These are key productions of our business, specifically, “Screened Earth” (first product certified in 2023), “Asphalt Mix Granulate,” “Crushed Rubble,” and “Concrete Aggregate.”

These awards demonstrate the company’s focus on environmental protection: certified products are derived from circular economy processes and materials from controlled and protected supply chains. The EPD analysis, in fact, includes the entire life cycle of products by assessing the environmental impacts related to production, including the sourcing of raw materials, the production process, and the recovery or recycling of materials.

What are the main benefits gained from publishing the Environmental Product Declaration? What are the impacts on the end consumer?

As mentioned, all players in the industry, including our clients, are increasingly interested in and attentive to the environmental aspects of products; therefore, we think that obtaining improvements in the parameters of one’s EPDs right away and over time will be a distinctive and qualifying element for the company.

In our opinion, the greatest benefits will not be so much those recorded in the immediate term, but those that can be seen in the long term depending on the growing awareness of our customers: we want them to be aware, in a clear and transparent way, of the product they are buying and what its characteristics are.

Do you think EPDItaly can contribute to spreading the culture of product sustainability?

By offering an internationally recognized and accredited certification, EPDItaly can make a substantial and professional contribution to spreading the culture of product sustainability for both industry professionals and also product users. Through its certification program, EPDItaly facilitates Italian companies in creating standardized and recognized environmental declarations, providing tools to transparently communicate the environmental impacts of products throughout their life cycle.

How important, in your opinion, is the presence of Italian sustainable products within a Program Operator that makes international networking one of its strengths?

Italian technical culture has always been of enormous value abroad. The presence of Italian sustainable products within a Program Operator that is part of an international network like EPDItaly is fundamental for the development of our country in the world: it promotes the visibility, reliability and competitiveness of Italian companies globally, helping to spread a culture of sustainability linked to the Made in Italy brand.