Despar Nord is increasingly sustainable: its ISO 14001 environmental certification has been confirmed with flying colors.

Despar Nord has obtained UNI EN ISO 14001 certification for the thirteenth consecutive year, confirming its commitment to continuously improving its environmental performance. This achievement reaffirms the excellence of the environmental management system adopted by the company, the first Italian large-scale retail trade company to achieve this certification back in 2013. The renewal and extension audit, conducted in the second half of May by the TÜV Italia Certification Body, the Italian branch of the TÜV SÜD Group, confirmed the full compliance of Despar Nord's environmental management system with the rigorous requirements of the international standard UNI EN ISO 14001 and confirmed the expansion of the perimeter of certified sites – including stores, headquarters, logistics platforms and the Agrologic agri-food hub – from 78 in 2024 to 90 in 2025. This achievement is the fruit of a structured process supported by over 43 million euros of investments made from 2013 to 2024, aimed at increasing, through the adoption of innovative technologies, energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions of the sales and logistics network in Italy. all five regions where the Fir brand is present.

Thus, full LED lighting systems have been complemented by photovoltaic systems and the use of cool roofs made of materials with high solar reflectivity and thermal emissivity; heat pumps have been preferred over gas boilers; heat recovery solutions from food refrigeration systems and refrigerated cabinet locking systems have been implemented; new high-efficiency refrigeration systems powered by CO2, a refrigerant gas with a low environmental impact, have been installed, in addition to the use of floating condensing systems to rationalize refrigeration plant consumption. On the one hand, therefore, the optimization of energy consumption and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions directly attributable to Despar Nord's activities; on the other, the purchase of 95% of energy from renewable sources, a corporate strategy further strengthened by the signing of the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) between Despar Nord and Alperia, which ensures the supply of over 20% of the total green energy requirement in the long term (2025–2031) under stable economic conditions. Another important development, the focus of the renewal audits, was the extension of the environmental management system's scope to the "transport and logistics" sector. Over the past three years, the company has significantly expanded its fleet of owned vehicles, incorporating the most advanced technologies and performance available on the market. Despar Nord's fleet currently comprises over 90% Euro 6 and Euro 6E vehicles. The virtuous practices recorded in the management of waste sent for recycling also played a key role in confirming UNI EN ISO 14001 certification, which in 2024 allowed the company to achieve a significant recovery rate of 80.6% of its waste.

Confirmation of the certification came after an in-depth audit involving 140 Despar Nord employees and an analysis of 11 company processes. It was issued by TÜV Italia, part of the international TÜV SÜD group, which expressed its full satisfaction with the company's effective management of environmental responsibilities. The efficiency and expertise of Despar Nord's employees were key to the renewal, having contributed to establishing a well-structured and reliable environmental management system. "This recognition makes us particularly proud," commented Massimo Salviato, CEO of Despar Nord, "given the complexity and rigor of the audit parameters. No non-compliance was detected, and the certification body's assessment was extremely positive. Over the years, we have worked hard to further enhance our environmental performance, striving for efficient and conscious use of resources to reduce waste, refuse, and emissions. This achievement recognizes the expertise of our staff and the care with which our internal department oversees the entire Environmental Management System, in line with the sustainability policies that guide our development strategy and with a view to constant improvement."