Sustainability and the Agri-Food Supply Chain
Today, the agri-food sector is arguably one of the most complex in the world, facing an endless series of complex challenges that will radically change the way the entire sector and the companies within it operate.
In this context, Expense Reduction Analysts is participating as an Official Partner in the Food & Made in Italy Summit, organized by Il Sole 24ORE on July 9, 2020, to contribute to the dialogue with companies and institutions on the priorities of the entire agri-food supply chain and the actions to be taken to safeguard the sector that symbolizes Made in Italy.
In particular, to better understand how Italian companies in the sector are embracing the challenges of sustainability, development, and innovation, Expense Reduction Analysts interviews Roberto Serra, General Manager of Galbusera SpA, an ERA client for over a year.
ERA: We know you have launched a major sustainability project centered on your main ingredient: wheat, 100% Italian, for which you monitor every stage of the supply chain daily. What best practices enabled you to develop the concept of the Italian Wheat Supply Chain?
R. Serra: In defining the project, Galbusera’s goal was to center the entire process around four main aspects:
- Promoting the local area: all Galbusera products contain 100% Italian wheat sourced exclusively from Lombardy, Piedmont, and Emilia-Romagna;
- The preservation of varieties, through the selection of ideal growing regions and the best grains for cookies and crackers;
- Agronomic and environmental sustainability, achieved through the use of good agricultural practices that respect and promote the health of the fields, as well as a ban on the use of glyphosate;
- Economic and social sustainability, meaning fair compensation for all parties involved in the supply chain, along with training and incentive programs.
These four principles were then detailed within a very complex and comprehensive set of guidelines, which is shared and signed by all parties involved in the production process.
ERA: How did you manage the relationship with suppliers?
R. Serra: All the work was carried out in collaboration with an external company, composed mainly of agronomists who helped us set up the project and implement it, coordinating with farmers, grain handlers, and millers.
The specifications were developed step by step, with strong involvement from everyone, so that we could reach the end of the process with the best possible document. We also created a web platform that is unique in this field and serves as a hub and coordination center for everyone involved in our supply chain, updated in real time every day.
The information contained within covers every step: the collection of registrations with corresponding planting dates; activities carried out in the fields with details and compliance with all procedures outlined in the specifications; harvest data regarding crop quality and yield; and a space for reports or communications directed to the company. It is a cutting-edge tool that fosters community and enables continuous monitoring.
ERA: What were the main challenges, and, above all, what has been the outcome in terms of costs and reputation?
R. Serra: Bringing together and accommodating the needs of so many diverse stakeholders with varied requirements was no easy task. It was a long process of mediation and collaboration that has paid off, because today we are fully operational, following continuous improvement programs and maintaining constant dialogue with our partners.
After an initial phase of getting to know one another and defining rules and working methods, we arrived at a model of economic and social sustainability that we are proud of today.
Furthermore, we receive very positive feedback, especially from farmers who are accustomed to living with uncertainty and short-term projects and who are therefore happy to be part of a long-term initiative that will continue over time and provide them with security and stability.
The supply chain project is very important in terms of the costs and company resources involved, but it is an investment in sustainability, in product quality, and in the local area—an investment we strongly desired and will continue to support in the future.
