EU project to reduce environmental impact of the restaurant industry

Measuring the footprint of Italian companies in the restaurant industry for the purpose of reducing the environmental impact of enterprises and cutting costs. This is the goal of the European project EFFIGE, of which ENEA is a partner for both technical aspects and communication strategies of environmental performances.

The Agency will deal with the development and testing of tools in support to the dissemination of the PEF (Product Environmental Footprint), the method for measuring the environmental footprint of products and services in SMEs, promoted by the European Commission.

“With this initiative we intend to continue developing  communication tools of the environmental footprint of products, efficient use of resources, circular economy and technologies for the sustainability of the production chain.  In addition, we confirm our supporting role to Italian Smes in the valorization of national production, increased competitiveness and promotion of a sustainable growth”, ENEA researcher Patrizia Buttol, pointed out.

Together with the company CAMST, ENEA will develop a calculation method for estimating the environmental footprint in the restaurant industry sector and test the application of the PEF in some companies, validating the plans for environmental and energy  improvement.

The activities conducted by EFFIGE are coordinated by the Management Institute of the Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna of Pisa and, at the European level,  also involve companies operating in the metallurgy, woodfurnishing and agri-food sectors. EFFIGE’s hallmark is the synergy among companies, the academic world and the world of associations and consortia, with the aim of making Smes more competitive by developing tools for the application of the PEF.  All this in a context in which, in the last few years, companies have expressed a growing need for tools supporting them in evaluating the impact of their services and products, improving environmental performances and  communicating them in a transparent way, for an increased sustainability and competitiveness.

EFFIGE’s activities will end in 2021 and during the entire project national and European events will take place, with the objective of promoting and disseminating the experience in different production chains, as well as several training initiatives for manufacturing companies, consulting companies and students for disseminating the PEF method and make it more accessible.

For more information please contact:

Patrizia Buttol, ENEA – Laboratory for the Valorisation of Resources in Productive and Territorial Systems, patrizia.buttol@enea.it