Publication date
23.10.2026
Investing in sustainability: driving growth and transformation.
Investing in sustainability starts with recognising that no organisation can navigate this transformation alone.
The real challenge is not simply to communicate our commitment, but to build a network of partners, clients and suppliers who share that responsibility.
Bringing clients and suppliers to the same table.
With this belief in mind, on 9 April we hosted an event at Garden House in Milan entitled “Investing in sustainability: driving growth and transformation”.
Our aim was to create a forum where clients and suppliers from different sectors could explore together how to embed sustainability in their day-to-day operations, strengthen collaboration and foster a culture that extends beyond individual organisations.
ESG in practice: three perspectives.
The morning began with an ESG keynote by Professor Marco Frey, a full professor at the Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies in Pisa and one of Italy’s leading experts in the field. A round-table discussion followed, bringing together different but complementary perspectives.
Different perspectives, a shared purpose.
From an environmental perspective, Alessio Calandrelli, a healthcare executive at Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, explained why measuring performance is the starting point for any ESG journey. Before setting ambitious targets, organisations need a clear picture of where they stand, reliable indicators and data that can inform improvements. At the hospital, detailed energy assessments across all sites helped identify targeted measures with measurable results.
The social dimension was the focus of Giorgio Galli, Head of Quality and Sustainability Initiatives at UNA Italian Hospitality, who highlighted diversity, accessibility and inclusion as strategic priorities. To make its properties more inclusive, the group has partnered with organisations representing people with disabilities. These partners carry out internal accessibility audits and help shape improvements to its spaces. It is an example of how external expertise can become a strategic resource, informing decisions that might otherwise be overlooked.
Turning to governance, Daniela Vitali, Head of ESG & Sustainability at Südtiroler Sparkasse, explained why sustainability needs to be embedded in strategic planning, supported by senior leadership and a culture that welcomes contributions from across the organisation. This approach has already delivered tangible results, including Sparkasse Energy: a project involving two solar parks launched in 2023 to supply energy to the bank’s owned branches and diversify its business model, turning environmental commitment into measurable economic value.
Bringing these three dimensions together, Elisa Montanari, CSR Ambassador and Communication Team Leader at Markas, stressed the importance of working with partners who share the same sustainability values. After all, an effective ESG strategy depends on the quality of the relationships a company builds throughout its supply chain.
Sustainability as a shared responsibility.
Bringing clients and suppliers together around shared challenges creates opportunities for new ideas, stronger relationships and unexpected connections. The networking session and lunch offered a natural continuation of the morning’s discussions, turning reflections into practical conversations and, in some cases, opening the door to future collaboration.
For us, the event reaffirmed that meaningful sustainability is not the achievement of any single company: it is something we build together.
