Letter to Stakeholders
SICIT, founded sixty years ago, in 1960, has always combined innovation and sustainability. We were among the pioneers of the circular economy, when the term was not invented yet; as well as one of the first companies in the world to use amino acids and peptides in the biostimulants market for agriculture, becoming a world leader. This path was possible thanks to the work of all of our 137 employees, to automated and technological production plants, state-of-the-art laboratories and constant investments in Research and Development. We have become an international leader in the market, supplying the main players in the agrochemical and industrial sector, thanks to products with high added value for agriculture (biostimulants) and the plaster industry (retarders for plaster).
This year, for the first time and on a voluntary basis, we started the non-financial reporting process to offer our stakeholders and investors a complete report that, not only takes into account the financial results and economic efficiency of the company, but also highlights the social and environmental impacts of the Group in 2019.
The integration of sustainability in SICIT’s business translates, in the first instance, into the reuse of waste raw materials deriving from the processing of leather from the tanning industry, from which we are able to obtain totally biodegradable products. These products are safe for public health and environment, of high quality, and allow to reduce the production of waste to almost zero.
SICIT has its roots in the territory from which it comes, and it is an integral part of the value chain of the Valle del Chiampo tanning district, providing a service of strategic importance. Therefore it is inevitable that the Group has demonstrated over time a strong willingness to have a positive impact on the Vicenza economy and the environment, preferring where possible local purchases and investing in modernizing the plants and efficient production processes.
The Sustainability Report is part of SICIT Group’s broader development and growth strategy, through the quantitative and qualitative strengthening of the production capacity at the Arzignano and Chiampo sites and the opening of a foreign plant, in order to be closer to our international customers.
The Group will also continue, through constant investments in Research and Development (which already accounts about the 3% of the revenues) in the development of new products, in close collaboration with its customers, in order to be able to adequately respond to the different needs of agricultural and industrial realities.
In light of the health crisis caused by Coronavirus, SICIT’s management is working alongside customers and suppliers, as a real partner, to implement all the necessary measures to limit the effects of the health crisis and the economic slowdown. The Group realized all the possible policies in order to contain the inevitable negative effects of the pandemic, applying immediately and rigorously the measures necessary to reduce the risk of infection, also through the implementation of smart working. This has made possible to guarantee, on the one hand, the safety of the workplaces and the continuity of the production activities and, on the other, it has allowed us to keep pace and offer support to customers and suppliers.
Chairman of the Board of Directors
Giuseppe Valter Peretti