19 January 2022
Leonardo’s solutions for decarbonisation have been presented at the international showcase Expo 2020 Dubai, during the meeting “Italian business and decarbonization: a just and inclusive transition” promoted by the Global Compact Network Italy, as part of the Global Goals Week at Expo. The company described the founding pillars of its approach to decarbonisation, which are technological development and partnerships in innovation, that are key tools for generating long-term value.
Leonardo’s strategy for sustainability and the pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN 2030 Agenda, in particular of the SDG 13 – Climate Action, leverage research, technological innovation and digitization. The “data” is therefore a central element. Thanks to the ability to generate and process information, for example through supercomputing tools – such as Davinci-1, Leonardo’s new supercomputer – it is possible to help tackle the issue of decarbonisation through the development of cutting-edge technological solutions, for the benefit of stakeholders and the planet. Digitalization is, in fact, accelerating industrial transformation and enabling new tools to pursue these goals. The use of digital twin solutions – the virtual replication of a product or system that models its behaviour – allows rethinking and optimisation of industrial practices, therefore significantly reducing development costs and the use of raw materials and energy.
Hybridization and electrification of aircraft services that reduce emissions and manage climate change – such as satellite observation of the Earth which is capable of providing key information in the management of environmental and climate emergencies and the monitoring of natural resources – as well as solutions for the security and the resilience of energy and network infrastructures are Leonardo’s additional tools for fostering green transition and development. A broad portfolio, strengthened by Leonardo’s participation in European-wide research programmes in the aerospace sector, such as Clean Sky 2, SESAR 2020 and their “successors”, Clean Aviation and SESAR 3 and through collaboration with suppliers, partners, and institutions. A collaborative approach is the basis of a circular economy model, which can be extended to the entire value chain.
Today’s initiative in Dubai also offered the opportunity to analyse the commitment of Italian companies on the issue of decarbonisation across the board, thanks to a joint Position Paper coordinated by the Global Compact Network Italy. The presentation was attended, among others, by Sanda Ojiambo, CEO and Executive Director of the Global Compact, Marco Frey, President of the Global Compact Network Italy, Enrico Giovannini, Minister of Sustainable Infrastructures and Mobility of the Italian Government, Paolo Glisenti, Commissioner General for Italy at Expo 2020 Dubai and, for Leonardo, Renata Mele, Senior Vice President Sustainability. The Position Paper analyses the political and regulatory context by which Italian companies operate. It identifies challenges and opportunities in the promotion of decarbonisation solutions and emission reduction objectives, and is enriched by case studies of leading Italian companies committed to Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 13 - Climate Action and which stand out for the role of reference played on this same front.
Through Leonardo’s Sustainability Plan, in line with the “Be Tomorrow – Leonardo 2030” strategic plan, the company has identified clear and measurable objectives in the medium- to long-term, dedicated to the protection of the planet. These include the reduction of CO2 emissions (scope I and II) by 40% by 2030, the reduction of electricity consumption, the quantity of waste produced and water withdrawals by 10% by 2025, the development of environmental targets for 100% of LEAP2020 partner suppliers by 2023.
Numerous international awards attest Leonardo’s leadership on sustainability issues. The company’s inclusion, among leading companies, in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices of S&P Global, was marked with the highest score in the Aerospace & Defence sector for the third consecutive year. Leonardo was also confirmed in the “Climate A List” of the international organisation CDP and as United Nations Global Compact LEAD; the company’s positioning in band A of the Defence Companies Index on Anti-Corruption and Corporate Transparency (DCI) of Transparency International; in addition to Leonardo’s inclusion within the Bloomberg Gender Equality Index (GEI) in terms of gender equality.