Leonardo addresses climate change with an integrated approach that involves all emission categories (Scope 1, 2, and 3). The Company is committed to improving energy efficiency in its operations, transforming production processes through lower-impact solutions, and accelerating the adoption of renewable energy sources. At the same time, Leonardo promotes decarbonisation across the supply chain through engagement initiatives and supplier support while developing innovative, more efficient products and services compatible with alternative fuels, such as SAF.
Additionally, Leonardo contributes to climate change adaptation through advanced technological solutions. It provides helicopters for search and rescue (SAR) and emergency medical services (EMS), as well as satellite systems for monitoring extreme events such as floods, wildfires, and tornadoes. To support decision-makers and operators in managing climate-related risks, the Group offers global monitoring technologies that integrate satellite data, radar, sensors, secure communication systems, drones, and operational command and control centres.
Learn more:
Sustainable supply chain | Leonardo
Leonardo for Climate Action
NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND BIODIVERSITY
To address stakeholder interests, the Company promotes the decoupling of business growth from the use of natural resources to mitigate its impact on the environment and biodiversity, leveraging technological innovation.
Responsible use of natural resources, waste monitoring and management, and biodiversity protection are key drivers of Leonardo’s sustainable business strategy. This approach aims to mitigate risks and seize opportunities by enhancing the efficiency of processes, products, and services, as well as through digitalisation.
Through continuous improvement of its operations—via the Leonardo Production System—the Group is implementing a standardised management model that reduces emissions, water and energy consumption, and waste production. Additionally, Leonardo applies the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology to both production processes and products, also supporting the implementation of eco-design principles.
- WATER RESOURCE AND WASTE MANAGEMENT
Leonardo has launched initiatives to reduce water withdrawals, increase the volume of water recovered and reused, and minimise waste production while increasing the amount of waste directed towards recovery operations, in line with a circular economy approach.
- SOIL AND AIR EMISSIONS
Leonardo implements various measures to reduce pollutants released into the atmosphere by applying new technologies and more efficient abatement systems. These efforts include eliminating or reducing diffuse and/or fugitive emissions and removing emission sources altogether. Such actions help prevent or completely eliminate emissions, including NOx, SO₂, and VOCs.
- HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCE MANAGEMENT
As a company operating at the downstream end of the supply chain, Leonardo ensures the management of chemicals and mixtures deemed harmful to human health and ecosystems in compliance with the REACh Regulation and RoHS Directive. The Group aims to reduce hexavalent chromium in processes for hard coatings on parts requiring high thermo-mechanical resistance and corrosion protection in demanding environments. One example of this commitment is the phase-out of hexavalent chromium.
- BIODIVERSITY PROTECTION
Leonardo considers biodiversity protection a key driver of its activities, with the ambition of reducing its environmental footprint. The Group views ecosystem conservation as a resilience factor for its business and aims to:
- mitigate impacts and regenerate biodiversity, both locally—where industrial sites are located—and globally, throughout the lifecycle of its products and services;
- seize business opportunities by providing security-focused technologies and products that also support the monitoring and regeneration of natural capital[2].
Leonardo undertakes several biodiversity protection initiatives, including: ongoing collaboration between its sites and environmental protection agencies in areas of significant biodiversity; reforestation with native species (such as at the Cameri and Foggia sites); and the management of Vergiate airport’s runway with measures to reduce impacts on local flora and avian fauna.
[2] Including: satellite detection solutions, artificial intelligence, and natural disaster response and recovery systems.
Group Biodiversity Policy
CIRCULAR ECONOMY
The transition to a circular business model, based on innovative technologies and responsible behaviours, represents an additional goal of the Group's sustainable strategy. This approach provides a competitive advantage and enhances the value proposition of its products.
Leonardo’s circularity strategy is based on four main, interconnected objectives: optimising the use and selection of materials from the design phase (through eco-design and additive manufacturing); dematerialising and virtualising by using digital platforms for industrial processes and customer-facing solutions (through the adoption of digital twins), implementing products as services; extending the life cycle of products by promoting by-products and predictive maintenance, also through Artificial Intelligence; promoting the recycling of materials and managing the end-of-life phase of products.
Leonardo aims to foster the circularity of critical raw materials to reduce costs and improve business resilience, or to replace them through innovative processes under the REACh programme.
Learn more:
2023 Integrated Report
Sustainability in Action 2024
