Italy’s Ambassador to Sweden, Vinicio Mati, inaugurated the 6th Italian Cuisine in the World Week, and awarded the first sustainable feeding grant to the “Matmissionen” social supermarket, as part of the initiative promoted by the Embassy and backed by the Italian Barilla, Giovanni Rana, Granarolo, Lavazza, and Zeta Companies.
These Italian Companies represent the finest Italy has to offer in terms of quality products, and all of them have social commitments to reduce food waste and guarantee food sustainability, especially in relation to producing their own products, and packaging and transporting them. “Matmissionen” is important in the Swedish context, due to its commitment to promote social inclusion, reduce excess food, and guarantee quality feeding by offering quality products at low prices, as well as facilitating getting people back into jobs by means of experience and training.
This attention to sustainability questions – via lifestyles and buying habits – is an expression of clear, synergic action to safeguard and protect the environment, which goes hand-in-hand with the green strategies implemented by the Companies. From 2011 to 2019 the propensity of companies to make eco investments grew by 8 percentage points (from 14% to 22%), while the involvement of a quarter of all companies is forecast over the next three years. This choice is forward-looking, but it is also backed by the medium-term results in terms of performance (the share of companies who – during 2020 – recorded a growth in both turnover and exports, is significantly higher among companies who invest in sustainability).
The Italian Ambassador to Sweden, Vinicio Mati, commented on this initiative: “In Italy the number of Companies who make social responsibility one of the strong points in the strategies is growing. Food waste is a global problem with significant consequences in terms of environmental impact, but also at an economic, social, and food safety level. In addition to its social value, recovering food prevents it becoming waste, resulting in a saving in energy resources, and lowering CO2 emissions. We are happy to support Matmissionen in its actions, and are grateful to the Italian Companies for promoting the wellbeing of people by offering a nutritionally balanced product, in line with the Mediterranean Diet, with diversity and inclusion playing a leading role in joint development”.
