The history of Lucart, the multinational paper manufacturing group known for the Tenderly, Tutto Pannocarta and Lucart Professional brands, is one of tradition, passion, family and care for the environment that has been going on for seventy years. It was 1953 when the Pasquini brothers founded the Cartiera Lucchese paper mill in Villa Basilica, near Lucca, kicking off a business success story based on sustainability and innovation. It has been a long journey from when Alessandro, Eliseo, Fernando, Raffaello and Tarcisio Pasquini began the production of straw paper and packaging paper to the tissue, airlaid and MG paper made today.
The company is thriving, as demonstrated by the results of the 18th Sustainability Report, which highlights the drive to promote a sustainable way of making paper by focusing on a systemic approach aimed at creating value for all stakeholders. Success is also reflected by the 31% growth in turnover, which exceeded EUR 717 million at the end of 2022. By 2022, Lucart achieved and surpassed important targets, including an 11% reduction in specific CO2 emissions and a 19.6% reduction in specific NOX emissions, as well as a 5.9% reduction in water used per tonne of paper produced.
“Celebrating Lucart's first seventy years is a milestone that fills us with pride and encourages us to continue following the sound ethical and business values that have been expressed by the company from the very beginning", commented Massimo Pasquini, CEO of the Lucart Group . "We have always been driven by the desire to implement circular business models to regenerate and increase natural, social and economic capital because we want to share a sustainable future with our stakeholders. A future with even better results”.
Circular economy: from green packaging to Noé, pallets made from recycled raw materials
Lucart's commitment to implementing circular economy and environmental protection policies continues. Already in the last report, Lucart announced that the target of 100% recyclable or compostable packaging had been reached four years ahead of schedule. This result is paired with that of 100% virgin fibrous raw materials from companies that adopt sustainable forest management systems and that comply with internationally recognised certification schemes.
Lucart's commitment throughout all phases of product life, from raw materials to end-of-life, is also expressed by 56% of recycled fibrous raw materials used for making paper by the Group, a result in line with the target of achieving the goal of 60% recycled fibrous raw material by 2030. The percentage of waste sent for recovery (81.2%) over the total waste produced also increased.
The presentation of the Sustainability Report 2022 was also an opportunity to recount Lucart's experience in creating the ecological hygiene paper segment. From 1997 – when Lucart was the first company to launch a recycled and regenerated tissue toilet paper with eco-friendly and Ecolabel-certified packaging made of corn starch – to the present day, with the evolution of the EcoNatural lines and the launch of the Noè pallet made with polyethylene and aluminium recovered from recycled Tetra Pak® type food cartons. In the scope of this project, Newpal, the company created by Lucart and CPR System to close the recycling cycle of poly-coupled products, opened a new plant in the province of Ferrara just a few days ago.
Social responsibility: recognition of EcoVadis and partnership with Save the Children
Lucart's commitment to promoting a sustainable way of producing paper was also recognised by the independent agency EcoVadis, which awarded Platinum rating to the company, the highest level of corporate social responsibility that only 1% of the more than 90,000 companies analysed worldwide can boast.
The time-honoured corporate values of sharing, responsibility, care and vision are also expressed in the renewed partnership with Save the Children, which has been active since 2020. Lucart is currently supporting three major projects of the Organisation: Spazio Mamme, Fiocchi in Ospedale and Punti Luce. The latter, for instance, are sites of high educational quality and an opportunity to integrate corporate volunteering actions. Lucart employees will be able to work on various activities to support girls and boys in Potenza and Prato.
Safety
Equally important is Lucart's commitment to occupational health and safety, which has been a top priority objective for corporate management for many years.
“Lucart has always been committed to the environment and to the people who are the beating heart of the company", continued Massimo Pasquini. "We have worked hard on safety at work and already 64% of our plants are ISO 45001 certified. But we have not finished. We are aiming for 100% by 2030 to make sure that all our employees have a protected and sustainable working environment, but also a business management system based on the highest known standards".
“Sharing The Future”: meeting in Lucca to celebrate the 70th anniversary
Lucart chose to celebrate the important 70th-anniversary milestone in Lucca, where it all began. The event, moderated by journalist, TV personality and environmentalist Tessa Gelisio, was held at theAuditorium del Suffragio and was attended by Massimo Pasquini, CEO of Lucart, Marco Frey, President of the Global Compact Italia Foundation and Professor at the Scuola Universitaria Superiore Sant'Anna in Pisa, Maura Latini, President of Coop Italia, Andrea Maggiani, Founder of Carbonsink and Global Tech, Strategy Director of South Pole, Francesco Pasquini, Chief Sales & Marketing Officer of Lucart, Giancarla Pancione, Marketing and Fundraising Director of Save the Children Italia and Carlo Romeo, Chief HR Officer of Lucart.