The panel of experts (made up of representatives from companies such as L’Oréal, Chanel Parfums Beauté, Moet Hennessy, and representatives from the Sustainable Design School and the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation) decided to award ICMA — as it is the first European enterprise in the paper industry to have obtained the strict B-Corp certification and to have commenced a journey towards sustainability made up of solid initiatives.

 “Being a Benefit Corporation means voluntarily committing to a journey of continuous improvement in relation to the environmental impact, the wellbeing of employees, and the active role in the community to which the company belongs, all while maintaining its nature as an organization that pursues economic objectives. The 2021 Luxe Pack in Green Award is another important achievement made, thanks to the day-to-day effort and passion we put into our work, but it’s also an incentive to do even better, to be even more precise, serious, and determined on the path we have taken”, said Icma’s CEO, Elena Maria Carla Torri.

The award was accepted yesterday evening by Marco Nigrelli, Icma's General Manager, who explained that the B-Corp certification was a consequence of the history of the company — set up by one of Italy’s first female entrepreneurs, Matilde Carcano and led with a focus on ethics and workplace dignity by generation after generation of the family’s women — and also of the natural setting in which Icma operates, between Lake Como and the mountains. “A focus on the unique environmental setting in which Icma works has always played a role in the company’s choices”, explains Nigrelli. “Investments to reduce its environmental impact began way back and contributed in the past and still contribute today to the wellbeing of the community. In recent years, the company has tried to give a more specific structure to the investments made and to the actions taken in terms of sustainability, including social sustainability”.

Among the initiatives to be remembered is the “Rinascimento” circular economy service, already awarded by the Italian Institute of Packaging in October 2020 for the “Best Packaging Quality Design”.

Icma’s social dedication has resulted in its attentiveness to the quality of the work environment, leading it to obtain the Workplace Condition Assessment (WCA) Achievement Award this year. The company was evaluated using the  Workplace Conditions Assessment standard— specific, internationally recognized indicators, defined based on national laws, the conventions of the International Labour Organization (ILO), and industry best practice.

A strong female component also characterizes the Icma workplace, with women forming a majority at all organizational levels, from the owners to the internal and external collaborators. For the purpose of gender equality, the welfare proposals are targeted at all employees, from performance bonuses and family assistance leave to flexible working hours, particularly requested by new mothers. One year ago, the Bellisario Foundation gave the company its prestigious “Golden Apple”, an award reserved for companies that have excelled in gender equality, both with policies and strategies to develop and promote women’s careers and with innovative and effective corporate welfare actions. Finally, thanks to the Icma 2030 Lab, a  research program aimed at adopting good practices in terms of sustainability, Icma created Kind, a collection of 100% recycled papers, certified with FSC Recycled Credit, which was presented during the Monaco trade fair.

The production process of these papers is integrated, meaning that the paper is manufactured directly from waste, without the intermediate step of producing recycled cellulose pulp, thus saving water and energy and reducing CO2 emissions.