A path to ensure a continuous improvement of the Group’s sustainability performance

Sustainability must be, first and foremost, a state of mind. This is the vision I believe in, and it stems from the values passed on by my family, which I share every day with the 7,000 people who work with me at the OTB Group.  Together we have embarked on a path that reflects our solid commitment, included in the Be Responsible. Be Brave. strategy, which involves all the Group brands and companies and guides us towards the same goal. 

Each Group company, with its own distinctive characteristics, contributes to the achievement of concrete results, in which I take great pride and which you can read about in this third Sustainability Report. Our achievements drive us towards even more ambitious goals, to make an active contribution to the transition to a more responsible industry.

On the environmental front, in 2023 we obtained an additional decrease in the Group's emissions from direct operations and increased the share of energy procured from renewable sources in internal operations to 56% globally, rising to over 99% within Europe. In addition, purchases of low-impact materials by all Group brands rose to more than 17% in 2023, and we have already mapped out a strategic path for further growth in the coming years. 

We continued the close cooperation with our supply chain, which is crucial for the development of an increasingly responsible and inclusive fashion industry. Ever since it was established, the Group has invested in building trust-based relationships with its suppliers, sharing its sustainability values and moving along a common path. We give our partners concrete support, both from a financial point of view, thanks to the C.A.S.H. project, now in its tenth year, which provides our suppliers with access to subsidised credit conditions, and in terms of visibility, through the M.A.D.E. campaign set up to showcase the craftsmanship of our supply chain and help promote Made in Italy. 

We believe that only through collaboration with the entire industry and the other players in the fashion business we will be able to achieve results faster and more effectively. This is why OTB is part of The Fashion Pact, and one of the founding members of the AURA Blockchain Consortium, which uses blockchain technology to promote socially responsible business practices, and of the Re.Crea Consortium, an initiative set up under the Italian National Chamber of Fashion to manage the end-of-life of textile products and encourage research into innovative recycling solutions. 

None of this would be possible without the dedicated commitment of the people who work in the Group and contribute to our continuous improvement. This is why OTB optimises the talent, uniqueness and diversity of all its employees through initiatives to support the work-life balance. In 2023, OTB and Diesel obtained National Gender Equality Certification, an important recognition that encourages us to make further progress in this area.

I am also very proud of what, through the OTB Foundation, we continue to do on a daily basis for people experiencing difficult times, such as women who are victims of violence, children, people with financial problems or involved in humanitarian emergencies and wars around the world. I believe in a circular business model, where a company that makes a profit has a duty to give back some of that value to the community, which is why we have been trying to make a difference with our Foundation since 2006. In the last 18 years we have helped over 350,000 people through more than 350 social projects, but we know there is still a lot more to do. We will never tire of working in this area.  

Sustainability is a state of mind, but it is also a path. And ours has solid roots and a well thought-out roadmap for the future.