«I’ve always thought that it was necessary to promote a new packaging culture, in particular by making an explicit reference to ethics, that is, to the opportunity for industry and operators to share a code of conduct.
For this reason, during my second mandate as president of the Istituto Italiano Imballaggio (Italian Packaging Institute), on 29 May 2020, in the middle of the lockdown, I brought completion the Ethical Packaging Charter Foundation project.
It goes without saying that, appropriately, the company of which I am CEO, Laminati Cavanna, specialised in coupling, laminating, lacquering and coil cutting in the flexible packages sector, was the first to sign up to and join the Ethical Charter as Ambassador.
It was a free and informed decision, arising out of the wish to restore to packaging the virtuous image that it deserves, contrasting obtusely “negative” disinformation campaigns.
As a company, we have therefore sought to best interpret the times and methods of a market in evolution, implementing a continuous transformation without, however, betraying our nature as a flexible, agile company, with extensive expertise regarding materials and adhesives and which stands out for its capacity for discretion.
We have managed in this way to complete a number of projects and initiatives, with the objective of creating shared value, starting from respect for people, for the environment and for the community we operate in.
We have therefore set up our own Charter of Values and an Ethical Code that set out the principles underpinning the enterprise’s identity and raison d’être.

In the Charter of Values we define our business model, which focuses on the satisfaction of customer needs, but also on respect for the environment, using our history to good advantage, and attention towards people and the community.
This means, on the one hand, carrying out our work with flexibility, efficiency and quality, and on the other hand, paying attention and having an open towards employees.
We try to be very direct and very clear with customers, making reference, in a certain sense, to the principles of the Ethical Charter. With regards to people, who today are looking for a kind of well-being not linked necessarily only to the salary,

we have entered into a second-level agreement with the trade unions and workers with the aim of improving both working ad remuneration conditions through increases, bonuses and fringe benefits, as well as supplementary health insurance.
We have also entered into ad hoc agreements for employees with analysis laboratories and specialist centres, to reiterate the centrality of people with facts.
Another area is that of young people approaching the world of work: although the widespread perception is that little is done at an institutional level, for our part, we have recently hired as apprentices two nineteen-year-olds who have just left high school, met during an Open day organized by the school.

There’s still a lot to be done to make packaging better, more recyclable, reusable, “sustainable” and with a lower impact for the environment.
In my opinion, it’s necessary to get to know the different forms of packaging, to make a correct sorted collection, to set up recovery plant, to incentivise new technologies and new solutions … and to stop demonising them.
Plastic should not be considered “an enemy”, but should be used in an informed and responsible way in all sectors – food, pharmaceutical, cosmetics and industrial – for which it is not a waste but a resource.
Packaging “lengthens the life of products”: it’s a truth that it is necessary to have the courage and strength to explain and demonstrate for everyone’s benefit.

We should remember the period of the pandemic during which, operating in the packaging supply chain which supports the consumer goods distribution chain, we continued to work in the knowledge that we couldn’t stop, despite perceiving a strong sense of responsibility towards the workers.
We analysed the risks and implemented all the measures necessary in compliance with the directives, but we also arranged to disburse a so-called “Loyalty bonus” and took out a supplementary “Covid-19” health insurance, both valid for all employees.
We are still profoundly grateful to our employees for proving, also on this occasion, what a great team they are.

“Ci sono cose che ci prendono e non ci fanno dormire… ” (There are things that get a hold on us and stop us from sleeping… ), sang Pino Daniele. This is a common occurrence, if we look around us.
For this reason, Laminati Cavanna is taking forward a number of initiatives in the social field, small things that don’t change the world but which concretely indicate a change in mentality and the way of understanding doing business.
One of these is “Progetto Vita” (Project Life), which we have decided to be part of as one of the first private companies in Europe. Since 2001, in fact, we have had a defibrillator in the company, as well as a group of people trained to tackle emergencies, ready to intervene throughout the industrial area of Calendasco.
We have also donated a defibrillator to the local football team, where employees and their children also play. Here again, we are seeking to encourage a greater attention of young people towards health. The sponsorship of local football, basket, volleyball and padel teams form part of this approach: small investments but very important for the recipients.

In agreement and collaboration with the Municipality, we have installed in our green area the first red bench against violence against women, and have planted an apple tree, with the aim of creating an extensive wood and repopulating the industrial area with plants.
The objective, in short, is to return to the territory some of the wealth produced by the company.
I intend to pursue this path, continuing to do what we are already doing, as long as we do it well.
I’ve had the good fortune of being the architect of my destiny and of the enterprise, and I never forget what my father Giancarlo, founder of the company, used to say to me: “When I was young, I was hungry… Everyone was hungry, but not everyone became entrepreneurs. It’s not a question of courage and ability, but of the opportunities that life offers you for no reason”.
And so, how can I not be grateful to fate, and how can I not consider sharing this privilege with the people alongside me, with the community in which I live? Impossible… if you believe that everything or almost everything is possible».