17 Oct FERCAM Echo Labs: sustainability and social inclusion

The Tecnopolo Bologna CNR is very attentive to all issues that affect sustainability and refer to both the 2030 Agenda and the actions envisaged in the European Green Deal, with a focus on the food packaging sector.

Recently, the MISTER Smart Innovation laboratory of the CNR Technopole became a technology partner in the InTerLab project, aimed at optimizing the movement and logistics of the entire Bologna Freight Village area.

I learned about FERCAM Echo Labs precisely during activities carried out for the InTerLab project. Immediately I thought of writing an article, but considering it too “cold and detached” to tell about such a beautiful initiative through simple documentation from the website and social media, I contacted the founder, Dr. Dino Menichetti, and asked him to tell me the story of FERCAM Echo Labs in person.

Anna Sagnella: Hi Dino, can you tell me what exactly FERCAM Echo Labs is and how it came about?

Dino Menichetti: First and foremost, FERCAM Echo Labs is an initiative that fully reflects the FERCAM Group’s concern for the environment. In fact, the company has already undertaken and is pursuing many initiatives aimed at reducing the environmental impacts associated with transportation and logistics.

FERCAM, a leader in its industry, is very attentive to environmental issues and through its new FERCAM2025 Strategy is making an all-out effort to implement sustainable projects, through:

the revision of the circulating vehicle fleet to reduce consumption and environmental impact of transportation;
the intelligent and rational use of resources through the development of intermodal transportation as an environmentally sustainable and efficient solution;
alternative tractions, the use of biofuels (biomethane and biodiesel) and energy efficiency of plants, to help reduce emissions as part of the Emission Free Delivery project.

FERCAM present at ROM-E: an event where companies and the public meet to talk about eco-sustainability, new energy sources and smart mobility.

Specifically, FERCAM Echo Labs is the Group’s nonprofit company, founded in December 2021 with the aim of promoting initiatives and projects in support of the UN Agenda, for sustainable development for both people and the environment. Our mission is to build networks that connect entities of different types, both for-profit and nonprofit, so that they can pursue their Corporate Social Responsibility programs and implement their projects, thanks to mutual support and sharing of expertise.

AS: What was the first project implemented?

DM: The first initiative realized by FERCAM Echo Labs, in collaboration with the nonprofit association Linaria, was born at FERCAM Rome headquarters from the need to offer a break area, comfortable and relaxing for both employees and indirect collaborators, especially drivers who most need rest and regeneration, which are essential to get back on the road and travel long distances.

Thus the first Echo Park was created, which is much more than just a rest area as it represents a true model of circular economy, environmental sustainability, biodiversity and social inclusion.

Circular economy and environmental sustainability because all of the wooden elements in the area were made through the recovery of disposable pallets. In fact, there are almost two million tons of wood that are sent for disposal every year throughout Italy because they are no longer reusable. Before sending them to the recycling process, where they are shredded and then reassembled, intact planks can be given a second life, with designs like those of our partner Laboratorio Linfa.

Biodiversity because Echo Park was designed as an area where nature could find its place, even in an urban industrial area. We have a variety of plants, trees, wildflowers, and a large bugs hotel that is home to solitary bees and other pollinating insects.

Social inclusion because the woodworking activities were opportunities for involvement and learning for a group of 7 political refugees of African descent. Through collaboration with the Medihospes Social Cooperative, the international protection seekers were involved in the design and construction phases of the Echo Park, thus inaugurating a path of social inclusion and vocational training. With 216 hours of coursework in eco-carpentry, project participants were issued a certificate, useful for reintegration into the world of work.

Fercam Echo Park
FERCAM Echo Labs has also started a project with schools to bring adolescents closer to the world of logistics and transportation while also raising their awareness of upcycling and biodiversity issues. In fact, in collaboration with the school leadership of the Liceo Amaldi in Tor Bella Monaca, an institute that applies the Dada Model (Didattica per Ambienti Di Apprendimento) for the creation of different learning and training environments, FERCAM Echo Labs has taken action with its partners to redevelop spaces and land that are disused and made available by the Liceo, adapting them to host students for both educational and recreational activities.

AS: What were the major critical issues encountered during the implementation process? For example, technical aspects, legislation, lack of specific expertise, etc…

DM: The first challenge was to bring together the two worlds, the for-profit and nonprofit, which have very different logics and modes of operation.

From a bureaucratic and legislative point of view, from the very beginning FERCAM Echo Labs had to enlist the support of a company specializing in waste management to define the methods of use as well as the necessary authorizations related to the intended use of the products to be reused.

Then there was the issue of training in carpentry for the people we are hiring in collaboration with the Medihospes Social Cooperative through paths of social inclusion, made even more difficult by asylum seekers and political refugees’ less than perfect knowledge of Italian. In this we are excellently supported by Luigi Cuppone, an artisan carpenter from Laboratorio Linfa, who teaches Ecodesign at IED (European Institute of Design) and Drawing and Representation at ISIA, the first public university institute of Design in Italy. Currently, the design of our wood products is carried out by Luigi, our point of reference for both the training of new woodworkers and the design and choice of eco-sustainable raw materials.

Carpenters at work on the construction of the Fercam Echo Park. Photo by FERCAM.
AS: In your opinion, in order to incentivize the community and consumers, in general, to adopt more sustainable behaviors, who could have greater influence? Market-leading companies or institutions?

DM: On the issue of education on sustainable behaviors, we all need to feel responsible, from the individual citizen to the institutions through the Company system. A key role can be played by the School, which is increasingly willing and open to open day initiatives addressed to students and their families to stimulate the famous active citizenship. This is why FERCAM Echo Labs has already initiated several collaborations with high schools, ITS and universities and is ready to start new collaborations with the most sensitive educational institutions. We have recently initiated contacts with the Green Schools Network, which was created precisely with the aim of fostering this awareness process through many different sustainability initiatives.

Any object or product that can be reused and/or recycled is taken into consideration and the feasibility of the project is analyzed and evaluated in all necessary aspects.

The basic message of sustainable projects is that there is an alternative to “simple” disposal, even if it does not seem the easiest and quickest way, as for example we are doing with pallet wood. The alternative to disposal is to give things new life through ecodesign, reuse and/or recycling. Companies themselves should understand that environmental and social sustainability projects can be a kind of “alternative” marketing and communication that certainly offers an image return that is more appreciated by consumers and customers, and above all is good for the environment.

AS: Do you have anything else in the pipeline for the future, and if not, are you open to new collaborations aimed at sustainability in general?

DM: Our priority commitment is to develop circular economy initiatives, and in this sense we are evaluating collaborations with partners, academies and start-ups that are investing in the same direction. Last year, for example, at the Bolzano branch truck tarpaulins were recovered and reused by disabled kids to make wallets that were donated to FERCAM’s more than 2350 employees. So any recovery and/or recycling initiative is still taken into consideration.

In addition, at the Bologna Freight Village we are collaborating with Prologis as part of their wonderful PARKlife project, developed to provide more comfortable spaces and green areas for workers at logistics freight villages. We have already designed the first area together with Michela Pasquali, a landscape architect from the nonprofit association for bio and biblio diversity Linaria, another of FERCAM’s Echo Labs partners.

Thanking Dr. Menichetti for his availability and valuable perspective, we hope that these initiatives will also incentivize other companies to invest more in projects not only of environmental sustainability, but also of social inclusion.

Anna Sagnella