Ifaba Srl, founded 70 years ago by Virginio Belloni, is a manufacturer of footwear lasts with four production plants in Italy and one in Romania, currently employing over 100 people.

Ifaba’s vision places the environment and the circular economy at its core: its 5-year industrial plan is built on ESG principles and includes the implementation of circular economy practices. These have enabled the company to achieve a 90% rate of plastic moulded using recycled material, alongside initiatives such as the installation of photovoltaic systems at three of its four Italian plants, welfare schemes for all employees in Italy and Romania, and the adoption of a code of ethics and an organisational model for governance.

Ifaba turned to the Lombardy Confindustria system, specifically the local association Confindustria Alto Milanese, to request the ECOMATE sustainability assessment provided free of charge by Confindustria Lombardia as part of the Enterprise Europe Network activities, thereby receiving consultancy support to facilitate the Group’s transition towards sustainability.

CEO Luca Giani shared the Ifaba Group’s vision and explained what motivated a company already considered a model for sustainable practices to approach Confindustria for a sustainability assessment.