Federico Fraboni is Sustainability Manager for the Calzedonia Group (which Intimissimi belongs to). A versatile figure increasingly in demand among the most discerning companies who are beginning to integrate sustainability into their corporate DNA by directly structuring their workforce.
Federico, you are Intimissimi's Sustainability Manager. How would you describe your role?
I always say that mine is a recent role but with a long history behind it. Let me explain: Intimissimi is a company that understood the importance of sustainability very early on, in the sense of taking care of people and the environment.
For example, our group has supported the San Zeno Foundation to finance study, training and work projects in Italy and around the world since 1999, and every year it undertakes to renew a comprehensive corporate welfare plan.
The role of Sustainability Manager was created in 2019 when the Calzedonia Group joined the FashionPact, a coalition of global leaders in the fashion industry committed to three main areas: halting global warming, restoring biodiversity and protecting the oceans.
My task is to integrate what has already been done, oversee the long-term transformations that are indispensable for truly integrating sustainability into the company, and coordinate the work of colleagues who see to the continuous improvement of activities in various areas.
Why did you choose Treedom?
The collaboration with Treedom has allowed us to pursue two of the three objectives of the Fashion Pact: climate and biodiversity.
The latter is an extremely complex issue, with a dramatic feature that differentiates it from other phenomena linked to climate change: the loss of biodiversity is irreversible.
It is a wealth which, once lost, is lost forever.
We knew that by planting trees in agroforestry systems, we would offer shelter to many plant and animal species, and create a precious place for pollinating insects.
What was the added value of this collaboration?
We decided to give an Intimissimi Forest Tree to each of our customers who bought online or in-store, leaving them to choose the species to plant and the country to plant it in.
The initiative was a great success, also thanks to a social campaign which included excellent testimonials. It allowed us to communicate our sustainability message while maintaining a light tone and making our customers the protagonists.
The traceability and transparency of the Treedom method made all the difference. As does being able to maintain a connection with what has been done, through the stories of the people who take care of our trees.
The strength of Treedom lies in the power of its emotional impact, which differentiates it from other activities that are perhaps just as important, but much more difficult to communicate.
What do you mean? Please, tell us more.
I am a management engineer, so I'm very familiar with all the techniques we have implemented over the years to rationalise production processes, saving water, light and energy.
But as important as they are, these activities are practically impossible to communicate and use in order to engage our community. Giving a tree, on the other hand, excites and intrigues people.
It has allowed us to remind our customers of our commitment to the environment and to people; a commitment that is embodied by everything we do, and that accompanies us like a mantra.
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