Wienerberger Italia presents its 2022 Annual Report: a year of progress towards sustainability
Wienerberger Italia, a leader in the field of sustainable building solutions, has unveiled its 2022 Annual Report, a document that reflects the considerable progress achieved by the company during the year as part of a long-term strategy focusing on the strategic pillars of ESG (Environment, Social, Governance). Decarbonisation, circular economy and biodiversity were the main drivers of Wienerberger Italia’s strategy in 2022. Through targeted initiatives and an unflagging commitment, the company has taken significant steps towards the goal of sustainability and has generated long-term value for all stakeholders.
One of the highlights of the document is without question the significant increase in revenue as a result of a strategy focusing on high value-added products and sustainable innovation. The increase in energy and raw material supply costs was managed proactively in order to provide an effective response to the exceptional demand for building materials in 2022. The energy saving vision that had already been implemented in previous years also made a significant contribution to this success.
Another interesting aspect is the ambitious goal of reducing CO2 emissions by 15% by the end of 2023 compared to 2020 as a result of continuous research and development efforts into raw materials and production processes. This is a major achievement, but one that also entails a significant increase in production costs.
But what makes the 2022 Annual Report even more significant is the way it reflects Wienerberger Italia’s strategic transformation from a brick manufacturer to a global supplier of building solutions, as evidenced by the acronym WOW (World of Wienerberger). This transformation is enabling the company to adapt to the changing needs of the industry and to offer innovative solutions to meet the demands of a constantly evolving market.
The year 2022 presented many challenges and difficulties, particularly the war in Ukraine which shook the entire world and sparked an unprecedented increase in energy costs. In spite of this, Wienerberger Italia succeeded in improving its operational efficiency, largely due to a forward-looking purchasing strategy that prioritised energy from renewable sources in accordance with the Group’s goal of decarbonising its production lines.
In short, the recent years’ investments focused on safety, the ecological transition and innovation have already brought tangible results in 2022. The data demonstrate that the transformation and modernisation of production infrastructures are essential for conducting ecologically and economically sustainable activities. It will therefore be important to continue along this path in order to create a virtuous circle that includes all actors involved in the building process and spurs them to concretely meet their respective environmental responsibilities.
Looking to the future, the company is planning further significant investments in 2023, with a continued focus on safety and environmental sustainability and a further increase in the pace of development of innovative solutions through the launch of new products. These include the Isolclay® prefabricated facing brick and the Wevolt integrated photovoltaic system, which will allow the company to remain at the forefront of the sustainable building sector.
Robert Lang, CEO of Wienerberger Italia, summed up the extraordinary results achieved in 2022 as follows: “The 2022 Annual Report represents a significant milestone for Wienerberger Italia. We are proud of the results we have achieved and of our hard work in pursuing sustainability and operational excellence. A detailed focus on ESG strategies has enabled us to seize the opportunities offered by the market while maintaining an ongoing commitment to decarbonisation, the circular economy and biodiversity. I would especially like to thank all my colleagues, who during a particularly difficult year were able to respond promptly and flexibly to the challenges that arose. The results presented in the 2022 Annual Report demonstrate our commitment to lay solid foundations for the future, to move towards carbon neutrality, and to become an increasingly solid and reliable partner for our customers.”
