(January 2025) | At the start of 2025, the Italian ceramic manufacturers’ association launched a communication campaign with a new message and fresh approach to engaging stakeholders. While highlighting the pivotal role played by Confindustria Ceramica member companies, the campaign maintains its international focus and continues to promote the Ceramics of Italy collective brand. Its aim is to reaffirm and document the Italian ceramic industry’s leadership in increasingly vital areas such as protection of the environment and respect for people.

 

The climate crisis demands responsibility

The growing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events worldwide caused by climate change highlights the urgent need for collective action to reduce environmental impact. The Italian ceramic industry has been committed to this cause since the 1970s, consistently improving its environmental performance through regular annual investments and establishing itself as the global benchmark for Best Available Techniques (BATs). Progress has been meticulously measured and documented through initiatives such as the nine editions of the Integrated Environmental Report published since 2010, which monitor achievements and highlight specific areas of improvement.

Extensive, up-to-date information is available to ceramic professionals and the public via the 170 articles, infographics and videos published in the sustainability section of the website www.ceramica.info. This content, organised around the five P’s (process, people, product, project and planet), offers comprehensive and regularly updated insights into the Italian ceramic industry’s actions. These resources not only detail efforts made to protect the environment and safeguard people’s health but also reflect the industry’s broader commitment to responsibility based on the close connection between these two fundamental priorities.

 

An invitation to make a difference

Tackling climate change requires decisive actions and choices from every individual on the planet. With the campaign “I choose responsibility. You should too!”, architects, distributors, real estate developers, installers and end consumers worldwide are encouraged to play an active role in shaping the planet’s future by choosing manufacturers who prioritise environmental protection and respect for people in every product they create. The act of purchase becomes crucial, allowing consumers and construction companies to directly influence the future of the planet. This decisive choice – highlighted here in the context of ceramics but applicable across all sectors – underscores the fact that even seemingly small decisions can drive meaningful change. Each choice, no matter how modest it may seem, represents a vital step toward solving global challenges.

 

Collaborative leadership across the supply chain

Reaching a diverse audience with a variety of messages requires collaboration across the entire supply chain – from manufacturers and distributors to specifiers and their associations. Effective communication of the Italian ceramic industry’s environmental and social achievements relies on shared knowledge. Without knowledge, there can be no awareness, and without awareness, meaningful protection of the planet becomes impossible. With this in mind, the initial planning phase of the campaign – developed in collaboration with the agency Exprimo – involved meetings with entrepreneurs, marketing and sales teams, and panels of Italian and international distributors. Moving forward, it will be essential to promote ongoing exchanges of information, market insights and the new factors of responsibility, which the Italian ceramic industry sees as a combination of care for the environment and respect for people.

The efforts of Confindustria Ceramica and Italian ceramic companies are organised into three phases. The first phase, launched in early January, focuses on Italy, France and Germany. The second phase will expand to smaller European markets, including Scandinavia, Benelux, Austria and Switzerland. The final phase will target English-speaking markets such as the United States, Canada and the UK.

 

The campaign videos


GREEN BUILDING


SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY


CIRCULAR ECONOMY


ENERGY EFFICIENCY


EMBODIED CARBON

 

The toolbox

The resources developed for ceramic companies address every point of contact with the distribution network and market. They consist of five videos covering key topics (circular economy, embodied carbon, social responsibility, sustainable building and energy efficiency); a multimedia presentation designed for direct engagement with market players; the Responsibility Glossary for Italian Ceramics, which explains key topics in an accessible manner; digital assets for use on websites and social media; and a comprehensive table of topics to support corporate communication efforts.

A brochure and roll-up display summarise key concepts and are designed specifically for use at points of sale, while the Media Kit serves as a practical guide to help ceramic companies manage and utilise these tools effectively and efficiently.