Italian companies' ESG focus on low‑hanging fruit draws criticism

Italian firms often concentrate on easily reachable ESG goals—such as reducing energy consumption and waste—because these objectives align directly with profit motives and regulatory pressure. Research by the Digital & Sustainable Observatory at Politecnico di Milano shows that reputation, market access and financing are the primary drivers of such investments. This “low‑hanging fruit” approach tends to ignore higher‑impact sustainability challenges like supply‑chain labour rights, biodiversity protection and social inclusion, creating a conformist ESG strategy that could undermine long‑term competitiveness.

A broader definition of sustainability now includes eco‑design, responsible resource management, digitalisation of processes and robust governance. Environmental certifications provide a common language for the entire value chain, with independent platforms such as EcoVadis and Open‑es offering verifiable assessments. Companies like SEW‑EURODRIVE are adopting continuous improvement programmes and certification to demonstrate concrete ESG performance across design, production and supply‑chain operations.