I passi dell'industria italiana verso un futuro più sostenibile con meno impatti sull'ecosistema e meno emissioni

This thesis aims to analyze and investigate the actions taken by Italy to make its Industry more sustainable and greener in the long run as well as how it is improving the sustainability of the industry and reducing emissions in the near future, according to the Italian and European Union standards. The reason for this is to comprehend why Italy, along with the nations around the globe, is doing this shift in business and how it is linked with possible growth or productivity. In addition to this macro argument, the thesis will provide for examples of actions taken and incentives given by the Italian Government to promote a greener industry. Furthermore, placing side by side Italy’s position with the 2030 Agenda and explaining what this latter is about will help the reader to understand better the matter. In the thesis terms such as sustainability, sustainable development, and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), green economy, Economic Social Governance (ESG), and sustainable investments are reviewed and explained to find a common ground for reflections on sustainability. Sustainability and sustainable business are defined in the first chapter and applied to the context of the Italian industry. The theoretical framework will also consider the importance of CSR and ESG in connection with the one country’s economy and the opportunities brought by these two notions. The second chapter will focus on the SDGs, with a brief introduction to Agenda 2030, the plan of action for people, the planet, and prosperity, and how Italy is trying to reach these goals. The RSAI Project, a brand new project initiated by Confindustria and ISPRA, is also being discussed in this part as it plays a crucial role when it comes to the future development of industry sustainability as shown by the results. The historical analysis of the policies, guidelines, regulations and conventions that brought Italy’s industry sustainability where it is today are explored in depth in the last part of the thesis by using old, recent, and new data.