Responsibility

We have chosen this word, so rich in meaning, as the title for this latest edition of MTU. This is because it synthesizes a multiplicity of approaches, good practices and attitudes that distinguish Meccanotecnica Umbra, transcending mere statutory compliance with legislation and quality protocols. All this stems, with pride, from a precise company commitment, an essential characteristic which from the parent company radiates outwards to all the group's plants and companies throughout the world. With you we will discuss how ethics, participation, attention to social and personal implications, consideration of consequences on the environment and safety, are characterising values of the group, regardless of respective national or international regulatory frameworks, such as the Global Compact horizon, to which our company looks with attention.

Discussing responsibility gives us the chance to provide a complete and detailed account of some fundamental characteristics of our company's work, beyond product quality or sales aspects, and which enable us to achieve recognition due to a global attitude that stands the test of time, embedded in solid paths and processes. There is a special balance between the environment, territory, community and company: an intangible yet undeniable value that is nourished by all the stories brought to you in this edition.

Enjoy!

- Andrea Duranti,​ Health, Safety, Environment Manager

Describing the path of Meccanotecnica Umbra towards SA8000 Corporate Social Responsibility certification means describing most of the actions, initiatives and choices implemented by the company as a concrete sign of a profound commitment that has distinguished it since its foundation. This can be described in the following points: the protection and promotion of values and principles like legality, respect, transparency and a broader concept of responsibility towards workers, the communities hosting the group's companies and plants, as well as the territorial and environmental context within which they all operate. All practices underpinning SA8000 certification are linked to the company's key commitment: the pursuit of economic growth and production that is increasingly high performance and responsive to the market, but in a healthy, responsible and above all, sustainable way over time.

All actions linked to this process, as far as the Campello sul Clitunno plant is concerned, will be audited and certified in 2021. However, procedures, models of action and control have already been in place for some time, many requiring no more than formalisation. Thus, procedures will be made public to all workers through computerised documentation, despite already being concretely adopted in the company. Although SA8000 certification refers to a single plant, the policy and implemented actions are also applied to all the group's companies and plants abroad, therefore sometimes even

in national contexts that are more complex than the Italian one, or in countries where less stringent regulatory frameworks are in place.

The company's policy focuses on replicating the entire "Environment and Safety" management system, irrespective of the regulatory base of various companies in which group companies and plants operate. This approach is also adopted for social responsibility, which is why it is safe to say that Meccanotecnica Umbra often works by "augmentation", sometimes anticipating and transcending single legislative requirements in terms of specifics and quality objectives.

A fundamental aspect linking together different aspects of the general principle of Corporate Social Responsibility, is respect for workers, in every possible sense:

from the fight against child labour, to occupational safety and sustainability, also in relation to the company's external context, and the adoption of an Ethical Code as a reference document for all such issues. Clearly this all culminates in a concrete and tangible commitment to all local stakeholders, across all plants. By taking the parent company located in Campello sul Clitunno as an example, it is evident how we consider business action an important issue, starting from the effects in terms of employment for the surrounding social fabric, especially in an area like Umbria that is not thickly populated by companies, making Meccanotecnica Umbra a reference point for work and employment, for the entire local community.

Evident implications of environmental protection and safety policies are decisive on all levels: personal, occupational and social. All local inhabitants of areas in proximity to a plant are directly or indirectly involved in its activities: the primary effect which the company has on employment is that almost all families have a relative or close friend who works there. Consequently, everyone is very much directly involved in safety policies and practices linked to activities pursued at the work placeworkplace (regarding above all but not only production lines) and beyond. This is why we have adopted different communication and awareness-raising initiatives, including those focused on apparently secondary aspects, such as encouraging workers to drive with care when entering or leaving the work place. It is equally evident how the environment and ecological context are directly influenced by company policies, for obvious reasons linked to possible pollution.

This has led Meccanotecnica Umbra to introduce numerous specific initiatives for the respect of nature, air and water quality.

The new Ethical code

The Ethical Code of Meccanotecnica Umbra will come into being by the end of 2021 and embraces the general principle of Corporate Social Responsibility, with reference to topics intrinsically linked to work; therefore first and foremost, the personal development of workers, respect of human rights and the principles of loyalty, legality, honesty, transparency and confidentiality along every step of company life and for each of the procedures adopted for the operation of our facilities. Reference to the environment as a major horizon and main context for nurturing the profound meaning of the word sustainability, linked to corporate action, remains central. 

The new Ethical Code summarises the renewed policy of Meccanotecnica Umbra and its commitment to working and generating profit, ethically. As a global manufacturer and economic player, practically present on every continent, the company cannot shy away from this responsibility. The company guarantees the correct implementation and thorough dissemination of its Ethical Code, in full compliance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, as well as the adoption and implementation of the Management and Control Organisation Model pursuant to Legislative Decree 231/01.

Organisation, Management and Control Model

Italian Legislative Decree 231/2001 extends the administrative liability of crimes committed in activities linked to work, including any breaches committed by executive figures, collaborators and suppliers, in the interest or to the advantage of the body, with the introduction of a sort of objective company liability in all aspects of its activity. To protect itself, the company can create an organisation, management and control model (so-called Model 231), containing all procedures which employees and collaborators must implement to prevent administrative crimes which the employer would be held responsible for. As for certified systems, obviously the mere preparation of documents in compliance with regulations and in a formally correct manner is not enough: an implementation step is required for all this to become concrete. In our case, the implementation of Model 231 happens thanks to a work group established for this purpose, tasked with overseeing the important steps of training, disclosure and communication, in a context of the ongoing and active involvement of workers. 

Model creation and implementation are extremely important acts of responsibility, insofar as they protect all workers linked to Meccanotecnica Umbra and therefore, the entire community as a whole, as possible punishment includes a work ban. It may seem a necessary act, but the truth is that not all manufacturing companies have implemented a model, with all that this entails. We are proud to consider this as a choice of immense organisational transparency.

Target plan

The Target Plan is a document prepared in accordance with ISO standards followed at the company. Specifically, the Target Plan is prepared as an integral part of the Environment management system (pursuant to ISO14001) and the occupational health and safety system (pursuant to ISO 45001). Its purpose is to set forth intervention lines to improve the performance levels of both aforementioned systems. 

The Plan, reviewed on an annual basis as proposed by the environment and safety department and then discussed with company management during special meetings, during which definitive approval takes place, contains operations of a practical nature, such as seismic improvement works (a total investment of 4 million euros), or the installation of plants for the generation of electric power from renewable or high efficiency sources, coupled with projects for boosting awareness of the role each worker can play within the work or social community to improve the environment and operate in safety. Parts of the target Plan regarding safety are fully reported in a special chapter of the Risk Assessment Document, a statutory safety document, whereas parts regarding the environment are contained in the Environmental Declaration which is prepared each year in order to fulfil EMAS requirements (additional environmental certification obtained by MTU).

Awareness-raising projects

An important part of the company's target plan involves awareness-raising and information projects on topics like safety, environmental education and sustainability: Together with other local companies, bodies and schools, Meccanotecnica Umbra is committed to spreading and boosting good practices, awareness and topics that link industrial activity to the local area the most. Recently, a series of initiatives in local schools were developed in partnership with Arpa Umbria, during which we discussed our commitment to the environment. The reaction of children, their immediate understanding of the implications which industrial action may have on their lives, confirmed the correctness of this approach.

The delicate balance between nature and human activity, research into sustainability and protection of the local area and life stylelifestyle, are values that Umbria communicates at an international level and which profoundly influence the company's actions. With the support of MTU Academy, founded by Meccanotecnica to play a reference role as somewhere for human, managerial and industrial skills to engage in a virtuous exchange, the company also participates in projects which aim to enhance local resources and cultural heritage. A recent example is the renovation of the Temple of Clitumnus, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

- Maria Cecilia Sassi, Health, Safety, Environment Department Member
- STEFANO MANCINI, Head of Prevention and Protection

Over the years, Meccanotecnica Umbra has adopted a structured approach to occupational safety, especially as regards the prevention and reduction of accidents and occupational diseases, by adopting a ISO45001 certified occupational health and safety management system, with constant monitoring of legislative compliance and continuous improvement. The company has also extensively invested in the elimination of asbestos and in the anti-seismic structural improvement of all its buildings. The key word we can use to describe the profound character, the slant chosen by Meccanotecnica for putting all actions linked to multiple aspects of safety into practice, is "participation". This is what distinguishes our approach, starting from the possibility for all employees to submit reports or suggestion for the analysis of risks linked to work. However, participation can also be achieved in much more structured ways, such as for the analysis, assessment and prevention of Work RelatedWork-Related Stress. As for many other aspects, tackling this topic is a legislative requirement: in Italy, the regulatory framework in force (Legislative Decree 81/2008) requires employers to assess and manage work-related stress on a par with all other risks. The real difference, also in highly concrete terms of workers' personal improvement, is determined by the way in which the obligation is implemented, transcending the minimum level of statutory implementation. As always, the chosen path is the first element of the quality of the response given.

Since 2019, work-related stress assessment is constantly updated based on various work positions or functions.

According to the European Agreement on work-related stress of 2004, stress is "a state which is accompanied by physical, psychological or social complaints or dysfunction and which results from individuals feeling unable to bridge a gap with the requirements or expectations placed on them".  ThereforeTherefore, work-related stress can potentially affect each work place and worker insofar as it is caused by different aspects that are closely linked to the organisation and work environment.

Meccanotecnica Umbra adopts the Inail Methodology, the most widely accredited in Italy, to carry out the assessment and consequently, decide on a series of interventions for the management of non-specific stress, not limited to the work-related kind (stress is stress, after all). This approach considers how the person's entire life situation, which obviously influences their work life, contributes towards the ageing of the brain and wear of the central nervous system. The first step consisted of a preliminary company audit and the preparation of an assessment, to divide all workers (executives, employees, production department) into homogeneous groups in terms of exposure to the risk of stress.

The methodology involves face-to-face training meetings, veritable workouts for the learning of stress reduction techniques, such as breathing and relaxation.

This path was inevitably disrupted by anti COVID-19 legislation, but we will pick things up from where we left off, as soon as possible. This step will be followed by a new one, focused on assessing the effects generated by these initiatives, with a new mapping of stress levels in the company. It is a clear example of how all initiatives linked to safety are underpinned by the direct involvement and participation of workers. The ultimate aimaim is to improve a general aspect of everyone's quality of life, preventing the onset of what can be defined as a disease, especially where different types of stress converge. Different jobs can lead to unacceptable stress levels for a variety of reasons: for example, in production departments, stress can lead to accidents and occupational diseases; stress linked to top positions can have significant repercussions in terms of process management, not to mention the same impact on personal health.

Interventions organised by Meccanotecnica Umbra use the brain longevity methodology for the direct management of stress,

a pathway dedicated above all to work groups affected by excessive levels of stress, alongside a training pathway for positions tasked with managing other human resources affected by stress, focused on management, organisation and enhancement techniques, by means of communication and team building in particularbuilding. We have inherited this modality, with a high participation rate, of activities which first got under way years ago as part of the WCM which were then carried over to new safety certifications: there is particular emphasis on participation and the concept of leadership in particular, which in virtue of the company's commitment, spreads responsibility to all levels, including operative ones.

Attention to the environment also involves continuous research into improving the environmental performance of our production sites. At Meccanotecnica Umbra this has always merited extensive consideration, transcending meticulous and constant compliance with legislation. This system, dedicated to continuous improvement, is ISO 14001 certified since 1999 and EMAS registered since 2007, based on an environmental declaration containing all environmental performance levels and the company's commitments for the near future, publicly available and therefore accessible from anywhere in the world. This topic permeates all aspects of company life, with focus on the creation of products that are more compatible with the environment, not only during production steps, with the minimisation of our production site's impact, but also in research and the development of products with higher performance levels along the entire life cycle. Attention to and respect for the environment is also a requirement along the entire material supply chain: our suppliers are subjected to a process for the selection, evaluation and monitoring of environmental standards. The most recent and important environmental improvement projects all stem from the energy diagnosis carried out in 2015, following Legislative Decree 102/2014, which facilitated the creation of virtuous paths for energy improvement and efficiency. It resulted in two important projects which have since been completed.

Firstly, the boosting of the photovoltaic plant installed in 2010, from 85 kW, recently integrated with an additional 215 kW plant, for a total of 300 kW.

Secondly, the construction of a tri-generation plant, capable of generating three types of energy from a single energy carrier, proving its superlative efficiency and high yield. The tri-generator is based on an endothermic engine which when powered with methane gas, generates electric power. The thermal delta of this production is used to produce heat (for systems requiring hot water, such as heating); cold water is also produced through an absorber, for the cooling of machinery which requires circuit cooling.

The plant was commissioned in 2020 and in addition to energy saving and the reduction of CO2 emissions, we have earned Energy Savings Certificates which enable us to recover the important investment made (almost 1 million euros) and to achieve electric autonomy.

Currently we generate a quarter of our energy requirement on site and we are able to manage the system thanks to the remote supervision system, for the monitoring of temperatures and actual efficiency levels.

This approach towards the continuous improvement of environmental and energy performance obviously extends to company groups abroad, thanks to constant support in the achievement of targets and certifications, as is the case with Meccanotecnica India, which obtained ISO 140001 certification starting substantially from scratch, with on siteonsite audit inspections and the combined analysis of all performance levels. Furthermore, we support all group companies when there are client audits regarding aspects linked to the environment and safety, in addition to issues following the adoption of the Ethical Code and Corporate Social Responsibility: often this results in the contractual regularity of commercial agreements entered into with clients.

Everything which takes place at Campello sul Clitunno ramifies and spreads to the rest of the group, both because the headquarters are where practices, which are then supported by the tangible result of certification, come about, and because this is where the Meccanotecnica attitude towards continuous improvement arises,

continuously driving research into new methodologies and quality standards, resulting in a virtuous chain reaction in all plants and group companies. We play an essential connecting role, networking so to speak, based on sharing, supervision and a desire for alignment with this decisive quality of the company's identity.