Innovation and sustainability in product environmental management systems

The environment theme has taken on considerable importance in consumer purchasing choices. Through voluntary environmental policy tools (product certifications, ecological labels and company certifications) the producers demonstrate their attention to environmental issues. The paper analyzed the environmental impacts, that is, the consumption of resources and emissions to the environment for a product of animal origin, analyzing the production process of the entire production chain of High-Quality milk of a leading Italian company. The Group has an integrated approach to quality policies that balances economic, environmental and ethical objectives throughout the food chain, from the farm to the consumer’s table. The analysis was conducted in compliance with the general rules of the Environmental Product Declaration Program and the specifications of the product group “Product Category rules 2013: 17 Processed liquid milk and cream - UN CPC code 221”, using the cycle analysis methodology of life, regulated by the international standards ISO 14040 Series, Environmental management - Life cycle assessment - Principles and framework - scientific methodology that ensures reliability, credibility and rigour of the environmental declaration. Despite the initiatives undertaken by the Granarolo Group regarding the environmental improvements of its products and services for the mitigation of the environmental impact, our forecasts have been confirmed, the product - organic milk still has a very high-water footprint. Therefore, the environmental efforts of individual companies are not enough, but consumers’ dietary habits must also change.