Valutazione delle performance ambientali di sistemi ortofrutticoli

Nowadays the discussion about environmental sustainability andsustainable development is a current issue and the perception of relationsbetween agriculture and environment to obtain environmentallyfriendly products is increasing and it represents a new approach fororganizations' policies and strategies. Many companies are looking foreco-friendly crops, improving their production technologies in order toobtain more efficiency from an economical and environmental point ofview, working for a green economy.The one of the critical consumers is an expanding category, formedby people that take care of companies behavior and decide if it is agood or bad one. The decision of the customer is transformed into avote, by the purchase or not of a certain product labeled by the brandof the company.In the last years, the world's biggest companies in theagri-food sector started a voluntary communication of their social responsibilityto the customers and this issue can be achieved by environmentallabels. So, if a company aims to be on the new market wave it ismandatory to become part of the game.Starting from this point of view, the first objective of the presentstudy is to figure out the strategies that can be used to assess the environmentalperformance of berry fruit and strawberries labeled «Deliziedi Bosco del Piemonte» produced by Cooperativa Agrifrutta of Peveragno (Cn), Italy. The target of the label is to distinguish the brand onthe market, emphasizing the link between environment and produce.The governance of the company aspires to foster the brand not onlyproducing high quality fruit but even quantifying the sustainability oftheir production. To achieve the goal two strategies have been adopted:a. Life Cycle Assessment (Lca) of strawberry and berry fruit supplychains, using the impact methods global warming potential (Gwp) andnon-renewable energy.b. Evaluation of the carbon sequestration operated by chestnutwoods belonging to the growers of the Cooperative, in order to balancethe emissions of the considered supply chains using the Ipcc method.The amount of the emissions of the supply chains considered accordingto Ipcc Gwp are 209 t CO2 eq. for the year of study (2010). Tobalance this emissions 21 ha of chestnut woods are needed.Furthermore the study figured out the critical points of the chainand mainly due to the use of plastic materials, both in nursery and inpost-harvest.The calculation of the emissions and their compensations throughcarbon sequestration of the chestnut woods allows the governance toimprove a model for future strategies of sustainable development. Inthis way the company hopes to offer to the consumers high quality fruit,strictly linked to the area of production and at impact zero.