We also achieved our ISO 37001 Anti-bribery
Management System certification, in addition to our ISO 27001 Information Security Management System and
ISO 9001 Quality Management certifications awarded in 2021 and have built the foundations of the
certification of RINA management system for gender equality based on UNI/PdR 125 standard.
As we continue implementing our ESG plan, we joined the Science-based Targets initiative (SBTi). This is a major declaration
of our commitment to achieving both near and long-term goals to reduce emissions.
Our near-term goals align with the 1.5 degree objective of the Paris agreement to mitigate climate
change, while our long-term objective is to reach net-zero by 2050. In the meantime, along with our
carbon emissions reduction initiatives, we will offset our residual emissions starting in 2023, to be
carbon neutral.
Besides our activities are focused on the ‘E’
(Environmental) criterion of ESG, we take care of our Social and Corporate Governance aspects. Alongside
the ISO 37001 certification, examples include initiatives relating to employee well-being and gender equality in business.
As part of our governance plans, we established an ESG
Committee in February 2022, which includes top management and experts on ESG and is chaired by
one board member knowledgeable in the domain. This provides a direct link with the Board of Directors,
who defines our ESG position and enables them to make informed decisions on ESG strategy. This is
especially important considering the development of the legislation in the EU, including sustainability
taxonomy, the corporate sustainability reporting directive and the forthcoming corporate sustainability
due diligence directive, as our ESG performance and posture attracts investments and reflects our
company brand and values.
At RINA, we increasingly use smart working practices, and some offices, including our headquarters, already have applied agile working principles. They are designed to eliminate barriers, provide open spaces, have no assigned workspaces, and provide common areas that facilitate the development of relationships between colleagues when they are in the ‘office’. This has reduced the need for space and provided maximum benefits when people are together. It has been a very positive experience, and we have now established a project and planned investment to make all our offices agile worldwide.
In our modern, digital world, cybersecurity is a very important issue. We have established a Cyber Security Committee which supports RINA in the assessment and continuous improvement of its posture, and we operate closely with IT to ensure we have best practices and defences in place. We are working through an internal programme of cybersecurity initiatives; however, our cybersecurity credentials apply not only to our corporate cybersecurity, which protects the systems and processes within RINA but also to the services we offer from our dedicated cybersecurity unit to our clients. Again, to provide services and certification to others, we must lead by example.
In the coming year, we will finalise the certification of RINA gender equality management system and will continue to develop,
strengthen and implement our ESG plan.
The availability and reliability of data for ESG reporting in line with the EU CSRD (Corporate
Sustainability Reporting Directive) is a challenge for all companies. We have started and will
continue to work closely with our IT department in 2023 to ensure our systems collect the basic
information we need from sources to ensure accurate and reliable reporting.
Many of our ESG initiatives are directly linked to our business and we work on projects that
are Important Projects of Common European Interest (IPCEI) and attract PNRR and NextGenerationEU
funding. With the EU Sustainability Due Diligence Directive being finalised, we are developing a
new strategy to include ESG criteria in the selection of our suppliers. We are also looking to
focus on using core suppliers across all our business units, making the procurement process more
efficient and strengthening our relationship with these businesses.
Our status across ESG, cybersecurity, and governance reflect on our whole business and affect
our ability to win projects, attract investment, and grow. As a provider of services and
certification relating to ESG, RINA must lead by example. We will continue striving to strengthen
our ESG, cybersecurity and governance policies to position us as leaders in these areas.
