Since 1972, the United Nations has established World Environment Day. Celebrated each year on June 5, the UN’s global initiative is to raise awareness about urgent environmental issues and promote concrete actions to protect the planet.
To mark this occasion, we spoke with Sergio Sementini, our Head of Environment and Quality, to dive deeper into Gridspertise Group’s journey toward increasingly integrated and tangible efforts to preserve and improve the environment.
“My role focuses on managing environmental compliance and assessing the environmental impact of our products,” Sementini says. But our Group’s commitment goes far beyond regulatory obligations: “We actively collaborate with both the sustainability and product development teams to promote practices that improve the environmental impact across various business processes.”
The Environment is a Priority
Environmental responsibility is a core value at Gridspertise Group, as reflected in the many directives and certifications we have adopted.
“We have implemented an Environmental Policy that integrates our ISO 14001-certified Environmental Management System, ISO 9001 Quality Management System, and ISO 45001 Occupational Health and Safety Management System,” says Sementini.
“But we go beyond regulatory compliance — we have chosen to proactively reduce our environmental impact, anticipating future regulatory requirements. This is a voluntary decision that reflects the direction we want to take with our products and processes.”
A concrete example of this commitment is the Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) that accompany every smart meter produced by our Group. “From the beginning, we chose to make the carbon footprint of our devices transparent. This allows us to monitor our own environmental impact while providing our customers — the DSOs — with certified and scientifically validated data to do the same. We believe that using a globally recognized method like Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is essential for thoroughly evaluating each product.”
This approach enables our Group to precisely identify stages — from production to transport to sales — where processes can be optimized.
“The goal is to improve the environmental impact of every stage in the product life cycle wherever possible,” Sementini explains.
The role of EDPs
The decision to require and share EPDs stems from our commitment to transparent, credible communication Alongside this, we have committed to certifying its role in decarbonization processes.
“EPDs are technical tools, but they are also clear, certified, and verified,” explains Sergio Sementini, “They help us build strong communication based on reliable, measurable data –––— and reinforce our overall message.”
“It is a 360-degree approach that includes emissions reduction and compliance with European directives and regulations.” These include: REACH Regulation (EC 1907/2006, Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and Restriction of Chemicals), RoHS Directive (2011/65/EU, Restriction of Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment), and the WEEE Directive (2012/19/EU, Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment), focused on sustainable end-of-life product management.
A Greener Future
Looking ahead, the challenges are significant. “Integrating sustainability into every phase of business life is a cultural process that takes time and awareness,” says Sementini. “One of the most pressing challenges is the sourcing of raw materials — particularly rare earth elements, a group of 17 critical components used in advanced technologies, and precious metals, which are both essential for our devices. As these resources become increasingly scarce, investing in more efficient recovery and reuse technologies is no longer optional — it is vital. This issue is further amplified by the current geopolitical landscape, which highlights the risks of dependency on a limited number of supplier countries. Ensuring secure and resilient supply chains has therefore become a strategic priority for the entire industry.”
Sergio Sementini’s final message for World Environment Day is clear: “Every small step, every daily action — whether taken by individuals or organizations — can contribute to a greater goal. At Gridspertise Group, we believe technology is one of the most powerful tools to tackle climate change. We hope that more and more companies and individuals will see sustainability not as a burden, but as an opportunity to do better.”