When we think about the future of our society, we reflect on how to best hand it down to future generations.
We want to pass on a company whose products are even better than today’s, powered by passionate people who share in our unique culture; a company that is recognized in many countries as the very symbol of Made-in-Italy products; a company with a first-rate reputation.
Reputation, however, means more than simply being well-known. It also means being held in high regard for the ways we deal responsibly with the changes in people’s lives during dramatic challenges, such as food emergencies (shortage or excess), water and energy crises, and global warming.
In the current global predicament, with its inherent economic and financial problems, a leading company expresses its excellence by turning a crisis, wherever possible, into an opportunity for improvement for everyone.
This is why it is fundamental to place people at the heart of every decision by listening, interpreting, and, finally, acting. This approach urges us to reconsider how we operate, enhance our presence in the market, and interact with the consumers who buy our products and the communities where we work.
Today, the actions of industry have much stronger repercussions for people’s lives than in the past, and, in particular, there is no longer a direct link between “growth” and “progress.”
Thus, the need arises to constantly review the concept of “sustainability,” which, until just a few years ago, was an elitist idea for dreamers or doomsayers. Today, it is a way of thinking at all levels that sees growth aimed at benefiting people. In the food sector, “balanced diet” is now the keyword.
Human beings are not simply “assimilators of nutrients.” Food also represents lifestyle and reflects pleasure and conviviality. Sustainable innovation can only result from thinking more about people’s lives, their culture, and their desire to look after their own health. In addition to the care needed to create an outstanding product, the most exciting challenge our company faces is to be able to constantly improve in all those activities that ensure its stable development.
What is at stake is the sustainability of our growth, our future, and the future of our children.
Luca, Paolo, Guido Barilla