Tolentino, 28 September - this afternoon, arena, a leading water sports company that celebrates 50 years of business this year, and Poltrona Frau, a major player since 1912 in the world of Made-in-Italy furniture, held a joint corporate clean-up event in Tolentino, the town where the main offices of both companies are located.
The initiative was organized with the support of Plastic Free Onlus, the voluntary organization set up in 2019 to combat plastic pollution and to protect the environment with cleaning events in cities, beaches, parks and rivers. The clean-up took place in the area surrounding Lago delle Grazie, an oasis of wildlife protection a few kilometres from the town centre.
Over the last few weeks, arena and Poltrona Frau employees trained online to deal with the problems of plastic along with learning the necessary precautions to clean the environment. Then, they all agreed to meet at the lake, to remove the waste from the site. For the occasion, Plastic Free Onlus provided T-shirts and protective gloves for collecting operations.
After an initial greeting, which also saw the attendance of the Mayor, Mauro Sclavi, and the Councillor for the Environment of Tolentino, a total of 230 participants set out on an ecological walk. They split up into two different groups, on the basis of their respective companies, and set about collecting waste of various kinds, along a section of the banks of the basin.
In the afternoon alone, over a ton of waste were collected, including glass bottles, cardboard materials, plastic cups, cigarette butts and various kind of and bulky materials.
The material collected will be weighed and documented by Plastic Free Onlus and the local waste management company. Reference to the initiative will be made in both companies’ 2023 sustainability reports.
At the end of the walk, photos were taken of all the participants who, in an atmosphere of great enthusiasm and involvement, were the champions of a positive and concrete action of sustainability and environmental protection.
"arena is a company that has always been committed to improving the quality of life for all, promoting and supporting an active lifestyle in and out of the water" - says Giuseppe Musciacchio - Deputy CEO of arena - "This goal cannot be separated from protection of the environment and full awareness of the role that each of us can play every day. The promotion of ethically responsible behaviour starts with us, and for this reason we’re happy to be here, today, with our friends from Poltrona Frau and with the Plastic Free association, which aims to free the world of plastic pollution. Cleaning up Lago delle Grazie may well only be a small gesture, but it’s with many small gestures that great results are obtained".
"As a company, we have always been committed to limiting our impact on the environment, and this commitment is reflected in every aspect of our work: from the selection of environmentally sensitive suppliers to the promotion of repairs, an aspect that we consider crucial, as we believe that extending the life cycle of a product is the first form of sustainability. Poltrona Frau is also deeply rooted in the local area, and we firmly believe in the importance of enhancing and preserving it, supporting local initiatives such as this action promoted by Plastic Free. We are determined to continue on this path and will do our part to contribute to a more sustainable future for all." Said Nicola Coropulis, CEO of Poltrona Frau.
" Together, citizens, institutions and businesses can really make a difference and can plan a future in which we will bring the abuse of plastic to an end. We are grateful to these important companies that have shown the priority and maximum attention they give to environmental issues. Thanks also to their support, in just a few years, we have managed to raise awareness among thousands of people and rid Italy of over 3.5 million kilos of plastic and non-hazardous waste which was left in the environment" says Luca De Gaetano, founder and president of Plastic Free Onlus.
For more info:
CRISTINA CANTONI Global Pr & Communication manager c.cantoni@arenasport.com
CRISTINA CANTONI Global Pr & Communication manager c.cantoni@arenasport.com
ARIANNA CARLA’ Pr & Communication a.carla@arenasport.com
ELENA LORENZON Pr & Communication manager elorenzon@poltronafrau.it
ARENA: Since 1973 arena has revolutionized the world of water sports through intense collaboration with world-class athletes and the development of cutting-edge competition swimsuits. Today, this spirit of collaboration and innovation lives on through the continuous development of advanced materials and Italian design that improves the performance, style and expression of all those who choose arena. From racing in the swimming lanes to living in style, arena is dedicated to providing all swimmers with the tools they need to express themselves, feel confident, win and achieve more. www.arenasport.com
POLTRONA FRAU: Since 1912 Poltrona Frau has stood at the forefront in the world of made-in-Italy furniture. Here we find the art of making and constructive rigour with excellent raw materials, such as Pelle Frau®, high-end solutions for home and office, timeless pieces, which express a universal, intimate and personal elegance, from Chester and Vanity Fair, developed by founder Renzo Frau, to Dezza by Gio Ponti and Titano, a project by Pierluigi Cerri, and the first Compasso d'Oro for the company. This stream of successes has continued into the present with the collections signed by Jean-Marie Massaud, Ludovica+Roberto Palomba, Roberto Lazzeroni, GamFratesi and Neri&Hu. The Residential division, with projects created every year by the greatest talents in contemporary design, also includes the Icons collection. Poltrona Frau also cultivates tradition and innovation through two other business units. Interiors in Motion, which creates interiors for cars, luxury yachts, trains and planes, collaborating with the most prestigious brands such as Ferrari, Porsche, McLaren in automotive and Ferretti Yachts, Pershing and Riva in the nautical field to name just a few. Custom Interiors, on the other hand, creates ad-hoc seating for auditoriums, theatres, airports, public spaces, shops/showrooms, offices, hotels and yachts thanks to close collaborations with leading architects and international studios. Some of the most significant projects were realized with Renzo Piano, Foster + Partners, Frank O. Gehry, Jean Nouvel, Zaha Hadid Studio and David Chipperfield. The driving core is always the production site in Tolentino, in the Marche region, a source of know-how rooted in the local area and permanently at the forefront in environmental sustainability certification and employee health and safety. www.poltronafrau.com
PLASTIC FREE ODV ONLUS is a voluntary association founded on 29 July 2019 with the aim of raising awareness of as many people as possible about the danger of plastic pollution. Originally established as a digital undertaking, in the early years we reached millions of users. Today, with the help of more than 1,000 people throughout Italy, we have become the most important and concrete association in the field. We are also active on-site, through various projects, such as: environmental clean-ups, rescue of sea turtles, awareness in schools and Plastic Free Municipalities.
For further information Plastic Free Onlus: www.plasticfreeonlus.it
