The official site of Italy's central bank

Environmental policy of the Bank of Italy

Environmental policy
In a context of mounting national and international concern for environmental problems, Italy's institutions are called upon to make their own contribution to sustainable development so as not to compromise the capacity of future generations to meet their needs.

In line with the best practices adopted within the ESCB, the Bank of Italy has been working systematically for some years now to reduce its ecological footprint, above all in those sectors which may have significant environmental impact. In 2004 the Bank was awarded the ISO 14001 environmental certification for its banknote design and printing processes.

In 2008 the Governor approved an environmental policy document illustrating the strategic aims of the Bank in this area: the rational use of resources, optimal waste management, sustainable mobility, and eco-friendly purchases. In keeping with the policy document, a series of concrete initiatives have been taken based on a plan that is drawn up and verified annually.

In 2010, reducing the environmental impact of its activities was included among the objectives of the Bank of Italy's 2011-2013 Strategic Plan.

The Environment Report
The effectiveness of the initiatives taken and, more in general, the Bank's ecological footprint are monitored through the periodical updating of a series of environmental indicators, such as energy and resource consumption, waste production, etc.

The main indicators are illustrated briefly in the Bank's Environment Report. Published for the first time in 2010 and updated annually, the report also contains short descriptions of the most important initiatives taken with a view to achieving steady improvement.

The 2012 Environment Report is the latest update of the report. It shows a progressive reduction in the Bank's ecological footprint, thanks to a sharp fall in absolute terms of electricity, water and paper consumption, and waste production.