Beeway® – Surgital’s partner for biodiversity
27 August 2024
Evoluzione Servizi offers advice and services dedicated to food, human and environmental hygiene and safety.
The commitment has always been to eliminate and contain pests within acceptable limits, using methods with little or no environmental impact.
Paolo Guerra, Technical Sales Manager of Evoluzione Servizi and Head of the Beeway® project, states that, “The company’s objectives have evolved over time, with a greater focus on the environment in the fight against climate change, soil and water pollution. We are actively contributing towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda and are aligned with the “From Farm to Fork” strategy, one of the pillars of the European Green Deal, in which the European Commission has set ambitious targets for the sustainable use of pesticides, including halving the risk factor of chemical and the most hazardous pesticides reduced by 50% by 2030.”
This is the starting point for the Beeway® project: an awareness of the regulatory framework and the challenges currently threatening the future of our planet. An awareness that placing beehives in customers’ green areas would provide a tool to monitor and manage pests while simultaneously helping to create a more sustainable ecosystem. Bees cover a range of 3 to 5 km from the hive, acting as sentinels on the quality of the surrounding soil, air and water. A valid indicator of the E of ESG.
The Beeway® experience with Surgital
“The partnership with Surgital came about seamlessly and naturally, as if it had already been scripted. There was an instant connection. Romana Tamburini, with her genuine and spontaneous spirit, contacted us and within a mere ten-minute phone call had already decided to get involved in the project. The bees were relocated at night to the Surgital site, between February and March, when we organised the Bee Day. To set up the colony, moved to the area outside the facility, we called upon an experienced beekeeper from the Forlì hills and organised special transportation to place the hives in the designated spots.
At 10.30 pm, we arrived at the Surgital facility where Romana and Cristiana Savoia, Surgital’s Quality Manager, were waiting for us at the entrance. It was an exciting moment, during which we worked in perfect harmony, coordinating to gently and carefully position the beehives. Working together as a well-established team, conscious of doing something useful for the environment.
We now have five hives that host about 300,000 bees, all in excellent health.
I think this is a wonderful way to share a common goal with our customers and highlight the importance of collaboration, showing that sustainability and cooperation can go hand in hand, bringing concrete benefits to all.”
During its Open Day, Surgital took the opportunity to present the new beehive project to the entire company.
Guests were invited to take a closer look at the hives, protected by a specially erected tent, that made it possible to safely view the intense activity of the bees.
Experts were also on hand to answer all the numerous questions from both adults and children alike, explaining how these amazing insects contribute to biodiversity and make the land flourish.
Integration and inclusion: the next steps
To expand the impact and make the project even more sustainable, Beeway® is working towards the integration of a social inclusion programme in the future.
Paolo tells us, “Last year, we lost a very dear colleague, Andrea Tura, who was a ‘protected category’ worker and made a significant contribution to our company. His loss spurred me on to start the Beeway® project, as well as to try and involve people with disabilities and difficulties in it. We are in the process of contacting several associations in Faenza, Ravenna and Forlì with which we could then collaborate in the production of honey harvested from the beehives.”
Moving in this direction would add a social impact to the project and honour Andrea’s memory.
Collaboration and partnership
The collaboration between Surgital and Beeway® is a clear demonstration of how a partnership can create value and promote a sustainable business model. Goal 17 of the 2030 Agenda – Partnerships for the goals – reminds us that no one can make a difference on their own.
“Working together with our customers and suppliers allows us to share the values of sustainability and social responsibility, thus generating a positive impact not only for the environment but also for the community. An approach that reinforces trust and also promotes sustainable, adaptable and repeatable business models,” confirms Paolo.
The bee project that combines the expertise of Beeway® with the spaces and cooperation of Surgital, creates a sense of community and learning, setting a virtuous example that can serve as inspiration.
