Salvatori: quality and elegance that doesn’t come at the cost of the environment
03.2022
At Salvatori, the same commitment that goes into creating beautiful design also goes into reducing our impact on the environment. One of the concrete steps we have taken is introducing paperless contracts
Salvatori: quality and elegance that doesn’t come at the cost of the environment
As our clients know, we are passionate about every step in the process that goes into creating our products. It starts with the materials we choose, seeking out the very best natural stone, and the same meticulous care is shown as we cut, finish, clean and check each piece before it leaves our Tuscan premises. Our products may look effortless once you see them gracing walls and floors, or installed in a gorgeous bathroom, but behind them is a wealth of experience, know-how and sheer perfectionism.
Thoughtful design
There is another aspect that is entrenched in the way we work and has, in fact, long been an important part of our approach, and that is sustainability. We invented the world’s first recycled stone texture with Lithoverde®, which is 99% made of offcuts, bound together with a natural soy-based resin to create a brand-new block. Lost Stones is another example of how we give new life to abandoned materials, in this case by repairing damaged slabs with golden seams, in our interpretation of the ancient Japanese art of kintsugi.
Our environmental stance goes beyond products, however. While these may be the most visible manifestation of it, the creative spark that drives our designers and technical team to come up with innovative, eye-pleasing and sustainable ideas is also present in the way we constantly look for other ways to reduce our impact on our planet.
Every little action, no matter how small, can help, and the good news is that it doesn’t need to compromise the quality or aesthetics of our products.
Taking concrete steps towards a more sustainable way of living and working is becoming more pressing than ever and companies like us must do our bit when it comes to safeguarding the environment. For many years, we have made a contribution in the form of products made out of recycled stone, we have redirected the water used in our working processes and taken important steps in areas such as packaging. Where else can we, and other companies like us, make a difference?
Paperless paperwork
One answer lies in reducing the quantity of paper we use, and we are not talking here about in our warehouse, but in our office. We realised that our photocopiers and printers were churning out mountains of paper every day, and we asked ourselves what we could do to change that.
Folders filled with contracts were a great place to start and we made use of smart software that enables companies to digitalise their workflow. As a result, we introduced digital signatures for all our contracts. This may seem like a drop in the ocean, but in Italy, contracts tend to be long and complex, involving many pages and many copies.
By moving to digital signatures on documents, we have undergone something of a miniature revolution, making it easier and faster to get paperwork processed, with immediate benefits not only for us, but for our clients and suppliers.
And, on the environmental side? Over the past 12 months, we have saved more than 40 kg of wood that would have been used to produce paper. At the same time this means less manufacturing involved on the paper side, translating into less carbon in the atmosphere, less water wasted and less rubbish to dispose of.
Eliminating printed contracts also means less ink used, fewer old cartridges going to landfill. This one seemingly trivial change has set in motion a chain of tiny, but significant savings.
Small but meaningful steps towards a greener future
The digitalisation of our paperwork is just one strand of a comprehensive and sweeping plan we have set in place to ensure we become more sustainable as a business. We have always been enthusiastic early adopters of technology and now we are embracing it not only on the product side, but for the value it brings to our green endeavours.
We have already seen significant savings in the amount of paper used by switching to digital signatures, and enjoyed being able to improve turnaround on the exchange of documents. With less effort having to be spent on chasing up paperwork, printing, collating and filing, we also have more time in the office to focus on customer care, one of our most important priorities.
We view our responsibility to safeguard the environment not as an onerous task or a restriction on what we can and can’t do, but instead, as a stimulus to seek or create smarter solutions and ways to do things. At Salvatori, we have always relished a challenge, and when it comes to the theme of sustainability, we consider it not only a duty, but a privilege to be able to make a difference.
If you feel the same way, we invite you to take a closer look at how design and sustainability can happily coexist, with products such as Lithoverde®, Lost Stones and Romboo. If you have a project in mind and would like to make it a little greener, please get in touch and let’s see what we can do together.
There is a special cachet associated with products that are 100% Made in Italy, but what does it really mean and how do we interpret it?
Creating a stone forest is not a joke. Discover the beauty and challenges of Stone Forest's innovative design.
