Alessia Ielo, Brenntag: "Sustainability is not a goal, but a path of continuous evolution"

In the next edition of the Executive Master in Innovability Management – EMIIM, he will also bring his managerial testimony as internal co-head for LCA – Life Cycle Assessment issues (together with the Vice President Sustainability) and global head of initiatives related to CO2e Management, including the development and dissemination of the digital tool CO2Xplorer. Our dialogue starts from its activity, which effectively expresses the increasingly close link between sustainability and innovation.
 

What was the innovation you brought?

I developed the TÜV Rheinland-certified methodology for calculating the Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) that we use in the company and, recently, I also drafted the calculation methodology for circular products, now under review by the same certifying body.
 

What are your other activities in the company?

I support the commercial and strategic activities for the two BES (ESsentials – basic chemicals) and BSP (SPecialties – specialty chemicals) departments through analysis and applications related to the carbon footprint. In this context, I developed our methodology for calculating Scope 3.1. I am also responsible for the internal teaching activity and the creation of training materials which, to date, have been distributed and attended by over 2,000 colleagues globally.

How do you keep it up to date?
 

In terms of formal training, I am attending the degree course in Management for Sustainability at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Piacenza. At the same time, I built a solid technical profile thanks to a non-formal training course, including courses in Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Carbon Footprint, certifications in environmental sustainability, circular economy and regulatory compliance, with participation in continuing education programs in environmental data management, ESG reporting, digital tools for sustainability and change management.

What advantages does this combination of academic, technical and field training bring?

It allows me to actively contribute to the development of concrete sustainability strategies, integrated into business processes.
 

In fact, your company has embarked on a profound transformation to integrate sustainability as a strategic lever.

As of 2021, Brenntag has published its validated Science-Based Targets (SBTi), making formal commitments to reduce Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions , to phase out critical chemicals such as PFAS and SVHCs , and to increase environmental transparency and traceability, including through digital tools.

How did you pursue these goals?

Through a real structural realignment, with the creation of new departments focused on sustainability.
 

Which ones?

We are talking about the Corporate Sustainability team , which deals with ESG governance and risk management, and the Commercial Sustainability @BES and @BSP teams , which work on integrating sustainability into business activities. An activity carried out by Business Development Managers dedicated to Circular Economy and Safer Products and by a Global Sustainable Solutions Manager and a Global Sustainability Manager dedicated respectively to CO2e management and to coordinating all sustainability-related activities in the BES and BSP divisions.
 

We imagine that creating departments is not enough.

Of course, it was in fact essential to train the entire organization, at a global level, so that sustainability would not remain an abstract concept, but would become a concrete part of daily work. For this reason, we have developed training programs and workshops on CO2e Management, Circular Economy and Safer products that have already involved over 2,000 colleagues, with theoretical sessions, practical exercises and demos of the available tools. In addition, we have created mini-sites available to all colleagues globally, focused both on environmental sustainability issues in general and on legislative frameworks, and on specific topics such as CO2e management, Circular Economy and Safer products, together with guidelines on how to address these topics face-to-face with customers and suppliers.
 

Are there any other initiatives you have put in place in this regard?

We are digitizing the learning process with e-learning modules (e.g. in Workday), interactive tools, brochures, web pages and on-demand sessions. We are also carrying out cross-functional training, involving commercial, technical and managerial figures, in all regions.
 

What was "the key" to implementing such an articulated strategy?

In this complex process, it is essential to observe that it was necessary to redefine responsibilities, create new hybrid roles, disseminate technical know-how, thus establishing a culture more focused on developing new "eco-friendly" businesses, so that each unit could actively contribute to the environmental objectives of the company and our customers. This systemic approach is now a case study of change management, in which values, skills, technologies and organizational structure are realigned to respond to new environmental and regulatory challenges.
 

Let's go back to talking about solutions, what is CO2Xplorer?

It is the digital suite developed by Brenntag to transparently measure and communicate the environmental impact of chemicals along the supply chain (cradle-to-gate). It is not a simple calculation tool, but a platform integrated into the business and certified by TÜV Rheinland, which supports operational and strategic decisions, making the quantification of the carbon footprint accessible and standardized even in complex sectors such as chemical distribution.
 

Why was Brenntag awarded the ICIS Innovation Award for Digital Innovation?

For a number of different reasons, such as the ability to bridge the gap between complex LCA data and concrete commercial use by customers and suppliers. Then for the use of an auditable methodology that allows the automatic generation of audit-proof and compliant PCF passports such as the CSRD. The award then considered the direct impact on enabling low-emission choices, not only for Brenntag but for the entire ecosystem of stakeholders, for the scalability of the solution and integration with global IT and business flows. Finally, for the practical and already operational nature of the tool.

In a sector such as the chemical and chemical distribution sector, which is still not very digitized, CO2Xplorer therefore represents a cultural and technical turning point, so is there a potential scalability in other sectors?

The CO2Xplorer value goes beyond the chemical sector. The modular approach, certified calculation and user experience designed for non-specialist users make the solution potentially scalable in carbon-intensive sectors such as logistics, to evaluate multimodal transport scenarios and optimize low-impact routes. But also in manufacturing and automotive, to compare conventional and low-carbon products in the design or procurement phase. Other sectors are the Packaging & Food Industry – to provide brands with transparent tools for climate communication to the consumer – and Retail, to integrate the impact of CO₂e into supplier selection criteria and tenders.

The spectrum is very broad.

In general, any sector subject to Scope 3 reporting obligations or with an articulated supply chain can benefit from the CO2Xplorer model, leveraging it for product emissions standardization, regulatory compliance support (e.g. CSRD, CBAM) and the acceleration of industrial partnerships based on shared metrics.

How does your company see the issue of environmental sustainability, which is now subject to several points of uncertainty?

Today, many companies are motivated to measure and reduce their environmental impact, but they come up against a fundamental problem: the quality and availability of data. Often, the available environmental data is too aggregated (e.g., industry averages are not representative of the actual product or process), outdated, or from unverified or incompatible sources, making it difficult to compare or integrate. This limits the ability to make evidence-based decisions and creates a reputational risk of unintentional greenwashing.

Then there is the regulatory aspect...

We are witnessing an epochal transformation in sustainability legislation. Two examples of key regulations that are impacting businesses in Europe are the CSRD (Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive) which, although its course has recently been slowed down, extends the ESG reporting obligation in the near future to thousands of companies with at least one office in Europe, including SMEs and unlisted companies. Then there is the CBAM (Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism), which requires the reporting and payment of embodied emissions in products imported into the EU, starting with sectors such as steel, cement and fertilizers.
 

Beyond the wavering trend of the institutions, as happened with the Omnibus package, what are the important characteristics of these rules?

These rules are not limited to reporting, but introduce direct responsibilities, including economic ones, making data traceability and the verifiability of emissions a strategic priority. Companies can no longer afford to treat sustainability as a marginal activity. A solid, digitized structure is needed, and able to dialogue with regulatory requirements in real time. Let's try to draw a balance between sustainability and competitiveness The transition to sustainable models is necessary, but it must also be realistic and sustainable from an economic point of view. Companies today find themselves in a complex position. On the one hand, they are under increasing pressure from customers, investors and regulators, and on the other, they face high production costs, inflation and uncertain markets, which tend to limit margins. This is why it is essential to integrate sustainability into daily decision-making processes.
 

What tools are needed for this purpose?

Tools are needed that allow comparative analysis between low-carbon and conventional alternatives, informed choices of suppliers, products and markets based on CO₂e impact and cost optimization through the intelligent use of environmental data, even in the tendering or R&D phase. Only in this way can sustainability become a lever for efficiency and competitiveness, rather than a "simple" regulatory obligation. That's why tools like CO2Xplorer, based on ISO-certified methodologies and robust LCA databases, can help bridge the gap between climate ambition and operational implementation.

Article by Nicola Varcasia