1

sustainability

report

2015the results of a

constant commitment

vol i

3

catia bastioli | chief executive officer

letteraIn 2015, Novamont achieved important results, not only in terms of research and development and the market, but also from the point of view of creating bioeconomy infrastructures around the country. These are key elements in a new industrial approach that is anchored to local areas but with effects that extend globally.

Using our proprietary technologies and internal engineering resources, together with the creation of strategic alliances, we are reconverting several industrial sites into unique plants making Italy, and Europe, leaders in the market of bioplastics whilst laying the foundations for important developments in the biochemical sector.

Thanks to the work of so many years, today, Novamont and the Group are acknowledged, nationally and internationally, as pioneers and champions of a bioeconomy model, intended as territorial regeneration. Our integrated biorefineries, which contain a high level of innovation, while respecting quality and local traditions, are proving to be able to provide solutions to local environmental problems, and to activate multiple supply chains starting from the agricultural sector.

By following this approach, in 2015, we made important progress in line with our policy of differentiation, based on growing integration of the production chain, and aimed at increasing the content of renewable material in bioplastics and at improving our environmental profile, while seeking to

sustainability

report

2015the results of a

constant commitment

vol i

5All of this confirms that Novamont is a concrete example of the bioeconomy and circular economy, sectors on which Europe and Italy are wagering, to achieve the COP21 objectives and overcome the systemic crisis. Economic, environmental and social results are attracting growing attention from the authorities and the financial and industrial spheres, not only in Italy, but increasingly in Europe and worldwide, creating the foundations for further significant developments.

2015 was also the year in which the foundations were laid with Matrìca (a Joint Venture with Versalis S.p.A., created in the petrochemical plant of Porto Torres to start an integrated biorefinery that is highly innovative at an international level) and the plan to create the world’s first plant for the production of 1.4 bio-butanediol from renewable sources, in Veneto, to market bioplastics that have a high concentration of renewable raw materials, starting in the second half of 2016 and making greater diversification possible. During the year in support of our development projects, we also presented an important programme of investments as part of the Juncker Plan promoted by the European Union, which was selected by the Italian government and by EU authorities.

In line with our mission and calling for innovation and the creation of integrated sustainable models we continue to consider research and development as the driver of their growth , and invest considerable resources in them. The company’s work seeks to develop new intellectual property, which is considered the key element to ensure competitiveness, but also to create a genuine training centre for young graduates, research doctors and technicians, most of whom have subsequently become permanent members of the Group’s personnel.We will continue on our course by investing in people and in the awareness that regeneration must be cultural before it can be industrial, environmental and social. In this sense by combining tradition and innovation the bioeconomy can be a unique opportunity to reconnect economy with society, to bring increasing value to territorial diversity and to the quality and origin of products.

make the products “demonstrators” of new models of use and of consumption.

The role of agriculture has been, and still is, decisive in the success of this model. In particular, the creation of strategic partnerships, such as that with Coldiretti which was confirmed by the general agreement stipulated at the beginning of the year. Starting with integration with low environmental impact farming activities and reduced water consumption, we are developing supply chains that will create new production and revenue opportunities. This is particularly true for the areas of the country where there is marginal land or areas where production is being reorganized, thereby avoiding any change in the competition with food production. These are multi-product supply chains that will feed the biorefineries whilst at the same time supply edible protein substances for livestock, lignocellulose biomass for a widespread system of energy production and self-consumption by farmers, high value, active molecules for cosmetics and nutraceutics, and simple and compound sugars for the chemical supply chain and for food.

When it comes to the sectors further along the supply chain, 2015 confirmed our ability to form alliances with transformers, large-scale distribution, and important Italian and international brands. One example is the launch, together with Lavazza, of the first compostable capsule which is the result of years of research and development and of the application of the circular economy’s principle of zero waste, which says nothing is waste and everything goes back to being a resource.

In the last year, we have also continued developing the supply chains of non-bioplastic products. In the medium term these will make new alliances and diversifying considerably into other target sectors possible. These are products which, like bioplastics, “complete the circle”, by providing solutions to environmental and social challenges and transforming local problems into opportunities for change that are not to be missed. For example, of all of those products destined for use in ecologically sensitive areas and areas where there is a high risk of dispersion into the ecosystems, such as biolubricants, bioherbicides and cosmetic products.

Alliances with our transformers, with large-scale distribution, but also with important Italian and international brands

Developing supply chains that will create new production and revenue opportunities

Developing supply chains for non-bioplastic products

Mission and a calling for innovation and for the creation of integrated, sustainable models

9 How we see things 9 Our direction10 Living chemistry for a better quality of life10 Our identity13 Novamont in Italy14 Novamont around the world16 Mater-Bi: what is it?

Applied Mater-Bi technologiesApplication sectors

22 Guaranteed, indeed, certified quality

/01the companyand its products

26 Reporting principles26 When27 Our approach to sustainability28 The processes

Stakeholder engagementAnalysis of materialityManagement Approach

30 Results

/02analysis of materialityand methodology

33 The bioeconomy and the circular economy34 The chain of value: risks and opportunities 34 The story36 Flexibility of the organization and corporate network37 Research and development

First2Run, a flagship project for EuropeSpring, a cluster, where public and private are heading in the same directionThe Lavazza project: a 100% compostable capsule

/03generatingvalue

43 Experts in sustainability46 The organizational structure48 Managing human resources50 The governance bodies50 Employment52 Policies against discrimination54 Freedom of association and collective bargaining54 Training55 Policies for safety

/04managingthe work

59 Mater-Bi’s second life 60 Biodegradability62 Compostability64 Improvement of the waste cycle64 Renewability67 Energy68 Protecting biodiversity, the environment and the climate70 Measuring the environmental impact

/05sustainability of the production chain

73 Conformity of the products74 Customer satisfaction75 Conformity of the company76 Definition of the standards77 Associations we are members of

/06laws and regulations

79 The value of communication79 Communicating sustainability80 The instruments81 Events82 Our stand84 Product advertising

/07transparency &communication

87 Relationship with the territory89 Involvement of the community

/08safeguardingand giving valueto the territory

index

9

and its products

company

How we see things

Encouraging the transition from a product led economy to a system based economy. A cultural leap towards economic, environmental and social sustainability which must involve the whole of society and start by giving value to the territory and by fostering collaboration among the various stakeholders.

Our direction

Developing biodegradable materials and products from renewable sources, by integrating chemistry and agriculture, setting up biorefineries that are integrated into the territory, and providing application solutions that guarantee efficient use of resources throughout the life cycle, with social, economic and environmental advantages for the system.

chemistry

social

eNViroNmeNt

eNViroNmeNtal

agricolture

ecoNomic

BIOCHEMICAL MATERIALS

integration am

on

gadvanta

ges

/01Who we are, where we are

going and in which

directions: an overview

of our company

identity.

11

FROM A PRODUCT ECONOMY TO A SYSTEM ECONOMY

[bio’plastika]

bioplastic

This is a particular type of plastic that must come from

renewable raw materials or be totally biodegradable.

Our bioplastics have both of these qualities.

Our identity

In 2015, we chose a new visual identity. Today, our brand mirrors what we are and how we evolved over time, from a single company to an industrial group with production plants and research laboratories situated in various part of the country and a widespread commercial network.

Conceived by Lorenzo Marini Group, the new visual identity depicts a green and blue

tape which, when rolled upwards, produces the shape of a sphere: this represents the planet we live on, the concept of continuous regeneration and the sense of constantly stretching out for excellence, which has always been a sign of our vision.

The logo also contains the letter “M”, the first letter of Mater-Bi, the family of products that identifies our production. It is the fruit of 25 years of research and innovation and of more than 1000 patents; it is a set of solutions that realize, concretely, our model of sustainable development for the economy, the environment and the communities of people.SFUMATURA

TESTO E NASTRO ESTERNO

SFUMATURA NASTRO INTERNO

C 73M 11Y 0K 12

C 72M 0Y 86K 0

SFUMATURA OMBRA

C 0M 0Y 0K 60

C 0M 0Y 0K 0

C 40M 0Y 86K 0

C 100M 62Y 0K 23

NASTRO ESTERNOE LOGOTIPO NASTRO INTERNO

C 54M 0Y 86K 0

OMBRA

C 0M 0Y 0K 25

C 0M 0Y 0K 10

pantone 312 C

C 100M 95Y 5K 23

pantone 2758 C

pantone 287 C

pantone 360 C

pantone 421 C

pantone 420 C

pantone 361 C

pantone 375 C

pantone 424 C

NASTRO ESTERNOE LOGOTIPO NASTRO INTERNO OMBRA

SFUMATURA LOGOTIPO

C 0M 49Y 100K 15

C 1M 14Y 98K 8

LOGOTIPO

C 15M 35Y 88K 0

pantone 131 C

pantone 153 C

pantone 110 C

LOGOTIPO

SFUMATURA NASTRO ESTERNO

SFUMATURA NASTRO INTERNO

C 73M 11Y 0K 12

C 72M 0Y 86K 0

C 40M 0Y 86K 0

C 100M 62Y 0K 23

NASTRO ESTERNO NASTRO INTERNO

C 54M 0Y 86K 0

pantone 312 C

C 100M 95Y 5K 23

pantone 2758 C

pantone 287 C

pantone 360 C

pantone 361 C

pantone 375 C

NASTRO ESTERNO NASTRO INTERNO

production disposaluse

prod

uction

use

recycling

Living chemistry for a better quality of life

Novamont was founded on an intuition of a number of researchers at the Montedison School of Material Sciences who, towards the end of the 1980’s, began to work on an ambitious project: to integrate chemistry, agriculture and the environment in order to

create a new production model.This idea gave impetus to what we are today: a world leader in the bioplastic and biochemical sector, with products that have redesigned whole application sectors.

13

Novamont in Italy

In Italy, our head office is in Novara and we also have two centres around the country: a manufacturing plant in Terni and a research centre in Piana di Monte Verna, near Caserta. No variations in the structure of the organization occurred in the reporting year.

NORD AMERICA

SUD & CENTRO AMERIC

A

EU

RO

PA

ASIA

AUSTRALIA & NUOVA ZEL

AN

DA

USACanada

SveziaNorvegiaDanimarcaPaesi BalticiPoloniaRomaniaGrecia

ItaliaGermania

FranciaBenelux

UkIrlanda

Finlandia

ArgentinaCile

Australia

ThailandiaCorea del SudIsraele

GiapponeTaiwan

Hong Kong India

NOVARACentro direzionale,ricerca e sviluppo

TERNIStabilimentoproduttivo Mater-Bi®

PIANA DI MONTE VERNACentro Ricerche per lo Sviluppo di Biotecnologie Industriali

novara Administration

centre, research and development

PIana DI MonTE vErnaResearch Centre for the Development of Industrial Biotechnologies

TErnIMater-Bi manufacturing plant

NOVAMONT S.P.A.

78% stake. Plant for the production of polyesters from vegetable oils.

NORD AMERICA

SUD & CENTRO AMERIC

A

EU

RO

PA

ASIA

AUSTRALIA & NUOVA ZEL

AN

DA

USACanada

SveziaNorvegiaDanimarcaPaesi BalticiPoloniaRomaniaGrecia

ItaliaGermania

FranciaBenelux

UkIrlanda

Finlandia

ArgentinaCile

Australia

ThailandiaCorea del SudIsraele

GiapponeTaiwan

Hong Kong India

NOVARACentro direzionale,ricerca e sviluppo

TERNIStabilimentoproduttivo Mater-Bi®

PIANA DI MONTE VERNACentro Ricerche per lo Sviluppo di Biotecnologie Industriali

MaTrìca SPa

(Porto Torres)50% stake. Project

of a biorefinery integrated into the

territory.

Joint venture with Coldiretti. Development of production of intermediates from renewable sources.

MaTEr-BIoTEcH S.P.a.

(aDrIa)100% stake.Plant for the production of bio-butanediol

SIncro

(TErnI)MaTEr

BIoPolyMEr(Fr)

NOVAMONT S.P.A. SHAREHOLDINgS

our numbers

we invoiced

we are company capital

we produced

employees

of mater-Bi49.700 t

271

mater bi

75%

versalis

25%

+-

√=

On 31 December 2015,

Novamont S.p.A. was

controlled, 25% by Versalis,

and 75% by Mater-Bi S.p.A.,

whose shareholders are Banca

Intesa, associated investors

and other partners.

shareholders

159.946.762 ¤Our business contributes to creating

a sustainable economy that is highly

integrated into the territory.

13.334.000 ¤Novamont’s company capital consists

entirely of ordinary shares

15

SOUTH & CENTRAL AMERICA

ArgentinaCile

USACanada

EUROPE

ASIA

NORTH AMERICA

Novamont around the worldThanks to the growing diversification of the final applications of Mater-Bi, Novamont is present in most of the important world markets . Numerous products are made with Mater-Bi, including compostable shopping bags, bags for collecting the compostable part of waste, films for agricultural mulching, disposable tableware, etc.

Foreign companiesNovamont North AmericaNovamont France Novamont GmbH

AUSTRALIA and NEW ZEALAND

Australia

SwedenNorwayDenmarkBaltic CountriesPolandRomaniaGreece

ItalyGermany

FranceBenelux

UKIrelandFinland

JapanTaiwanHong KongIndiaThailandSouth KoreaIsrael

COMMERCIAL NETWORKS AND AgREEMENTS + FOREIgN COMPANIES

17

the product

Disposable cutlery, pens, combs, toys.

injection moulded products

Biofillers.

additives

thermoformed articles

Tubs and rigid containers for foods, compostable pots for nursery gardening.

Shopping bags, bags for separate waste collection, (food) packaging.

films

Cotton buds, drinking straws, flexible pipes for agriculture.

extruded products

PackagingLoose fillers that have excellent shock-resistant properties.

expanded plastics

Mater-Bi: what is it?

Mater-Bi is an innovative family of biodegradable and compostable bioplastics, that are manufactured using renewable raw materials of vegetable origin and, in cases where there is still no equivalent of natural origin, fossil raw materials that are entirely biodegradable..

Applied Mater-Bi technologies

Mater-Bi, which is sold in the form of plastic granules, can be processed by normal production plants used for traditional plastics.

SEPARATED WASTE COLLECTION

COLLECTIVE CATERING

COMPOSTING PLANT

RENEWABLE RAW MATERIALS

MATER-BI

a granule of

TRANSFORMERS

FertilizerCOMPOST FOR AGRICULTURE

ORGANIC WASTE COLLECTION

ORGANIZED RETAILTRADE

AGRICULTURE

NON-RENEWABLE RAW MATERIALS

NOVAMONT PRODUCTION PLANTS

THE LIFE OFmater-bi

production

use

r

ecyc

lin

g

19

agriculture organized retail trade separated waste collection

commercial and collective catering

Bioplastics are revolutionizing the shopping bag market. Over the eight years since their introduction, numerous interventions have been made bylegislators who have restricted or banned the old, plastic bags, forcing the sector to progressively replace them with long-life, reusable bags, or with bags in certified compostable bioplastic.Mater-Bi carrier bags are completely biodegradable and compostable. Consequently, they can be reused also for the separate collection of food scraps - the so-called “wet” organic waste.

The management of urban waste is one of the great environmental priorities of the last few years. In particular, the separate collection of food scraps has had strategic importance in guaranteeing the environmental sustainability of waste management. As they are totally biodegradable and compostable (as required by the Italian law in this specific field), Mater-Bi bags are an ideal tool for effective separate collection of organic waste.This line of products contains bags for domestic use, for catering, bars and commercial users, as well as liners for wheelie bins.

The Foodservice line in Mater-Bi, which contains utensils for company canteens and large catering spaces, has a complete range of solutions: plates, cups, cutlery, bowls, single-portion containers for finger food, straws, cups and spoons for ice cream, lids for cups.Each product is a concrete solution for an eco-sustainable choice. This is demonstrated by the UNI EN 13432 compostability certification, which has been obtained by the whole range.

films for mulching

• these provide crops with the same benefits as traditional mulch films. They can be used in a variety of environmental conditions and on crops with different cycles, from lettuce to strawberries.• thanks to their total biodegradability, they do not have to be gathered and disposed of at the end of the cycle as they are broken down by microorganisms and absorbed into the ground, which leads to a considerable saving in time and resources.• the low thicknesses used (15, 12 and 20 microns) guarantee a good yield per hectare.

pheromones for sexual disorientation

The Mater-Bi sexual pheromone dispenser is an effective alternative to the traditional plastic version. It is biodegradable and compostable and at the end of the farming

season can be recycled together with the vegetable residues. compostable clips

These can be used to support a variety of crops such as tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers; since they are biodegradable and compostable, at the end of the crop cycle they can be recycled together with the vegetable residues.

[po’limero]

polymerThis is a substance formed

by combining a number of

equivalent molecules.

Plastics are polymers.

Application sectors

21

[ ri’fjuto or’ganiko]

organic waste

This is waste of animal or vegetable origin, either

kitchen scraps or gardening residues. Organic waste

accounts for about one third of urban waste.

bagsSEPARATE WASTE

COLLECTION

forks, plates, cupsCOLLECTIVE

CATERING

shopping bag ORGANIZED

RETAIL TRADE

01

03

orGanIc WaSTE collEcTIon

coMPoST, USED aS aGrIcUlTUral FErTIlIZEr

collection

products and sectors of use

compost use

MaTErIal PlacED InTo FacIlITy anD conSUMED By MIcroorGanISMS

organic recycling

02

23

USE

EnD oF lIFE

OHSAS 18001 | guarantees the health protection and safety of employees

ISO 14001:2004 | guarantees the correct implementation of an environmental management system

ISO 9001:2008 | guarantees the correct implementation of a quality management system

REACH (1907/2006) | guarantees the knowledge and safe use of chemical substances LCA | enables quantification of environmental impacts during the product’s life cycle

ETV | guarantees the use of an innovative technology, by validating the environmental performance

ProDUcTIon

01

02

03

guarantees the environmental preferability of the product in relation to a number of communicated environmental criteria.

guarantees the clear identification of compostable articles and, in Italy, is synonymous with a guarantee of high performance in industrial composting plants.

guarantees the biodegradation and absence of toxic effects of plastic materials either in domestic composting or in the soil.

guarantees the compostability in Europe and Australia.

In the United States, this guarantees compostability in industrial composting plants.

compostability

domestic compostability

ability of a material to biodegrade at ambient temperatures in the soil, without any toxic effects on the environment

ISCC pLuS guarantees that the renewable raw materials used in production are sustainable, that is, that production does not take place on lands characterized by a high level of biodiversity and high carbon reserve, and that it takes place in accordance with good farming practices, and respects human rights

Guaranteed, indeed, certified quality.

Product certification is a procedure in which an independent third party formally guarantees that a product conforms to the requisites of a specific standard. Mater-Bi has certified biodegradability and compostability from several international bodies, who also carry out periodical checks and market surveillance.

production

u

se

endoflife

cErTIFIcaTIOnsmater-bi

25

/02of materiality and methodology

analysis

The Sustainability Report is the document with which a company describes, in detail, its environmental, social and economic policies and reports the results achieved in a specific year. Our Report for 2015 is no exception but it was also devised to go one step further: to speak about the values we believe in, the actual efforts made every day and to provide a portrait of a company made up of people before it is made up of objectives, and of experiences, before it is made up of performance.Indeed, it is important to us that our interlocutors really know us; we know which aspects we give priority to, what type of projects we involve our resources in every day.

So, when producing this document, we followed the guidelines of the Global Reporting Initiative, Version G4, which provide an objective and transparent approach. However, we decided to divide the document into two volumes: the first contains all of the information that is indispensable to learn about our world and the philosophy that underlies it; the second contains more in-depth analyses and more specific data than the GRI-G4 reporting guidelines require. In this way, we can provide those who read it with an open and in-depth view of how we interpret sustainability.

The references,

processes and method

that we chose for

producing our 2015

Sustainability Report.

27

EquilibriumComparabilityAccuracyTimelinessClarityReliability

InclusivitySustainability contextMaterialityCompleteness

Reporting principles

The Sustainability Report is produced in conformity with the “Core” option of the Guidelines of the global reporting initiative, and adopts these principles:

Our approach to sustainabilityWe consider the Sustainability Report to be a system of management and involve all of the company functions in the process.

In accordance with the GrI-G4 guidelines the processes necessary to produce the Sustainability report, must be set up on the basis of the principle of materiality. By materiality, we mean the point at which aspects become sufficiently important that they must be reported. To define materiality correctly, we decided to involve the stakeholders actively, collecting their views by a process of stakeholder engagement.

WhenThe Sustainability Report is produced annually and covers the period January – December 2015. This report only considers the activities of Novamont S.p.A. and not the activities entrusted to external companies for the production of raw

materials and finished products.The corrections with respect to the previous report can be found in the “Corrections” section of Volume II.

Input/Output

Processes

Documents/Contents

PRINCIPLES FOR DEFININg THE CONTENTS OF THE REPORT

PRINCIPLES FOR DEFININg THE INFORMATION QUALITY OF THE REPORT

reportingGRI Sustainability Report

SSD(Specific Standard Disclosures)Economic / Enviromental / Social

DMa(Disclosures on Management approach)

GSD(General Standard Disclosures)

Strategy and Analysis /

Organizational Profile / Identify

Material Aspect and boundaries

/ Stakeholder Engagement /

Report Profile /Governance /

Ethics and Integrity

Strategy

Analysis of materiality

Performance as a result of the management

Improvement objectives

Involvement of the stakeholder

GRI 3.0

C C B+ A+ A+ A+ A+ core core

20

08

20

09

20

10

20

11

20

12

20

13

20

14

20

15

20

16

GRI 3.1 GRI—G4

application level

guidelines

reporting year

See more at page 39, Volume II

SUSTAINABILITY MANAgEMENT

29

Defining the methods of involvement

identifying the categories of stakeholder

The procedure was developed in 2014, using

internal processes, involving the various company

functions with questionnaires and focus groups.

In 2015, the process was updated and a new class

of stakeholder was identified:

the Commercial and Marketing function.

For every category of stakeholder identified different methods were chosen to take

account of individual characteristics and to facilitate the expression of each position.

01

02

03

Every year, an involvement plan is prepared

and updated, and its effectiveness is

monitored.

achieving engagement

Governments

Suppliers

Direct customers

Indirect customers

Employees

Commercial and marketing function

Communities/Companies

Media and press

Associations and Non-Governmental

Organizations

Research and innovation

Local communities

Waste management chain

The agricultural world

National and international organizations

Future generations

category of stakeholder identified

Monitoring of the legislative panorama

SR presented at a large, public event

Telephone interviews

SR presented at a large, public event

Questionnaire

Focus Groups

Brochures

Monitoring of press reviews

Focus Groups

SR presented at a large, public event

Monitoring in the media

SR presented at a large, public event

SR presented at a large, public event

SR presented at a large, public event

2015 method of involvement

The processes – Stakeholder engagementThe process of involving the stakeholders is divided into three points:

The processes – analysis of materiality

Parallel identification of priority aspects for stakeholders and for the company

The identification procedure began in 2014, and is updated when new aspects that are priorities for the stakeholders and/or for the company emerge.

The association between the aspects identified in the procedure carried out by Novamont and those proposed by the GRI-G4 guidelines is always kept clear and is reported in the GRI Content Index.

The materiality threshold was set at 3.

The material aspects identified are reported in the table below. For every material aspect, the perimeter within which the relative impacts fall was identified:• Impact inside the company• Impact outside the company• Impact inside and outside the company

assigning priorities

Validation of the aspects identified and identification of materiality

reviewing and improvement

STAkEholdERNovAMoNT

materialasPects

> 3

0201 03

04

Every priority aspect identified was given a score, from 1 to 5, by Novamont and by the various stakeholder groups involved, using the following criteria: • Reciprocal positive or negative influence on Novamont and the stakeholders• The extent of the dependency relationships• The extent of the impact and number of subjects involved

31

The processes – Management Approach

In the DMA (Disclosure on Management Approach), the instruments that we use to provide precise information on how we manage our economic, environmental and social impacts are established and described, defining:

• Policies: the policies used to guide the organization in the management of the material aspects• Commitments: statements of intent in the management of the impacts for the material aspects• Aims and objectives• Responsibilities• Financial, human and technological resources necessary for the management of the material aspects• Specific actions related to the management of the material aspects.

Requests for information and explanations on Novamont’s Sustainability Report may be sent to:

Francesco razza, email: csr@novamont.com

gri coNteNt iNDeX Volume II, assuraNce Volume I page 90

This Sustainability Report has been verified externally by SAI GLOBAL, an organization that is independent of Novamont, as reported in the assurance statement on page 90.

The data contained in this report will be kept for five years and archived:• In the company offices of the functions that collaborated in producing the document• In the office of the CSR function, who take care of its publication.

THE sTrUcTUrE OF THIs sUsTaInaBILITY rEPOrT rEFLEcTs OUr anaLYsIs OF MaTErIaLITY: EVErY cHaPTEr DEaLs WITH THE TOPIcs THaT rELaTE TO a cLass OF rELEVancE. THIs sTrUcTUrE MaKEs IT EasIEr TO naVIGaTE THE InFOrMaTIOn anD MIrrOrs OUr aPPrOacH TO sUsTaInaBILITY anD TO cOMMUnIcaTInG THIs VaLUE.

MATERIAL ASPECTS | NOVAMONT AND STAKEHOLDERS

* perimeter within which the impacts fall

i= inside o= outside i+e= inside+outside

Results

All of the material aspects identified were grouped into 6 relevance classes:• Generation of value• Management of the work• Sustainability of the production chain• Laws and regulations• Transparency and communication• Safeguarding and giving value to the territory.

This choice stemmed from the wish to make management of the material aspects and the instruments that come from them simpler and more effective.

33

/03value

generating

The bioeconomy and the circular economy

2015 was the year of the Paris Conference on climate change (COP 21) and was decisive in the planning of a new model of production and of consumption that looks at reducing emissions and at a more efficient and fairer management of the planet’s resources. It is now universally acknowledged that the linear system (production – distribution – consumption – disposal) adopted thus far, fed by enormous quantities of fossil fuels, has produced increasingly negative effects and is no longer sustainable. In the linear consumption economy, the life cycle of a product ends with the product becoming

waste and not being reused anymore; this forces the economic chain to continually start the same process from the beginning.The paradigms of the bioeconomy and the circular economy were created to overcome this model. The bioeconomy concerns the production of renewable biological resources and the transformation of these resources (and of the resulting waste flows) into products that require fewer resources than traditional products. The circular economy is a system in which all activities, starting with extraction and with production, are organized in such a way that the waste produced becomes a

The value of innovation, the

opportunities it can provide,

the risks to avoid. For genuinely

sustainable chemistry.

See more at chapter A, Volume II

35

launch of Wave, an expanded plastic sheet in MaTEr-BI

launch of the green tyre, with Goodyear

2001 2002

Development of origo-Bi technology

2003

launch of Pneo, an innovative bag in MaTEr-BI

launch of first prototypes of a new generation of bag at Ecomondo

Fruit and vegetable bags in MaTEr-BI, in Unicoop, Florence

“European Inventor of the year” award

Wet waste collection with MaTEr-BI bags, in Milan

Foodservice products in MaTEr-BI at the london olympics

acquisition of research centre in Piana di Monte verna

2005 2007 2012 2014 2015

lavazza- compostable capsule

new Brand

Foodservice products in MaTEr-BI for Eataly, at the Milan Expo

novamont S.p.a. was founded

1990

Production of first biodegradable bag in MaTEr-BI, and the Green Pen in MaTEr-BI

1992

First packaging in MaTEr-BI, with Ecolucart in the large-scale distribution

1998

La storia

resource, thereby restarting the cycle.We have sought to anticipate changes in the chemical industry. Indeed, Novamont has always followed the principles that are today contained in the concept of the bioeconomy and our products, which are renewable and recyclable, achieve the model of a circular economy. In this sense by strongly combining two the aspects, in the case of Novamont, we can speak of a “circular bioeconomy”.The products made from Mater-Bi are made with natural raw materials and return to nature as fertilizers, through a process of composting, thereby completing the cycle of resources with natural recycling.

The chain of value: risks and opportunitiesFor us, attention to the aspects of sustainability occurs along the whole value chain, from the origin of the process to the final recycling of the product.

At the beginning of the production process, we constantly seek to increase the amount of renewable raw materials contained in our products. At the other end of the cycle, when the product becomes waste that has to be managed, we aim for complete biodegradability, which makes it possible to recover waste using innovative processes, such as organic recycling.

These strategic choices at the two ends of the value chain are our driving force and they create both opportunities and risks. The opportunities are linked to the integration of the biological cycle, the natural path from the earth to the earth, with the economic-social cycle, with the creation of new agricultural and industrial production chains. The risks are limited by respecting the laws and standards: laws and good practices regulate both the agricultural and the industrial sectors, and standards of biodegradability guarantee

the environmental quality of the products and of their treatment. With the oil crisis at the beginning of the 1970s, and the need to consider biomass as an alternative to oil in the production of fuels, chemical substances and materials, it became clear that the most significant factor in assessing the risk/opportunity for the sector was the price of crude oil. In the short-medium term, price fluctuations can constitute an obstacle or an opportunity that is not easy to predict. However, in the long term, the trend goes towards an increase in the cost of oil, because the cost of extraction will rise and because of the global trend in penalizing the use of fossil resources for reasons of safeguarding the environment.

The value of the biodegradability of substances, particularly of plastics and of packaging, can be appreciated especially when there are anaerobic digestion and composting plants in the territory for

recycling organic waste. In this case, when deliberately or accidentally mixed in with the kitchen waste, the packaging or object in biodegradable plastic ceases to be a contaminant and becomes part of the flow of organic materials that are turned into compost. Where waste management is balanced towards waste-to-energy,or landfill, biodegradability becomes a less important requisite that is unlikely to find space in the market. This is a risk for the marketing of biodegradable products, but it becomes an opportunity when awareness increases of the need to recycle all fractions. This is what is happening in various parts of the world, and certainly in Europe, where specific Directives discourage the landfilling of organic waste and where recycling occupies an important place in the waste hierarchy.

37

Flexibility of the organization and corporate network

Our story is of a company that is constantly evolving, that is able to grow without losing flexibility and a predisposition to change. This has enabled us to win the challenges along the way, aiming at an increasingly central role in the bioplastics industry.

By integrating industry and agriculture in an increasingly concrete way, we select biologically-based raw materialsthat are produced with alternative approaches to those of the traditional petrochemical industry. When these components are not available, we support scientific research and promote the creation of new industrial businesses to fulfil this need. The most significant examples of these are:

• Matrìca,the joint venture with Versalis, for the production of chemical intermediates; one of the first examples of a biorefinery - a refinery not based on mineral oil but on vegetable oil;

• Mater-Biotech: the world’s first industrial plant for the production of 1,4 butanediol starting with sugars.

These are two examples of reorganizing disused traditional plants, where the change to vegetable raw materials has encouraged growing integration with agriculture.

This has led to a further reduction in our dependency on fossil fuels and the creation of new production chains with greater social, economic and environmental sustainability.

Still with the aim of evolving continuously and of responding to the opportunities that the market may offer, over the years we have set up other joint ventures and created other associated companies:

• European and non-European trading companies

• A production company in the U.S.A.• Sincro; A joint venture, with

Coldiretti, set up in in Umbria 2006 to start producing intermediates and biolubricants from renewable sources and to growwith local farmers experimental fields for developing new crops and agronomic protocols that support the integrated biorefinery.

• Mater-Biopolymer: a company for the production of Origo-Bi biopolyesters, which uses a line with Novamont’s proprietary technology. The company is also active in the development of new biopolymers.

This Sustainability Report only covers Novamont S.p.A.

Research and development

Novamont is a company that has a triple vocation: it is an industrial company, a research centre, and a training centre. Anyone who knows us, knows that innovation has always been one of our key values. This is why we have:

rEGISTErED

oFFErED

TraInInG acTIvITIES

300since 1996, to young researchers and experts for multidisciplinary projects, in collaboration with universities and research centres of excellence, in Italy and abroad.

DEvEloPED

EQUIPMEnT anD FacIlITIES

that go from laboratory scales to innovative pilot plants

InvESTED

oF oUr 2015 TUrnovErIn rESEarcH

6,4%with 20% of employees

dedicated to research and development

PaTEnTS

+1000in the sector of natural and synthetic polymers and of

processes for transforming renewable raw materials, with a

continuous development of original technologies.

39

Spring, a cluster, where public and private are heading in the same direction

Founded on the initiative of Biochemtex, Versalis and Novamont, in collaboration with Federchimica, Spring is a non-profit association that provides a multi-sectorial overview for the development of the whole sector.In 2015, it brought together around the same table eight Italian regions and many of the most important companies in the “sustainable” chemistry sector. This permanent roundtable seeks to identify guidelines, to share among public and private technological innovation in the biochemical sector, interregional collaboration, national development policies, and initiatives for training and encouraging local employment in the “green” sector.The activities of Spring will follow a strategic road map outlined during 2015, a path that identifies the objectives common to all partners and the themes to be discussed with the authorities.

First2Run, a flagship project for Europe

To demonstrate the technical, economic and environmental sustainability of a highly innovative biorefinery that uses low-input crops, such as cardoon, to obtain vegetable oils from which a wide range of bio-products are produced. This is the goal of First2Run, a flagship project for the European Commission, coordinated by Novamont, in collaboration with private partners and universities. The project was awarded unsecured funding of €17 million by BBI – Bio-Based Industries Joint Undertaking, a partnership between the European Union and the Bio-Based Industries Consortium (BIC). The study of the environmental and social impact of products that come from renewable sources is an integral part of the project, as are the activities of certifying results and informing the community of them.First2Run encourages technical developments linked to world-leading production plants, which, so far, have benefited from private investments of over €200 million.

system economy

[ ekono’mia di sis’tema]

A way of understanding the industrial economy that

does not concentrate only on factors linked to the

production of goods or services, but that adopts

a broader perspective by analysing the effects of

production on the whole territory, in which economic,

environmental, social and resource management

aspects coexist. This view corresponds with a circular

model of economics, in which recycled waste becomes a

new raw material for subsequent cycles.

On 18 December 2015, Novamont signed an agreement for €50 million to fund research and development activities and investments in innovative technologies in the bioplastics production chain. This is paid by the European Bank, for investments that support one of the first projects for the bioeconomy in the Juncker Plan.

MIllIon¤50

41

The Lavazza project: a 100% compostable capsule

In March 2015, the first 100% Italian, compostable capsule was launched; this project had involved us, together with Lavazza, in research that had lasted 5 years.The Lavazza capsule is made of Mater-Bi, is compatible with the Lavazza Minù machine, and is available in two fine, 100% Arabica blends, which are certified by the non-governmental organization, Rainforest Alliance.By applying the circular economy principle of zero waste, according to which, nothing is waste, but everything goes back to being a resource, with great benefits for the environment, we created a capsule that can be collected with food scraps and sent to industrial composting facilties where the spent capsule and coffee are recycled together into compost.

Lavazza and the culture of zero waste, in a product that wasn’t there before: the compostable capsule.

43

Our most precious

resource: the people who

work with us every day.

/04the work

managing

Experts in sustainability

For us, the most precious resource is contained in the people who work in the company. Our employees and collaborators have enabled us to give concrete value to such concepts as innovation and flexibility, and to share with everyone the precious value of sustainability.

The ECOPEC (ecology of products and environmental communication) function

was created to coordinate all actions for sustainability: it manages the application of regulations, standards and evaluation and quantification tools, as well as the aspects of environmental communication. ECOPEC spreads technical information about products, with reference to compulsory or voluntary schemes, and informs stakeholders both inside and outside the company.

See more at chapter B, Volume II

45

Mission, Code of Ethics and OMM can be consulted on: www.novamont.com

ManaGEMEnT ManaGEr rESPonSIBlE

Definition of objectives concerning the themes of sustainability applied to the company’s products and processes

for the “ecology of products and environmental communication” function

with specific skills in the field of sustainability

TEaM oF collaBoraTorS

obtaining certificationsfor the environmental quality of the products and of the processes communicating

sustainability

applicazionedi lca(Life Cycle Assessment) to improve the life cycle of the products

Verification of the products’ safetyfor the environment and for consumers.

implementation of csr (Corporate Social Responsibility) practices

CODE OF ETHICS, ORgANIZATION MODELS AND

SUSTAINABILITY OBJECTIVES

ThE oRGANIZATIoN’S

CodE oF EThICS

oRGANIZATIoN, MANAGEMENT ANd CoNTRol ModEl, FoRMER ITAlIAN lEGISlATIvE dECREE No. 213/2001

ThE oRGANIZATIoN’S MISSIoN

47

The organizational structure

Our internal organization reflects the significant evolution the company has undergone over the years. The growth in size and complexity has increased following partnerships with the industrial and agricultural worlds, buy-outs, industrial initiatives and technological developments. The numerous interlocutors and situations are reflected in a varied and flexible structure.

organogramBoard of

Administration

CEO

Novamont

Relations with the Institutions

and Associations

Intellectual Property

and Legal Affairs

Product Ecology and Environmental

Communication

Strategic Planning and Company

Communication

Human Resources

Research and Development

New Business Development and Licences

Administration and Treasury

Administrative Management of

Subsidiaries

Computer System Planning and

Control

General Management Group Operations

Safety and Environment

Quality Logistics and Purchasing

Production Plant

Production Plant in Terni

General Services Engineering Mater-Biotech

General Management Core Business

Bioplastics

Business Communication and Special Projects

Logistics and Purchasing Bioplastic Business

Technical Assistance and Bioplastic Application

Development

Novamont France

Novamont GMBH

Novamont North America

Sales Department

Marketing

Agro Department

Agricultural Supply Chain

Management, Administration,

Finance and Auditing

49Managing human resources

We are continuously looking for highly specific skills, to grow and enhance in our technical and administrative areas. Thus, our workgroup, which is full of the experience of

In 2015, the following collaborated with the company:

professionals who have contributed over the years to growing the company, can count on the continuous contribution made by our human resources.

employees

divided among the sites

of Novara, Terni and

Piana di Monte Verna.

271

PermaNeNt

PermaNeNtPart-time

temPorary

aPPreNticeshiP

68203

19653

28

46

11

ty

pe o

f c

on

tr

ac

t

ca

teg

or

y

ge

nd

er

0 83 83

35 45 80

15 25 40

16 35 51

2 15 17

68 203 271

MANUAL WORKERS

OFFICE WORKERS

MANAGING CLERKS

MANAGERIAL STAFF

DIRECTORS

TOTAL EMPLOYEES

totale

ON THE THREE SITES, NOVARA + TERNI + PIANA DI MONTE VERNA

TERNI

45%NOVARA50%

PIANA DI MONTE VERNA

5%collaborators with contracts

for project collaboration

collaborator with a contract for

coordinated and continuous collaboration

10 1

PROJECT COLLABORATORS, SCHOLARSHIP HOLDERS AND APPRENTICES

In 2015, the following were present in the company:

Scholarship holdersApprentices11 29

TAKEN ON

TAKEN ON

with permanent contracts

With temporary contracts

7

2

28%apprentices

72%scholarshipholder

s

See more at pages 11 and 19, Volume II

In2015

51The governance bodies

Employment

Novamont is managed by a Board of Directors appointed by a meeting of the Partners. On the Board of Directors, there is 1 Chairman and 1 CEO. There are also 10 Board Members who remain in office for

of whom 3 as a result of the natural expiry of the contract, 6 as a result of voluntary resignation

entries+exits/average personnel, considering recruitments and terminations, in relation to the average number of people making up the personnel in 2015.

exits/average personnel in the 2015 period

three years during which they produce the company strategies.The Board of Directors is audited by the board of auditors and by the Partners.

IN UMBRIA

16%

15BETWEEn 30 anD 50

16UnDEr 30 UnDEr 30

52%

BETWEEn 30 anD 50

48% 55%

45%

MEn

14WoMEn WoMEn

17MEn

33%

67%

MEn

WoMEn WoMEn

3

6

MEn

nEW rEcrUITS

31TErMInaTIonS

9IN PIEDMONT

84%

RECRUITMENT TERMINATIONS TURNOVER

overall rate of turnover

rate of negative turnover

15,30%

2,68%

See more at pages 13, 14 and 15, Volume II

53Policies against discrimination

To apply effectively what Italian and international regulations on equality stipulate, our code of ethics actively promotes equality of treatment of all employees, collaborators and external representatives. Our policies are intended to prevent any discrimination and any behaviour that is detrimental to a person, his convictions or his preferences in any field.We are not aware of any practices that discriminate against any person inside or outside the company.

MEn

75%

WoMEn25 %

UnDEr 30

53 11 122BETWEEn 30 anD 50

54 28ovEr 50

3

BETWEEn 30 anD 5065%

UnDEr 30

24%

ovEr 50

11%The chart here, on the right,

shows the make-up of the

personnel on the

basis of three age groups.

MEn

15People who belong to

protected categories,

employed in the company

on 31 December 2015.

PROTECTED CATEgORIES

gROUPS BY AgE AND gENDER

AgE

EMPLOYEE TOTAL EMPLOYEES IN NOVARA

WoMEn45 %

MEn

55%

See more at page 19, Volume II

55Freedom of association and collective bargaining Policies for safety

Training

We guarantee the right to carry out trade union activities. The AU (Amalgamated Union) is active, and periodically calls meetings with all employees which are held in rooms made available by the company. There is a notice board that is freely accessible to employees to publicize information and announcements.

Safety at work, both the physical protection of employees and our collaborators as well as the aspects of healthiness and conformity of the environments is essential.

This begins with the choice of raw materials; when a new component is selected, any risks resulting from its processing or from its presence in finished products are taken into account. Following the precautionary principle, the procedure examines the environmental and health and safety aspects. it also assesses the suitability of the raw material for specific sectors of use. Experimental tests are carried out and the safety sheets, technical sheets, statements of conformity to the applicable regulations, such as the REACH regulations and the norms that govern the packaging sector, are examined, to establish whether the substance under examination guarantees an adequate level of safety, or must be excluded.

For the production phases, the activities carried out in the company do not entail a high risk of work-related diseases. All employees receive adequate training, as required by law, and a number of meetings

Updating skills, learning, developing new professional and personal knowledge: training is one of the cornerstones of our work in the company, because it brings each of us closer to the company’s vision, which we have chosen and shared. In addition to more general training programs, every year, there are specific times dedicated to individual functions or areas of interest.

TOTAL NUMBER OF HOURS

OF TRAINING PROVIDED*

851453

398average 32.3

average 28.4

are organized to cover a greater level of safety than that required by law (Art.35 of Italian Legislative Decree No.81/08), that involve a large number of company functions. In 2015, the Head of Maintenance and a representative of the AU also took part in the meetings.

For years now, the three Novamont sites have held the certification for the international standard OHSAS 18001:2007 Occupational Health and Safety Assessment Series. In particular, the factory in Terni has included the certification in the integrated “quality, safety and environment” management system, which includes specific procedures for assessing risk in the event of making new products or of running new machinery.

See more at page 18, Volume II See more at page 16, Volume II

57

TraInInG caTEGory caTEGory DETaIl

HoUrS oF TraInInG(WHIcH May DEPEnD on THE PoSITIon)

Employee Without safety duties 6

pps Prevention & Protection Service 60 approximately

First Aid & First Intervention Teams - 20 approximately

TRAININg ON THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF EMPLOYEES experience

[ espe’rjentsa]

A form of direct knowledge, personally acquired

through the observation, use or practice of a certain

aspect of the situation. The experience that has made

Novamont a point of reference in the sector is the

result of years of common courage and commitment in

a single shared direction.

BS oHSaS 18001 PErForMancE InDIcaTorS

DEScrIPTIon oF InDIcaTor 2015

ar (Accident Rate) (Total number of accidents/Total hours worked) x 200,000 1,8

pdr (Professional Disease Rate) (Total cases of professional diseases/Total hours worked) x 200,000 0

si (severity Index) (Total number of days lost because of accidents and professional diseases/Total hours worked) x 200,000 22,01

ra (Rate of Absenteeism)

Total number of days of absencein the reporting period

Total of working days for the workforce in the same period

3.126

The data analysed also includes the less important accidents (which required first aid).

By “days lost”, we mean calendar days. The “days lost” were calculated from the day after the accident.

The factor of 200,000 comes from: 50 weeks x 40 hours x 100 employees

ALL OF THE SITES

x 200.000

See more at pages 16 and 17, Volume II

59

/05of the production chain

sustainability

Mater-Bi’s second life

Every day, we achieve the sustainability of our production chain, through concrete actions, in various areas.

This leads to the “second life” of mater-Bi, that is, its usefulness after its primary use, which is guaranteed by the principle characteristics of this type of bioplastic: biodegradability and compostability.

The reference norms for assessing these properties are: in europe, the norm eN 13432 - requirements for packaging recoverable through composting and biodegradation. test scheme and evaluation criteria for the final acceptance of packaging, which was produced on the order of the European Commission; internationally, the norm iso 18606:2013 Packaging and the environment – organic recycling. The two norms provide a reference point for the world’s producers, public authorities, composters and consumers.

maximizing

use of the territory’s

natural raw materials using

production processes that

reduce the environmental

impact to a minimumproducing

materials that guarantee complete

recyclability

From biodegradability

to the “second life” of

Mater-Bi: our fundamental

concepts for

sustainability

See more at chapter C, Volume II

61

biodegradability

Biodegradability

This is the ability of a substance of vegetable or animal origin (organic substance), to break down into simpler substances under the action of bacteria and of other microorganisms.Biodegradability is a property of some natural substances, for example, the leaves in a forest that fall to the ground and turn into humus but also of man-made organic waste. The biodegradation of waste allows it to be reinserted into the natural cycle; making it available once more for a new life.

In the field of methods and processes, ETV (Environmental Technology Verification http://iet.jrc.ec.europa.eu/etv/) has been created. Through certification by independent third parties, this pilot program helps companies that have developed innovative environmental technologies to reach the market.

Graphical speci�cation and colour

ETV backgroundGreen: C=79 ; M=10 ; Y=93 ; K=0

EU fag: Blue: C=100; M=80 Y=0 ; K=0Yellow: C=0; M=0; Y=100; K=0

Biodegradation in a natural environment

Biodegradation, the natural process that allows the recycling of organic materials, can take place in different environments: the soil, rivers, the sea. For many years, we have studied the biodegradation of bioplastics under particular conditions, for example those of the marine environment. Seas and oceans are the point of arrival of a huge quantity of non-biodegradable waste. Of this, in particular it is plastic materialsthat worry the community, because, after being dragged by the current, they form large accumulations which cause incalculable damage to sea life.

We help spread a culture of a correct management of waste which must be collected and recovered and not abandoned in the environment. At the same time, we study new solutions for applications that have a great probability of spreading (like equipment for fishing or for fish breeding).Mater-Bi was examined in the European Union’s pilot program to assess environmental technologies, called ETV (Environmental Technology Verification). In this assessment, it was confirmed that innovative versions of Mater-Bi demonstrate biodegradation in marine environments greater than 90% in one year. Following these results, Novamont was the first company in Italy to obtain the ETV certificate.

ORGANIC WASTE

ACTION OF MICROORGANISMS ON THE ORGANIC WASTE

of inorganic moleculesBIOsYnTHEsIs anD

biODeGraDatiON

CO2

HOTOSYNTHESISNEW ORGANIC SUBSTANCE

DEATH OF HE LIVING SUBSTANCE

MINERALIZATION

O2

Statement of the logo in Volume II

63

compostability

Compostability

This is the ability of an organic, animal or vegetable material to decompose and turn into a mixture of substances called compost, which is used in agronomy to fertilize and restructure the soil. The process, which leads to the formation of this important soil amendment is called composting.

This process takes place in an environment with controlled humidity and temperature, in the presence of oxygen. The larger quantities of organic waste are treated in industrial plants, in which the composting processes reach temperatures of 70°C. When composting is done individually, as a small-scale gardening activity, it is called “domestic composting”, in which lower temperatures are reached.

This is another process used to treat organic waste, anaerobic digestion. Here organic substances are broken down by microorganisms in the absence of oxygen and turned into biogas, which can be used to produce energy, and a sludge called digestate which when subjected to composting, produces compost.

BIOGAS ENERGY PRODUCTION

DIGESTATE SLUDGE WHICH IS COMPOSTED

COMPOST used in arable farming and nursery gardening increases the nutritional elements and biodiversity of the microflora

ORGANIC WASTE

O2

oxygen

O2

oxygen

microorganisms

COMPOST

microorganisms

COMPOSTINg

ANAEROBIC DIgESTION

temperature

temperature

O2

oxygen

microorganisms

temperature

COMPOST

65

Improvement of the waste cycle

The production activities of man use enormous resources and the resulting consumption habits generate extremely large quantities of waste. If not correctly managed and exploited to create new value, waste creates environmental pollution and lessens the quality of our lives. For this reason, it is necessary to replace dissipation models with conservation models, which grasp the importance of choosing products that have the lowest environmental and social impact possible, and of correctly managing the separated collection of waste.

Directive 98/2008 – Waste Framework Directive

Renewability

We use new technologies and new industrial supply chains based on the use of renewable raw materials and energy. A resource can be called renewable when it is supplied by natural processes in a quantity that is compatible with its exploitation. Today, most industrial polymers and plastics are produced from non-renewable, fossil resources, which cannot be regenerated at a rate compatible with the speed at which they are exploited.

WASTE HIERARCHY

RENEWABLE RESOURCES

oil

nuclear

natural gas

coal

NON-RENEWABLE RESOURCES

Mater-Bi is recycled via organic recycling (composting and anaerobic digestion)

DiSPOSaL

reCOVerY

reCYCLiNG

reUSe

PreVeNtiON

The current use of farmland per tonne of Mater-Bi (for film applications) is approximately:

MAIZE

0,03hectares

VEgETABLE OILS

0,14hectares

Other substances of natural origin used in smaller quantities (additives) require about 0.01 hectares per tonne of Mater-Bi.

The total weight of the materials used during 2015 was 70,144 t, of which 21,553 t were renewable and 48,591 t were non-renewable. This number includes the raw materials, the materials linked to the process (e.g. lubricants) and the materials used for the packaging.

The data for 2015 cannot be compared with that of the previous years. Further information can be round in the Corrections section in Volume II.Renewable raw materials are an essential

ingredient of sustainable development. By using them, material resources are saved and environmental loads are considerably restricted.Mater-Bi contains renewable substances and substances of fossil origin. The former are extracted directly from industrial agricultural crops (e.g. starch), or modified after extraction (e.g. monomers from vegetable oils).

Starch is a substance that is essential in several industrial sectors, for example, paper making, and is produced from maize grown in Europe using standard farming practices. The vegetable oils which we use in our processes are also produced using standard farming practices.The renewable material content of Mater-Bi varies from 30-90% of its weight. The renewable material content is not directly related to the ability to biodegrade; indeed, irrespective of the percentage of renewable material, Mater-Bi is always completely biodegradable and suitable for composting.Beyond this, we seek to use renewable resources as much as possible, and also choose those with the highest levels of sustainability; we do not use soya or palm as a vegetable source and carefully check that all of our renewable biomass resources are grown using sustainable techniques.

biomass

solar

hydraulic

winf

geothermal

67Energy

We do not concentrate our attention just on the choice of sustainable raw materials, but also demonstrate ourcommitment to sustainability with regards to energy consumption. The table below shows energy consumption in 2015.

All of the electrical energy that we need for our sites (Novara, Terni and Piana di Monte Verna) comes from renewable sources.

In addition to giving concrete support to this type of energy, we guarantee:

• a reduction in the emissions of greenhouse gases and of other pollutants

• an improvement in the environmental performance of all products made of Mater-Bi.

ENERgY CONSUMPTION INSIDE THE ORgANIZATION

43.417 GJelectrical energy122.073 GJsteam – only Novara9.968 GJ self-produced thermal energy – only Terni6.846 GJ

methane

REDUCTIONin greenhouse gas emissions

USEof good farming

practices, to protect the soil, the water

and the air

PRODUCTIONof the biomasses

on land not characterized by high

biodiversity

RESPECTof human rights, of workers and of the

right to land

certifications

During 2015, the company obtained ISCC Plus certification, which allows verifying and tracing

the origin of the starch. The certification guarantees that the certified raw material was

produced without exploiting virgin or deforested land.

ISCC (http://www.iscc-system.org) is a system of certifying the sustainability of the

renewable raw materials used to produce biofuels, foods, bioplastics and other products.

The sustainability criteria of this certification were taken from the RED (Renewable Energy

Directive) and concern:

renewable

100%

69

The graph shows the specific direct emissions of greenhouse gases (fossil CO2). These were determined as the ratio between the total direct emissions and the overall quantity of Origo-Bi and Mater-Bi polyesters produced in the reference year (2015).

[bio-massa]

biomass

Organic material, for

example a product

or waste from

agricultural crops and

forestation, which can

be used to produce

objects and materials,

or to produce energy,

thereby reducing the

dependency upon

fossil sources.

Novamont considers

biomass the real

wealth of the planet,

to be enriched and

safeguarded.

TOTAL EMISSIONS

SPECIFIC DIRECT EMISSIONS OF gREENHOUSE gASES

These are the emissions due to burning natural gas and refluents sent to the combustor.

The actions we have undertaken to protect the environment naturally involve aspects such as biodiversity and climate.Although there is no interaction between our industrial activities on the territory and protected areas or areas that have a high value in terms of biodiversity, we direct our research and development activities towards protecting local areas and by supporting their enhancement.

An example of this is the activities for developing a sustainable production chain and protection of the biodiversity, which has led us to choose crops that have a low environmental load and to adopt ISCC Plus certification.

Our environmental policies are active, also with respect to the climate-altering emissions.

Protecting biodiversity, the environment and the climate

In 2015, the total direct and indirect emissions of CO2

equivalent, for the sites in Terni, Novara and Piana di

Monte Verna.

4286 t

0,047 t fossil CO2/t (from methane)

0,007 t fossil CO2/t (from methane)

0,054 t fossil CO2/t (from methane)

intensity of direct greenhouse gas emissions

1,108 t NOx nitrogen oxides

0,36 t PM particulate matter

0,64 t CO carbon monoxide

3,18 t VOC volatile organic compounds

altre emissioni dirette e indirette

See more at page 28, Volume II

71

Measuring the environmental impact

To quantify and limit the impacts of our activities, we use Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), which is the main tool in Life Cycle Thinking, a way of thinking of industrial activities based on the life cycle of the product, from selection of the raw materials to its final recycling.

The step forward of LCA lies in the fact that all phases in the production process are considered to be related and dependent

upon each other, which makes it possible to assess the linkage of the impacts and to limit them by improving the efficiency of the whole production process.

At an international level, the LCA method is governed by the norms ISO 14040 and ISO 14044. we have used it since 1998, and are among the first Italian companies to have adopted it.

DeFiNitioN objective

and field of application

aNalysisof the inventory iNterPretatioN

assessmeNtof the impact

DIRECT APPLICATIONS

Development and improvement of the product

Strategic planning

Formulating public policy

Commercial strategy (marketing)

Other

LCA PHASES

[biodiversita]

biodiversityThis is the diversity of life, that is, the variety of living

beings that populate our planet or one of its specific areas.

Biodiversity can be analysed on different levels:

• diversity of ecosystems (natural environments, such as

water, woods, mountain spaces, etc.)

• diversity of species (animals, plants, fungi,

microorganisms)

• diversity of genetic heritage (variety of wild and domestic

species).

For Novamont, biodiversity is an aspect of the territory

that should be appreciated and protected, and a priceless

heritage from which to draw.

(ISo 14040)

73

The satisfaction of

our customers and the

regulations that govern

conformity of the company

and of the products it

creates.

/06and regulations

laws

The conformity of our products and the satisfaction of those who use them are the result of scrupulous adherence to the laws and regulations that govern our sector.Indeed, we have always built our value by voluntarily adopting the best international regulatory standards for all of the significant aspects of our products and company processes.

Conformity of the productsi

The characteristics of Mater-Bi enable us to obtain products that follow the criteria

of sustainability in every phase, from production to recycling.For example, packaging made of Mater-Bi respects the regulations on energy and organic recovery. Packaging for the food sector respects the Italian and European regulations for materials destined to come into contact with foods. Bags made of Mater-Bi conform to Italian law, insofar as they are biodegradable and compostable.Mater-Bi is not a dangerous material, in accordance with international regulations. By following the technical processing sheets prepared by our technical experts, Mater-Bi can be processed in complete safety.

See more at chapter D, Volume II

75

Conformity of the company

Company processes are managed with great attention and responsibility. In confirmation of this, we adopt a number of voluntary schemes:

satisFactioN aVerage, Per sector

1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 4.03.5

Customer Service

Services / Logistics

Quality ofproduct /

assistance

satisfaction levels

1 dissatisfied2 not very satisfied3 satisfied4 very satisfied

average by sector 2014 average by sector 2015

average by sector 2012 average by sector 2013

TErnISITE IN

Here, we apply an integrated quality, environment and safety management system. The site is certified for all of the related standards: ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001. In 2016, we plan to move over to the new standards ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015.

nOVaraHere, we apply an integrated quality, environment and safety management system. The site is certified for the standards ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001. In 2016, we plan to obtain certification for the standard ISO 9001:2015 and move over to the new standard ISO 14001:2015.

SITE IN

PIana DI MOnTE VErna

SITE IN

Here, we apply an integrated quality, environment and safety management system. The site is certified for the standards ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001. In 2016, we plan to obtain certification for the standard ISO 9001:2015 and move over to the new standard ISO 14001:2015.

Overall, the company’s social responsibility is managed in a way that respects the guidelines this Sustainability Report refers to, and with the following actions:• adherence to the international, responsible care programme, which was created

to promote sustainable development in the chemical industry, in accordance with values and behaviours geared towards safety, health and the environment

• adoption of an organization, management and control model (omm) on the basis of Decree No. 231 (Italian Legislative Decree 231/2001). The model was adopted voluntarily by Novamont in 2008, and is now in its fourth version, which was issued in 2014.

• issuing, in 2004, of a code of ethics, which contains rules on behaviour to control relations between Novamont employees, the public administration and suppliers. The code of ethics, now in its fifth version, seeks, in particular, to spread a system of values and behaviour rules common to the company and its stakeholders, to encourage morally correct conduct.

iso 9001:2008 iso 9001:2015 iso 14001:2004 iso 14001:2015 ohsas 18001:2007

NoVara being prepared √ being prepared √

terNi √ being prepared √ being prepared √

PiaNa Di moNte VerNa being prepared √ being prepared √

CONFORMITY IN THE THREE SITES

Customer satisfaction

Satisfying the necessary regulations is only the first step; the journey is completed when our customers are also satisfied and protected. This is why we have created a survey system, which checks a variety of aspects:

As in previous years, in 2015 our customers were asked to fill in a questionnaire to check these aspects. The survey confirmed that there was general satisfaction; the weaknesses were analysed and corrected. The detailed analyses of the results of individual customers and of individual items relating to Customer Service, to Services and Logistics and Quality of the Product / Assistance, will be used to improve the quality level of our products and services.

SATISFACTION

01survey of the level of satisfaction

analysis of the reports and returns

COMPLAINTS

02ORDERS

03analysis of how orders are progressing

77

We believe that a company seeking to give strength to its international role must not only follow the rules carefully, but also contribute to their evolution. This is why Novamont makes an active contribution to defining the sector’s regulatory framework: the company is an active member of uNi (the Italian National Standards Institute), of uNiPlast (the Italian National Standards Institute for plastic materials) and of uNichim (the Association for Standardization in the Chemical Industry).In 2015, these activities helped lead to the publication, by the technical committee “CEN TC 411 Bio-Based Products”, of the following European standards:

• eN 16785-1:2015 – Bio-based products. Bio-based content. Part 1: Determination of the bio-based content using radiocarbon analysis and elemental analysis.The standard details a method for determining the bio-based content by radiocarbon analysis and elemental analysis of the product under study.• eN 16760:2015 – Bio-based products. life cycle assessment. This standard provides specific indications and necessary requirements when carrying out an LCA on products that come from renewable sources, based on the standards ISO 14040 and ISO 14044.

Novamont also takes part in two international roundtables on the bioeconomy:• High Level Group on Key Enabling Technologies• Bioeconomy Panel.

[stàn-dard]

standard

This is the model, norm

or set of guidelines that

a product or activity

conforms to, particularly

with respect to the

technical performance

and quality aspects. For

Novamont, a standard is

a parameter that must

evolve over time: the

players in the sector

must contribute to

defining and constantly

improving it.

Definition of the standards

national associations international associations

It is essential for all players in the sector to work together to create a context in which the environmental value and social value are as important as the economic aspects. This is why we are members of Italian and international associations that, in different ways, are committed to this aim.In 2015, we joined these associations:

acquisti & sostenibilità www.acquistiesostenibilita.org

assobioplastiche www.assobioplastiche.org

associazione industriale Novara – aiNwww.ain.novara.it

cluster tecnologico nazionale della chimica verde – springwww.clusterspring.it

consorzio italiano compostatori – cic www.compost.it

csr manager Network www.csrmanagernetwork.it

Federchimica www.federchimica.it

Fondazione sodalitas www.sodalitas.it

Kyoto club www.kyotoclub.org

Polo di innovazione umbro materiali speciali e micro-nano tecnologie – P.u.m.a.s. www.poloinnovazionepumas.net

asociación española de Plásticos Biodegradables compostables -asobiocom www.asobiocom.es

Bio-based and Biodegradable industries association – BBiahttp://bbia.org.uk

Bio-Based industries Public- Private Partnership www.bbi-europe.eu

Biodegradable Products institute – BPi http://www.bpiworld.org

club Bio-plastiques www.bioplastiques.org

european Bioplasticswww.european-bioplastics.org europaBiowww.europabio.org

european renewable resources and materials association – e.r.r.m.ahttp://www.errma.com

Plastics europe www.plasticseurope.it

Associations we are members of

79

Instruments and

methods of communicating

the value of a company

and of its concrete

actions for sustainability

/07and communication

trasparency

The value of communication

Communication is an essential factor in our vision of sustainability, because it guarantees that the added value of our innovation is perceived effectively and immediately by each of our interlocutors.

Communicating sustainability

The document that you are reading is, for us, an important communication tool; indeed, a Sustainability Report is a way of informing a broader public of the policies, measures and concrete results of a company on the road of environmental, social and economic responsibility.We have published a report regularly since 2008, in accordance with the international guidelines issued by the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), today in the GRI – G4 version.

See more at chapter E, Volume II

81

BIA DE COMPOSTABILIS

Participating in trade fairs and public events is, for us, a way of directly communicating and promoting the company’s activities, and of presenting our products and their characteristics and repeating our strategic vision. In this regard, we promote the planning and realization of environmentally low impact events, with the authorities, institutions, non-governmental organizations and companies, providing biodegradable and compostable products in Mater-Bi (cups, cutlery, plates, bags for separate waste collection).

The more significant events during the year included expo 2015, suQ, Fa’ la cosa giusta and milano recycle city, for which we supplied 9,200,000 products.

The instruments Events

Milano recycle cityFa' la cosa Giusta, Milano

EXPo, Milano SUQ, Genova

9.200.000 ProDUcTS SUPPlIED To EvEnTS In 2015

In 2015, we revised our coordinated image, choosing a new logo that identifies us in a strong and unequivocal way. In Chapter 1, we described in detail the lines followed for the new visual identity, which was presented during the conference “Il potere del limite” (The power of limits), which was held in Milan, on 11 September 2015.

The company website www.novamont.com is one of the main channels for communication about our

company and products. It is continually updated with news, press releases and new sections, and is aimed at a varied, international audience.

On the main social networks, we have set up a constant and direct dialogue with our customers and the authorities, following a precise social media strategy, designed

around an international audience.And, with our periodic newsletter, we inform internal stakeholders of the company’s activities and of what is new in the sector.

In 2015, we then launched the first comic strip in the series “the adventures of Bia de compostabilis”, part of the educational project “Discovering Mater-

Bi”, dedicated to children, to develop their environmental awareness. “The mystery of the earth you can obtain from waste” is the first adventure of the character created by the Walt Disney illustrator Paolo Mottura. The comic strip, which was conceived as a teaching and information tool for schools and families, is published in two forms: it can be read in a printed version, or in a digital version, in which the images are brought to life, with movement, sounds and information sheets. www.allascopertadelmaterbi.it

SocIal & nEWSlETTEr

ProGETTo EDUcaTIonal

SITo WEB

83

The structure is made of 80% recycled aluminium, and is completely covered with printed fabric.

Structures in laminated pinewood and fabric; furnishing components in honeycomb cardboard, which is resistant and can be printed on, with which tables, display stands and seats are made.

Panels in MDF (medium-density fibreboard), made with residues from carpenter workshops, in honeycombed cardboard to make them resistant and weight-bearing and to reduce the volume of material; sheets of lightened steel with wave decoration.

Efficient, general and spotlightingsystem, that only uses LEDs.This solution saves 80% on theelectricity normally used.

STAND POWERED BY A MOBILE, PHOTOVOLTAIC PANEL.Our stand, which has a central role in events

and trade fairs, has been conceived and made in accordance with our mission. Inspired by the three “R’s”, reduce, reuse and recycle”, it is made using materials that have a low environmental impact, that can be reused, that are recycled and recyclable, and it is powered by renewable sources.

FURNISHINgS

WALLSFLOORINg

LIgHTINg

On wall-mounted, energy-class A,LED monitors.

COMMUNICATION

Our stand

85

[sostenibili’ta]

sustainability

In environmental and economic sciences, this is the

condition of development that will ensure that the

needs of the present generation are satisfied, without

compromising the possibility for future generations to

satisfy their needs.

At Novamont, sustainability above all means saving

resources in the present to guarantee them in the

future, and not leaving residues in the environment

that definitively reduce itsquality.

01

03

THE MoST vIrTUoUS ProDUcTS anD SErvIcES FroM an EnvIronMEnTal PoInT oF vIEW

identify

THE PErForMancES InDEPEnDEnTly anD IMMEDIaTEly 04

assess

conScIoUSly

ProDUcTS anD SErvIcES

THaT arE MorE SUSTaInaBlE

purchase

choose

02

04

Part of our communication initiative is dedicated specifically to our products. To this end, in 2015, the website materbi.it was launched, which explores the characteristics of Mater-Bi and of its by-products.Thanks to the eLabel!, the consumer can:

During the year, some grades of Mater-Bi, which were being developed, obtained the elabel! multi-label, which is promoted by the Kyoto Club, and which certifies the environmental quality of a product or service, providing information that is transparent in terms of quality and quantity. Indeed, the eLabel! multi-label makes it possible to make an objective assessment of the environmental performances of a product and helps the consumer to make conscious purchases; it combines the assessment function with communication, with a clear and transparent description of the environmental criteria that are characteristic of the specific product and

Product advertising

the associated values.Thanks to the eLabel!, the consumer can:

87

/08and giving value to the territory

safeguarding

Protecting the territory

by involving its communities:

the economic, social and

environmental aspects of

interacting with the

outside.

Relationship with the territory

For every company, its geographical context is an element of fundamental economic and social value. For us, this is even more true, because our idea of sustainability forces us to have a view of reciprocal exchange with the environment we work in; indeed, on the one hand, the territory, for us, is a direct source of raw materials, resources and human skills; on the other, it is an interlocutor to which to return value, employment opportunities and safeguarding activities.

It is this principle that led to the project of the biorefinery integrated into the territory, the creation of an agro-industrial system that produces sustainability in all environmental, economic and social aspects. This project gave life to matrìca, the joint venture, with Versalis, that came out of the reconversion of the petrochemical factory of Porto Torres, near Sassari, which is based on a close collaboration between industry, agriculture, the world of research and local authorities.

See more at chapter F, Volume II

89

SUSTAINABILITY CRITERIA OF MATRÌCA

TAKING into considerationindustrial areas that already exist, recovering sites that are otherwise abandoned and nolonger competitive

APPLYING proprietary technologiesthat have a low impact, to create bioproducts

USING biomass in all ofits components to getmaximum value from it IDENTIFYING marginal land

suitable for the sustainable production of biomass from locallong-term crops with low input,compatible with other farmproductions for food purposes.

The development of Matrìca is inspired by precise sustainability criteria.

In 2015, Matrìca began producing a range of chemical products for the bioplastic and biolubricant sectors, products for personal hygiene, plant products, and additives for detergents and for the tyre and plastic industries. In the reporting year, negotiations concerning the sale of Versalis caused concern over the future of the Matrìca projects and over possible impacts in terms of employment, which did not materialize..

During this year, we continued testing vegetable sources that have a low environmental load, for use in the biorefineries, particularly cardoon. All of the agronomic testing is done fully respecting

According to our vision, the wellbeing of the territory must be seen in a broader sense to include anyone that is not directly involved in the production chain. Indeed, how we view sustainability involves a large group of players in different contexts.One example of this is the collaboration set up in 2015 with Caritas Diocesana in Novara, which led to “riparto – repartire lavorando l’orto” (Starting again, working the vegetable garden), a training programme that uses the growing of vegetable gardens as practice for rebuilding the dignity and identity of people that have met particular social difficulties. The project, which uses a park in Novara that has not been used for years, is dedicated to unemployed people and to their families, and provides them, in part, with food.

Involvement of the community

[bio- based]

bio-basedThis is said of a product made

up, at least in part, of biological

substances, that is, substances

of an animal or vegetable

nature, and that, therefore,

contains carbon absorbed by

the atmosphere. Bio-based

products are sometimes

described as renewable.

the territory’s biodiversity: we carry out research activities to identify native crops which preserve the local biodiversity, give value to the specific characteristics of the territory and allow reuse of marginal land.In 2015, the low-impact, agro-industrial production chains in Sardinia were chosen as a case study by the European Commission. The European Commission’s Directorate General for Agriculture supported the Alghero workshop “Building new biomass supply chains for the bio-based economy” (27-28 May 2015), which analysed the synergies between the agricultural and industrial sectors for the development of new sustainable supply chains, with a low environmental impact, for the production of biochemicals and biomaterials.

In January 2015, Novamont, Coldiretti and Consorzi Agrari d’Italia (CAI) signed an agreement aimed at spreading the cardoon crop among Coldiretti farmers, by setting up an agricultural supply chain that respects the territory, that makes use of unirrigated abandoned areas.In accordance with the terms of the agreement:a) research projects will be developed using the new EIP (European Innovation Partnership) in rural development, in collaboration with significant stakeholders in the supply chain;b) the bioplastics from the integrated supply chain will be supported with more than 50% renewability, promoting the reuse of biodegradable shopping bags in the separated collection of organic waste, the use of compost in agriculture to limit desertification and the use of films for agricultural mulching.

91

Novamont sincerely thank all of the company functions and all of the external stakeholders that contributed to the writing of this document, which was produced in accordance with the GRI-G4 version of the guidelines issued by the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI).

Assurance of the 2015 Sustainability Report was carried out by Marco Zomer, on behalf of SAI Global.Drafting the 2015 Sustainability Report was done by the CSR function and by Studio Fieschi & Soci S.r.l. (www.studiofieschi.it), with the supervision of the area head. Editing was by Gabriele Gambassini (www.gabrielegambassini.com).

Special thanks go to Dr Susanna Galli, for her invaluable contribution to the creation of this Sustainability Report. Graphic design and coordination were by Francesca Labrini and Federica Ascoli (www.beedesignlab.com).

Also this edition of the Sustainability Report will be available to the stakeholders, primarily in the online format, in order to keep the environmental impact as low as possible.

thanks

93

notes