Il piano di decarbonizzazione di AKU: i nostri progetti per ridurre le emissioni

AKU’s Decarbonisation Plan: Our Projects to Reduce Emissions

Our commitment to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi)includes a 58.8% reduction in Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by 2034, compared to the 2022 base year.

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions first requires understanding where they come from and which levers can be adjusted.

For this reason, AKU's decarbonization journey begins with the annual measurement of our Carbon Footprint. Analyzing the emissions associated with our activities, products, and supply chain allows us to identify the most relevant emission sources and define intervention priorities.

In 2025, we calculated our corporate Carbon Footprint and analyzed the distribution of emissions along our value chain. The result shows that approximately 5% of emissions come from Scope 1, 5% from Scope 2, and about 90% from Scope 3. Within Scope 3, raw materials account for approximately 61% of emissions, while upstream and downstream transportation account for approximately 29%.

This snapshot has helped us understand where to focus our efforts. And it has also shown us an important aspect: AKU's decarbonization cannot only concern what happens directly in our factories.

It is true that the SBTi target concerns Scope 1 and Scope 2, but we have decided that our decarbonization plan must also necessarily address Scope 3, which represents the vastly prevalent portion of our emissions.
For this reason, we are simultaneously working on the energy we use, the materials that make up our footwear, our supply chain, and transportation.

1. Producing renewable energy at our Montebelluna production site

One of the first actions concerns the electricity used in our factories.

In 2025, we completed the installation of a photovoltaic system at our Montebelluna production site. The emissions reduction attributable to the system is estimated at approximately 136,923 kg CO₂e per year.

The project in Montebelluna represents a first step. We are also evaluating the technical feasibility of a photovoltaic system at our production plant in Romania, with the aim of progressively increasing renewable energy production directly at our facilities.

2. Understanding where we consume energy and where we can reduce it

Producing renewable energy is only part of the solution. The other part is using less energy to perform the same activities.

In 2025, we therefore conducted an Energy Analysis at the Montebelluna production plant, with the aim of analyzing key consumption and identifying efficiency opportunities related to machinery and production processes.

In 2026, based on the results of the analysis, we plan to define an action plan and initiate the first efficiency measures.

3. Reducing the Carbon Footprint of footwear through design

If raw materials account for approximately 61% of AKU's Scope 3 emissions, it is clear that a significant part of decarbonization comes from the footwear itself.

Through the Design to Reduce approach, we use Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) to compare materials and design solutions and support decisions already in the early stages of development.

Together with suppliers, we seek, when technically possible, alternatives to virgin materials, such as recycled or bio-based materials, while maintaining the performance, quality, and durability requirements of the footwear.

Design to Reduce also concerns the quantity of material used: optimizing design and cutting allows for the reduction of waste and production residues and, where possible, improving their recyclability.

4. Reducing our Carbon Footprint, including through supplier selection

The Carbon Footprint of a shoe depends not only on the materials chosen but also on how those materials are produced.

For this reason, working on the supply chain is an important part of our decarbonization journey.

We annually monitor the amount of renewable energy used by our suppliers in their production facilities. In 2025, 13 European suppliers and 1 Vietnamese supplier declared using 100% electricity from renewable sources.

This information allows us to have a more precise picture of our supply chain and to guide our dialogue with suppliers and our sourcing choices. The energy transition of their plants can indeed contribute to reducing emissions associated with material production and, consequently, the Carbon Footprint of AKU products.

5. Choosing transport with lower emissions

Upstream and downstream transport accounts for approximately 29% of AKU's Scope 3 emissions. Reducing this component therefore means addressing one of the main emission sources of our business.

When production and delivery times allow, we prioritize sea transport over air transport, which has significantly lower emissions per unit of goods transported.

However, it is not always possible to eliminate air transport. Production times, product availability, and we are working with our logistics suppliers to integrate the use of lower-emission fuels, where available and technically applicable.

A continuously evolving plan

The projects described are just some of the actions that are part of AKU's decarbonization plan. The plan not only includes actions directly aimed at reducing GHG emissions but also awareness-raising and engagement activities aimed at employees, suppliers, and customers, because the transition to a low-emission economy requires the contribution of all of us.

AKU, as a company, has also chosen to intervene in this way in the fight against climate change: by setting a concrete goal, building a plan to achieve it, and monitoring its effectiveness over time.