UFI accelerates its sustainability efforts with a focus on emissions, recycling & hydrogen

Italy's UFI, a global leader in filtration and thermal management solutions for hybrid and electric vehicles, as well as green hydrogen technologies, presents its Sustainability Report 2024. The document is a key transparency and reporting tool for the group and has been prepared according to Global Reporting Initiative Standards (GRI). It has also been certified by a third party in support of its important role in the sustainable transformation of the industry.

UFI’s commitment to a sustainable future through an integrated approach involves the entire value chain as part of the industry's transition to positive-impact models. This has been achieved through the prioritization of energy efficiency, recycling, and a reduction in emissions.

Increased focus on emissions and engagement on a global scale

For the first time, UFI conducted a dual materiality survey that was compliant with the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS) and assessed both the impacts of its activities and the financial consequences.

In 2024, UFI achieved a 21% reduction in direct Scope 1 emissions through its actions on natural gas, fuel, and refrigerant gas use. The company has also increased its focus and commitment on different emission indices and in the use of renewables in the different countries in which it operates, in order to undertake its next group-wide roadmap.

Other sustainability actions include:

• A 5% improvement in the Energy Intensity Index
• A 12% reduction in electricity consumption in the APAC region
• A commitment towards using more renewable energy, such as the more than 500,000 kWh which has been self-generated through photovoltaic plants in India
• New photovoltaic plants planned in China and the Czech Republic
• The 3,252 MWh purchased in green energy certificates (RECs)
• Hazardous waste recycling has more than doubled from 2023 to 331.60 tons (or 5.2% of total recycled waste, up from 2.8% in the previous year).

With the goal of an integrated approach in mind, the report for the first time also includes Scope 3 emissions, covering the category of transportation. This offers a logistical analysis which focuses on value-chain sustainability.

Innovation and sustainable development: From hydrogen to electric

The Sustainability Report 2024 highlights the group's key technological assets and investments, from the patented FormulaUFI high-performance and long-lasting filter media to the new Thermal Management business unit, which provides systems for electric and hybrid vehicles. The development of the green hydrogen supply chain with UFI Hydrogen is also included. This new, dedicated company focuses on advanced membranes for the entire hydrogen supply chain. This covers everything from production through electrolysers, the production of energy with fuel cells, through to E-fuels and storage and transport management.

People at the heart of the strategy

Human capital is the driving force behind UFI's transformation: more than 45,000 hours of training were provided in 2024, up from the previous year.

Great attention was paid to development within the workforce: 1,213 employees were involved in Personal Business Plans (PBPs) or individual projects for professional growth.

The promotion of generational and cultural diversity and internal growth at UFI remain central pillars of the company’s global identity and vision.

“Sustainability for us is not an option, but a responsibility. We need to create technologies that build a better future, for people and for the planet,” says Giorgio Girondi, Chairman of UFI. “In a fast-changing world, we don't chase trends, we invest in what we believe in. We innovate to meet industrial and environmental challenges with concrete solutions that generate real and lasting value. From hydrogen to electric, from filtration to thermal management, every choice we make stems from a clear vision and translates into a tangible impact. But the real transformation is not only technological, it is cultural, and it is made by people who share the same purpose to build the future we want together.”

“The Sustainability Report 2024 is the first investigation with dual materiality,” adds Stefano Gava, CEO of UFI. “Sustainability for UFI is a lever that guides decisions and translates into a commitment to create a long-term plan that permeates every function and every strategic choice of the group. A concrete, transversal and shared approach that is nourished by the expertise of our people and the willingness to turn every goal into daily practice.”

The full 2024 sustainability report can be accessed under www.ufifilters.com/en/the-group/sustainability/. Further information can be found on www.ufifilters.com.