UN GLOBAL COMPACT AWARDS GIULIA GIUFFRÈ OF IRRITEC GROUP 2021 SDG PIONEER FOR SUSTAINABLE WATER MANAGEMENT

SDG Pioneers are business leaders who have demonstrated commitment towards Sustainable Development Goals. Through precision irrigation, Irritec Group positively impacts the field by enhancing a virtuous ecosystem and sharing a model of sustainable agriculture in the world.

Capo d’Orlando, Italy, 16 June 2021 – The United Nations Global Compact today awarded Giulia Giuffrè, Irritec Group Board Member and Sustainability Ambassador as 2021 SDG Pioneer for sustainable water management, after she had already received a national award in December 2020.

SDG Pioneers are business leaders selected by the UN Global Compact for contributing to advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through the implementation of the UN Global Compact Ten Principles on human rights, environment, labor and anti-corruption. This year’s global search focused on professionals active at any level in a company participating in the UN Global Compact. the pioneer were selected from every continent.

Giulia Giuffrè has been rewarded for her first-hand commitment in sustainable water management and for the integration of the SDGs as a highly strategic business element. As one of the world leaders in precision irrigation, Irritec has always dealt with sustainability. The company’s mission is to improve the efficiency of irrigation, to reduce the environmental impact, to optimize the use of water, energy, fertilizers and pesticides.

“Business has a critical role to play in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals at a time when progress has been set back by the Covid-19 pandemic. These ten exceptional professionals show exactly what can be done by business to make a difference that not only serves shareholders but also society at large. I hope our ten 2021 SDG Pioneers will also inspire others to join them in uniting business for a better world,” said Sanda Ojiambo, CEO & Executive Director of the UN Global Compact.

“First of all, I would like to thank UN Global Compact for this important recognition. I’m proud to represent Irritec, Italy, and all the private companies that contribute to the achievement of the SDGs, helping the supply chain to apply model of sustainable development. At Irritec, our main commitment is on water and we support farmers all over the world to reduce waste of water and introduce efficient systems such as drip irrigation. Water is a fundamental resource for our lives and the entire ecosystem. All together we can make the difference, promoting sustainable development, protecting the planet and the future of the new generation”, commented Giulia Giuffrè, Irritec Group Board Member and Sustainability Ambassador.

One important project that she personally coordinated is Agri-Lab, a “traveling laboratory” designed for emerging countries, which aims at promoting the culture of water saving in agriculture. In addition to this, Giuffrè is particularly committed to the issues regarding female entrepreneurship: since 2020 she has been part of the “Donne dell’Ortofrutta” association and she received the “DonnaAttiva2020” award in Palermo for her “ability to combine work ethic and solid family traditions with technological innovations as a driving force for development of the whole territory and a co-promoter of social well-being”.

The SDG Pioneer entries were judged by an expert panel composed of previous SDG Pioneers and representatives from the UN Global Compact Expert Network, academia and UN agencies. The selection criteria included the individuals’ commitment to embedding the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact into their companies’ core strategies, their efforts to advance the SDGs, as well as their engagement with the UN Global Compact and its Local Networks. The 2021 SDG Pioneers were announced during the UN Global Compact Leaders Summit 2021 on June 16th.

For more information about the UN Global Compact, please visit www.unglobalcompact.org.

The Irritec group
Irritec Group, founded in Sicily in 1974, is one of the world leaders in precision irrigation. Irritec’s mission is to improve the efficiency of irrigation in agriculture and gardening, reducing the environmental impact. Water scarcity and growing of food needs asked for the use of drip irrigation all over the world, of which Irritec is a global reference point. Irritec designs, manufactures and distributes products and complete systems for irrigation in open fields, in greenhouses and for the landscape sector. With 15 factories and over 800 employees, Irritec has production and sales offices in Italy, Algeria, Brazil, Chile, Germany, Mexico, Peru, Senegal, Spain, United States. In its commitment to eco-sustainability, the company launched the Green Fields project, which encourages farmers to properly dispose of plastic products after use, ensuring a second life. Initiative that has made Irritec an excellence in the circular economy. Innovation and sustainability have earned numerous international awards to a company that targets growers, distributors and retailers, always aiming for maximum results while preserving the planet’s most precious asset: water.

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