Training, regulations, circular economy and end-of-life management: the Federation publishes the document outlining figures, projects and environmental priorities to strengthen the competitiveness of the wood-furniture supply chain.
FederlegnoArredo has presented the 2024 Sustainability Report, confirming an increasingly structured path towards the ecological transition of the wood-furniture supply chain. The Federation highlights concrete results in the areas of training, regulation, circular economy and end-of-life management of products, outlining the strategic direction for the coming years. “Sustainability for us is not a trend, but a long-term vision,” said President Claudio Feltrin, stressing that the document is not just a snapshot of past activities, but a compass to guide future choices.
EU REGULATIONS, EPR AND SUPPORT FOR BUSINESSES
2024 was a particularly demanding year on the regulatory front, with progress on the Ecodesign Regulation (ESPR), new packaging legislation and European rules against deforestation. To support companies, FederlegnoArredo strengthened its technical and institutional presence through guidelines, working groups and continuous representation at European institutions.
Among the most significant initiatives is the launch of the National Furniture System Consortium for Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), established in October 2024. The Consortium subsequently signed an agreement with the Ministry of the Environment to analyze waste flows and composition in the sector, with the aim of developing more efficient reuse and recycling models.
CIRCULARITY AND EUROPEAN PROJECTS
The Federation has also consolidated its role at the European level, with eight active projects within “Horizon”, “Life”, “Erasmus+” and social dialogue programs. Among these, “EcoReFibre” aims to replace 25 percent of virgin fibers in the furniture sector with recycled material, thanks in part to five pilot plants dedicated to the recovery of post-consumer MDF.
Projects such as “Life Be-WoodEN” instead aim to strengthen local supply chains and circularity in the construction sector, while 2024 saw the launch of “Tecla”, the new digital tool that assesses product circularity according to the Uni/TS 11820 standard.
Investment in skills is one of the key chapters of the report: in 2024, 980 hours of internal training were delivered, 45 free webinars were organized, and the “Circular Training” project was launched, involving 13 companies with 64-hour programs each.
On the European front, the Federation coordinated the international exchanges of the “AllView” project, involving 66 teachers and 64 students from eight countries.
THE ENVIRONMENTAL FIGURES
The document also reports the environmental data relating to the headquarters: in 2024, energy consumption amounted to 120,556 kWh, with the production of 437.5 kilograms of paper waste and the use of a total of 8.5 toner cartridges.
From an economic perspective, FederlegnoArredo generated 6.9 million euros in value, an increase of 1.73 percent compared to 2023. 92 percent of this value was redistributed to the supply chain’s stakeholders. Net profit reached 202,438 euros, almost seven times that of the previous year.
One section of the Report gathers examples of companies that have launched advanced environmental and social initiatives, often supported by the Federation. These include LCA studies on wooden packaging, which show emission reductions of up to 194 kilograms of CO₂ equivalent when certified materials are used and recycling is planned as end-of-life treatment.
“Dialogue, training, regulatory monitoring and ecological transition are the pillars on which we will continue to work, supported by a shared vision,” Feltrin concluded.
WOOD
Italian wood is once again at the center of the industrial agenda. With growing European demand for raw materials and the risk of shortages by 2040, FederlegnoArredo is promoting a more autonomous and sustainable supply chain: active forest management, the relaunch of poplar cultivation, and new tools to decarbonize the construction sector. Through its member associations, the Federation is carrying out a series of initiatives aimed at enhancing the entire supply chain, from forest to finished building, combining biodiversity protection, strengthening of domestic production and acceleration of decarbonization in the construction sector.
Despite a forest heritage covering 40 percent of the national territory, Italy still underutilizes the potential of its forests. This was one of the key messages to emerge from the debate promoted by Assolegno and the Italian Forestry Association (AFI) on biodiversity, sustainability and the role of Italian wood in the ecological transition: the supply chain must reduce its dependence on imports and focus on more active management of internal resources.
POPLAR
Strengthening domestic wood production and reducing dependence on imports also requires the relaunch of the poplar supply chain. This is the objective at the heart of the new Agreement for the development of the sector, signed by several regions and the main players in poplar cultivation. The agreement updates and expands the one signed in 2014, reaffirming the central role of poplar for the panel, packaging and furniture industries.
The priority is clear: to achieve self-sufficiency with respect to current demand, a need made even more urgent by European forecasts indicating a possible imbalance between demand and natural availability of wood by 2040. In this scenario, dedicated wood crops – and poplar in particular – play a decisive role.
DECARBONIZATION
The third pillar of FederlegnoArredo’s strategy concerns the acceleration of decarbonization in the construction sector, an objective made even more stringent by the Green Homes Directive (EPBD IV), which targets zero-emission buildings by 2050. In this context, the message from Assolegno is clear: wood is the material most consistent with the ongoing transition, thanks to its low embodied energy, its ability to absorb CO₂ and its reduced environmental impact throughout the life cycle.
To support companies and professionals along this path, Assolegno has launched two complementary initiatives. The first is a series of events dedicated to eco-design, focused on the contribution of timber construction to emission reduction and on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) analysis, together with best regional practices. The second is the national project “Tre Tavoli di Legno”, conceived as a technical platform for continuous dialogue among companies, experts and stakeholders.
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THE FIGURES
In 2024, FederlegnoArredo relied on a base of 1,669 member companies and an internal staff of 35 employees, with a female presence of 51 percent and 91 percent of full-time contracts. Training activities totaled 980 hours and 45 webinars for companies in the supply chain, while at the European level eight projects were active under “Horizon”, “Life”, “Erasmus+”, “Social Dialogue” and “I3”.
The Federation’s headquarters recorded energy consumption of 120,556 kWh and the use of 437.5 kg of paper and 8.5 toner cartridges. From an economic standpoint, the organization generated 6.9 million euros in value, distributing 92 percent of it to stakeholders, with a final net profit of 202,438 euros, significantly higher than in the previous year.
