We know the importance of sharing models and case studies of regenerative practices to provide inspiration for others interested in this way of working. With this in mind, we’ll be sharing a series of case studies on our blog highlighting regenerative features of projects and practices in Europe.
Manni Group is a family-owned Italian company with over 75 years of experience in the steel industry, specialising in innovative solutions for sustainable construction and energy efficiency.
Headquartered in Verona, Italy, the group operates internationally. Sustainability and regenerative thinking have long been their focus – Isopan, part of Manni Group, achieved the Declare label in 2019, and the group’s latest milestone achievement is their Just label, awarded by the International Living Future Institute in October 2024.
“Sustainability, also in its social sense, is one of the group’s key drivers. That is why, together with the Sustainability team, we decided to analyse our policies transparently, highlighting strengths and identifying areas where we can improve.”
Manni Group
The Just label is a voluntary disclosure tool for organisations, rather than a certification programme. It focuses on an organisation’s operations, including employee experience, health and well-being, as well as financial and community investments. Just serves as a guide to developing meaningful policies and ensuring those policies translate into actions that create increasing levels of positive impact over time.
Manni Group began their journey with the Social Justice Label 2.0 in 2023, with advisory support from Living Future Europe. The Group revisited their policies, aligning existing ones with the Social Justice Indicators, and creating new ones to mark their commitment to Just. This case study highlights elements of each Social Justice Indicator, showcasing the company’s own journey and achievements.
Their success builds on the strong foundation of existing policies and practices, particularly in the areas of Diversity & Inclusion, Equity, and Employment Benefits, where they have traditionally placed significant emphasis.
Gender diversity
Although promoting gender balance has only recently been formalised in company policies, Manni Group has already been outperforming European industry averages when it comes to employing women. While women represent approximately 10% of the construction workforce across Europe—a figure that has remained relatively stable over the past decade—18.84% of Manni Group’s workforce in Italy are women, with numbers increasing steadily over the years. In 2023, the growth in female employment at Manni outpaced that of their male counterparts.
Employee Engagement
In 2023, a Diversity & Inclusion awareness programme was implemented for “People Managers”, those responsible for coordinating teams across all of the Group’s Italian companies.
Since 2022, the Group has been running training courses to promote ESG culture and values within the organisation. A further training programme was launched, focusing on the Group’s environmental and carbon management policies. By 2023, a total of 397 employees had completed and passed these courses.
“For Manni Group, innovation means adopting numerous programmes that take care of all the social aspects of a large organisation: …. spreading a corporate culture that promotes wellbeing and work-life balance through flexibility; training and professional development through courses, webinars and scholarships to foster skills and satisfaction; supply chain integrity; volunteer activities, support for education, art. In short, an all-round commitment”
Marta Lupi, R&D Engineer Isopan
Full-time Employment
Almost all employees at Manni Group have permanent employment contracts. The company also promotes a better work-life balance through flexible working hours and smart working arrangements, following a successful trial period in departments where such conditions are feasible. This approach also supports the Wellbeing social indicator under the Employee Health section.
Freedom of Association
Conducting a Materiality Analysis in 2022, Manni Group identified freedom of association and collective bargaining as a key social issue for the company, among others. As a result, they are committed to developing a structured system of industrial relations, including regular meetings with workers’ trade union representatives.
Living Wage
Among broader initiatives, the Group guarantees all employees a minimum wage in line with the rates established by the relevant national collective agreements. In addition to this, Manni Group has signed Level II company agreements, including but not limited to awarding restaurant tickets, additional paid leave, monthly and quarterly performance bonuses linked to volumes and efficiency, productivity, attendance, and/or accident prevention, and holiday bonuses.
Physical health
The Materiality Analysis (2022) also identified occupational health and safety as another relevant social issue for the Group.
Manni Sipre, Isopan S.p.A., and Isocindu have an ISO 45001-certified Occupational Health and Safety Management System, with plans to extend this certification to Isopan Ibérica and Isopan Est as well. The certification currently covers 831 employees, representing 67% of the Group’s total workforce.
The other Italian companies follow a management system based on the provisions of the Consolidated Occupational Health and Safety Act (Italian Legislative Decree 81/08).
Healthcare
Manni Group is committed to installing Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) in all of its Italian locations. In collaboration with AIS (Italian Association of Rescuers), the Group organises training and refresher courses on AED use every two years for employees.
A welfare programme has been in place since 2017, with a growing number of employees signing up voluntarily, reaching 59% participation in 2023.
Training / Education
Continuous employee training is offered for hard, soft, and digital skills, with an average of 20 hours of training provided to white-collar workers and 16 hours to blue-collar workers.
Thanks to the contribution of inter-professional funds for lifelong learning, ad hoc courses, seminars, team-building activities, MBAs and coaching programmes have been launched and delivered.
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Volunteering and Charitable Giving
Manni Group considers volunteering and charitable giving as investments in the community and its inhabitants, providing valuable services and strengthening the community in many ways.
In addition to meeting the required volunteering and charitable giving criteria of the Just label, the Group actively supports its community through its engagement in research and education.
Manni Group established the “Giuseppe Manni Foundation for Research in Neuroscience E.T.S.” in 2010, in collaboration with a group of researchers. The Group also partnered with YAC ‒ Young Architects Competitions ‒ to launch an advanced training course in Off-site Technologies for Architecture.
Supply chain
Manni Group has established robust processes to monitor and assess its stakeholders, adapting the following tools:
- Enterprise Risk Management and Internal Audit processes
- Evaluating the ESG performance of the supply chain through an external Rating Agency
- Regularly reviewing Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs), Adverse Media, Sanctions, and watchlists
- Engaging strategic suppliers in meetings to align on shared ESG objectives
- Tracking emissions linked to products purchased outside the EU, in compliance with the EU CBAM (Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism) Directive
In addition, the Group has developed a comprehensive Sourcing Policy that ensures traceability of key socio-environmental product indicators and the assessment of materials and product innovations.
The Just label is awarded for a period of two years. Manni Group aims for the second label in 2026.
“Just label is not a goal, but a starting point. Our aim is to continue to improve, consolidating good practices and developing new initiatives.”
Manni Group
