GCF, a Champion of Sustainability

On the prestigious podium of the 66th Industria Felix ESG Award

A prestigious recognition for GCF – Generale Costruzioni Ferroviarie S.p.A., recently awarded among the 43 most sustainable Italian companies at the 66th Industria Felix ESG Award – Sustainable Italy that Competes.

The event, held on Wednesday 15 October in the evocative Giulio Cesare Hall of the Palazzo Senatorio on the Capitoline Hill — the heart of institutional Rome — and at the elegant Terrazza Caffarelli within the Capitoline Museums, marked the first national ESG edition of the award, dedicated to sustainability and financial reliability. It celebrated Italian companies that excel in economic solidity and tangible commitment to ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) principles.

A total of 94 Italian companies achieved the best sustainability scores according to ESG criteria, all assessed or rated by Cerved Rating Agency based on environmental, welfare and corporate management indicators. Among them, 43 outstanding firms – including GCF Generale Costruzioni Ferroviarie S.p.A. – received a high or very high ESG rating, objective indicators of a company’s sustainability performance in Environmental, Social and Governance areas.

“It is a prestigious recognition that honors us and makes us deeply proud,” said Giuseppe Brecciaroli, CEO of Generale Costruzioni Ferroviarie S.p.A. “It rewards the dedication and collective passion invested over the years to guide and shape the company according to environmental sustainability, human capital enhancement, and ethical and transparent management principles.”

Only 6 out of every 1,000 companies – equal to 0.6% – among Italy’s 970,000 active corporations have a sustainability report. Large companies perform slightly better, reaching 5%, partly due to regulatory obligations. These findings emerge from a journalistic survey conducted by Industria Felix Magazine, an economics periodical directed by Michele Montemurro, supported by data from Cerved Rating Agency and presented at the Palazzo Senatorio.

“In uncertain and rapidly changing contexts, sustainability remains a cornerstone for sound and prudent corporate risk management. Those who face market challenges with awareness gain the advantage of making informed strategic decisions,” stated Fabrizio Negri, CEO of CRA, during the ceremony. “It is a privilege for Cerved Rating Agency and the Cerved Group to partner with this ESG initiative promoted by Industria Felix. Our technical role highlights our analytical expertise in ESG data and corporate excellence deserving such recognition.”

The morning began with a conference moderated by Filippo Liverini, entrepreneur and co-spokesperson of the Industria Felix Scientific Committee, with contributions from Svetlana Celli (President of the Capitoline Assembly), professors Patrizia Tettamanzi, Enzo Rocca, Giuseppe Attanasi, Davide Cascella (Idea75), Valerio Locatelli (M&L Consulting Group), Antonio Pellè (ELITE), and Marco Gabbiani (Banca Mediolanum).
In the afternoon, following the business lunch on the Terrazza Caffarelli, the award ceremony took place in the Giulio Cesare Hall, hosted by Rai journalist Lorenzo Lo Basso and Rai presenter Elisa Isoardi. Among the speakers were Mino Dinoi (President of Aepi), Cesare Pozzi (President of DRI Italy), Andrea Cincinnati (Head of ESG, CRA), and other representatives from Banca Mediolanum, M&L Consulting Group, and the Industria Felix Scientific Committee.

The event was organized by Industria Felix Magazine in collaboration with Cerved Rating Agency and A.C. Industria Felix, with media partnership from Askanews, the patronage of Aepi, and the partnerships of Banca Mediolanum, Mediolanum Private Banking, ELITE, M&L Consulting Group, and Idea75. IFM supports the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) initiative.
Ranked among Italy’s most significant ESG events, the ceremony brought together in one day the country’s most virtuous companies, leading experts and opinion leaders in sustainability, as well as representatives from institutions, finance, academia and media.

The Industria Felix Award – Italy that Competes is reserved for companies that are competitive in management, financially reliable, and sustainable according to an indisputable balance sheet algorithm.
It represents the highest recognition of the inventiveness, diligence, and determination of those who have devoted their abilities to “building” an enterprise capable of bearing abundant and profitable fruit (hence the meaning of the adjective felix) in terms of social well-being and economic progress.

The ESG Criteria

ESG indicators assess a company’s commitment to sustainability, dividing performance into three areas: Environmental, Social, and Governance. They help investors evaluate non-financial factors, promoting responsible investment decisions and sustainable long-term growth.

Environmental

• Impact on climate change: CO₂ emissions, renewable energy use.
• Resource management: water use and waste handling.
• Biodiversity and food safety.

Social

• Human rights and working conditions: respect for human rights, employee safety and well-being, diversity and inclusion.
• Community relations: social impact and stakeholder engagement.
• Privacy and data protection.

Governance

• Board structure: quality, diversity, and independence.
• Remuneration policies: executive compensation.
• Shareholder rights: protection of shareholders.
• Ethics and transparency: anti-corruption and transparency.

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