Chairman's letter

Being a benefit cooperative

On 24 February 2023, Camst became a benefit cooperative corporation. We are one of the largest companies in Italy to have taken this step, and certainly the most important in the catering and facility sector. This change in our legal form, decided by the members at the general assembly, reinforces our commitment to the policies of environmental and social sustainability that have always guided our business model.

Camst has always focused on the good of people, the communities within which it operates and the environment. This focus is now set out in no uncertain terms in our articles of association. This will make the commitments we make stronger and more binding, and not just statements of principles. Through its catering services, Camst group gives people access to healthy, quality food that cares for communities. With our facility services, we offer more and more sustainable solutions for looking after spaces and locations.
Becoming a benefit corporation is intended to drive a gradual evolution of our business and operating model, guaranteeing wellbeing and dignity to all the company’s workers, with a special focus on young people, by implementing transparent, regenerative business practices through innovation led by principles of quality, health and sustainability. We want to add value to the areas in which we operate through the responsible use of resources, the reduction of waste and protection of the environment. To do this, we are working to implement circular economy projects, assessing the impact of the production of goods and services on our business. This move is even more significant because it comes against an unfavourable economic backdrop.
In 2022 our operations were affected not only by the ongoing effects of Covid (and the consequent closure of schools in January and February) but, above all, by the dramatic increase in energy and raw material costs.
These factors, external to our business, had major repercussions on our economic performance, but thanks to the commitment and dedication of the Camst workforce we succeeded in returning a profit and laying the foundations for new growth.
After all, being sustainable means making our actions, behaviour and choices for development central, focusing not only on short-term problems but also, and above all, on long-term issues. Today and tomorrow are inextricably interlinked, and we cannot ignore the fact that what we do today will affect the future worldwide. We have adopted this vision as our own.
Thanks to the commitment of the entire cooperative, we will succeed in guiding our business towards tangible, measurable objectives and further reinforcing our sustainable nature.

Francesco Malaguti

Chairman, Camst group