As this olive oil bottling multinational firm shows, sustainability achieved with inclusivity and strategic partnerships can multiply the fruits of digitalization
Given the increased global awareness of, and the race to achieve, eco-sustainability within the 2030 and 2050 timeframe, many conglomerates are relying on digital transformation to bridge the shortfall in targets.
One of the world’s largest bottlers of olive oil products, Deoleo, is doing just that: starting with building strong supplier partnerships to embed sustainable farming practices; then working closely with farmers using shared knowledge to develop holistic solutions that promote all-round economic success while preserving and developing the land. Considering that the firm has a presence in over 70 countries on all five continents, digital transformation can exert a multiplier effect on its inclusive sustainability efforts.
Internally the firm is digitalizing business processes, operational efficiency, warehousing functions, and research and development—prioritizing responsible business using sustainability strategies that protect their farmers, suppliers and the land on which they rely.
The firm’s Chief Quality Officer, Rafael Pérez de Toro, said: “Our sustainability strategy and manufacturing objectives require an effective digital system to manage the enormous number of variables we face along the entire value chain. Digitalizing our production has allowed us to be more agile and efficient, gain greater control of resource management, create transparent communication, reduce costs, and guarantee traceability. Digitalization is also making our business more sustainable. It is allowing us to reduce our environmental footprint and achieve our goal of zero waste by reducing the use of paper, ink and energy from paper-based processes.”
Once all the warehouse management and quality control processes were integrated into a single tool and onto a unified software platform by Siemens Digital Industries, the firm has been able to streamline, optimize and align all formulated product data management with quality and regulatory requirements. Integrating and aligning R&D and manufacturing data and processes has also drastically sped up the transfer of final product designs to mainstream manufacturing.
