Sustainability does not represent a fad or a passing trend for companies, but a development direction necessary to respond to an increasingly attentive customer and to an increasingly stringent regulatory framework.
Sustainability is not only a characteristic of large companies and large groups: it is pursued above all by small and medium-sized enterprises that directly feel the need to respond to increasingly strong needs expressed by local communities.
Cit. "The sustainable company. Trends, tools and case studies" by Marco Fasan and Stefano Bianchi 2017.
In recent years, our planet has presented us the bill for years of unscrupulous and self-destructive economic policies. A large part of its population seems to have developed an awareness that general welfare must be based on an economic vision that supports quality of life, environmental protection and social support. We can't wait any longer, and the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed raw nerves that give us food for thought. We must act now and act decisively; we can't put it off any longer. In this context, sustainability – the real, tangible kind – becomes an ideal that no one can give up. The public administration, the industrial and entrepreneurial system, the world of consumption and the social context, in short, nobody can escape this awareness any longer. More and more companies declare themselves to be sustainable simply to make their Company Profile look more attractive; good intentions often remain only at the level of ideas, or they become "one-shot" activities that do not convey the company's constant and continuous commitment. It is only by demonstrating commitment over time that we can claim to be sustainable and act accordingly.
PROXAUT has always been involved at the local level in supporting football clubs and public interest events such as the Carnevale dei Ragazzi (Kids' Carnival) and other initiatives that have built us a reputation over the years as a company committed to the social sphere, but not only that. What makes PROXAUT truly unique, however, is its DNA, the indispensable soul to which the company always listens and thanks to which it has been able to make its mark over the years. "Greenwashing is not for us," says Stefano Ballotti in support of the fact that authenticity, transparency and concreteness are core values for him. The model pursued by Proxaut is the "sustainable corporation" model, i.e., the model of a company that bases its actions on a mission, philosophy, values, strategies, policies, processes, interactions, relationships and products that are strongly oriented towards environmental and social sustainability (Elkington 1994). The cornerstones to which Proxaut refers at all times are the famous three P's, to which we add that of Proxaut, which are celebrated in Elkington's "triple bottom line" model: Profit, Planet, People. (Elkington 1997).
"Values such as transparency, fairness, legality and morality are essential because they are the foundations on which it has been possible to build the entire history of the company and plan for the future," says Stefano Ballotti, adding that "Proxaut has operated in a transparent and lawful manner since its foundation.
It is thanks to its founder's values that the company has been able to turn these values into its own competitive advantage; these have enabled it to become part of the group of suppliers of a truly prestigious group of companies that make solvency and sustainable profit their vocation. Proxaut is always ready for dialogue and discussion with its stakeholders in order to find solutions and resolve conflicts not only of an economic nature, but also of a social and technological nature. "Profit, the P of profit, must be generated by fair working policies geared towards satisfying all stakeholders (shareholders, employees, suppliers, lenders, communities) to create shared prosperity. The company's mission and vision must already include sustainable profitability, which is the only way to reach people," says Stefano Ballotti, founder of Proxaut. The decision to allocate company profits to growth and investment is the only way in which Stefano Ballotti manages to do business. "If I want this "child" of mine to have a future, not only for myself, but above all for the employees, customers and suppliers, the profits must remain in the company and must support investments and create other profits, that's how I believe we could build a concrete future and act with an eye to internationalisation. Profit is synonymous of respect for our employees, the desire to build a sustainable, safe, healthy working environment, with the right organisational climate, the p's of Planet and People". Stefano Ballotti's desire to build a new headquarters has always been underpinned by the idea of creating a rewarding and safe environment in which to design and build his own vehicles. The company's growth has also been possible thanks to the ongoing desire to develop its staff and enhance the value of its first talents. This is the case of the After-Sales Manager who arrived at Proxaut as an external collaborator, then as an electrician in the production department and now holds the position of After-Sales Manager. It is only in advanced companies such as Proxaut that he has been able to make the most of his qualities as a problem-solving manager and qualified technician.
The company's profitability does not only depend on its products and personnel, but is above all due to the relationship with suppliers that Proxaut has always been able to maintain and manage. "Suppliers are valuable contact partners even when they do not offer cheap products or services. In the supplier, we are not looking for a low price, but for a product that creates competitive value. The added value of certain products has to be established and defended; price is not always the discriminating factor when it comes to making unique and highly customised products. Aggressive economic policies are not part of our ideology". Stefano Ballotti has established the value of uniqueness day by day, project by project, assessing products together with his staff on the basis of qualitative, environmental and social criteria. Sustainability is here and now and is definitively changing the rules of competition, and Proxaut has already prepared a strategic plan to defend its values and ideals. Keep going!
