On the surface, we seem to be living in an environmental and social system perpetually in crisis…. In some cases with multiple intersecting events working together to create social, economic and political chaos. Pandemics, extreme heatwaves and droughts due to climate change, floods, inflation, war and the energy crisis, these are some of the sad headlines we are now living with in an uncomfortable period. A period of continuous uncertainty and volatility in global markets such as the energy and food sectors. While tackling these crises over the long term requires a global political and economic commitment, we also believe that a proactive effort by the productive fabric through investments in sustainability can strengthen the social fabric and the allied industries that this type of action drives. An inertial investment, in fact, strengthens the resilience of companies, which are then able to bear the burden of the related induced activities (such as, for example, employees and their families)
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused over 6 million deaths worldwide since its outbreak and has not ended. Due to extensive vaccination programmes and growing herd immunity, the pandemic has slowed down, but nevertheless remains an emergency to be monitored. The pandemic, although not the sole trigger, is a major factor in economic uncertainty and the vulnerability of states. Uncertainty that has and will continue to put a strain on the financial conditions of public administrations and consequently on populations.
To exacerbate an already emergency situation, we must add the war in Ukraine, which apart from having generated unspeakable human and social suffering on both sides, has accentuated economic hardship and an inflation rate that in some cases has exceeded 38 %.
It is precisely the uncomfortable legacy of this crisis that risks generating at a socio-economic level a fracture in the productive fabric of nations that within a few semesters would turn into a voluntary expulsion from the market for all those societies that, intent on solving the ‘crisis’ problem, forget that the solution lies in changing the paradigms and preconceptions that contributed to the creation of the crisis itself.
We believe that a proper economic plan is an important part of a solution that needs not ‘politicians’ and ‘states’ but above all ‘societies’. We believe in “the organisation of people united to cooperate towards a common end” (incidentally meaning Society). Society as a starting point and not as an end goal. Society because as we have been saying for years, a productive environment is a healthy environment, an environment where the concept of society is in all its members and therefore an integral part of what it can offer them.
A progressive contraction of markets, combined with an abnormal exploitation of investments for momentary resolution (let us take the current gas crisis in Europe as an example) even if at first glance it generates momentary relief, on the other hand it generates a progressive reduction in production and market presence of ‘excellence’ reducing exports on the one hand and on the other leading to a progressive dependence on imports due to the lack of ‘local’ products capable of supporting the load of domestic market demands. All this ultimately weakens the
prospects for economic recovery. This is somewhat the inspiring foundation of ‘The HUB’ project.
Despite the (fortunately uncommon) tendency to consider this crisis as unsolvable, we believe that new business fields and sustainable technologies can and should be one of the keys to overcoming the global recession and, above all, to a progressive parasocial development, with an increase in productivity ensuring long-term growth. Companies must invest to innovate their business, promoting the concept of impact investment. Impact investment, which has been around for years in some micro-economics realities as a concept, is a series of investments that, on the one hand, increase corporate value by increasing the number of products and differentiating markets, and, on the other hand, fuel progress in education, health and economic stability for the families that make up the structure of the companies themselves. Seen to combat unemployment, social crisis and environmental protection, they are investments made with the intention of generating a positive and measurable social and environmental impact along with a financial return. We believe that increasing this type of concept means providing capital to address the world’s most pressing challenges in areas such as sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, conservation, microfinance, and affordable and accessible basic services (including housing, healthcare and education).
And in this sense, it is precisely the ‘green’ sectors that represent a great opportunity for investment, growth, and employment for the entire national production system. The country’s choices must also be considered in an international context in which many global agreements have been signed in recent years towards the achievement of disparate goals related to eco-sustainable development.
There will be no decisive restart without a green economy, without sustainable mobility, without an in-depth integration of industrial cycles with low-emission technologies, and not even the current dramatic economic and health situation can make these convictions wane.
Foresight and commitment must be the values to be brought to bear in the present because the actions of this historical period will also have considerable reverberations on future generations.
It is our idea that emergency management must, wisely, pave the way for a shared project of sustainable and inclusive growth, using available resources, reducing gaps, for a nation that once again offers opportunities and a future to the younger generations.
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