OSTP is a market leader in welded stainless steel tubes and fittings, and CEO Andrea Gatti is determined to lead in sustainability as well. We asked him some straightforward questions about what sustainability means and how OSTP is working to achieve it.
1. OSTP has sustainability as a core value. That puts sustainability high on the agenda, but what does it really mean for OSTP’s everyday work?
Our core values define our OSTP mindset and help us make the right choices consistently. As I see it, having sustainability as a core value emphasises the importance of everyone contributing. As a company and as individuals, I believe we’re obliged to take responsibility for our impact.
Of course, OSTP is by no means perfect when it comes to sustainability – we still have a long way to go and we have clear road map for the journey. But we’re focused, and we’re working on it from the inside out. Besides being clear about our ambitions internally, that means becoming more transparent to our customers regarding our sustainability work.
2. When you talk about sustainability, it’s often the environment in focus. But isn’t sustainability broader than that?
Sustainability has many important aspects. We need to have a safe and healthy work environment for OSTP personnel, for example. There will always be more to do in all sustainability areas, and we’re always striving to improve.
I don’t think OSTP is alone in emphasising the environmental side of sustainability. There’s a sense of urgency to CO2 emissions, especially – even for me on a personal level. Being Italian and a passionate mountaineer, I’ve spent a great deal of free time in the Alps, where I’ve seen first-hand how quickly the glaciers are shrinking. It’s really scary, and it’s my conviction that the climate is the crisis of our time. It definitely needs our focus.
3. Even if your thinking is green, can a company in the steel industry really become sustainable?
My standpoint is that everything we do, as individuals or as companies, has an impact on the planet. Growing food, making clothes and travelling all consume resources and produce CO2, just like forming and welding stainless steel.
That said, we can’t deny the negative impact we do have. Rather, we need to focus on how we can reduce it and make those actions a part of our mindset. I believe it must be an active choice. We need to shrink our footprint as much as possible with the technology that’s available today – and take advantage of the new possibilities as technology improves over time.
Additionally, our stainless steel products are 100% recyclable and can actually be used again and again. Plus you’ll find them in water treatment, pulp and paper and other industrial applications, where they contribute to sustainability.
A new application for our products is in the commissioning of car battery giga-
factories where welded stainless steel pipes and fittings are needed to handle the huge flow of water and other liquids.
4. Do you think OSTP is doing enough to shrink its environmental footprint?
We measure our emissions, so I can say objectively that we’re doing well on that point. But we cannot rest on our laurels – we have to keep improving. That’s why we’ve created a clear sustainability road map, so that we can move consistently towards our ambitious goals.
5. Let’s be honest. Isn’t promoting OSTP’s sustainability just another way to make money?
We’re a company, of course, so there will always be a business side. I won’t deny that we need to make money. But I can also see a positive circle there, because being profitable allows us to invest in further environmental improvements.
What’s more, I think it’s natural to promote what you do well. We’re proud of our achievements and have no reason to hide them from our customers. On the contrary, I hope our results can be inspiring. When we show our progress on sustainability, we make it clear that progress is possible.
I’m a firm believer in leading by example. Each of us can always do more, but we create rings in the water when we dare.
