Page 57 - BILANCIO DI SOSTENIBILITÀ 2019 RISULTATI E PROSPETTIVE

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Designing

the future
together Central to Costa’s vision of responsible development is its focus on the value of partnerships, impacts, we can broaden our own horizons and define paths that are increasingly in line with

consolidated over time with the communities in the different ports of call; these collaborations the things that matter to consumers who choose to discover the world with Costa. We liaise
are at local level but share a global perspective and are based on relations of mutual trust and with travel agents constantly using the CostaExtra platform, which is operative for all our
transparency. These are necessary preconditions for the establishment of effective projects markets worldwide, and this is vitally important. We have made substantial investments in the
and programs aimed at long-term, sustainable development and the creation of value. platform to enhance it, make it interactive and help strengthen our partnerships. CostaExtra
Evolution, transition and the determination to invest in responsible innovation are the enables us to manage the flow of information and facilitates communication with customers
cornerstones on which the Company builds partnerships. We believe in change as an as well as other operational services. An example of the latter is the Academy, a digital,
inevitable process that is intrinsic to our relations with our key stakeholders, who are examples interactive training program dealing not only with commercial aspects but – increasingly –
of excellence, professionalism and innovation, these in turn being core values for Costa. For also with those related to the development of sustainability issues on board Costa’s ships, so
us, designing the future means ensuring a long-term, strategic vision focusing on the Agenda as to raise awareness of the Company’s commitment in this sense also while marketing and
2030 issues and pursuing them together with the contributions of all the stakeholders selling the cruise.
directly involved in our complex system of interdependent relations. The aim of this modus Among the interesting matters handled by our important partnerships are accessibility and
operandi is to pursue solutions responding to the evolutionary aspects of our business, to sustainable mobility, this being one of the Company’s strengths and the raison d’être for
global emergencies and to the need to redefine the way of doing business so as to prioritize many of its initiatives over time. Always attentive to the possibility of offering travelers low
sustainability issues. impact services, Costa has responded to growing interest among tourists (especially in Europe)
In order to provide an experience on board that not only meets but – more importantly – pre- in collective and multimodal transport solutions and has introduced a number of options for
empts travelers’ demands and reflects the transformation of lifestyles, Costa seeks feedback cruise passengers, facilitating travel between the front door and the port of embarkation/
and interprets trends and changes impacting directly on the business. disembarkation. For example, in 2019 we entered into a partnership with Flixbus, which
Our travel agents have always been valued resources in terms of pre-empting and responding operates a new low-cost intercity bus network moving millions of passengers across Europe
to new trends and new types of receptiveness characterizing the travelers comprising our while reducing environmental impact. An ideal partner to provide new transport services
target groups. Every year we hold a convention with agents to facilitate the exchange of for us, Flixbus coaches are already operating on routes comprising or in close proximity to
experience, views and concerns. Based on the principles of constructive dialogue and inclusion, many Italian ports of embarkation, and our joint objective is to extend the service throughout
the 2019 edition of this event, called The Champions at Sea, discussed key sustainability issues. Europe, thus encouraging the use of public transport instead of cars, meaning less traffic and
Ideas were shared and developed at a number of meetings and workshops. By anticipating a reduction in CO emissions.
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our current and potential guests’ scales of values vis-à-vis environmental and social issues and Responsible consumption is one of the issues that the global community needs to tackle
in order to find and pursue solutions that will turn negative impacts into opportunities and
enable the implementation of programs for the recovery, recycling, reuse and reconversion of
material that would otherwise be discarded or thrown away. Costa has been active in this field
for years, implementing a series of projects that were firsts for the cruise industry and beyond,
setting up far-reaching partnerships and engaging guests and crew members, who are vital to
the success of these initiatives. The recovery of food, plastic, glass and aluminum is made
possible on Costa’s ships thanks to specific projects that have led to concrete, measurable
results while enhancing the process of creation of a new cultural approach whereby items that
would once have been wasted are now viewed as opportunities (see pages 38-39).