Parma Ham invests in sustainability and ecological transition.

Following Parma Ham's two-year investment in sustainability, its producers can optimise performance and minimise environmental impact

The Parma Ham Consortium strengthens its commitment to the sustainability of its producers by activating participation in the Made Green in Italy scheme for Parma Ham. 

The culmination of an initiative launched in 2022; the program achieves the stated goal of defining an environmental policy that supports Parma Ham producers by optimising their sustainability. 

The Parma PDO protection body collaborated with highly qualified partners of recognised authority: the Politecnico di Milano who led the implementation of the project, Enersem who developed the software and research, and CSQA, who championed the verification of the project.

Over the course of more than two years, these partners calculated the environmental footprint of Parma Ham by applying the Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) methodology, a tool made available by the European Commission to Parma Ham and other products to assess the environmental impact of Parma Ham production. This research was made possible thanks to the involvement and active participation of producers under the Prosciutto di Parma Consortium (validated by the CSQA Certification Body).

As a result, the Consortium was qualified to activate the Made Green in Italy scheme for Parma Ham. The Ministry of Environment and Energy Security (MASE) created this national certification scheme to evaluate the environmental footprint of Made in Italy products and recognize those of high environmental quality. Participation in the scheme is voluntary.

During the project a software was created for calculating and reducing environmental footprints, technology used to optimise the performance of the entire production cycle. Producers can receive customised improvement indications which will aid in reducing their environmental footprint, as well as a report on their environmental performance. 

Alessandro Utini, President of the Parma Ham Consortium, comments: 

"The value of a product as unique as Parma Ham is also measured by its consistency with consumer needs and with the challenges of a rapidly changing world. The indissoluble bond that our Protected Designation of Origin has with its territory strengthens our commitment to minimise the impact generated by our production, which is why we are particularly proud to have conducted this project together with the Politecnico di Milano, Enersem and CSQA. The main objective was to support our companies in their already substantial commitment to the ecological transition, thus strengthening environmental protection, for the future of the industry and for the new generations. What we note with great satisfaction is that a significant number of producers have already decided to use the software we have created, confirming the environmental ethics of our sector, also to the benefit of its competitiveness on foreign markets in relation to these important issues.”

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About Parma Ham 

Parma Ham is a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) product that is 100% natural, free of nitrites and nitrates. The drying process that Parma Ham goes through creates a ham that is very low in fat content, with many mineral salts, vitamins, antioxidants, and easily digestible proteins. This makes Prosciutto di Parma a food that can be enjoyed by everyone. 

Prosciutto di Parma is made with only 2 ingredients – Italian pork and sea salt – and is exclusively produced in the hills around Parma using all-natural production methods that have been handed down for generations. 

Parma Ham's unique taste is dependent on the traditional production process passed down over the centuries, which is carefully quality checked by an independent certification body to ensure every leg of ham is of the highest quality. At the end of the ageing period, each leg of ham is individually quality-checked by an independent inspector, who inserts a horse bone into 5 different points of the ham and smells it to ensure it is appropriately matured.  

It is only hams that have passed these checks that can be awarded the fire-branded stamp of the Ducal Crown – a five-pointed coronet logo with PARMA in the centre. The Ducal Crown is now a certification trademark, which is also present on pre-sliced packs of Parma Ham. 

For more information, please visit www.prosciuttodiparma.com or follow Parma Ham on Twitter and Instagram. 

Media Contact:
Jaspreet Kulair 
Senior Communications Executive
Brand Dialogue
E: J.Kulair@brand-dialogue.com 
T: +44 (0) 20 7389 9417