Respect for biodiversity

We are committed to mapping the impacts of our activities on biodiversity and ecosystems, as well as our related dependencies. To this end, we monitor and assess the interactions between our business and natural capital, with the aim of promoting the efficient use of natural resources and contributing to the protection of the environmental heritage of the areas surrounding our production sites.

To guide our actions in these areas, we have adopted the Health and Safety, Environment, Biodiversity and Energy Policy, which has been developed with due consideration for the main applicable regulatory frameworks and international standards, including the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

• Regenerative development. We promote a regenerative development model that goes beyond limiting negative impacts and actively contributes to biodiversity protection and the achievement of EU targets for the restoration and conservation of natural ecosystems, in line with international agreements, guidelines and frameworks.

• Natural capital and business resilience. We recognise the central role of sound natural capital management and adopt a responsible approach to the environment to strengthen the resilience and sustainable growth of our business.

• Impact mitigation hierarchy. We apply the mitigation hierarchy by prioritising the avoidance of unnecessary impacts, followed by minimisation, restoration and, as a last resort, the offsetting of adverse impacts on ecosystems.

• Sustainable use of resources. We encourage the sustainable use of natural resources by integrating innovative practices throughout the product life cycle.

• Protection of areas of high natural value. We avoid interventions in areas of high ecological, biological or cultural value unless no viable alternatives exist and the intervention does not compromise the natural balance.

• Dialogue and collaboration. We promote dialogue with stakeholders, supply chain partners, local communities, institutions, NGOs, research organisations and universities, including through initiatives promoted by the Fincantieri Foundation, to raise awareness of ecosystem protection and support innovative environmental and biodiversity projects.

• Assessment of nature-related impacts and risks. We base our nature and biodiversity strategy on a robust assessment of the dependencies, impacts, risks and opportunities arising from the Group’s operations and interactions with ecosystems and life within them.

Our commitment is reflected in concrete targets and actions set out in the Sustainability Plan, aimed at improving our production processes and developing increasingly sustainable products.

We have launched a project to assess our shipyards’ dependencies on ecosystem services and the potential impacts of their activities on nature.

The first phase consisted of a preliminary screening using the Exploring Natural Capital Opportunities, Risks and Exposure (ENCORE) tool. This allowed us to identify and assess the significance of the main pressures on biodiversity associated with shipbuilding and naval infrastructure activities.

The screening identified potential impacts on species and habitats. However, appropriate safeguards and the prompt management of any non-compliance help to prevent or limit actual impacts, resulting in a low overall level of materiality. The analysis also found that Fincantieri’s direct operations have limited dependencies on natural assets and ecosystem services.

also assessed the location of the 18 shipyards operated by the Group and their proximity to areas of particular importance for biodiversity. The analysis drew on data from the World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA) and Key Biodiversity Areas (KBA), in line with guidance from the Integrated Biodiversity Assessment Tool (IBAT) and the methodology referenced by the Science Based Targets Network (SBTN). We also used the WWF Biodiversity Risk Filter to assess specific biodiversity indicators reflecting the condition of species and ecosystems in the areas concerned.

The results showed that none of the Group’s shipyards is located in an area of high biodiversity importance, while seven sites are located in areas of moderate importance.

To help protect these areas, we implement specific prevention and control measures in accordance with applicable legislation. We also monitor activities that could directly or indirectly affect ecosystems and protected areas in the regions where we operate.

The assessment will continue in 2026 and 2027 with a site-specific evaluation of actual impacts, based on data and information from each shipyard. This will include the development of a structured system for assessing and monitoring the most relevant indicators and, where significant impacts are identified, the definition and implementation of appropriate mitigation measures.

Our commitment to biodiversity is also reflected in the development of solutions designed to reduce the environmental impact of our products on ecosystems, while harnessing the market opportunities arising in this area.

In 2024, we completed the CIRCE project (CIRCular Economy in Shipbuilding), which explored the application of circular economy principles to cruise ships and introduced an initial Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) approach. In 2025, we launched LYNPHA, a three-year research and innovation project aimed at developing an LCA methodology specifically tailored to cruise ships.

From a biodiversity perspective, LCA is an essential tool for assessing impacts across the entire value chain, particularly those related to land use and ecosystems and caused by factors such as acidification and pollutants, including hazardous chemicals, nutrients responsible for eutrophication and plastics.

We play a central role in the underwater domain, acting as an orchestrator and integrator across the value chain. Our offering includes integrated systems for seabed mapping, infrastructure monitoring and the supervision of underwater activities.

This strategic direction is also embedded in our 2026–2030 Business and Sustainability Plan, which sets specific targets for the development of lower-GHG-emission underwater solutions and technologies supporting inspection activities in the offshore market.

In line with our industrial growth strategy and our expanding capabilities in underwater technology, we launched the first demonstration mission of the DEEP underwater drone system at the Italian Navy’s Naval Support and Experimentation Centre (Centro di Supporto e Sperimentazione Navale, CSSN) in La Spezia.

DEEP is a state-of-the-art integrated solution for the protection, development and maintenance of critical underwater infrastructure and port areas. It can also support environmental monitoring and protection activities.