Passion, courage, curiosity, trust, integrity: five key words, five values that inspire the actions, work and objectives of the Barilla Group, historic company with a solidly family character, founded by Pietro Barilla who opened a bakery in Parma in 1877, and today presided over by his great-grandsons Guido, Luca and Paolo Barilla. To reiterate the Group’s commitment and values is the Sustainability Report 2025, presented on the occasion of World Environment Day, which is celebrated today 5 June. The reporting arrived the day after Barilla was recognized as the first food sector company in terms of reputation in the world for the third consecutive year and, for the first time, in the top 10 overall, according to the Global RepTrak 100 2026.
The jars for ready-made sauces which contain approximately 65% recycled glass, the use of soft wheat flour from regenerative agriculture to make Buongrano, or the projects to include people with autism in some factories, are just some of the “sustainability stories” contained in the Report, which highlight a convinced and continuous commitment by the Group to make access to good food possible for a growing number of people, promoting the inclusion and development of the communities in which Barilla operates, and at the same time to enhance the pleasure of eating well, continuing to protect food quality and safety as a strategic corporate priority.
On the energy front, Barilla has invested 30 million euros as part of the five-year plan of 168 million euros by 2030 intended for Barilla production plants, including energy efficiency, more careful management of water resources and development of electricity systems from renewable sources. In 2025, 5 new plants activated in Foggia, Melfi, Ascoli Piceno, Cremona and Thiva, in Greece, have brought the photovoltaic capacity installed in the factories to exceed 8 MW, more than quadruple compared to 2022. And further installations are planned between 2026 and 2028 in the bakery plants of Novara and Celle, in Germany.
It is equally significant work on saving water: at plants in water-stressed areas, recycled and reused water grew by 196% compared to 2022, aiming for the goal of +250% by 2030.
“Our sustainability stories” contained in the 2025 Report.
In 2025 the Group purchased 4,160 tonnes of soft wheat from regenerative agriculture (250,000 tonnes is the 2030 objective), which aims to restore soil health, biodiversity and reduce water use. And it is from here that the Mulino Bianco Buongrano biscuit arrived on the shelves in 2025, the first product made with 100% soft wheat flour from regenerative agriculture, certified according to the Regenerative Agriculture Standard of FoodChain ID.
The commitment to social issues is very strong during 2025: last year Barilla donated 4,000 tons of products to non-profit organizations and allocated 2 million euros to social causes. With PizzAut, PastAut was born, the collaboration that led to the inclusion of Barilla pasta in the menus of restaurants run by autistic children in Cassina de’ Pecchi and Monza, made possible thanks to the training of Academia Barilla chefs.
Inclusion is a daily practice that Barilla also lives in its production departments. Thanks to the collaboration with iFun, six young people with autism started working in the Foggia pasta factory in March 2025. And in France, in the La Malterie bakery, people with autism have permanently entered into production with permanent contracts, thanks to the model developed with Vivre et travailler autrement and the support of AGEFIPH, the French national body that finances initiatives for the inclusion of people with disabilities.
The commitment to sustainability goes hand in hand with the business commitment: the Barilla Group, with 30 production areas (15 in Italy and 15 abroad) and 2 million tons of products sold in 100 countries, sees its turnover reach 4,837 million euros. And this year too it confirms its commitment in line with the objectives of the Barilla 2030 Sustainability Compass to outline the direction for the next 4 years.
«The future of the planet will be increasingly linked to the ability to spread culture and education», he states Paolo Barilla, vice president of the Group. «For Barilla, this means taking care of communities, promoting good values and investing in technologies and production aimed at protecting the environment and attentive to people’s health».
“Our Sustainability Stories” summarize the most significant initiatives and objectives for the Group mentioned in the Barilla Sustainability Report 2025 (the report can be read on the website
Since 1987, a historical archive has been collecting and preserving the history of the company’s 149 years of life, which today, thanks to the museum portal, is a resource accessible to all and testifies to the journey of an icon of Made in Italy and the changes in Italian society.
