SAATI 2024 Sustainability Report
About the project
Date:
April 2025-
July 2025
Client(s):
SAATI S.p.A.
Services:
Branding & Identity, Data & Print Reporting
The Assignment Context
SAATI S.p.A., is a global manufacturer headquartered in Appiano Gentile, Como, Italy. At the beginning of 2025, SAATI’s Communications team began preparing its 2024 Sustainability Report — a document central to communicating the company’s environmental, social, and governance (ESG) commitments under Europe’s evolving reporting landscape.
At the time, the department was understaffed during a busy trade show season. While serving as Event Coordinator and Digital Marketing & Communications Specialist for SAATI’s U.S. subsidiary, SAATI Advanced Chemicals LLC (DBA IKONICS), I was selected for a temporary assignment at SAATI Headquarters in Italy from April to July 2025 to assist as Event Coordinator and Communications Specialist.
Among several projects during my stay, I was entrusted with curating, redesigning, and coordinating SAATI’s 2024 Sustainability Report — a comprehensive, multi-departmental publication aligning with both SAATI’s 2022 rebrand and the European Union’s heightened sustainability reporting expectations.
The Challenge
While sustainability reporting has become a standard practice across Europe, it remains a relatively new and entirely voluntary concept in much of the U.S. manufacturing sector. For SAATI as a global and yet prominently European company, the 2024 report represented more than compliance — it was an opportunity to demonstrate transparency, accountability, and progress in a format resonant with both European stakeholders and the company’s global identity.
Key challenges included:
Evolving regulatory expectations: European companies are transitioning from voluntary reporting (under GRI standards) toward mandatory disclosure under the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS), which require detailed “double materiality” assessments and standardized ESG metrics. As expectations shift, extra care must be taken to ensure all necessary aspects are represented.
Visual and brand consistency: SAATI underwent a rebrand in 2022 and a full website rebuild in 2025. The report needed to visually align with this new identity while maintaining continuity with the previous 2023 report.
Content modernization: Each section of the 2023 report had to be reviewed and rebuilt — updating company metrics, organizational structures, and visual assets while incorporating new guidance and emphasis areas encouraged by current GRI frameworks.
Cross-departmental collaboration: Input from SAATI Safety Committee, HR, and Whatmatters srl Società Benefit (SAATI’s sustainability consulting partner) had to be consolidated into a unified, cohesive publication.
The Development Process
My first task was to immerse myself in European sustainability reporting frameworks — studying the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and recent European Union directives to understand both the reporting structure and its growing importance.
From there, I led the report’s creative and structural redesign while coordinating content accuracy and departmental input:
Content Review and Update — Evaluated each section of the 2023 report to identify where metrics, maps, and organizational charts needed revision. Updated content to reflect SAATI’s 2024 data and strategic initiatives.
Design and Layout Development — Built the new report layout in Adobe InDesign, incorporating SAATI’s refined brand direction. Integrated the company’s signature white, thin-lined grid pattern, inspired by the microscopic structure of SAATI mesh, for visual continuity with the brand’s website and product heritage.
Collaboration and Consultation — Worked with Luca Bianchi and the team at Whatmatters srl Società Benefit to ensure the report met sustainability communication best practices and adhered to common European disclosure structures.
Departmental Coordination — Gathered and verified content contributions from SAATI’s Safety Committee and HR, managing review cycles and approvals under the direction of Daniela Rizzardi, SAATI Communications Director.
Finalization and Delivery — Produced the final digital report for publication and internal distribution, ensuring accuracy, readability, and a professional, forward-looking tone aligned with SAATI’s global brand.
My Role
As Event Coordinator and Communications Specialist on temporary international assignment, I served as both designer and project coordinator, bridging technical content with creative execution. My responsibilities included:
Designing the full 2024 Sustainability Report layout and visual identity.
Managing cross-departmental communication between Communications, HR, Safety, and Whatmatters.
Updating and translating data into accessible, reader-friendly visuals.
Ensuring brand consistency with SAATI’s 2022 rebrand and 2025 website design.
Researching European sustainability frameworks (GRI, CSRD, ESRS) to inform report structure and tone.
Supporting ongoing event and communications operations at SAATI Headquarters during my assignment.
Impact
The project resulted in a modernized, brand-cohesive report that clearly communicated SAATI’s ESG commitments in alignment with evolving European sustainability standards. Through close collaboration between internal departments and external consultants, the process strengthened SAATI’s overall approach to sustainability communication and streamlined future reporting efforts. The report also enhanced global brand alignment, uniting visual identity, tone, and messaging across SAATI’s European and U.S. entities. On a professional level, the experience expanded my expertise in international corporate communications, sustainability reporting, and European ESG standards—providing a framework to share valuable insights with U.S. teams upon returning to IKONICS.
Takeaway
The SAATI 2024 Sustainability Report exemplifies how creative design and cross-cultural communication can transform complex technical material into a clear, brand-defining publication.
This experience deepened my understanding of European sustainability frameworks like GRI and CSRD, and highlighted the power of visual storytelling in communicating corporate responsibility. It also underscored the growing opportunity for U.S. manufacturers to embrace similar transparency initiatives, bridging global expectations with local practice.
Explore the Full Report
Dive into the complete SAATI 2024 Sustainability Report to see how design, data, and purpose come together in a global sustainability narrative.
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Media Credit:
All media is the property of SAATI S.p.A. and are used here with permission for portfolio and promotional purposes.
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