We bake the world a little bit better – sustainability and CSRD at Gustavo Gusto

The conversation between Code Gaia CEO Markus Adler and Stefanie Buchacher, Head of Corporate Sustainability at Gustavo Gusto, can also be listened to in our podcast Code Green.

Gustavo Gusto stands for high-quality frozen pizzas in the premium segment. Our aim is to bring the best frozen pizza to the market – with high-quality ingredients, artisan production and a unique brand identity. However, we think beyond the product and focus intensively on our responsibility for the environment and society. In this blog post, I would like to talk about how Gustavo Gusto implements its sustainability management and what special features there are here.

Table of contents

1. Background: Sustainability in the premium frozen pizza market
2. Sustainability at Gustavo Gusto
3. Opportunities and challenges on the road to sustainability
4. Collaboration with Code Gaia: making sustainability measurable
5. Outlook and conclusion: sustainability as a continuous process

1. background: Sustainability in the premium frozen pizza market

Gustavo Gusto has made a name for itself in the premium frozen pizza market in recent years. With high-quality ingredients, artisanal production and a strong brand identity, it has gained market share from established manufacturers. But with growth comes responsibility – and sustainability is playing an increasingly important role in the company’s strategy. The transformation of the company towards a more sustainable future is a central component of the company’s direction.

2. sustainability at Gustavo Gusto: initial measures

Gustavo Gusto has its own production facilities in Geretsried and Thuringia. This gives us a direct link to suppliers and a greater opportunity to influence sustainable production processes. CO₂ accounting is a central component of our ESG strategy. Recording the corporate footprint in particular is a complex task. Scope 3 emissions, i.e. the emissions along the entire supply chain, are not easy to calculate. It is not enough to focus on our own sites and production – upstream processes such as the cultivation of ingredients, packaging or transportation routes must also be included. We rely on a combination of internal data collection and external tools, including Code Gaia, to obtain the most reliable values possible.

An important first step for Gustavo Gusto was the double materiality assessment, which will serve as the basis for future reporting. The existing process was further refined in order to map the entire value chain more realistically. Not only were minimum requirements taken into account, but more far-reaching aspects were deliberately integrated.

At the same time, specific measures are being implemented to further advance the ESG strategy. For example, energy efficiency is being improved through the expansion of photovoltaic systems and heat recovery systems in the production facilities. At the same time, the focus is on packaging optimization by reducing material and increasing recyclability. The selection of more sustainable ingredients and the consideration of regenerative agriculture play an important role in product development. We are also socially committed, for example by cooperating with the food bank and promoting sporting initiatives to support an active lifestyle.

Gustavo Gusto pursues the vision ‘We bake the world a little bit better’. We can’t change the whole world on our own, but we can provide decisive impetus.

Stefanie Buchacher

Head of Corporate Sustainability Gustavo Gusto

3. opportunities and challenges on the road to sustainability

Regulatory requirements are constantly growing – and that’s a good thing. The CSRD has catapulted the topic of sustainability to the forefront of corporate management. This creates new opportunities to use it as a strategic advantage. At the same time, there are challenges: from data availability and the complexity of Scope 3 emissions to unanswered questions about future regulation, such as the planned EU Omnibus Regulation.

Another key point is anchoring sustainability throughout the entire organization. All departments, from product development to logistics, should be involved in this transformation. Training, target agreements and transparent communication help to firmly anchor the topic in the company’s processes.

Exchange remains an important success factor – with other companies, with partners such as Code Gaia and with the scientific community. Sustainability is not a static goal, but a continuous process.

4. cooperation with Code Gaia: making sustainability measurable

Code Gaia is an important partner on this journey. The software helps us significantly in structuring and analyzing ESG key figures. The ability to use emission factors for various raw materials and production steps to create well-founded CO₂ analyses is particularly valuable. The challenge lies in integrating data from different sources – from SAP to external suppliers – in a meaningful way and enabling consistent reporting.

Working with Code Gaia not only makes it easier to record and manage ESG data, but also helps us to create transparency in our processes. Thanks to the intuitive handling of the software and the professional exchange with the Code Gaia team, we can make well-founded decisions and make targeted adjustments to improve our ESG performance in the long term. This partnership enables us to make our reporting more efficient and gain valuable time for strategic sustainability measures.

5 Outlook and conclusion: sustainability as a continuous process

Our long-term goal is to decouple growth and resource consumption. The food industry has enormous potential for the circular economy and regenerative agriculture, which must be exploited. This means making the entire supply chain more sustainable and actively working to develop innovative solutions for energy, packaging and production.

Exchange remains an important success factor – with other companies, with partners such as Code Gaia and with the scientific community. Sustainability is not a static goal, but a continuous process that thrives on collaboration and a spirit of innovation.

Gustavo Gusto pursues the vision “Bake the world a little bit better”. This means that the whole world cannot be changed on its own, but decisive impetus can be provided. Through partnerships, courageous decisions and a clear strategy for a sustainable future. The current discussions on regulatory relief, such as those initiated by the omnibus proposal, show that the framework conditions are evolving.

However, this does not mean that ESG is becoming less important for companies – on the contrary. Those who establish these processes today not only create future-proof structures, but also strengthen their own competitiveness in the long term.