Guest • Sofia Moncada
Communication and Marketing Manager @ Beeing
ENGLISH VERSION
“Bees are fundamental to our lives: their work involves more than 75% of the food we consume”
On the occasion of the fourth publication of ESG Journal, we had the pleasure of interviewing Sofia Monada, Communication and Marketing Manager at Beeing, to explore their activities aimed at safeguarding bees. As an expert in sustainability, Dr. Monada has been handling the B2B side of the company for over three years, with the goal of establishing relationships with companies and developing CR projects related to the preservation of biodiversity and bee repopulation.
Beeing is a startup founded in 2017 in Faenza, Emilia-Romagna, by the CEO and beekeeper Roberto Pasi and the cofounder and computer engineer Gabriele Garavini. in 2010, Roberto Pasis grandfather, also a beekeeper, left him some beehives as an inheritance. Passionate about pollination and quickly realizing the impact of climate change, pesticides and loss of natural habitats, Pasi decided to create a revolutionary venture. His meeting with Garavini at a startup accelerator was a turning point united by the goal of protecting these precious creatures, they combined their knowledge to create innovative products and services.
Dr. Monada explains how Beeing is a reality that currently offers a wide range of products and activities, including training, remote hive adoption and natural habitat restoration. Among the key projects developed are the first urban hive – B-Box – and monitoring sensors to be placed inside hives that allow real-time tracking of the bees’ health via smartphone. This enables the creation of a network of hives in cities aimed at repopulating bees. Another goal is to make this activity accessible to individuals by providing professional training support. To date, more than 800B-Boxes have been sold worldwide, expanding the horizons of urban beekeeping and bee protection.
In the current context, it’s important to consider that 2024 was a special year as a series of laws were passed – such as mandatory sustainability reporting for most companies, natural habitat restoration, and the protection of pollinators – pushing companies to incorporate sustainability into their practices. This is where Beeing collaborates with over 300 companies through various activities: staff training via online webinars, team-building activities and remote corporate hive adoptions. A notable activity offered is the corporate apiary: a space within the company designated for the installation of 5 or 10 hives.
Collaborations also include Legambiente, of which Beeing has been an official partner since 2020.The combination of these activities contributes, directly or indirectly, to 15 of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals set by the 2030 Agenda.
It is emphasized that part of the revenue deriving from these activities is allocated to partner beekeepers to help them purchase necessary items for their activities, such as protective suits or tools for treatments.
Dr. Monada explains that among the main threats are climate change and the damage caused by human activity. Additionally, excessive and tangled bureaucracy complicates the overall picture: “Some areas are not always suitable, requiring further effort on our part to restore the area and collaborate with the beekeeper to assess the project’s feasibility.” The site inspection and decision on where to install therefore represent one of the most complex phases of the project.
In Beeing’s future, beyond consolidating its presence in the Italian territory, there is the goal of international expansion, especially in Asia and America. Part of the team is dedicated to this market development and tasked with introducing new services and developing further research projects with scientific partners.
“Being a startup involves daily challenges, as it is a complex world that requires constant market monitoring, the formulation of new strategies and innovative solutions to remain competitive. This is particularly true in our niche pollinator sector, It is essential to stay updated and proactive.”
written by:
- Beatrice Massi
- Ali Soman
- Federico Berardi
- Raissa Ghioldi
- Michela Toscani