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Close-up of fresh green basil leaves used as the hero image for the Barilla Basil Charter page.

THE BASIL CHARTER

Our Company

Basil is the beating heart of what we do. Taking care of the basil supply chain means guaranteeing quality of our products, working side by side with our producers and protecting biodiversity.

OUR COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABILITY

Cultivated basil fields representing sustainable agricultural practices promoted by the Barilla Basil Charter.

OUR BASIL COMES FROM SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE

Since 2020, the basil we source for our Pesto Barilla range has been cultivated in line with the practices set out in the Carta del Basilico, as well as the sustainability criteria of the ISCC PLUS* certification scheme, verified through annual audits across every stage of the supply chain. *For more information about the ISCC PLUS certification scheme, please visit the website https://iscc-system.org/certification/iscc-documents/

Flowering basil plant attracting pollinators and supporting biodiversity within the Barilla Basil Charter.

MORE SPACE FOR BIODIVERSITY

For us, caring for basil means protecting the fields where it is grown through practices such as crop rotation, helping preserve soil health, support biodiversity, and naturally prevent pest infestations.

People standing in a basil field as part of the Barilla Basil Charter farming program.

OUR FARMERS, OUR FAMILY

We have built lasting bonds with our farmers, growing and improving together: we can count on excellent raw materials, they plan the work with greater confidence.

BASIL CHARTER

It is based on a set of agronomic, quality and supplier relationship rules, developed with the valuable contribution of scientific partners such as the University of Bologna, the CNR and CERSAA (the Experimental Centre for Agricultural Assistance of the Chamber of Commerce of Riviera Ligure).

“Carta del Basilico” consists of 10 rules designed to ensure the quality of our pesto products, support farming communities, and protect biodiversity, including the safeguarding of pollinating insects. Compliance with these rules is verified annually by an independent certification body across every stage of the supply chain

  • 01 - ISCC PLUS CERTIFICATION: <p>All participants in Carta del Basilico programme are required to comply with the requirements of the ISCC PLUS* sustainability certification (International Sustainability and Carbon Certification).</p> <p>*For more information about the ISCC PLUS certification scheme, please visit: <a href="https://iscc-system.org/certification/certification-schemes/iscc-plus/">https://iscc-system.org/certification/certification-schemes/iscc-plus/</a></p>

    Logo ISCC 1

  • 02 - RELATIONSHIP WITH FARMERS: <p>All participants in Carta del Basilico programme benefit from direct medium and long-term contracts. These agreements provide financial recognition throughout the entire supply chain for the implementation of the Carta del Basilico rules.</p>

    Image illustrating one of the sustainability principles defined in the Barilla Basil Charter.

  • 03 - CROP ROTATION: <p>All participants in Carta del Basilico supply chain are required, starting from the crop year in which they join the programme, to implement a crop rotation plan on an equivalent area (*) that includes, at a minimum, no consecutive basil cultivation.</p> <p>*Equivalent area corresponding to the quantity of basil supplied to Barilla, increased by 10%.</p>

    Image illustrating one of the sustainability principles defined in the Barilla Basil Charter.

  • 04 - VARIETAL CHOICE: <p>All members of the Barilla’s sustainable basil supply chain must use only varieties specified in the Disciplinary, which have been selected to be naturally tolerant to fungal diseases.</p>

    Image illustrating one of the sustainability principles defined in the Barilla Basil Charter.

  • 05 - CROP PROTECTION: <p>All participants in Carta del Basilico supply chain are required to comply with the guidelines set out in the protocol, which are more stringent than the applicable regulatory requirements.</p>

    Image illustrating one of the sustainability principles defined in the Barilla Basil Charter.

  • 06 - SOIL HEALTH: <p>All participants in Carta del Basilico supply chain are required to monitor the biological quality of the soils used for basil cultivation every two years, through specific organic matter analyses, on at least 20% of the equivalent area (*).</p> <p>*Equivalent area corresponding to the quantity of basil supplied to Barilla, increased by 10%.</p>

    Image illustrating one of the sustainability principles defined in the Barilla Basil Charter.

  • 07 - IRRIGATION: <p>All participants in Carta del Basilico supply chain are required to adopt precision irrigation systems designed to improve water-use efficiency and promote water conservation.</p>

    Image illustrating one of the sustainability principles defined in the Barilla Basil Charter.

  • 08 - BIODIVERSITY AREAS: <p>Starting from the 2021 crop year, all participants in the Carta del Basilico supply chain are required to dedicate an area equivalent to 3% of their equivalent surface area (*) to planting species that create habitats for pollinating insects, such as flowering strips, hedgerows, tree lines, or a combination of these elements.</p> <p>*Equivalent area corresponding to the quantity of basil supplied to Barilla, increased by 10%.</p>

    Image illustrating one of the sustainability principles defined in the Barilla Basil Charter.

  • 09 - HARVESTING STANDARDS: <p>All members of the Barilla sustainable basil supply chain are required to cut the plant with a maximum length of 30 centimetres.</p>

    Image illustrating one of the sustainability principles defined in the Barilla Basil Charter.

  • 10 - DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEMS-FIELD AND SUPPLY CHAIN DIGITIZATION: <p>Starting from the 2024 crop year, all participants in the Carta del Basilico supply chain are required to adopt the decision-support systems available through the Barilla Farming digital platform to optimise fertilisation practices and crop protection management.</p>

    Image illustrating one of the sustainability principles defined in the Barilla Basil Charter.
Barilla Basil Charter sustainable agriculture logo displayed alongside a Barilla pesto jar and fresh basil leaves.

UNIQUE CREAMINESS.

Our creaminess starts with basil.

WE ARE PROUD TO PARTNER WITH

ISCC System

The ISCC PLUS certification system is voluntary in nature and is internationally recognized as a tool for ensuring the sustainable sourcing of raw materials throughout food industry supply and production chains. Under this certification scheme, sustainability primarily means safeguarding biodiversity areas and preserving, without converting, high carbon stock areas such as forests, peatlands, and protected areas. In addition, ISCC PLUS verifies the implementation of European Good Agricultural Practices, including multi-year crop rotations and the responsible use of fertilizers. Traceability is ensured through a segregation-based chain of custody model.

Logo of an organization collaborating with and supporting the Barilla Basil Charter initiative.

RINA, Independent Certification Body

CERTIFICATION BODY RINA is an independent certification body that carries out annual audits to every actor in our basil supply chain. These audits are carried out to ensure that all the parameters of the ISCC PLUS certification system are respected and certified throughout our supply chain: from the production plant. For more information, you can visit the site https://www.rina.org/it/business/human-capital/certification.

Logo of an organization collaborating with and supporting the Barilla Basil Charter initiative.

Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences of the University of Bologna

OUR SCIENTIFIC PARTNERS The Agricultural Research and Experimentation Center of Albenga (CeRSAA) and the Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences of the University of Bologna (Alma Mater Studiorum) are our scientific partners in this project. The Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences of the University of Bologna (Alma Mater Studiorum) validated the benefits provided by the Basil Paper project in terms of Biodiversity and supported us in defining the most efficient program to protect basil from disease.

Logo of an organization collaborating with and supporting the Barilla Basil Charter initiative.

Albenga Agricultural Research and Experimentation Centre

CeRSAA is one of the main Italian centres of competence for the cultivation of basil and has helped us in the development of sustainable practices and in the annual definition of the most effective program to protect basil from diseases.

Logo of an organization collaborating with and supporting the Barilla Basil Charter initiative.
Basil plants growing in the field following the gentle cultivation method promoted by the Barilla Basil Charter.

Barilla Pesto is prepared with care, with quality ingredients and following a single watchword: delicacy.

DISCOVER THE DELICATE METHOD

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Solid blue background image used for the FAQ carousel on the Barilla Basil Charter page.

WHAT IS THE ORIGIN OF BARILLA PESTO BASIL?

Every year, more than 7,000 tonnes of basil arrive in our factory in Rubbiano, which is then combined with the other ingredients and transformed into our Barilla Pesto. Every single basil leaf that comes into our Barilla Pesto is 100% Italian and comes mainly from fields and situations near our factories to minimise the time between harvesting and processing.

Solid blue background image used for the FAQ carousel on the Barilla Basil Charter page.

IS THERE GLUTEN IN BARILLA PESTI?

All our Pesto are gluten free and are suitable for those who are intolerant to gluten.

Solid blue background image used for the FAQ carousel on the Barilla Basil Charter page.

DOES THE USE OF BASIL FROM SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE IMPACT THE TASTE OF BARILLA PESTO?

At Barilla, we uphold the highest standards of food safety and product quality, with no compromise on either. We have verified that the agronomic practices defined by the Carta del Basilico program, together with the ISCC PLUS sustainability requirements, help preserve the quality and freshness of the basil, as well as the quality and taste of our pesto products.

Solid blue background image used for the FAQ carousel on the Barilla Basil Charter page.

WHICH BARILLA PESTI ARE PRODUCED WITH BASIL FROM SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE?

All the basil used in our pesto products is grown in accordance with Carta del Basilico agronomic practices, in addition to the sustainability requirements of the ISCC PLUS certification scheme.

Discover all Pesto Barilla range

Barilla Pesto is the flavor loved by everyone, giving that extra touch to your recipes on the most diverse occasions. A unique creaminess, born from the meeting of fresh Italian Basil and Parmigiano Reggiano DOP.

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