Cotecna Group and Suolo e Salute: Together to Create Value

The event marked the acquisition of Suolo e Salute - a leading organic control and certification body in Italy and Europe - by Cotecna Group, a Swiss multinational operating globally in testing, inspection, and certification services.

The event was conducted in an informal and relaxed atmosphere to encourage networking and dialogue during this key phase of integration between the two Companies. For Suolo e Salute participated key figures and regional directors, along with Executive Chairman Angelo Costa and CEO Alessandro D’Elia. Cotecna was represented by Group CEO Sébastien Dannaud, other executive members, and several representatives from the rest of the organization. Contributors also included members of Neotron, a leading European testing laboratory and part of the Cotecna Group.

The event was moderated by Ugo Nicosia, television host and expert on the Etna region and its outstanding wine production.

After the initial greetings and welcome, Sébastien Dannaud opened with a detailed presentation of the group from its founding in 1974 to its steady growth in over 50 countries, emphasizing core values such as integrity, excellence, and positive impact. The focus then shifted to Cotecna’s role in the global inspection and certification landscape, highlighting the strategic and complementary nature of acquiring Suolo e Salute in their shared mission of ensuring quality and sustainability.

Following that, Andrea Rizzo, CEO of Neotron, presented a successful model of group integration by sharing his company’s experience following its acquisition by Cotecna in 2019, as a concrete example of effective synergy.
The centerpiece of the event was the joint presentation by Alessandro D’Elia and Angelo Costa, who retraced the history of Suolo e Salute, its achievements, shared values, and future objectives. The presentation, enriched with testimonies and videos, created a strong moment of unity among all participants.

The final roundtable discussion was also highly appreciated. All speakers - including Romain Petit, Chief Operating Officer, and Guido Dori, Chief Development Officer of Cotecna - discussed the mutual benefits of the integration, underlining the real opportunities for growth, innovation, and positive impact for producers, clients, and local areas.

To close the day, Ugo Nicosia led attendees through a captivating session on the wines of Etna and the added value of organic farming, emphasizing the potential of the connection between certification, quality, and regional identity.

The convention concluded with a symbolic phrase, voiced together by the day’s protagonists:
“Integration begins here, with us.”

The day before the event, a leisure outing to Taormina was organized to foster interaction, cultivate positive connections, and nurture a shared sense of belonging between the two organizations. 

Watch the short highlight video:

About Cotecna

For over 50 years, we have been supporting agriculture, food and pharma, minerals and metals, and consumer products supply chains all over the world. We provide testing, inspection, and certification services to help our clients navigate evolving regulations, ensure product compliance, and support their sustainability journey.