Passionate about the environment and nature from an early age, Letizia Buonsanti graduated in Environmental and Territorial Engineering from the Mediterranea University of Reggio Calabria before specialising in Circular Economy and Environmental Resource Management at the Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies in Pisa. Contacted by Leonardo’s recruitment team via LinkedIn, she joined the company in February 2024, at the age of 30, to work in Climate and Environment Strategy & Projects.

As part of the Sustainability team, Letizia focuses on decarbonisation, climate risk and transition planning, analysing how to reduce emissions across the Group’s entire value chain. These are the themes at the heart of Leonardo’s Transition Plan, the document that defines the strategic approach to integrating climate and environmental transition into the company’s industrial growth and long-term business strategy. Decoupling – separating business growth from environmental impact – is one of the key objectives of the transition. Industrial growth has proven to be possible while reducing water and energy consumption, cutting waste generation and lowering greenhouse gas emissions. Letizia proudly highlights some of the results achieved through Leonardo’s Transition Plan: between 2019 and 2025, while revenues grew by 41%, the Group reduced direct emissions by 44% (compared with 2020), water withdrawals by 23% and waste generation by 22%. For her, this means making a tangible contribution to protecting an environment she has always cared deeply about.

“Leonardo is the first company in the Aerospace, Defence & Security sector to publish a Transition Plan. It is a fundamental document for investors and institutions because it shows how resilient a company is, not only from an environmental perspective. A resilient business is also efficient and inclusive,” explains Letizia.

Originally from Calabria and passionate about scuba diving, Letizia spent six years working as an environmental consultant and specialist, first in the Oil & Gas sector and later for an international consulting firm, with the aim of broadening her experience within a major industrial organisation. “When I was contacted by Leonardo on LinkedIn, I was quite surprised because I wasn’t looking for a new job. Of course, I was delighted: it gave me the opportunity to follow through on the processes I had always studied.” Letizia says she found an international environment where her team’s main objective is “to make sustainability an enabler of innovation and growth.”

“I strongly believe that it is possible to achieve more while having less impact,” she continues. “Every one of us has a fundamental role to play in using this planet and its resources more responsibly, instead of continuing to consume them without giving anything back.” In her own way, Letizia is already making a meaningful contribution.