Certifications and sustainability: key factors for successful companies

There is the South of business that you would expect, with its culinary excellence exported all over the world, with the creativity that generates business and carves out rich and unimaginable market niches, and with start-ups flourishing in centres of excellence centred around universities, incubators and research centres. And then there is the South of business that you wouldn’t expect, characterised by rigorous certifications, sustainability that is both practised and reported on, flexible and precise solar panel installers, logistics hubs that are every bit as good as those in Switzerland, and expertise in physical and cyber security. In the list of the ‘Stelle del Sud 2026’ companies by Sole 24 Ore-Statista all this is present, and every company is, in essence, surprising, because it thrives in the challenging conditions of Southern Italy and transforms them into determination, innovation, flexibility and tenacity. Originality shines through everywhere: from software to prevent birds from colliding with wind turbine blades (by Internet & Idee, 200 professionals from Cosenza to Tirana) to smart eco-islands for separate waste collection (by Molise-based Ecocontrolgsm), right through to digital twins in the form of animations and cartoons for 3D renderings and cinematic presentations (by Naples-based DigitalComoedia).

Compared with previous years, the ranking of the 200 companies selected by researchers at the global data analytics giant Statista reveals a greater ability to network, to tap into regional, national and European funds for growth, and to use certifications to better qualify for public tenders and pre-qualification processes as suppliers to large enterprises. There are also signs of greater efficiency in the planning required to participate in projects funded by the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) and to access government incentives that have for years supported the construction and plant engineering sectors with a focus on energy saving and renewable energy sources.

It is therefore no surprise that the list is still dominated by companies in the construction sector (including related industries such as bathrooms, tiles, fixtures, doors, windows and systems) and the energy sector, due to the boom in construction and installations driven by government incentives and the rush towards renewables. Also prominent are IT and services companies active in the installation, maintenance and management of equipment, hardware and software, driven by the ongoing digital transition and the Industry 4.0 and Transition 5.0 incentives. Also performing well are businesses supporting import-export logistics, wholesale trade, e-commerce sites and those selling premium agri-food products abroad, such as mozzarella from Campania, burrata and tarallini from Puglia, strawberries from Basilicata, Sicilian oranges and pistachios.

There is no shortage of companies operating in the hospitality and tourism sectors, such as the 2025 and 2026 leader, ToIt Group (Towns of Italia Group), which for 15 years has been offering experiential activities linked to Italian culture, cuisine and lifestyle, and Delphina, the Sardinian-owned chain which, on the island’s northern coast, boasts 12 hotels, 26 villas, two residences with 101 flats, 33 in-house restaurants and 5 thalasso & spa centres, all of which are Green Key-certified (an international accreditation in the field of sustainable tourism).

“The 200 winners of the ‘Stelle del Sud 2026’ ranking, now in its third edition, achieved the best performance of all the companies assessed in terms of growth in revenue, the number of employees, and tangible and intangible fixed assets over the three-year period from 2021 to 2024 – explains analyst Maria Giuditta Zarroli, who, alongside Lisa Dei, coordinated Statista’s research team. – The Construction and Engineering sector remains at the top of the winners’ list, accounting for 14 per cent of the total (+1.5 per cent compared with the previous edition). However, the most marked relative growth is in IT & software: 12 per cent of the 2026 winners belong to this sector (+4 per cent on 2025). Wholesale trade is also on the rise, gaining 3 percentage points to reach 6.5% of the list.”