On January 19, 2018, the inauguration session of the Ecoindustry project, 2nd edition, was held at the Economic Promotion Center of El Prat de Llobregat. We explain the content that was developed following the program of the session:
9.00 a.m. Accreditation – With the collaboration of Rubricatus Foundation some were provided accreditations with the names of the attendees. The Foundation thus showed a practical example of circular economy, the reuse of materials and products without loss of value (the project gives a second use to the headsets of tourist buses).
9.15 a.m. Welcome – The deputy mayors of the 3 participating councils (Ms. Marta Mayordomo – El Prat del Llobregat City Council; Ms. Elena Alarcón – Viladecans City Council; Mr. Jordi Tort – Gavà City Council) welcomed the participants and emphasis on the various projects and their coherence towards one circular economy model that drives economic growth, respecting sustainability and social commitment.
9.30am Interview Ignasi Cubiñà (EcoIntelligentGrowth Director) – This interview served to introduce the concept of the circular economy. The different applications of the circular economy were discussed with the public, the roles that actors in the territory must assume and which opportunities the circular economy can generate for companies and administrations.
10.00am Round table with companies 4 Axes of the Ecoindustry Project
- Packaging and Logistics: Highland
- Innovative business model: Mireia Barba (mirrors)
- More Sustainable Product: Daniel Camps (JJuan)
- Waste = Resource: Jordi Garcia (Rubricatus Foundation)
The Ecoindustry project wants to promote lines of action in line with circular models and create synergies according to the needs of companies. For this reason, a company was invited to speak as an example for each of the 4 areas of work defined in the project.
On the one hand, the JJuan company explained the main synergies that emerged from the 1st edition of Ecoindústria and the projects on which it wants to continue working, such as the "pay per use" impression. Espigoladors explained the origin and the product it sells, It's imperfect (to fight food waste, one of the main topics addressed by the European Union, along with packaging). Rubricatus Foundation presented its case in which a waste (earphones) is used as a resource (credentials, eco-lanyards). Finally, it was exposed how Hochland (EcoIntelligentGrowth explained the case), as a result of the 1st phase of the Ecoindustry project, detected a problematic in its packaging and through a grant from the Waste Agency of Catalonia has been able to start a project to investigate and test an innovative solution.
11.00am Coffee break + Networking
11.30am Workshops in small groups
Working groups were formed to define the individual objectives of the companies within the Ecoindustry project and thus detect possible points of commonality. Once the individual and project objectives were defined, the companies worked on describing their own needs and challenges to develop circular models; the opportunities and resources available in this context, and the key actors. Finally, they were analyzed benefits of the circular economy in the territorial context of the project. Once the conceptual map was made, the companies filled in a sheet about their interest in the different axes of the project. The main purpose of the workshop was to define, based on the challenges and opportunities perceived by the companies, the axis or theme they will prioritize address in the following workshops, with the ultimate goal of coming out with one action plan (road map) defined on what the next steps should be and what and which actors are needed to achieve it.
More information on the EIG blog
Thanks for the initiative, it's the way we all have to do to evolve with respect to the linear economy that was the basis of the first industrial revolution of the 19th century.
Immaculate,
we completely agree with your view. The circular economy is the answer. Companies that want to stay in the market and respond to the expectations of their customers will have to join.