- In the Circular Economy Report published today by the Prince of Wales's Corporate Leaders Group (CLG), ACCIONA and thirteen other companies call for policies to improve resource productivity and reduce waste
ACCIONA participated in the report entitled European industry in the 21st century: New models for resource productivity, published today by the Prince of Wales's Corporate Leaders Group (CLG), which urges the European Union members to introduce policies that support circular economy and resource productivity.
Leading European companies face rising risks associated with their supply chain and the need to reduce natural resource consumption, carbon dioxide emissions and environmental impacts.
To address these challenges, a transition to a new economic and business model is needed, based on redesigning products to be more durable and use less material, choosing biomaterials instead of those derived from fossil resources, and reusing and recycling waste.
Accordingly, the CLG's latest report, European industry in the 21st century: New models for resource productivity, calls for a European political framework in the Member States that will drive the transition towards greater resource productivity. Because, despite increasing action in this area by business, government support is still needed to overcome some barriers.
ACCIONA participated in this report by highlighting the most emblematic actions by its business lines in connection with the circular economy. Through its Sustainability Master Plan 2020, the company is advancing with its circular economy programme by promoting a production model that reduces raw material, energy and water consumption, and waste production.
Juan Ramón Silva, ACCIONA's Chief Sustainability Officer: 'We should be able to accelerate cultural innovation inside companies in order to keep driving and improving resource productivity and process efficiency throughout the value chain.'
The change towards a model that uses resources more efficiently offers great benefits for companies. The European Commission estimates that waste prevention, ecological design, reuse and other measures would provide net savings equivalent to 8% of EU companies' annual revenues while cutting annual emissions by between 2% and 4%. However, the report points out several barriers:
- Policies that are excessively restrictive or complex, or which are not harmonised.
- Insufficient knowledge and demand on the part of consumers.
- Getting consumers, political leaders and companies to adopt a circular, rather than a linear, mindset.
- Changing the focus from waste to resources.
This report responds to the necessity to change the business model towards one that is more responsible vis-à-vis people and the planet. With this aim, since 2009 ACCIONA has been an active member of the CLG, a select group of European business leaders who share the conviction that there is an urgent need to develop new policies with a long-term view in order to combat climate change.