- The Observatory's work, involving the most important companies in the sector, will lead to the production of the first Italian circularity report on the food sector
Rome, February 23rd, 2022 - Enel X and Roma Tre University announce the launch of the Food and Circular Economy Observatory (Osservatorio Cibo ed Economia Circolare), the first project of its kind in the sector that will provide a clear view of the state of maturity of the circular economy within the Italian food supply chain, involving the most important players in the sector. The Observatory’s activities will focus on sharing best practices to identify current trends and gaps in the supply chain in order to identify a sustainable and circular roadmap for improvement.
“With the launch of the Food and Circular Economy Observatory in collaboration with Roma Tre University, we are facilitating the ecological transition for one of the most important sectors in the Italian ecosystem through the active involvement of companies in measuring the level of circular maturity and the rethinking of the entire value chain in this light," said Marco Gazzino, Head of Innovability at Enel X. "Measurement is the key to starting a real process of improvement and this is why we provide our partners and customers with the best tools and innovative solutions that can meet their specific needs, with the aim of achieving the highest standards of sustainability.”
“Without collaboration between the university and business worlds, it is very difficult to identify the innovations needed to achieve sustainability in the agri-food sector," said Carlo Alberto Pratesi, Professor of Economics and Business Management at Roma Tre University. “With this project, by investing in the analysis and sharing of best practices, we are looking to help companies on their way towards the circular economy. We know, indeed, that even in view of the opportunities opened up by the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR in its Italian initials), the reuse of secondary raw materials and energy efficiency, as well as improving environmental performance, can generate major economic benefits."
In November 2022, once the analysis is complete, a Report will be published showing the macro-trends in the sector; it will measure the ability of food companies to apply the principles of the circular economy throughout the supply chain; it will highlight best practices and gaps, and lastly will propose an ambitious plan on how to integrate circularity into one of the most strategic Italian sectors for the image of Made in Italy around the world. The Report will be based on an innovative methodology for assessing circularity, developed by Enel X and the research team of the Department of Business Studies at Roma Tre University, which will make it possible to give substance to companies’ sustainability and circularity plans and strategies and their communication to stakeholders, including consumers. A circular approach makes it possible to radically change the take-make-waste paradigm through the application of five circular business models (Sustainable Input, Life Extension, Recycling and Reuse, Product as a Service, Sharing Platforms) that redesign production, logistics, distribution and consumption processes with the aim of making the most efficient use of resources.
Enel X Global Retail is the Enel group’s global business line that offers services to accelerate innovation and drive the energy transition. World leader in the sector of advanced energy solutions, Enel X Global Retail manages services such as demand response for approximately 7.7 GW of total capacity globally and 195 MW of storage capacity installed worldwide. Through its advanced solutions, including energy management and financial services, Enel X Global Retail provides each partner with an intuitive and personalised ecosystem of technological platforms and consulting services, focused on the principles of sustainability and the circular economy in order to provide people, communities, institutions and companies with an alternative model that respects the environment and integrates technological innovation into daily life. Each solution has the power to transform the goals of decarbonisation, electrification and digitalisation into sustainable actions for all, in order to build a more sustainable and efficient world together.