How companies can embrace the circular economy:Giotto Circular's recipe

The Italian startup Giotto Circular offers concrete support for analyzing and implementing the principles of the circular economy in production processes.

• Waste scraps regain value thanks to the implementation of circular economy processes.
• The Italian startup Giotto Circular supports companies in a process of transforming their business model.
• The startup's models allow the company's circularity index to be measured and improved.
• By doing so, the use of resources is optimized and operating costs are reduced.

Unlike the traditional linear economic model, which is based on production, consumption and waste, thecircular economy promotes a regenerative and sustainable approach.This model enhances resources, reduces waste and minimizes environmental impact, transforming what was once considered waste into a valuable resource.It is to exploit this opportunity that the Italian startup was created Giotto Circular, part of galaxy LifeGate Way.Giotto Circular is one digital startup born to offer solutions to companies that want it embark on a journey of consciousness and knowledge the circularity of its products or processes.Through its online platform, businesses can make a journey for improve your level of circularity, with the possibility of putting waste materials and products back on the market at the end of their use.

 

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How the idea of ​​Giotto Circular was born 

The founders of Giotto Circular for years operate in the sector of waste management and valorisation.During their previous activities, the members realized that many companies need concrete support to analyze and implement the principles of the circular economy in their production processes.Giotto Circular combines the technical complexity of the circular economy with the ease of use of an online platform.“Our platform is capable of measure the circularity index of companies and to define a roadmap of targeted interventions to improve the sustainability and efficiency of business processes,” he explains Riccardo Scialla, CEO and co-founder of the company based in Casinaro, in the province of Caserta.

There Giotto's main mission Circular is to support companies in a radical transformation process of their business model.“We want to help businesses transition from a linear economic model, based on production and waste, to a regenerative model which enhances resources and minimizes waste.Through the definition and application of circular economy practices, we aim to prepare companies for the challenges of the future, promoting environmental sustainability and economic growth."

A three-stage journey towards the circular economy

Giotto Circular's circularity process is divided into three main stages.We start from C-Assessment (circularity assessment) in which experts carry out a detailed assessment of the client company's level of circularity, covering all relevant areas:raw materials, energy and water, waste and emissions, logistics, products and services, and finally society and governance.At the end of the process, they release a report with the specific circularity index for each area and an overall one for the entire company, in compliance with the Uni TS/11820 standard on company circularity.

The second voluntary step, G-Analysis (Giotto analysis), it is personalized consultancy that starts from the desire to address the areas of greatest vulnerability that have emerged.“We start from the analysis of the environmental impacts through a life cycle assessment (LCA) of the company and we study a technical proposal that allows us to obtain significant improvements at an environmental and economic level.

The results of this analysis are presented through a report enriched by specific indicators (kpi), developed in collaboration with the Federico II University of Naples, which highlight the economic and environmental benefits of the proposals". Be Circular it is the third step in which the startup accompanies the customer in putting the proposed solutions into practice, completing the journey.All this, in collaboration with specialized partners throughout the territory.“In addition to these three main steps, our services also focus on the valorization of industrial waste, the creation of environmental, social and governance (ESG) and corporate training,” adds Scialla.

The circular economy:find out what it means, how it benefits you, the environment and our economy thanks to our video and infographic ↓

— European Parliament (@Europarl_EN) July 22, 2022

Why the circular economy is convenient for companies

The Circularity gap report 2024, drawn up by the international organization Circle Economy Foundation, highlights a contradiction:the circular economy is increasingly trendy, but the share of secondary materials actually consumed by the global economy fell from 9.1 percent in 2018 to 7.2 percent in 2023.The decline is 21 percent in five years.Over the same period, we have consumed over 500 gigatons of resources, or 28 percent of all materials consumed by humanity since 1900.

Startups like Giotto Circular are trying to reverse this trend and transform the circular economy into a real opportunity for companies.In their eyes, one of the most critical points lies in resource and waste management, regulated by very stringent regulations.Reducing waste and transforming it into resources means reducing operating costs, while opening up new possibilities for recycling and reuse. Energy efficiency It's another area where many businesses are vulnerable, but which turns into an advantage when investing in sustainable technological solutions that reduce expenses and emissions.Adopting recycled and sustainable materials, finally, companies become less and less dependent on non-renewable resources;this also means cutting costs.“It's not just about being compliant, but about being pioneers of a new way of doing business” explains the co-founder of Giotto Circular.

“The design of the products and their life cycle also represent a significant challenge.The ecodesign regulations and extended producer responsibility require that products be designed to last longer and be easily recycled, which reduces long-term costs, builds customer loyalty and opens up new markets.It is a strategic move that pays off over time”, specifies Scialla, who underlines how much the logistics and distribution are crucial for reducing transport costs and CO2 emissions, improving operational efficiency.In the end, social and governance aspects they cannot be overlooked, because a responsible and transparent company attracts ethical investors and improves its reputation.

There transition towards a circular economy is not immediate:involves investments (sometimes expensive) in new technologies and infrastructures, as well as staff training and many challenges related to communication et al involvement of customers, suppliers, investors and local communities.“Transparency and responsibility are fundamental to building the trust and reputation of companies as they engage in the transition towards a circular economy” concludes Riccardo Scialla.