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Scania’s innovation focuses on accelerating the transition to sustainable transport through the electrification of trucks, renewable energy use, and circular production processes. By integrating battery technology, green logistics, and responsible resource management, Scania aims to achieve net-zero emissions by 2030. These efforts contribute to four UN SDGs:
SDG 7 – Affordable and Clean Energy
SDG 9 – Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
SDG 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production
SDG 13 – Climate Action
Enscryb is an advanced software platform that leverages digital twins and real-time optimization to balance the supply and demand of renewable energy. By enabling smart and flexible energy management, it mitigates today's expensive grid reinforcements, enhancing both efficiency and stability. This innovation supports Sustainable Development Goals 7, 9, and 11 by promoting affordable and resilient energy, reducing CO2 emissions, and strengthening local energy communities. The following insights are based on an interview conducted on October 13, 2025, with Liana Ault, General Manager at Enscryb (a Nokia venture).
The Energy Circle designs and implements smart energy installations that help organizations significantly reduce the CO₂ emissions of their buildings. By combining predictive monitoring, digitalization and automation, they enable companies to optimize energy usage and thus make their buildings more future-proof. In this way, the company directly contributes to SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy).
Planet B owns 3 brands, with each brand helping to make this world a better, more sustainable and healthier place in their own way. Wondr is the brand name of an eco-friendly alternative to normal soap, shampoo and conditioner. Klaaar is their second brand, which offers an eco-friendly alternative to traditional laundry detergent. Finally, Bambooze is their product that offers an improved version of reusable straws. By using natural ingredients and lessening plastic packaging, amongst many other innovations, they aim to mitigate our effects on the environment and improve health, responsible consumption and production.
In August of 2025 Planet B became B Corp Certified, a recognition given to fewer than 0.1% of companies worldwide. Achieving an impressive score of 94!
AberInstruments has altered its business practices by implementing an employee ownership model. Every employee has a real stake in the company’s success, which has helped create a culture of teamwork, shared goals, and long-term dedication. Their unique hybrid model of employee ownership contributes directly to multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). First of all, it satisfies SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) by promoting an environment where people are fairly rewarded and motivated. It also aligns with SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure) by fostering a culture of collaboration, where decisions are made collectively while keeping sustainable industrial practices in mind. Finally, it advances SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) by holding each employee responsible for the company’s environmental and ethical standards. This story is based on an interview with Ramy Elabbadi, an employee-owner at AberInstruments.
The organisation ‘De Springplank’ in Flanders combines a social mission with a successful economic model. Through a network of thrift stores and innovative bicycle services, they not only help the environment by giving things a second life, but also provide meaningful jobs to hundreds of people who struggle to find work in the regular labor market.
The director describes their work and vision as “It's not so much an innovation in technology, but rather in people's mindset.” They want to show people that used items still have significant value. This innovation is proof that a company can be both economically sound and deeply social.
This story is based on an interview with Stefan Coenen, director of De Springplank, conducted on October 13, 2025, at Okazi Hasselt.
Vandebos NV, a 95-year-old family-rooted construction company in Alken, demonstrates how a traditional industry player can integrate sustainability into its core operations. During our interview, managing director Krijn Henrott explained how the company increasingly embeds environmental and social considerations into daily decision-making, ranging from energy-efficient building methods to investments in electric machinery and water-saving technologies. A key innovation is the introduction of a real-time monitoring system, which allows the firm to track resource consumption more accurately, reduce emissions, and make faster adjustments on-site.
At the same time, Vandebos NV continues to invest in its people. Well-being initiatives, training efforts and a long-standing family culture support the company’s broader sustainability ambitions, even though such investments do not always deliver immediate financial returns. The reliance on diverse subcontractors also makes consistent sustainability practices an ongoing challenge.
Overall, Vandebos NV illustrates how tradition and innovation can reinforce one another in shaping a more future-oriented and climate-conscious construction sector.
Nitto Belgium, located in Genk and part of the globally operating Nitto Group (Japan), is a leading manufacturer of functional films, tapes, and industrial adhesive solutions used across sectors such as automotive, electronics, construction, and healthcare. With over a century of expertise and more than two decades of Belgian operations, the company combines technological excellence with a strong focus on sustainability.
Over the past years, Nitto Belgium has embedded circular product innovation into its business strategy. The company develops eco-designed adhesive and film technologies using recycled and bio-based materials to minimize CO₂ emissions and reduce resource dependence. These materials are used across various industries, enabling clients to achieve their sustainability targets.
Through this innovation, Nitto demonstrates that industrial production can be both profitable and environmentally responsible. By integrating sustainability principles from product design to manufacturing, the company contributes directly to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 9 – Industry, Innovation & Infrastructure; SDG 12 – Responsible Consumption & Production; and SDG 13 – Climate Action).
Nelissen Steenfabrieken is a Belgian family-owned business specializing in manufacturing high-quality bricks and differentiating itself through its sustainable innovations. They do so by adjusting their products and processes to reduce emissions and total costs, while maintaining quality. They, for instance, produce a thinner N70-brick which promotes dematerialization, and use less clay, which is less environmentally harmful. Nelissen shows how planet, profit, and people can be improved jointly. This story is based on an interview with Ronald Wijnants, production director at Nelissen Steenfabrieken. The interview was conducted on 30/10/2025.
Vandemoortele is a Belgian family-owned food company founded in 1899 and today one of Europe’s leading producers of bakery products, margarines, and plant-based food solutions. Guided by its core value of respect, the company has made sustainability a central part of its identity, not as a marketing tool, but as both an ethical conviction and a strategic direction.
To better understand how this ambition is translated into practice, we interviewed Marc Croonen, Chief Human Resources, Sustainability and Communication. In this role, he drives the company’s sustainable transformation by shaping strategy, guiding teams, and ensuring that both people and the planet remain at the heart of decision-making.
Vandemoortele develops high-quality food products for retail, food service, and industrial customers across Europe. The company actively contributes to more sustainable food systems by reducing its environmental footprint, sourcing raw materials responsibly, and promoting healthier, plant-based alternatives. As Marc Croonen explained, “Our goal is to offer tasty and sustainable products that bring people a pleasant moment, while respecting both health and the planet.”
This approach directly supports several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, including SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), SDG 13 (Climate Action), SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-Being), and SDG 2 (Zero Hunger).
Innovation at The Andersons goes beyond products and technology. But also, through its venture capital arm, Maumee Ventures. Maumee Ventures is a division of Anderson that funds sustainable agriculture startups, who provide significant value and that aim to solve unmet demands or needs. The Andersons have a different idea of innovation. It is not enough to design or create a solution; they want to make sure others can benefit as well. They have become leaders in agricultural sustainability by empowering farmers, communities, and others to do the same.
One of BMS’s key innovations is its integration of advanced subsea inspection technology and real-time 3D imaging, through its subsea division (often referred to as Baker Subsea Solutions, part of BMS). This solution gives clients detailed, timely, and accurate inspections of underwater assets, supporting safer, more efficient, and environmentally responsible marine operations. By enhancing asset integrity and mitigating risks in offshore operations, this innovation supports sustainable energy projects and promotes safer marine industry practices, aligning with the UN Sustainable Development Goals related to industry innovation, safety, and environmental protection.
Café Don José is a family-owned company located in Chinácota, Norte de Santander, Colombia, with more than sixty years of coffee-growing tradition and five years of formal business operation—a stage in which it decided to adopt new technologies and vertically integrate its processes to ensure quality from the seed to the final packaging. The company has a significant impact on the local economy by generating approximately 30 direct and indirect jobs, and it stands out for the environmental sustainability of its practices, which include reducing water consumption, reforesting water sources, and continuously improving working conditions. As its executive manager, Aldair Fuentes, stated, “since we formalized the company, we decided that quality must go hand in hand with caring for the water, the land, and the people who work with us” (Personal Interview, 2025).
However, coffee production in Colombia faces major environmental and social challenges, such as the high water consumption associated with traditional wet processing—between 20 and 40 liters per kilogram of dried parchment coffee—and the generation of organic wastewater (National Federation of Coffee Growers, 2022), as well as the intense physical effort required for manual transport on farms with steep slopes. At Café Don José, where nearly 80% of the land has a slope, transport used to carry between 30 and 35 minutes per load, posing a high risk of injury and disproportionately affecting women coffee pickers, who experience higher levels of vulnerability in physically demanding agricultural work (International Labour Organization [ILO], 2021). This context motivated the design of the Hydric Coffeduct as a solution aimed at integrating productive efficiency, environmental sustainability, and dignity at work.
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Café Don José es una empresa familiar ubicada en Chinácota, Norte de Santander - Colombia, con más de sesenta años de tradición cafetera y cinco años de formalización, etapa en la que decidió tecnificar y verticalizar su operación para asegurar la calidad desde la semilla hasta el empaque. La empresa impacta la economía local mediante la generación de aproximadamente 30 empleos directos e indirectos y se diferencia por la sostenibilidad ambiental de sus procesos, que incluyen la reducción del consumo de agua, la reforestación de nacimientos hídricos y la mejora continua de las condiciones laborales. Como lo expresa su Gerente Ejecutivo, Aldair Fuentes: “desde que formalizamos la empresa decidimos que la calidad debía ir de la mano del cuidado del agua, de la tierra y de las personas que trabajan con nosotros” (Entrevista personal, 2025).
No obstante, la caficultura en Colombia enfrenta importantes desafíos ambientales y sociales, como el alto consumo de agua del beneficio húmedo tradicional —entre 20 y 40 litros por kilogramo de café pergamino seco— y la generación de aguas residuales orgánicas (Federación Nacional de Cafeteros, 2022), así como el elevado esfuerzo físico del transporte manual en fincas de alta pendiente. En Café Don José, donde cerca del 80 % del terreno es inclinado, los traslados podían tardar entre 30 y 35 minutos por carga, con altos riesgos de lesiones, afectando especialmente a las mujeres recolectoras, quienes presentan mayores niveles de vulnerabilidad en labores agrícolas de alta exigencia física (Organización Internacional del Trabajo [OIT], 2021). Esta realidad motivó el diseño del Cafeducto Hídrico como una solución orientada a integrar eficiencia productiva, sostenibilidad ambiental y dignidad en el trabajo.
Aarong, established in 1978 by BRAC in Bangladesh, began as a social enterprise to empower rural artisans and provide fair market access for handcrafted goods. Initially focused on handmade clothing, the brand innovatively diversified into product lines including jewellery, leather, metal and wood. Rooted in sustainability, Aarong introduced environmentally responsible practices, including renewable energy use, water recycling, and energy-efficient production. Its commitment to fair trade ensures artisans receive equitable pay and safe working conditions. Through design innovation and continuous adaptation, the brand evolved into a model of inclusive business that preserves cultural heritage while promoting economic and environmental sustainability.
Ecolu’s innovation emerges in response to the escalating global challenge of textile waste. According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), approximately 92 million tons of textile waste are generated annually—equivalent to one truck of discarded clothing burned or landfilled every second. The fashion value chain accounts for an estimated 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions, and producing a single cotton T-shirt may require more than 2,700 liters of water (UNEP, 2025; Global Fashion Agenda, 2020).
Within this context, most discarded garments and corporate uniforms are either incinerated or deposited in landfills, contributing to air pollution, water stress, and the release of microfibers into the environment.
As Rosa explains: “We realized companies had no idea what to do with their used uniforms. There we saw a huge problem—and an opportunity to generate real impact.” Ecolu addresses this challenge by integrating circular economy principles and upcycling practices into its garment-making processes.
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La innovación de Ecolu surge ante el creciente problema global de los residuos textiles. Según el Programa de las Naciones Unidas para el Medio Ambiente, cada año se generan cerca de 92 millones de toneladas de desechos textiles, lo que equivale a que cada segundo se entierre o queme un camión lleno de ropa. La cadena de valor del sector es responsable alrededor del 4 % de las emisiones de gases de efecto invernadero, y la producción de una sola camiseta puede requerir más de 2.700 litros de agua (UNEP, 2025; Global Fashion Agenda, 2020).
En este panorama, la mayoría de las prendas y dotaciones en desuso terminan incineradas o en rellenos sanitarios, generando contaminación atmosférica, presión sobre recursos hídricos y liberación de microfibras.
La fundadora explica: “Nos dimos cuenta de que las empresas no sabían qué hacer con sus uniformes usados. Allí vimos un problema enorme… y una oportunidad de generar un impacto real”. Ecolu responde a este reto integrando modelos de economía circular y suprarreciclaje en sus procesos de confección.
Latin America is facing a silent crisis that affects everyone: the inadequate management of organic waste and the dependence on imported inputs. According to the World Bank, 39% of solid waste in the region is improperly managed through burning, dumping, or disposal in open landfills, and only 4% is recovered. This practice not only contaminates soil and water but also contributes to 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to UNEP. At the same time, FAO warns that the growing demand for animal protein and fertilizers increases reliance on imports, putting food security at risk.
These challenges are closely linked to the Sustainable Development Goals: responsible consumption and production, climate action, and zero hunger. Specifically, global food loss amounts to 1.3 billion tons per year, equivalent to 3.3 billion tons of CO₂ emissions annually and $940 billion in global economic losses (FAO, 2019). Likewise, this volume of waste generates 8–10% of global greenhouse gas emissions, occupies 30% of the world’s arable land, increases landfill volume by 21%, and consumes 21% of freshwater resources. Additionally, in Latin America, 111 million tons of organic waste are produced annually, of which only 4% is utilized, and 72% of the loss occurs in pre-consumption stages (FAO, 2019).
In this context, the world faces a clear food challenge: according to FAO and OECD (2023), by 2050 there will be 9.7 billion people and a 100% increase in demand for animal protein. Furthermore, 26% of crops are currently allocated to animal production, 15% of global GHG emissions will come from the livestock sector, and by 2030, demand for animal feed will rise by 13%.
Residua Biocircular emerges to address this reality, offering a solution that transforms waste into high-value inputs for agriculture and animal feed, reducing emissions and strengthening the circular economy.
As its founder summarizes: “Our challenge was clear: how do we turn tons of waste into value without continuing to pollute? This innovation answers that question.”
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En América Latina se vive una crisis silenciosa que afecta a todos: la gestión inadecuada de los residuos orgánicos y la dependencia de insumos importados. Según el Banco Mundial, el 39% de los residuos sólidos en la región se maneja de forma inadecuada mediante quema, vertido o disposición en basureros abiertos, y apenas el 4% se recupera. Esta práctica no solo contamina suelos y aguas, sino que también contribuye al 8% de las emisiones globales de gases de efecto invernadero, de acuerdo con el PNUMA. Al mismo tiempo, la FAO advierte que la creciente demanda de proteína animal y fertilizantes incrementa la dependencia de importaciones, lo que pone en riesgo la seguridad alimentaria.
Estos desafíos están relacionados principalmente con los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible: producción y consumo responsables, acción por el clima y hambre cero. Específicamente, la pérdida global de alimentos al año es 1.3 billones de toneladas, equivalente a 3.3 billones de toneladas de CO2 emitidas anualmente y $940 billones de pérdida económica global, FAO (2019). Así mismo, esta cantidad de residuos a nivel global genera 8 a 10% de emisiones globales de Gases de Efecto Invernadero (GEI), 30% de ocupación de la tierra cultivable mundial, aumento del 21% del volumen de rellenos sanitarios y 21% del uso de agua fresca. Adicionalmente en Latinoamérica, se producen 111 millones de toneladas de residuos orgánicos al año, de los cuales se aprovechan sólo el 4% y el 72% de la pérdida ocurre en etapas pre-consumo FAO (2019).
En este contexto el mundo presenta un desafío alimentario claro, según FAO y OCEDE (2023) para el año 2050 habrá 9.7 mil millones de personas y un aumento del 100% en demanda de proteína animal. Además, 26% de los cultivos se destinan a la producción animal, 15% de emisiones globales de GEI corresponderán del sector pecuario y para 2030 aumentará en un 13% la demanda de alimento para animales.
Residua Biocircular surge para enfrentar esta realidad, ofreciendo una solución que convierte residuos en insumos de alto valor para la agricultura y la alimentación animal, reduciendo emisiones y fortaleciendo la economía circular.
Como lo resume su fundador: “Nuestro reto era claro: ¿cómo convertir toneladas de residuos en valor sin seguir contaminando? La innovación responde a esa pregunta.”
In India, where over 100 million plastic milk bags are discarded daily, Yuvraj Singh Ahuja, second-generation leader of Frontier Polymers Pvt. Ltd. and founder of the design-led brand Sereno, saw opportunity in waste. The operations at Sereno are backed by global recycling certifications, and from its base in Amritsar, the company transforms plastic debris into elegant, durable planters and furniture through the use of renewable energy. Sereno pioneers circular innovation aligned with UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 7, 9, and 12), and is reshaping how India thinks about plastic refuse, i.e., not as a pollutant, but as a resource for sustainable design.
According to Earth Action’s Plastic Overshoot Day report, approximately 220 million metric tons of plastic waste were generated globally in 2024. This waste has a severe impact on soils, rivers, and oceans, disrupting soil fertility, drastically reducing water quality, and altering marine ecosystems.
Within this context, it becomes essential to optimize plastic use, develop new materials, and implement new technologies that enable their integration into industrial processes.
Pedro adds, “Plastic waste is an issue that will continue growing year after year until we find substitute materials that can be incorporated into current industrial production processes.”
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Según Earth Action, a través de su informe Plastic Overshoot Day, en 2024 se generaron cerca de 220 millones de toneladas de residuos plásticos en el mundo. Estos desechos causan serias afectaciones en suelos, ríos y océanos, alterando procesos de fertilidad en la tierra, reduciendo drásticamente la calidad de agua y alterando la vida marina.
En este contexto se vuelve indispensable optimizar el uso del plástico, desarrollar nuevos materiales e implementar nueva tecnología que permita su incorporación en procesos industriales.
Pedro nos dice al respecto que “el residuo plástico es un problema que va a continuar creciendo año tras año, hasta que encontremos materiales sustitutos que puedan adherirse a los actuales procesos de producción industrial”.
Flexible medical PVC—used in IV bags, nutrition bags, and other medical devices—generates large volumes of waste that, in the absence of formal value chains, are treated as hazardous waste.
Globally, hospitals generate between 0.5 and 2.5 kg of waste per patient per day, of which up to 25% consists of single-use plastics. Within this fraction, medical PVC represents approximately 30% of hospital plastics (WHO, 2022; Healthcare Plastics Recycling Council, 2021). Without a recycling value chain, most of this material is incinerated or sent to landfills, increasing emissions and operational costs.
In Colombia, the healthcare system generates around 32,000 tons of hospital waste per year, and more than 80% is disposed of as hazardous waste, even though a significant share consists of non-contaminated plastics that could be recovered (MinAmbiente, 2023). Prior to the program, medical PVC was an “orphan material”: there were no formal actors to collect, process, or reintegrate it into industry. What little recovery existed occurred informally, posing risks related to branding, traceability, and biosafety.
As Paola Vega notes, “we were seeing a valuable plastic enter the healthcare system and leave as hazardous waste; it was an obvious environmental and economic loss.”
The innovation developed by Waste2Worth addresses this structural gap by creating, for the first time, a formal value chain for flexible medical PVC, preventing millions of units from ending up as hazardous waste.
========================================El PVC médico flexible —material de bolsas de suero, nutrición y otros dispositivos— genera grandes volúmenes de residuos que, en ausencia de cadenas de valor formales, terminan siendo tratados como residuos peligrosos.
A nivel global, los hospitales generan entre 0,5 y 2,5 kg de residuos por paciente/día, de los cuales hasta el 25% corresponde a plásticos de un solo uso. Dentro de ellos, el PVC médico representa aproximadamente el 30% de los plásticos hospitalarios (OMS, 2022; Healthcare Plastics Recycling Council, 2021). Sin una cadena de reciclaje, la mayoría se incinera o se envía a rellenos sanitarios, aumentando emisiones y costos operativos.
En Colombia, el sistema de salud produce cerca de 32.000 toneladas de residuos hospitalarios al año, y más del 80% se dispone como residuo peligroso, aun cuando gran parte corresponde a plásticos no contaminados que podrían ser aprovechados (MinAmbiente, 2023). Antes del programa, el PVC médico era un “material huérfano”: no existían actores formales que lo recogieran, procesaran o reincorporaran en la industria. Lo poco que se aprovechaba ocurría de manera informal, con riesgos de marca, trazabilidad y bioseguridad.
Como señala Paola Vega, “estábamos viendo un plástico valioso entrar al sistema de salud y salir como residuo peligroso; era una pérdida ambiental y económica evidente”.
La innovación desarrollada por Waste2Worth se enfoca en cerrar este vacío estructural, creando por primera vez una cadena de valor formal para el PVC médico flexible y evitando que millones de unidades terminen como residuos peligrosos.