• In its fifth edition, Forética's Circular Economy Action Group will focus on the current and changing context in terms of public policies and frameworks for action to move towards a circular economic model. It will address the innovations being carried out by companies and funding opportunities to ensure that Europe and, specifically Spain, can move towards a green and sustainable recovery.

• Composed of 14 large companies, Forética's Circular Economy Action Group will drive business action in the transformation towards more circular business models, focusing on those key aspects that allow companies to increase their ambition, accelerate their action and enhance impact alliances in circular matters.

The Circular Economy Action Groupled by Forética and made up of 14 large companies -Airbus, Cerealto Siro, Ecoembes, EDP, Endesa, Epson, Grupo Antolín, LafargeHolcim, L'Oréal, Mahou San Miguel, Naturgy, Nestlé, Red Eléctrica de España and Saica-, will focus its fifth edition on learning about the current and changing context in terms of public policies and frameworks for action to move towards a circular economic model, the innovations being carried out by companies in terms of product, process and value chain, and funding opportunities to ensure that Europe and, specifically Spain, can move towards a green and sustainable recovery.

The recent report published by Forética under the title 'Spain: Destination Agenda 2030. Business action as a lever for recovery' shows how, for the first time since its launch in 2015, the global progress of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has been reversed, including those related to environmental aspects and, specifically, SDG 12 (Sustainable Consumption and Production), directly linked to the transition towards a circular economy model.

Germán Granda, CEO of Forética, states: "The current context urges further progress in driving business action for circular transformation. The advent of increasingly ambitious public policies at national and European level, and a new long-term sustainable vision, places companies in a unique moment of transition, in which product, process and value chain innovation will be key to implement and scale new solutions that respond to the environmental challenges that arise from continuing to operate in a linear economy. In this sense, the Circular Economy Action Group led by Forética will continue to work on driving the change towards more circular business models, focusing on those key aspects that allow companies to increase their ambition, accelerate their action and build impact alliances. Undoubtedly, the implementation of different innovations that make this possible and access to financing are two very important elements to enable this progress".

Since last year, Spain has moved towards a circular economy model with the publication of the Spain Circular Strategy 2030, the approval of the 1st Circular Economy Action Plan 2021-2023, as well as the transposition of key European Directives to enable change through the Waste and Contaminated Soil Bill, which is currently in parliamentary procedure.

This unique moment in terms of public policy impetus is accompanied by unprecedented funding, the EUNextGeneration economic recovery program, which Forética is following from the sustainability angle through its information Hub #SostenibilidadNG. In this sense, the Recovery and Resilience Transformation Plan articulated by the Government of Spain contemplates 40.29% of the funds obtained to give a boost to the green transition, equivalent to 28,000 million euros, exceeding the target set by Europe of 37%.

Elena Ruiz, Manager of Forética's Circular Economy Action Group, highlights: "In this context, it is key for organizations to take advantage of funding opportunities in Europe and Spain, aligned with the European Green Pact as a strategic roadmap with the planet as the central focus. In this fifth edition of the Action Group, we will not only continue to transfer the most current trends in circular economy, but also to generate knowledge, making its good practices visible and positioning companies as benchmarks in the transformation. In addition, we will continue to strengthen alliances, with special emphasis on public-private collaboration. From the joint work of Forética with its partners, we will continue to promote the transition towards a circular economic model, the only one that can respond to the most urgent global challenges, such as the climate crisis, the pressure on natural resources and biodiversity or pollution, but also the protection of human rights (in access to natural resources, drinking water and health)".

The Circular Economy Action Group is the business meeting point for leadership, knowledge and dialogue to highlight the importance of developing circular business models.

This year the Action Group has presented a positioning document that includes a series of recommendations to accelerate business action towards a more circular Spain in 2030, articulated under three axes that will be key to the change of model that will allow progress towards a more circular ecosystem: improving governance, accelerating action and boosting impact alliances. In addition, the Forética Action Group has published the report 'Maximum circular ambition for the Decade of Action'.

In previous editions, the Group worked on addressing the business transition to the new plastics economy, with the following reports published: ' Business ambition to move towards the new plastics economy' and 'The reality of plastics: myths and truths'. It also addressed metrics and indicators, after focusing on the circular economy business case, analyzing challenges and opportunities in this area, and collaborating with the WBCSD on the CEO guide on circular economy.