The study Business and the Circular Economy: An In-Depth Look reveals that the majority of companies have already launched sustainable initiatives or intend to do so . This is confirmed by 71.1 %-84,9% of managers of medium-large companies in six European countries.

Companies in the FMCG (81%) and electronics (82%) sectors are the most active in this area. For these companies, the implementation of circular solutions is no longer seen as a simple competitive advantage, but as a necessity to maintain their position on the market .

The situation is slightly different for companies in the construction, retail and logistics sectors, where just over 60% of respondents say they intend to adopt the circular economy model. From this perspective, introducing green changes allows you to outpace the competition, create and lead industry trends, and thus gain the trust of new customers and investors.

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Despite the adoption of new sustainable initiatives, the majority of the companies interviewed are still far from achieving the objectives of the 2030 Agenda . The non-financial reporting objective, considered the “easiest” to implement, was achieved by only 20.5% of the companies interviewed, while the carbon neutrality objective, defined as the most “difficult”, was achieved by only 15.7%. This situation inevitably pushes companies to seek consultancy support. The companies interviewed have in fact unanimously expressed the desire to make use of environmental consultancy services , entrusting a company with strategic, management and operational tasks.

Executives at medium-sized and large companies said that adopting sustainable operations can bring benefits to their businesses, including:

• reduction in the quantity of waste produced (and consequent reduction in management costs);
• increase the company’s operational efficiency;
• meeting the growing expectations of customers, financial institutions and investors;
• adaptation to emerging and prevailing trends in the sector.

However, the authors of the study emphasize that, to achieve concrete benefits, it is necessary to implement changes based on specific data and measurements. Otherwise, companies risk misdirecting their investments. Only 35.5% of the companies interviewed said they evaluate the environmental efficiency of their products, services and the entire organization. Some companies stated that they do not have useful data or research that would allow them to create a sustainable development strategy. These data clearly highlight on the one hand the need to conduct research and development work , on the other the need for permanent collaboration with a consulting partner such as Interzero , specialized in sustainable development.

Due to the enormous impact that sustainable development activities have on the perception of the company by all its stakeholders, companies seeking consultancy support focus on specific criteria:

• ability to adapt the services offered to the specificities of the business . Many entrepreneurs have encountered difficulties or even the impossibility of implementing standardized and non-customized solutions for their business models;
• wide range of services offered by the consulting firm . The managers interviewed particularly appreciate the availability of complete and integrated environmental services, as well as the possibility of using consultancy in other areas, not necessarily related to sustainability;
• good reputation of the environmental consulting firm .

As environmental consultants, we fully understand the expectations of entrepreneurs. At interzero, we develop integrated environmental services tailored to the different needs of our clients, for companies of all sizes and in all sectors. We offer comprehensive environmental consulting, training, audits, and provide customized solutions in the fields of sustainable development, recycling, waste management and waste treatment machines. We support companies in fulfilling legal environmental obligations and implementing a circular economy.

Six countries were analyzed: Italy, Austria, Poland, Slovenia, Croatia and Serbia. The objectives of the study were:

• understand and analyze market trends in the field of sustainability and circular economy;
• investigate potential barriers to implementing sustainable practices;
• identify the main needs related to the sustainability of medium-large enterprises;
• analyze the readiness of these companies in the transition towards more sustainable business models.

The data analyzed during the study come from corporate press releases, newspaper and magazine articles, sustainability reports and interviews conducted with managers of the companies interviewed.