Green job, the opportunities that arise from the circular economy

According to the twelfth “GreenItaly Report”, which annually photographs the environmental sustainability of our country, Italy is among the leaders of the circular economy and has the highest percentage of recycling out of total waste (79.4%) with peaks 95% for sectors such as that of furniture wood supply chain. Important data – the former is almost double the European average – and which understandably also mean a considerable offer in terms of employment.

Yes, because despite the effects of the pandemic period, i green job, the works related to sustainability, have seen a consolidation in 2020. Not only that: as stated in the report “the activation contracts envisaged by companies in 2020 concerning green jobs are characterized, in fact, by greater stability compared to other figures, with 28.3% of the contracts envisaged entering in time indeterminate on the total of green jobs contracts, against 18.6% of non-green professions “.

«A Legambiente studio called BEHOLD, it all comes back, based on Unioncamere data, estimated that circular professions, those linked to the circular economy, concern one and a half million positions open on the labor market. A huge basin that includes sectors such as public administration, construction and the economy of sharing», He explains Marco Gisottiscientific director of Green Factor and co-author of “100 green jobs to find work”.

For these positions, also encouraged by pilot projects born on the impulse of the PNRR, “ancient” professionals are needed who acquire green skills, such as the green bricklayer and environmental marketing expert, but also new skills, such as the eco-designer “who designs processes and products designed to last for a long time or to be broken down at the end of their life into parts that will form new objects ». In this context, all professionals are called to “learn to see things in the light of something that must live as much as possible” concludes Gisotti.

The opportunities for companies that reduce their impacts

For companies too, the circular economy and environmental sustainability as a whole offer interesting opportunities, especially when they invest in professionalism just likeecodesigner.

Among the various aspects that generate an impact on the planet that hosts us are the packaging: each of us can see how many we throw in the waste every week. It is therefore essential not only to differentiate them but also to think about them in a more sustainable way. “Few people know, but it is precisely in the phase in which a pack is designed that a very high percentage of the impacts it will have on our planet is defined: this is why prevention is fundamental”, he observes Luca Ruini who chairs the National Packaging Consortium (CONAI), which for over 20 years has been dealing with the achievement of the recycling and recovery objectives of packaging waste, required by law in our country.

Conai has recently opened a tender that intends to reward companies that are aware of the impact that the packaging of their products can generate and invest to reduce it. All the beyond can take part in it 700,000 Italian companies who produce or use packaging and which belong to Conai. To participate you must have invested in interventions of ecodesign“Using at least one of the seven prevention levers: reuse, facilitation of recycling activities, use of recycled / recovered material, saving of raw materials, optimization of production processes, optimization of logistics, simplification of the packaging system”.

In total there are up for grabs 500 thousand euros which will be divided among the companies that will be in line with the requirements of the call. There are 5 super prizes from 10 thousand euros each for as many companies that have distinguished themselves in their circular approach to packaging design; specifically, three for those who distinguished themselves “for the innovative drive in having activated the levers of reuse, the facilitation of recycling activities and the use of secondary raw materials”, and two for companies that generate “environmental benefits by promoting new technologies and particularly innovative applications “. One of these realities will also be the recipient of a special mention of Legambiente. The remaining 450 thousand euros are instead divided among all the other admitted participants, who will receive a sum of money proportional to the score obtained.

You can submit your company’s application up to April 29, 2022. The submission form is available on this page (after registering).

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