AECOC and FIAB They celebrated, at the Royal Theatre of the Retiro, in Madrid, the 8th Sustainable Development Congress, a meeting that annually brings together more than 250 professionals from leading companies in the industry and distribution of different professional sectors.
Ignacio Silva, president of FIAB and member of the Board of Directors of AECOC, In his inaugural address, he pointed out that the evolution of sustainable development is generating a change in business models, requiring the involvement of company decision-making bodies at the highest level. The FIAB president also stated that legal certainty is essential to remain competitive with other European countries.
The importance of reconciling sustainability and competitiveness, and the need for a clear regulatory framework, were the focus of the first talk at the meeting, in which the general director of AECOC, José María Bonmatí, and the general director of FIAB, Mauricio García de QuevedoThey agreed on the importance of moving towards environmental objectives through public-private collaboration and with a framework of legal certainty for companies.
During his speech, the CEO of AECOC stressed that companies maintain a firm commitment to sustainability, although he warned that the current context, in which some regulatory requirements are being relaxed, demands that this be demonstrated with actions.Companies are committed to sustainability, but now we have to demonstrate with actions that this commitment is real.José María Bonmatí pointed out that one of the main challenges is excessive regulation and, especially, the legal uncertainty faced by businesses. In this regard, he called for market unity, regulatory clarity, and genuine dialogue with the government, based on active listening by both sides.
Regarding packaging and waste regulations, the CEO of AECOC highlighted the magnitude of the challenge, noting that around 20.000 billion packages are placed on the market in Spain and that the goal of recovering 90% requires a profound transformation of reuse and collection systems. José María Bonmatí warned that some deadlines, especially in the case of the deposit, return and refund system (DRS), are unrealistic and argued for the need to adjust the timelines and regulations to guarantee its viability.It's fine to set objectives, but not to be told how to achieve them. Companies must decide how to reach them.“,” he pointed out, while warning that imposing the “how” can generate inefficiencies and a loss of competitiveness compared to other countries.
The CEO of AECOC also highlighted the difficulties posed by the current labeling model, considering it very complex to incorporate all the information required by law onto the physical packaging. Therefore, he advocated for moving towards digital labeling as a solution to facilitate regulatory compliance without compromising the sector's operations or competitiveness.
For his part, the director general of FIAB framed the debate within a broad conception of sustainability, which must be addressed not only from an environmental perspective, but also from an economic and social one.Sustainability is a priority for all of society, and companies have internalized this.“This is a key point,” stated Mauricio García de Quevedo, who added that sustainability cannot be developed in isolation from the geopolitical context or available technological capacity. In his opinion, rather than accelerating or multiplying regulations, it is crucial to foster public-private collaboration:It's not about making a career, it's about going together".
Mauricio García de Quevedo echoed the concerns about the legal uncertainty created by certain regulations and advocated for the sector to implement solutions such as digital labeling, which would allow for providing consumers with more information efficiently. Regarding reuse, the Director General of FIAB expressed the industry's support for the established goals, while also calling for flexibility to achieve them without compromising competitiveness.
Regarding the European deforestation regulation, both executives agreed that combating it is unquestionable as a pillar of sustainability. However, Mauricio García de Quevedo warned that an excessively rigid application with a heavy bureaucratic burden could make the regulation difficult to comply with, especially for SMEs.When designing regulations, it is essential to consider the reality of SMEs, which find it much more difficult to meet certain requirements and which make up 95% of the agri-food business fabric.For his part, José María Bonmatí indicated that the regulation must consider the impact on the entire value chain, since large companies pass on the obligations to their suppliers, many of them smaller.
Both officials ultimately agreed that the success of the new systems, especially regarding packaging, will also depend on consumer involvement.
For its part, Isabel García Tejerina, Senior Advisor at EY and former Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food and Environment, In her participation in the meeting, she emphasized that geopolitical tensions have reinforced the importance of sustainability as a strategic element for companies in a context of uncertainty. The former minister argued that sustainability must generate long-term value and act as a driver of competitiveness, being integrated across all aspects of business activity and decision-making. She also stressed the need to balance competitiveness and regulation, harmonizing business, social, and environmental objectives. In this regard, she pointed out that Europe must regain its competitive advantage by advancing decarbonization without harming the economy, along with measures such as reducing the tax burden and simplifying regulations to promote business activity.
Deposit and return systems for containers
Marián Áč, president of the European Deposit, Refund and Return Systems Association (EDRSA), in his presentation “Towards an efficient DRSD"He pointed out that deposit and return systems are becoming established as an effective tool to boost the circular economy and improve the quality of recycling.
Marián Áč has noted that, in the current regulatory context, Member States are moving towards mandatory deposit schemes for single-use beverage containers, while producers must meet collection targets and incorporate recycled material into new plastic containers.
As explained, these systems allow for consistently achieving return rates exceeding 90% and guarantee the production of high-quality, food-grade recyclable material. This fosters a more closed-loop system and reduces reliance on virgin raw materials.
In this respect, Denmark is one of the most established models in Europe. The system has been operating since 2002, and 93% of bottles and cans are returned to the recycling system. Slovakia, which launched its system in 2022, has already achieved a 92% return rate in its second year, in addition to registering a measurable reduction in litter and an improvement in the quality of the collected material.
The president of EDRSA also emphasized that the success of these systems depends on several factors. These include a clear and robust legal framework that precisely defines the rights and obligations of all stakeholders, effective cooperation between producers, retailers, and authorities, a sufficient preparation period for the designated operator, and the existence of an experienced technical team to ensure stable and efficient implementation.
During the event, regenerative agriculture as a driver of change was also discussed, with Elvira Domingo from EIT Food, Jordi Aycart from Nestlé, Lluís Naclohe from PepsiCo, and Ana Palencia from Unilever. Trinidad Dávida from Dia Spain and Laura Grabulosa from La Fageda Fundació addressed how to measure and manage the social impact generated in the value chain. The Congress concluded with Cinta Bosch, Sustainability Manager at AECOC (pictured).
