Executives and innovation specialists analyse how digitalisation, artificial intelligence and smart data management are enabling companies and public administrations to build more efficient, sustainable and resilient territories.
More and more organisations see sustainability as a strategic element to improve their competitiveness, optimise resources and develop new business models. In this new scenario, the circular economy, digitalisation and smart data analysis converge to address some of the main challenges facing companies and public administrations.
Antonio García Celda, Director General of the European Green Capital, believes that sustainability and competitiveness are not only compatible but mutually reinforcing. “Competitiveness is not at odds with sustainability,” he says. In his view, the success of organisations will depend on their ability to integrate innovation and sustainability into all their areas of activity. As an example, he points out that “the companies that grow the most and are most highly valued are those that work on sustainability.”
The circular economy as a business strategy
Beyond environmental commitment, the circular economy requires building economically viable models capable of generating value for organisations. Toni Vitón, Projects Director at CM Plastik, places the main challenge precisely there. “We aim to close the loop, the sustainable opportunity the environment offers, but at the same time make it technically and economically viable for the company.” Without that profitability, he warns, many initiatives end up as good intentions.
Juan Andrés Avilés, PreSales consultant at TD Synnex, broadens this view by defining sustainability as “achieving economic and social progress for the planet in which we can look future generations in the eye and say: we have left you something better.”
At Laberit, Ricardo Herreras explains that sustainability is part of the company’s corporate culture and describes it “as a beacon that guides every operation of the company, from saving paper to encouraging videoconferencing to reduce travel.”
José Ramón Castellar, General Manager of Discomon, believes the concept of the circular economy has evolved significantly. “The circular economy in the 21st century will not be built solely with new materials or better recycling systems; it will be built through territories capable of understanding what is happening in real time and acting accordingly.” The real goal, he adds, is not just to consume less, but “to be able to generate more value with fewer resources.”
When waste becomes raw material again
One of the fundamental principles of the circular economy is turning waste into new resources capable of generating value.
For Toni Vitón, even language reflects this paradigm shift. “Everyone talks about waste, but at CM Plastik we talk about raw material.”
The company began fifteen years ago developing street furniture made from recycled plastics and has since transferred that experience to circular economy projects for large organisations. These include turning millions of expired Banco Santander bank cards into street benches and recycling hangers for Inditex, converting materials that posed a logistical and environmental problem into new products with utility and added value.
In addition to reusing materials, Vitón highlights the educational effect of this type of project, which can raise awareness among citizens and companies about the potential of an economy based on the reuse of resources.
Innovation is also transforming small municipalities
Sustainable transformation is not exclusive to large cities. Much innovation is reaching small municipalities thanks to the use of sensors, artificial intelligence and digital solutions tailored to their needs.
José Ramón Castellar recalls that Discomon’s evolution began precisely when they realised that the real value lay not in manufacturing sensors but in developing complete solutions for local administrations. “We thought we were going to solve the world by making sensors, but we were told that sensors already existed; that we had to build systems and solutions and work with town councils.”
That change of approach has made it possible to develop projects such as refrigerated lockers to make shopping at municipal markets easier using QR codes, educational speed cameras with number-plate recognition that inform drivers without fining them, and solar-powered smart pedestrian crossings.
Among all these initiatives, Castellar particularly highlights the development of AI-powered sensors for the early detection of forest fires. “In the Calderona we gave the coordinates to a seaplane and within three hours it was all over,” he explains, recalling one of the first success stories of this technology.
Data as a tool to anticipate risks
The ability to collect, analyse and share information in real time has become one of the pillars of resilient cities.
Ricardo Herreras links sustainability directly to this capacity for adaptation. “Resilient cities are those that are able to adapt, to get out of certain situations and come out stronger,” he says.
With that aim, Laberit has developed smart monitoring stations capable of measuring water levels, rainfall intensity and current speed in ravines. All this information is automatically transmitted to a platform connected to emergency services, town councils, police forces and fire brigades to facilitate a coordinated response.
“The project ensures that citizens receive an early warning, more or less simultaneously with what is happening,” explains Herreras.
Trust begins with reliable data
The growing digitalisation of cities makes data quality a critical element for decision-making.
José Ramón Castellar points out that obtaining reliable information requires significant technological validation work. “Reliable data is relative,” he says, explaining how the sensors developed by his company were tested at the University of Navarra and later in Bilbao until they reached a convergence of close to 92%.
Ricardo Herreras agrees that institutional trust will increasingly depend on the quality of the information available. In his opinion, “data needs to be certified and processed in real time so that institutions can trust it.”
Sustainability, innovation and competitiveness move forward together
The evolution of the circular economy shows that sustainability is no longer understood as a regulatory obligation but has become a strategic driver of innovation and competitiveness. The ability to reuse resources, integrate smart technologies, share reliable data and develop solutions tailored to local needs will make the difference between organisations that simply adapt to change and those that lead the transformation.
As Antonio García Celda sums up when defining what sustainability represents today, a single word is enough: “It’s the future.”