By recycling or applying good environmental practices, companies have set themselves the goal of mitigating their impact on the environment, and they don’t do this alone, but also involve their customers, associates and recyclers. They work on different projects that lead them towards the goal.

Thus, the Tía supermarket chain provided a digital platform to share its sustainability initiatives, including the construction of a photovoltaic plant in Quito, which will start operating in 2023; Moderna Alimentos is dedicated to cleaner production; The Favorita Corporation is working on the construction and remodeling of 50 of its supermarkets until 2026 with systems to achieve greater energy efficiency and water consumption; Cervecería Nacional and Enkador highlight the return to the market of 102 million recycled bottles of Pony Malta; and Grupo Entregas focused on reducing the use of gasoline in their operations.

Photovoltaic power plant ready for operation

Two thousand solar panels installed for what will be a photovoltaic plant that will generate 1,500 MWh per year in the regional distribution center in Calacalí (Quito) and 91,208 replaced reusable covers are part of the Tía effect on the planet, data that the chain spreads in its new sustainability portal .tia.com.ec, which was launched in parallel with the presentation of the ninth edition of the Sustainability Report.

“This is our commitment to the sustainable development of Ecuador. Promote the progress of our communities while reducing our impact on the environment,” says Luis Reyes, CEO of Tía, which has 252 stores nationwide spread across 109 cities in 22 provinces.

The solar plant will optimize and make Almacenes Tía’s business sustainable

They also managed to avoid sending more than 4,000 metric tons of waste to landfills and through the “Más” customer loyalty program delivered more than 71,800 reusable covers in 2022. The covers are made of 70% recycled polyethylene and 30% virgin material.

Cleaner production

Clean energy is also part of Moderna Alimentos’ results presented in the 2022 Sustainability Report:

Moderna Alimentos points out that it is the first industry in the milling sector to receive two Green Punto Ecuadorian ecological certificates that mention the environmentally efficient company in its production facilities in Cajabamba and Manta.

The interest in solar energy is doubling, the investment can go from 1,000 to 40,000 dollars for housing, and in companies it exceeds a million dollars.

sustainable supermarkets

The Favorita Corporation applies a sustainable construction model that consists of the construction and renovation of 50 of its supermarkets by 2026 with the highest international standards of environmental protection and according to the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certificate. So far, eleven supermarkets have been built according to LEED standards, and six of them already have these certificates.

The company’s corporate manager, Rubén Salazar, explains that during the construction of these spaces, as well as their management and maintenance, “important areas to reduce environmental impact such as water, energy and materials are considered.”

In Ecuador, waste sorting increased in 2022, but so did the use of single-use plastics

They also have Gira, which was created four years ago, and so far they have collected more than 900 million packages, including bottles, tetrapacks, glass, paper, cans, plastic wraps and cartons, which, after receiving them at more than 130 recycling points across the country, they are classified and processed in the company’s factory.

“With Gira, we are thinking big, in environmental education, in innovation in packaging and industrial processes that are changing the way waste management is understood in the country, and we are now taking the first steps to replicate the model in Panama,” says de Gira’s general manager, Andres Gomez de la Torre.

Ecobot, the Gira app, urban gardens and edible oil recycling, responsible consumption opportunities are growing in Ecuador

bottle recycling

Cervecería Nacional and Enkador work in an inclusive circular economy process to convert post-consumer PET into new bottles and so over the last two years, 102 million recycled and recycled Pony Malta beverage bottles have re-entered the market. This means a reduction in the exploitation of 13,800 barrels of oil.

Enkador carried out a process to measure its emissions during 2022 and, as Cervecería Nacional is one of the companies to which it supplies preforms for its containers, it was found that the malt beverage bottles contributed to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. greenhouse effect (GHG) equivalent to planting a total of 324,000 trees per year, which means a reduction of 3,545 tons of CO 2 emitted into the environment, compared to the original PET. The impact was achieved on 5,600 local recyclers who are, directly and indirectly, part of Origin ® , the inclusive circular economy model created by Enkador.

Cervecería Nacional signs an alliance to reuse its labels

“This commitment to working with Origin® It is not only based on the environmental impact we cause by reducing our carbon footprint, but also has a strong social focus by contributing to and increasing the source of income of local recyclers, managing to improve their quality of life”, points out Cervecería Nacional’s director of corporate brand and sustainability, Sandra Cañizares.

Cervecería already includes 75% recycled PET in its bottles made from this material, exceeding what is required by law in the country, 5%.

Leaving the gas behind

In its Sustainability Report, Grupo Entregas highlights the efficient use of resources, waste reduction, recycling and actions to mitigate climate change. In November, its headquarters in Quito received the “Green Dot – Cleaner Production” certificate from the Ministry of the Environment. There are 116 solar panels that produced 58,190 kWh of clean energy. This production represents 25% of the group’s total energy consumption.

It also shows that they have reduced their carbon footprint by 10% by implementing sustainable mobility and solar energy projects. And they have an electric station in Quito, open and accessible to the whole community to facilitate the transition to electric vehicles through their solar panels. They have three electric cargo bikes in operation and added their first electric van in December, marking the start of their plan to transition their entire fleet from petrol to electric vans by 2025 (I)