Since the EU promotes a transition toward a more and more “circular” flow in the economic system, that transition need to be systemic and not limited to specific sectors or geographical area, and must affect each part of the production/recycling chain. The field of plastics industry is one of the largest producer of polluting waste that, at the same time, consists largely of recyclable material that can start a new production process. The EU underlines the beneficial impact of improving the reprocessing of plastics in its strategy on plastics waste and in its general strategy for the promotion of Circular Economy [https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/circular-economy]. As its main goal ENSURE wants to tackle the “Environmental and climate goals” E+ horizontal priority. In particular the project will foster the development of green sectorial skills and methodologies (focused on the plastics sector) for entrepreneurs and VET trainers as to allow them (in particular for entrepreneurs) to become true change factors towards a more sustainable entrepreneurship. The project has isolated three main areas of possible improvement toward this objective: 1. Staple skills such as flexibility, capacity to innovate and ability to learn continuously 2. Entrepreneurial skills in recognizing and seizing opportunities in circular economy processes. Special focus on the business cases provided by the Plastic industry. 3. Ability to manage (Resilient Management Skills) the adaptation phase of shifting from the classical model (raw material product - waste) to the new "Circular" model (raw material - product - waste - raw material) Project idea: The project aims at bridging the gap of skills related to the creation of new businesses or the reconversion of old ones, in the field of circular economy. The project will identify the most interesting strands in this economic field elaborating different entrepreneurial paths that will be available to business coaches and the trainers will be able to pass on to future entrepreneurs. Then a specific focus will be developed toward the plastics production sector. General Objective of the project: To encourage the creation of new startups with a business model based on circular economy. The focus of the project will be on the plastics industry sector. Specific objective 1 Train the trainers: Producing some collections of best practices and educational materials to teach the business coaches how to lead potential startups into the Circular Economy field, helping them to create and subsequently solidify their business. Specific objective 2 Improve the awareness of present entrepreneurs and investors on the possibilities offered by circular economy, focusing in particular on those offered by plastics CE. Specific Objective 3: Supporting the creation of locally based CE startups, with focus on plastic's reuse and valorization sector, possibly aligning to local S3. Moreover the project wants to have an impact on the following target groups: - Entrepreneurs (age between 18 and 35) - Entrepreneurial Trainers - Startup Coaches - Investors (secondary target) As to achieve the aforementioned objectives in the best possible way, the following partners have been included in the consortium: - Chambre de Commerce Italienne de Nice Sophia Antipolis Côte d'Azur, France, Lead Partner; - FVB S.R.L., Italy; - COOPERATION BANCAIRE POUR L'EUROPE, Belgium; - ARGE Abfallvermeidung, Ressourcenschonung und nachhaltige Entwicklung GmbH, Austria; - Cz&K Consulting Szolgaltato Korlatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag, Hungary; - Fondazione Edulife ONLUS, Italy; - Coopérative pour le Développement de l'emploi dans les métiers du patrimoine, France. Each partner was accurately selected keeping in mind their specific expertise and having as filter the needs of the project. In its 26 months duration the project wants to develop advanced tools (Intellectual Outputs) to impact positively on target groups, toward the specified objectives: 1 - Circular economy plastics course and library content (IO1) 2 - E-Learning platform. MOOC, Profiling test and interactive Library (IO2)
At local, regional and national levels it aims to: • extend the networking backbone of circular economy business creation processes between all actors (SMEs, innovation system actors, VET & Training Systems); • provide a transnational approach to the creation of circular economy specialized in plastics reprocessing business; • introduce high quality training based on a transnational approach; • provide the base for future potential cross-border initiatives in circular economy's area of knowledge, skills and competences for SMEs; • provide development governing bodies with new transnational insights and knowledge about business and a more green oriented economy. At Eu level, the project aims at having an impact and contribute to the three mutually reinforcing priorities of the EU 2020 Strategy (smart, sustainable and inclusive growth) by providing an innovative bottom-up approach to innovation based on training, capacity building and multi target/multidisciplinary approach. Additionally, the project aims at contributing to the following goals: • awareness raising about changing lifestyles and priorities in consumption patterns; • participation, stakeholder interaction and exchange of experience; • education;
Environment and Employment are probably the most difficult challenges. The EU's Labor market is not able to create millions of jobs linked to “green” activities. This reveals a gap of much needed knowledge, abilities, values and attitudes needed to develop and support a society and an economic system that reduces the impact of human activity on the environment. This involves in particular traditional fields of industrial production such as Plastics. For a systemic transition, CE must be infused in the mindset of future generations of entrepreneurs, shaping the business environment in a way that favors the creation of new businesses focused on reusing and recycling materials. The project has isolated three areas of improvement toward this objective: 1. Staple skills such as flexibility, innovation capacity and ability to learn continuously. 2. Entrepreneurial skills in recognizing and seizing opportunities in CE processes. 3. Ability to manage the adaptation phase of shifting from the classical model to the "Circular" model. ENSURE had the ambition to fill this area's gap by empowering coaches and trainers of the next generation of entrepreneurs and educating present entrepreneurs, giving them new awareness on the topic.