Picture: SPRI

BATZ has signed today an agreement for the period 2021-2025 as a partner company of the most important initiative of public-private collaboration in the field of eco-innovation and circular economy in Spain.

Igorre, 9th June 2020. From today, BATZ will be one of the 14 companies that make up the Basque Ecodesign Center (BEdC), an initiative promoted by the public company Ihobe, SPRI and the Department of Economic Development, Sustainability and Environment of the Basque Government, for the piloting of methodologies and development of innovative projects that favour the prevention of environmental impacts, while improving the competitiveness of member companies and their value chain.

The BEdC is made up of Basque companies with high traction capacity in value chains and/or high capacity to generate knowledge in the circular economy, and aims to strengthen the leadership of Basque industry in these areas. Its main lines of activity consist of the development of innovative technical projects, whether individual, collaborative or methodological, within the framework of the priority themes of the Basque Circular Economy Strategy, being, specifically, the Application and use of circular materials where BATZ will focused.

In cooperation with other leading companies in the sector, and under the technical coordination of IHOBE, the challenges, opportunities and possible projects to be developed in relation to the circular economy will be identified and a roadmap will be formulated to address the future with guarantees, among other aspects. In short, by joining this ecosystem, the company will take another step towards becoming a more sustainable company, in this case, deepening its knowledge of the environmental impact of its products and processes, while identifying possible actions to improve its competitiveness.

The Basque Ecodesign Center is an initiative set up in 2011 in a framework of collaboration between private sector companies and the Basque Government, whose objective is the conceptualisation and execution of innovative eco-design projects for the generation of knowledge and subsequent transfer to the Basque industrial fabric. Over time, the Basque Ecodesign Center has evolved from a specific ecodesign theme to a broader theme of circular economy. Since it was set up, it has grown to 14 members, in the agreement corresponding to the 2021-2025 period. This 2021-2025 agreement represents an important mobilisation of the Basque industrial sector towards more sustainable schemes in line with the strategy set out by the European Green Pact and the Basque Green Deal.

The BEdC is integrated by ArcelorMittal Sestao, BATZ Group, CAF, CIE Automotive, EDP Spain, Eroski, Campezo Group, Iberdrola, Kutxabank, Ormazabal Velatia, Orona S.Coop., Siemens-Gamesa Renewable Energy, Vicinay Sestao, Viuda de Sainz, the public company Ihobe, SPRI and the Basque Government itself.Group photo