The Spanish Network of the Global Compact, in conjunction with the Secretary of State for the Spanish Government’s 2030 Agenda, have completed a comprehensive consultation process with the Spanish business sector as a contribution to the next Spanish Sustainable Development Strategy 2030. This will be the framework for action over the next 10 years in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the UN’s Agenda 2030 in Spain.
The closing report from this consultative procedure outlines the main contributions of the Spanish business sector to sustainable development and analyzes the state of implementation of the 2030 Agenda among our country’s companies. The report also compiles 34 examples of good practices and 52 measurable impact-related commitments to inspire action by Spain’s business network as a whole.
Among examples of impact factor commitments by businesses, the report underscores the ‘Calvo Zero Waste’ project, launched by Grupo Calvo in 2017 and linked to SDG 12, Responsible Consumption and Production. It is an ambitious global initiative to achieve sustainable management of all waste generated by Grupo Calvo, in both factories and offices, to thereby ensure a minimal impact on the environment and the effective contribution to a circular economy process.
Implementation of this project first began at Grupo Calvo’s factory and office locations in Spain and was later expanded to the other countries where the company operates. Factories in Brazil and El Salvador have their own valorization plants where organic waste from manufacturing canned sardine and tuna products is converted into byproducts, such as fishmeal and oil for use in the livestock feed and cosmetic industries. In addition, single-use plastic bottles have been replaced in European offices with reusable bottles, preventing the generation of more than 13,000 plastic bottles each year. Today, the overall rate of recovery of non-food and non-hazardous waste already stands at 75% and the company is committed to achieving zero waste to landfill from its activity by 2025.
The ‘Calvo Zero Waste’ project is part of Grupo Calvo’s Responsible Engagement initiative that encompasses 17 quantifiable objectives to be accomplished by 2025 in relation to oceans, the environment and people. Progress in meeting these targets is public and verified on a regular basis by an independent third party.
