ENDESA S A : has launched the first circular economy academy in Spain with the Iberus campus

• The Endesa Circular Economy Academy is an ambitious international initiative that is part of a commitment to the circular economy as the basis for a new sustainable economic model and to extending this culture within the company.
• Campus Iberus is an international excellence campus consisting of the University of Zaragoza (UZ), the Public University of Navarra (UPNA), the University of Lleida (UdL) and the University of La Rioja (UR) and it will be an academic partner in the initiative.
• It is an internal school to train a large number of employees in circular economy, which in turn will enable them to put this knowledge into practice in their different responsibilities within the company.

Endesa and the Iberus Campus, an international excellence campus consisting of the University of Zaragoza (UZ), the Public University of Navarra (UPNA), the University of Lleida (UdL) and the University of La Rioja (UR), have today opened the ENDESA Circular Economy Academy, an ambitious international initiative that aims to extend the circular economy culture within the company.

Today, the circular economy is being presented as the essential basis for a new sustainable economic model, which aspires to make more efficient use of resources, minimising those that are consumed and reincorporating into the production process those resources that can be used from waste. The aim is for development to combine competitiveness and sustainability through innovation.

'Decarbonisation through the energy mix (closing down thermal power stations and promoting renewable energy) will enable a 55% reduction in emissions globally, but to progress further it will be necessary to move towards a circular model, incorporating all its criteria in the different links of the value chain. It is a necessary response to disassociate economic growth from the consumption of resources and environmental damage', said María Malaxechevarría, general manager for sustainability at Endesa.

'The Circular Economy is being presented as a new and almost unique vision for achieving development that combines competitiveness and sustainability and it is essential for this culture to become an essential feature in society. For companies like Endesa to adopt this commitment is an example', said Luis Salvatella, coordinator for the Master's Degree in Circular Economy that will begin to be taught next year in the Campus Iberus.

Circular culture

The first edition of the training will last 37 hours and classes will be online for about 30 workers from different departments of ENDESA from 8 to 23 June 2021. It will be available throughout the country and teaching hours will be shared with other international experts, since the launch of the Academy will be simultaneous in the rest of the countries in which the Enel Group operates (Europe, USA and Latin America).

Training will be under the scientific direction of Luis Salvatella, coordinator for the Master's Degree in Circular Economy. The professors for the course will be experts from the Iberus Campus in Circular Economy of the four universities collaborating with the Iberus Campus: Alfonso Aranda (UZ), Sabina Scarpellini (UZ), Alberto Navajas (UPNA), Eva Llera (UZ), Lídia Rincón (UdL), Carlos Del Río (UPNA) and René Santamaría (UR).

The presentations will place special emphasis on the electricity sector and will cover the following topics: Circular business models, Circular economy as a competitive advantage, Circularity Metrics, Shared value and the circular economy, Life cycle analysis, Environmental management, Product eco design, Cities and territories, Circular cities, Legislation and global strategies. There will also be a session dedicated to assessment and a closing session with a speech by José Antonio Mayoral, Rector of the University of Zaragoza whose research work focusses on the use of waste and renewable raw materials within the framework of the circular economy.

This training cycle will be combined with speeches by experts from Endesa as well as other significant external entities and experts in the field of the Circular Economy, who will contribute their vision to extend the culture of the Circular Economy within the company, and provide continuity for the training path started last year: 'Circular Inspiration Cycle'.

Currently there are two other academies in the Enel group, one in Latin America and one in Italy that provides training in Italy and for other countries in Europe and the USA. The three academies will launch a training cycle on the same dates, in this way some external and internal presentations will be used so that all the students from the Enel group may attend.

We have 'circular' in mind

Endesa has incorporated circularity into its culture and into all its activities, from the construction of new renewable plants to the relationship with customers. The challenge regarding climate change has forced us to progress towards a new, more sustainable economy based on an efficient, electric and renewable model, taking into account the principles of the circular economy and disassociating economic growth from the consumption of resources. And Endesa would like to be a leader in this new challenge. Firstly, by incorporating renewable energy into the system, Endesa is contributing to the decarbonisation process and, at the same time enabling circularity to increase in other sectors. And secondly, by promoting the development of an ecosystem in collaboration with other agents, both public and private, so that beyond the implementation of the principles of the Circular Economy in our industrial process, we may be able to contribute very actively to the development of a new economic model in the Iberian market and to the development of the Spanish Circular Economy Strategy.

Our vision integrates the entire value chain, from procurement to final solutions for customers and including the decarbonisation of electricity generation plants and making the distribution networks 'smart'. And it is being applied with specific approaches in the different units within the company.

In order to be able to address it successfully, Endesa also has a 'Circular Economy Community', a multidisciplinary team from the company's different business lines and support areas, who are all convinced that change is possible and who enjoy the support of the commitment by the Company's Senior Management. One more step towards the development of a sustainable economy.