21 May 2020 – 7 PM on Zoom
Please confirm your participation by sending an email to soi-info@unitn.it.
The School of Innovation is pleased to announce a guest lecture on the basics of circular economy, taught by Micol Chiesa (Bain and Co.) and Giulio Bonazzi (Aquafil).
Circular Economy: An Introduction
Today, economic growth is primarily contingent on increased resource consumption. In this linear economic approach, organizations harvest or extract materials, use them to create products, and then sell those products to consumers who generally incinerate or send to landfill the materials that no longer serve their original purpose. As the population grows and the negative environmental impact of resource extraction continues, this “take, make, waste” model is quickly reaching its limits. The circular economy, by contrast, is one that is “restorative and regenerative by design, and aims to keep products, components, and materials at their highest utility and value at all times” (Ellen MacArthur Foundation, 2013). The circular economy philosophy is an emerging field of study, promoting a systemic, cross-disciplinary approach. This course explores how these various disciplines come together to promote a sustainable economic model.
What you’ll learn:
- What is the circular economy?
- Business value in a circular economy
- Companies leading the way
Case Study: Aquafil with Mr. Bonazzi (CEO)
Required prep: Survey (2 minutes) and Circular Economy Equity Research (10 minutes) here
Readings:
- How Businesses Can Support a Circular Economy (LINK)
- Transforming Business for a Sustainable Economy (LINK)
- Waste to Wealth (LINK)
Micol Chiesa is a consultant in the Energy and Natural Resources Department of Bain and Co., a top management-consulting firm. Currently, Micol is involved in developing the circular economy market in Italy, aimed at creating sustainable energy to combat global warming. Micol holds a PhD in environmental economics at the University of Oxford and has a master’s degree in Energy Resources and the Environment at the Johns Hopkins University (SAIS). Before returning to Italy, Micol worked for a few years as an environmental consultant for the World Bank and the United Nations, where she helped developing renewable energy markets in South Africa. She is a fellow at the Royal Geographical Society
Giulio Bonazzi is the chairman and CEO of Aquafil SpA and passionate about bringing the circular economy into the mainstream. An innovator and disruptor, Bonazzi is transforming his family-run manufacturing business into a sustainable global enterprise by turning trash from landfill and oceans into high-quality, beautiful fibers. Today, Aquafil is recognized as a sustainability leader company, a stalwart example of the circular economy and an innovator within the synthetic textile industry, with 16 plants in eight countries across three continents. Bonazzi was honoured with Ernst & Young’s 2011 Entrepreneur of the Year Award in the industrial products category for his entrepreneurial excellence and leadership ability in expanding Aquafil SpA globally. He was selected by Forbes as one of 100 best Italian CEO-s for 2019.
