Our employees are the first ambassadors of sustainability in the Group

“It is important that we feel confident and sufficiently prepared and autonomous to take this message to our stakeholders, so that when we go to our customers we can convey, with full knowledge of the facts, what the Group does in terms of sustainability, and the same when we go to our families and friends.”

Ricardo Estrada, Vice President, Sustainability and Procurement, Plastilene Group

Considering the great potential of the plastics circular economy and the importance of sustainability in this sector, in 2017 we structured the Sustainable Innovation Strategy. In this way, we ensured the continuation of process efficiency (industrial ecology), as we had done since the Group’s foundation, and the articulation of our initiatives with the other actors in the chain to multiply efforts.

Since then, through management lines, we have worked on developments under the principles of eco-design with customers, participating in initiatives to close the loop and in bills involving plastic through collective scenarios, contributing to the well-being of the communities where we operate, strengthening internal and external communications related to sustainability; we started up the largest post-consumer flexible packaging plant in Colombia, and obtained carbon neutral certification for all our companies.

The lessons learned from previous initiatives, in addition to the growing threat to the material, led us to conclude that we should focus our efforts on educating all actors in the chain, from our collaborators to citizens and decision-makers.

Where is plastic needed? Where is it not needed? Where is it applied as the most sustainable solution?

Plastilene University

“We have people who are trained, who love to do things well and who are committed to the company. They are our main differentiator and today we are proud to celebrate their great commitment with the first graduation of Plastilene University”.

Stefano Pacini, President of Plastilene Group. March 2021

The educational initiative “Plastilene University” began in July 2017 as an internal space, which seeks that employees share their knowledge in a strategic, forceful and agile way. Understanding the importance of them being the first multipliers of the Sustainable Innovation Strategy, it was decided to design a first module or diploma course to socialize this strategy and its progress in the Group.

Subsequently, when the new virtual platform was launched, sustainability was again a relevant topic and the second module, much more interactive and participatory, was taught. It was such a success that 236 employees graduated and in recognition of their effort and dedication they were named sustainability ambassadors for Plastilene Group.

Two years later, the third sustainable innovation module begins, planned and guided by all management leaders and expert collaborators.

28 sessions, which run from March to November 2022, are aimed at all the Group’s employees, both administrative and plant personnel in Colombia, Ecuador, Central America and North America.

This is the syllabus of the new edition:

• Carbon footprint and carbon neutrality
• Legislation in Colombia, Ecuador, North America and Central America
• Sustainable portfolio
• Circular economy and post-consumer plant
• Sustainability with customers and suppliers
• Social commitment

Throughout the program, we will present the progress and results we have achieved as an organization internally and externally (synergy between the actors in the chain), as well as new global trends.

We are one step ahead as an innovative Group, thanks to commitment and involvement of our employees.