Flip Study: 7 out of 10 of the companies participating in the study state that they apply at least one principle specific to circular economy

Flip, the young Romanian start-up that encourages circular economy and more responsible consumption habits by refurbishing phones and tablets that they re-introduce on the market as new, announces the results of a study on the level of familiarity with the principles of circular economy among companies in Romania. Both Flip Business customers and non-customers participated in the study, which was carried out together with iZi data.

The study was carried out on a sample of representatives of 631 companies in Romania, and was launched during the first Flip conference dedicated to the business environment: Flip Sustainability in Business Talks. The study report can be downloaded for free from the event’s website.

The main findings of the study show that 77% of Flip Business customers already apply circular economy principles, as well as 71% of companies in the general sample. Regarding future interest in adopting these principles, among Flip customers the percentage is 63%, while for other companies it is 60%.

For more than half of the companies, regardless of the sample, the main solutions specific to circular economy that they use are the reuse of products and materials, the recycling of products and materials, and the repair of products and materials, with the particularity that among Flip customers reuse comes first, versus the purchase of durable goods and services in the case of the general sample. 50% of companies in the general population and 55% of Flip Business client companies included in the study say that access to circular economy is within their reach. This is especially noticeable among companies that have between 10 and 49 employees (62% among Flip Business client companies and 59% among companies in the general sample).

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The main hurdles faced by companies in adopting the principles of circular economy are, for Flip Business clients: familiarity with current procedures/resistance to change from employees, etc. – 45%; lack of resources and specialized knowledge in the field of sustainability and circular economy – 41%; financial – more expensive purchases, amortization of long-term costs, high initial costs, etc. – 37%.

In the case of the companies in the general sample, the main barriers are: lack of resources and specialized knowledge, which takes the first place (51%), followed by financial reasons (48%), and for 43% of them, the list of obstacles is completed by regulations and insufficient or unclear public policies in the field, but also the low availability of products and services in the recyclable/refurbished category.

Regarding the motivations to adopt the principles of the circular economy, companies, both Flip Business customers and non-customers, mainly state that they are motivated by aspects such as the advantage of saving (73% & 69%), the seriousness of the climate situation (54% & 56%), but also financial reasons – subsidies, grants, etc. (30% & 41%).

During Flip Sustainability in Business Talks, Luminița Roșca (Stratos), Alexandru Laibăr(CERC), Constantin Damov (Green Group), Magdalena Caramilea (Autonom), Alina Saiu (Raiffeisen Bank), spoke about the solutions that currently exist on the Romanian market for companies attentive to their impact on the environment. The event continued with a discussion between Dan Palage (eMAG), Iulia Dorobanțu (Charger.ro), Lelia Mancaș (Edenred), Aurelia Patulea (BCR), Cosmina Gurneanu (UiPath), about solutions implemented in companies with the help of Flip Business.

The event was completed by a discussion about the Sustainability Code, together with Gabriela Ciulacu Bițan (Department for Sustainable Development – Government of Romania), and by the presentation of the essential steps in making the sustainability report of a Romanian company, by Sarah Maria Joițoiu (Group Head of Sustainability, eMAG). The event was presented and moderated by Teodora Tompea, journalist, entrepreneur and creator of the show Planeta ești tu on Digi24.