Milan, 22 March 2022. Four events - Ipack-Ima, Greenplast, Print4All and Intralogistica Italia - with a single objective: to present the market with the best of instrumental mechanics and tell about the most innovative solutions dedicated to the various industrial production sectors.

The Innovation Alliance will be back at Fiera Milano from 3 to 6 May: a supply chain proposal ranging from the most sustainable solutions for the processing of plastic and paper to their graphic customisation, from food and non-food processing and packaging to the handling and storage of goods.

A SUMMIT FOR GROWTH IN THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY

With two months to go until the event, the partners of The Innovation Alliance, in collaboration with Fiera Milano, have decided to organise a Summit aimed at stakeholders from all industrial sectors. This is a fundamental step forward, designed to initiate a shared reflection on the circular economy, a conceptual framework within which the theme of sustainable development, a key element in the evolution of industrial models, fits in.

Organised by Business International, a division of Fiera Milano specialising in the conception and realisation of events and training, the Circular Economy Summit - Artificial Intelligence and Circular Economy Models: Towards a Regenerative Industrial Ecosystem will be held on 23 March, starting at 9.30, entirely in digital format, and can be followed, according to user preference, in both Italian and English.

A morning of work that, through the intervention of international keynote speakers and a round table involving CEOs from the main industrial and distribution sectors, will explore the interaction between two major emerging trends, Artificial Intelligence and the Circular Economy, and how AI represents the most powerful boost to accelerate the transition towards a new model of production and consumption.

The aim is to inspire reflection on the urgency of a virtuous ecosystem and a non-linear economy, in which today's goods can represent tomorrow's resources and which is based on the principle of "closing the loop", the closing of the life cycles of products, services, waste, materials, water and energy.

REFLECTIONS ON THE PHENOMENON AND NEW PERSPECTIVES

Moderated by Mariangela Pira, journalist of Sky Tg 24, the speeches will start with a reflection on the new industrial models deriving from regenerative industrial ecosystems by Alice Bodreau, Strategic Partners Manager of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation.

A visionary speech that will introduce the following reflections: from the economic scenario and future challenges, outlined by Rob Dellink, Senior Economist at OECD, to the new European Governance model described by William Neale, DG Environment's Directorate B-Circular Economy of the European Commission.

The opportunities that the Recovery and Resilience Plan funds can provide for the evolution towards a new model of circular economy will then be analysed, thanks to the contribution of Laura D'Aprile, Head of Department of Ecological Transition and Green Investment of the Ministry of Ecological Transition of the Italian Government.

The first part, dedicated to institutional keynote speakers, will be closed by the intervention of Gianluigi Greco, Full professor in Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Calabria, President of AIxIA- Italian Association for Artificial Intelligence and member of EurAI, who will deepen the interaction between circular economy and artificial intelligence and the role of AI as an accelerator for the realisation of the new economic model.

THE FUTURE SCENARIO: A WORD TO THE CEO

Sustainability today is no longer a choice, but represents an approach that every company must be able to interpret with its resources and its activity. It is therefore important for every company to have a clear strategy and to be able to face the daily challenges of being sustainable.

Per questo, la seconda parte del Summit metterà a confronto in una tavola rotonda CEO di realtà industriali internazionali rappresentative dei principali settori produttivi e della distribuzione che presenteranno le migliori soluzioni esistenti e le best practice a livello globale: Carlotta de Bevilacqua, CEO & President, Artemide; Giulio Bonazzi, CEO, Aquafil; Christophe Rabatel, CEO, Carrefour; Simon Pietro Felice, CEO & General Director, CAVIRO Group; Sara Scrittore, Vice President and General Manager, Southern Europe Hub, Colgate-Palmolive; Nazzarena Franco, CEO, DHL; Lamberto Vallarino Gancia, CEO, Domori – Illy Group; Francesco Pintucci, CEO, Isem Group; Pierroberto Folgiero, CEO & Managing Director, Maire Tecnimont; Radek Jelinek, CEO & President, Mercedes-Benz; Valentina Pasqui, Owner & Managing Director, Pasqui Coating Converting Printing Company; Giuseppe Di Martino, CEO, Pasta Di Martino; Massimo Zonca, Board member, Poplast.

A unique opportunity to discover examples of excellence, which will tell how their models and industrial choices are evolving and give concrete evidence of their practical experience and how these actions can contribute positively to the future of the entire planet and reduce the impact on future generations.

On the way to the trade fairs, the Summit will therefore provide an opportunity to spread knowledge and create new awareness on a topic - the Circular Economy - which, together with increasing digitalisation and Industry 4.0, is revolutionising the industrial world, imposing new skills, new professionalism, but also renewed awareness. Issues that will also be the focus of the exhibitions opening on May 3 - Ipack-Ima, Greenplast, Print4All e Intralogistica Italia -, when companies of the entire supply chain will present concrete technological applications that, at the technological level, will contribute to the development of manufacturing in a circular perspective.

The Circular Economy Summit will take place on 23 March.

Registration is free, after registering on the websites of The Innovation Alliance partner events.