Averda CEO calls for greater collaboration at World Economic Forum talks

Europe Uncategorized

On the opening day of World Economic Forum that took place in Davos during 20-23 January 2016, Mr Malek Sukkar, Averda’s Chief Executive Officer attended “Defining the Road Ahead” panel aimed at analysing the circular economy principles, currently considered by the world business leaders to be an engine for growth and innovation in their respective regions.

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Mr Malek Sukkar, Averda’s Chief Executive Officer

Mr. Sukkar’s intervention analysed the role held by the circular economy principles in supporting sustainable urban development in emerging economies, with particular emphasis on the current level of infrastructure existent in emerging markets. The robustness of driving forward the founding ideals of a circular economy is dependent on the contextual realities of waste – often, in developing economies, a less than adequate waste collection, treatment and disposal can have a significant economic impact on the local societies and their development, Averda having observed this trend in the emerging markets it operates in.

Less known by the Governments in emerging economies is the fact that plastics production, use and disposal has significant drawbacks: $80-120 billion plastic packaging material value is lost each year and it is estimated that, by 2050, the oceans will contain more plastics than fish. These were the findings of a new report released by the World Economic Forum and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation in Davos last week. The Report entitled The New Plastics Economy: Rethinking the future of plastics is part of Project MainStream–the first vision of a global economy in which plastics never become waste.

Averda was paramount in the elaboration of this report given that Project MainStream is a multi-industry, global initiative launched in 2014 and led by the chief executive officers of nine global companies, Averda’s Malek Sukkar being one of them. Mentioning “The New Plastics Economy: Rethinking the future of plastics” in his World Economic Forum panel intervention, Averda’s Chief Executive Officer underlined the fact that the report’s stark findings focus on systemic stalemates in global material flows that are too big or too complex for an individual business, city or government to overcome alone, as well as on enablers of the circular economy such as digital technologies.

Mr. Sukkar said: “Achieving the systemic change needed to shift the global plastic value chain will require major collaboration efforts between all stakeholders across the global plastics value chain – consumer goods companies, plastic packaging producers and plastics manufacturers, businesses involved in collection, sorting and reprocessing, cities, policymakers and Non-Governmental organisations.

“If our economic development and resource consumption continue in the current rhythm, by 2050 plastics will represent 20% of world’s oil consumption and 15% of the global annual carbon budget. Being one of founding members of Project MainStream, Averda has contributed to setting a sustainable vision of the New Plastics Economy, one where plastics never become waste – rather, they re-enter the economy as valuable technical or biological nutrients.”

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averda is the largest environmental solutions provider in the Middle East and Africa region, specializing in integrated resources management.

averda is at the forefront of innovation in the regional market, providing sustainable solutions and more than 35 years of experience in the effective management of waste for both private and public sector clients across pedestrian, residential, commercial and industrial areas.

averda’s extensive portfolio of services range from street cleaning to waste collection, treatment, disposal and recycling. The company’s capabilities also include the development of solutions for water, wastewater and solid waste for public, residential, commercial, and industrial sectors, all within a sustainable framework that respects the natural environment. 
averda also designs and implements full-scale solutions to recover valuable and recyclable resources like paper, metals, and water.

Serving in excess of 9 million people every day, averda currently operates in full compliance with international standards for quality control throughout Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Qatar, Kingdom of Bahrain, Republic of Ireland, Morocco, Angola, Jordan, Gabon and South Africa.