On October 16th, "INSIGHTS FURNCIRCLE 2024" took place, a webinar organized by FederlegnoArredo focused on presenting the results of the first European survey on the circular transition in the furniture sector to the Italian public. 

The survey, a cornerstone of the project, aimed to gather essential data at the European level to assess the maturity of businesses in their journey towards a circular economy. It was structured to explore four key areas: monitoring the development of the circular economy, product information, sustainability management, and knowledge of European Union regulations.

The findings revealed that, out of 109 participating companies, 59% have yet to implement a sustainability training program. This represents a significant challenge, particularly for micro and small enterprises, which show a lag compared to medium and large companies; about half of the latter have already started training initiatives in this area. Another critical theme highlighted was the importance of monitoring emissions, a fundamental element of the circular economy. Monitoring enables companies to evaluate the environmental impact throughout the product life cycle, contributing not only to improved sustainability but also to enhanced corporate reputation. Embracing the circular economy brings tangible benefits, such as strengthened brand value, increased customer loyalty, and innovation opportunities.

The webinar saw the participation of 40 professionals from the sector eager to gain a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities related to the circular transition.

The upcoming results of the project, designed to help companies in the sector accelerate their transition to sustainability, will include a Guide for developing Circular Economy practices, that  will feature, among other things, 30 strategies and 385 best practices developed by European companies, as well as a Self-Assessment Tool to measure companies' maturity level regarding the circular transition.

For updates on the publication of these tools and the project's progress, we recommend subscribing to the newsletter available here: FurnCircle Newsletter.