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"The campaign A Second Life. Circular Economy Models", through which the Sustainable Solutions Association presents alongside Stratos concrete examples of transitioning from a linear business model to a circular one, reached over 1 million views last year.
The project showcases the story of Romanian companies or those with a presence in Romania that have managed to become more sustainable while remaining profitable. Or even became more profitable due to sustainable transformations.
In practice, people were able to see online, on Social Media, especially on LinkedIn, six video reports with examples of good practice in circular economy. In which we highlighted the competitiveness such initiatives can bring.
Decathlon admitted, for example, that at every store it opened in Romania, it also launched a repair workshop beside it. And how this meant a smart business move for them.
From Perla Harghitei we learned why they are committed to maintaining a returnable bottle system in a market where plastic is dominant.
An important lesson about the first risk the circular economy solves, that of raw material scarcity, was provided by Ambro. The factory in Suceava that started using waste paper for cardboard manufacturing instead of wood, first out of necessity. And only then out of choice, as they understood the financial advantages.
The "Second Life" campaign also revealed a premiere in Romania in the field of perfumes. A refill station opened by L'Oreal in a mall in Bucharest, as part of a broader program to transform single-use cosmetic packaging into reusable packaging.
Surprising was also the statement from a large chicken producer in Romania, Transavia, that it manages to salvage up to 99% of the waste produced in factories. How exactly, we went to Alba to see with our own eyes.
And the cherry on top came from Xerox, the company that invented the first photocopy and who has managed to convince its clients not to photocopy anymore, in a concrete example of circular economy.
"Presenting models of good practice in business is very relevant. Because, honestly, people do not mobilize from concepts, but from examples. When you see a company that has already taken the step and succeeded, it no longer seems like 'nice theory', but something possible for you.
We faced the lack of success stories. I actually searched a lot in the past to provide examples from Romania of circular economy practices on various occasions, seminars, conferences and could not find any. Or I couldn’t find them presented attractively, but through press articles or texts on websites. And not because good things are not happening, but because many remain 'inside', not shown. And then the market has the impression that there are no real solutions, just talk.
I believe these examples give courage and inspiration, ideas, and maybe an easier path: 'Look how others did it, what they struggled with and what worked.' Additionally, they make sustainability more human and credible—a change that can make sense and have results." (Luminița Roșca, CEO Stratos)
The project actually demonstrated that change is not impossible and, above all, it is not just for small firms that move faster. Rather, all the examples provided in 2025 show old, traditional companies that have been active in production or retail for decades, and for which transforming the business model is certainly more difficult than for a start-up. If it can be done by giants, it can also be done by SMEs, the main engine of the Romanian economy. Because this is, in fact, the goal of the project: to inspire action.
The project "A Second Life. Circular Economy Models" started in 2024. You can see all the episodes here.
