What happened in November? Read the summary of the last month at Interzero

Presentations at industry events, training and campaigns, and educational workshops - although the end of the year is approaching and the atmosphere of the holidays is already in the air, we are still working intensively at Interzero. We kindly invite you to read the summary of November in the Interzero Group in Poland, in which we will briefly present the most important events of the past month.

Interzero's Environmental Sustainability Dashboard is now licensed by the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)! This is another step for us to make ESG reporting easy and accessible for every company. At the same time, we want our tool to be reliable. Through the GRI Licensing Software & Tools Program, GRI ensures that our Environmental Sustainability Dashboard accurately and efficiently incorporates GRI standards, based on best practices. Key benefits of our programme include accurate sustainability reporting, helping to meet legal requirements, and attracting stakeholders - through reliable and transparent reporting. We are almost certain that even companies that will not be subject to ESG reporting will have to keep records if they want to cooperate with larger entities.

This month, Interzero had the pleasure of being a guest at the ITTF Warsaw international trade fair, one of the largest events in the tourism industry, where partners involved in the development and promotion of this sector come together. Our representative, Przemysław Kuna, Managing Director of Interzero, took part in the panel discussion entitled “The impact of supplier selection on the carbon neutrality of business travel. How does sustainable development policy affect business travel management”. Przemysław argued that industry players who have not yet taken an interest in ESG should not be ruled out. The speakers discussed not only business travel, but also fleet electrification and infrastructure in Poland.

In addition, Przemyslaw also took part in the Rzeczpospolita debate: “How to reconcile fire with water, or the needs of businesses and cities in relation to the ROP whilst work on the Act is underway” , which took place at the newspaper’s editorial office as part of the “Fight for the climate” series. Our expert took a clear stance – at Interzero, we support a free-market and transparent model of extended producer responsibility. Everyone wants to know what they are paying for and why the cost is so high. We do not want businesses to become merely a target onto which further financial obligations can be imposed. We encourage you to read the article summarising the debate here .

At the end of November, Łukasz Pachucki conducted the second in-person training at our headquarters in Łódź, this time under the slogan 'Environmental Protection Inspection Control in an Enterprise'. We are very happy that we managed to implement this project in smaller groups. The exchange of knowledge, experience and the opportunity to ask any questions to an expert allows for an in-depth study of the subject. The companies whose employees came to the training already know every step of the inspection, and thanks to the Q&A session and the possibility of consulting our expert after the training, they have prepared guidelines and plans to ensure that the inspection of the Environmental Protection Inspectorate goes smoothly. We would like to thank the instructor for the substantive workshop and all participants for their trust - we hope to see you at the next in-person training!

On the initiative of the Interzero Ecological Education Team, in cooperation with the Bęc Zmiana Foundation, on 23 November, the "Waste Architecture" workshop was held in one of Warsaw's theatres . The meeting focused on, among other things, new legal regulations concerning waste. They are inextricably linked to the creation of appropriate urban, residential and communication space. Through the prism of their own experiences from many industries, participants created ideas for new solutions that could, for example, help consumers to actively participate in the deposit system. Architects Michał Sikorski and Petro Vladimirov, as well as artist Zofia Strumiłło-Sukiennik, were invited to the workshop. The choice was not accidental - each of the presenters tackles the subject of waste in a different way. The workshops were part of the "Happiness Research Laboratory. Life after Comfort-Century', an artistic and research project.

On 29 November, the Kraków Museum of Photography hosted a debate entitled “Look! Does it work?”, during which we focused on the topic of social campaigns about waste. This marked a continuation of Interzero’s collaboration with this cultural institution. The discussion was prompted by Interzero’s research projects “Between plus and minus” and “Getting into trouble”, which suggest that young adults are less engaged with environmental issues. The speakers included: Alicja Waszkiewicz-Raviv, who specialises in visual communication and campaign effectiveness; Dominika Lenkowska-Piechocka, founder of the agency Who Will Save The Planet; and Edyta Mantorska – head of the Ecological Education Team at Interzero. The debate was preceded by a workshop for young people.

We ended the month with a partnership with BWA Wrocław on the "Limited Exhibition" project. At 9–10 Plac Kościuszki in the capital of Lower Silesia, seven sculptures by Kasia Fudakowski will be on display until 16 February. One of the main themes of the exhibition is the issue of limited resources in the context of production; the artist was inspired to create the exhibition by reflecting on how “culture and art are inextricably linked to the energy resources available on Earth and the power structures that manage these resources”. The artist has handed control of the exhibition over to the audience whilst limiting the energy that powers it. The question is therefore whether every visitor will be able to see the exhibition in exactly the same way. The Interzero Ecological Education Team, in collaboration with the institution, has prepared a December educational programme that thoroughly explores the topic of electronic waste.

November marked the end of the “Charge Your Batteries” social campaign, which had been running since September as part of the Eko Bez Kantów project, under the patronage of the Małgosia Braunek Foundation and Be, and in collaboration with the Mindy app. During the project, a series of free webinars took place, where participants had the opportunity to meet online with independent experts. We discussed ecopsychology, the benefits of forest bathing, somatic practices to relieve stress, and a healthy diet for both the body and the planet. In addition, participants in the campaign could gain premium access to the Mindy app by posting photos on their social media showing them disposing of batteries, using the hashtag ##chargeyourbatteries.

November was a month full of educational, as well as socio-cultural events. We would like to thank all Interzero employees involved in the above-mentioned activities, as well as partners for inviting us to cooperate - joint intersectional workshops and debates are something that always brings people closer and provides more opportunities for development and broader education of society about the essence of sustainable development.