On March 20, the Círculo Ecuestre Impact Committee, in collaboration with CaixaBank, held the 2nd Session of the Tourism, Mobility, and Food Series: Building a Sustainable Future, with a panel of high-level experts including Estefanía Soler, Sustainability Leader at Hutchison Ports BEST; Josep Serveto, CEO of Serveto; and Jordi Aycart, Director of Sustainability at Nestlé Spain.
The day began with a welcome from Elena Carandini, president of the club's Impact Committee, who emphasized the need for conversations about sustainability to translate into concrete actions: "Positive impact is not optional; it is one of the virtues of leaders with impact", she stated. "We want this session to be not only a space for reflection, but for action, because the future is not decided by a grand global strategy, but by the thousands of small decisions we make every day", she added, leading into the next presentation.
Next, Caterina Escrig, Manager of Sustainability for Business Banking at CaixaBank, highlighted the key role of financial institutions in the ecological transition: “Companies that do their homework on sustainability will have a greater competitive advantage and generate more future cash flow”. The financial institution's sustainability expert stated that “the first step in any business transformation is conviction, a real commitment to sustainability”. “At financial institutions, we support the business community to offer useful financial advice and solutions that serve as a driving force to boost the transition toward a more sustainable economy”, she added.
Jordi Torrent, Head of Strategy at the Port of Barcelona, was responsible for introducing the panel of experts. During his remarks, he emphasized the importance of decarbonizing the sector and electrifying port docks: “International trade continues to grow, and we must commit to sustainability to maintain competitiveness”. “Even today, for Spain and Catalonia, the main trading partner remains the rest of the European Union”. "The decarbonization of the Port of Barcelona is a priority, with measures such as the electrification of docks and the use of renewable energy", he added.
During the roundtable discussion, moderated by Caterina Escrig, the speakers shared their experiences in the transformation of transport and logistics: Estefanía Soler, Sustainability Leader at Hutchison Ports BEST, presented the terminal's sustainability model, the most efficient in Southern Europe: "Our terminal reduces the carbon footprint per container by 67% compared to other conventional terminals". "We are the heart of logistics: we operate 24/7 in a clean and safe manner, contributing to a sustainable supply chain". "Our goal is to be an emission-free terminal by 2040". She also shared with attendees the benefits the terminal provides to its various users: "Semi-automation and operational efficiency reduce the time spent by ships, trucks, and trains at the terminal and, consequently, greenhouse gas emissions".
Josep Serveto, CEO of Serveto, addressed the issue of land transport and the shortage of drivers in Europe: “We are investing in intermodality, combining truck and train, which has allowed us to reduce more than 23,000 tons of CO₂ since 2020”. “Transportation is strategic, but often invisible. If one day we don't find a product on the shelves, it's because transportation has failed”. “94% of trucks still use diesel. Moving to a 100% sustainable fleet requires time and realistic solutions”. “Today, most transport companies are small and don't have sustainability plans in place. It's a huge challenge for the sector.”
Finally, Jordi Aycart, Director of Sustainability at Nestlé Spain, shared the company's commitment to sustainability throughout the entire value chain “from farm to fork” with the goal of leading the way in sustainable food. Thus, the executive emphasized, “we are collaborating with farmers at source to develop regenerative agriculture practices to improve biodiversity and reduce environmental impact throughout the value chain. Furthermore, if we focus on our factories that produce coffee for both consumers and out-of-home customers, located in Tarragona and Girona, all the green coffee, glass containers, and packaging that arrives there is delivered via trucks that use more sustainable alternative fuels”. Furthermore, the executive noted that the instant coffee and capsule factory located in Girona is “the largest in the world for Nestlé coffee production” and that “it is characterized by having biomass boilers that transform the coffee grounds resulting from the instant coffee manufacturing process into steam”. He explained that, “Starting in June, 80% of the steam we use in our Girona factory will come from the biomass generated by the coffee grounds themselves, enhancing the circularity of this raw material”.
The meeting highlighted that the transformation of transport and logistics toward a more sustainable model is a shared challenge that requires collaboration between companies, governments, and financial institutions. It also served to highlight emerging trends in alternative fuels, such as hydrogen and biofuels, and the potential of rail as one of the most sustainable solutions for the future.
The Círculo Ecuestre, through its Impact Committee, thus reaffirms its commitment to sustainability and the promotion of spaces for dialogue that contribute to generating a positive impact on society and the environment.