SMILEce

Sustainable microbreweries learning in a Circular Economy Europe. Introducing Circular Economy schemes in SMILE certification

As part of our strategy for Europe 2020, the European Commission has chosen to respond to these challenges by moving to a more restorative economic system that drives substantial and lasting improvements of our resource productivity. The circular economy is a sustainability-concept that is embraced by an increasing number of decision makers and companies.
The main idea is, to ensure the re-usage of resources, in a way that products are made to be made again. The circular economy reacts on the most urgent questions of mankind, like depletion of resources, pollution, inequalities and climate change. The SMILECE project aims to enforce the philosophy and activities to promote circular economy within the Beer Brewing sector across the entire EU region.

Objectives: What do you want to achieve by implementing the project?

The SMILECE project, more specifically, targets the ever evolving Craft Beer/independent Brewery industry in Europe, and builds on the outputs of the previous SMILE* project.
SMILECE is offering incumbents and new entrants, exposure to new techniques, culture and ideas from circular economy (CE) which has recently gained traction in European policymaking as a positive, solutions-based perspective for achieving economic development within increasing environmental constraints. The main outcome of the project will be the SMILEce platform, which together with the learning objects, other resources and its pedagogical model will respond to
both the EU/National priorities and the needs identified within the sector.

Implementation: What activities are you going to implement?
SMILEce project will:
– Identify specific processes and services for circular economy in the entire craft brewing value chain
– Certify (through the learning objects developed in the project) the competences for circular brewing
– Improve and update work-based learning methodologies

Results: What project results and other outcomes do you expect your project to have?
The project will have a positive impact on the brewing landscape in several forms including:-
– Helping develop the business skills of micro-brewers to sustain enterprise and employment and compete effectively against the global multinational beer producers.
– Helping train brewers to develop leadership and responsibility in relation to sustainability and the Circular Economy
– Reinforcing knowledge of the important link between, brewing, agriculture and the natural environment
– Supporting knowledge creation and exchange in the fields of brewing, malting and fermentation science within the increasing environmental constraints of the ‘European Green Deal’
– Developing the competences and competitiveness of the European micro brewing sector and further encourage the positive contribution that European beer can make to the sustainable economy
– Encouraging the ongoing improvement and dissemination of best available practices and techniques in respect of sustainability within the brewing sector
– Supporting the EU’s drive towards sustainable consumption and production

    Results: