At the third ESG Adria Summit, held in Porto Montenegro with over 700 guests from around the world, our initiative, Svaka limenka se računa, was honoured with the Sustainable Innovation of the Year award. The award was shared with our team’s partner, Solagro Smart Recycling, for developing the Smart Flex Return—a mobile collection system for drink cans at outdoor events. In collaboration with Ball, our team successfully implemented this innovative solution.
The Smart Flex Return system is designed to promote and improve packaging recycling. This mobile and user-friendly system incorporates unique technology to ensure the traceability of waste, packaging, and reusable cups, promoting sustainability and minimizing environmental impact. The system was first applied at major events with large crowds, with our team supporting its launch and focusing on encouraging drink can recycling.
Data from one of Europe’s largest music festivals, EXIT, showcases the effectiveness of this innovation. Through the “BE THE RECYCLING SUPERSTAR” activation, our team helped collect more than 40,000 drink cans.
This system was also presented to the public and key institutions as a viable solution for the forthcoming Deposit System. With minimal infrastructure—only a POS scanner, a backpack, or a simple storage bin equipped with an IT system—this solution can be easily implemented at retail and catering facilities, gas stations, and more. The unique technology based on code verification ensures transparency, preventing fraud while paying deposits or bail.
The ESG Adria Summit is Southeast Europe’s leading international business event, focused on advancing sustainability and the ESG agenda, including trade and EU accession standards. The summit brings together influential leaders from business, government, international organizations, civil society, and sustainability experts across the Adria region and beyond. The event was held under the auspices of the President of Montenegro and in partnership with the Government of Montenegro.