The project Praia Circular is implemented in Rio to reduce the use of plastics on the waterfront

The project, developed with the support of iMEX, promotes sustainability in tourism in Rio by establishing actions to reduce the use of plastics – mainly single-use – in commercial operations on the beach, hotels, restaurants, kiosks, and beach huts.    

In 2022, the iMEX student and vice president of Orla Rio, Guilherme Borges, was invited to participate in a workshop promoted by CPAP, which discussed projects to reduce the use of plastics – especially single-use plastics – in the city of Rio de Janeiro. The project “Praia Circular” emerged from the cooperation of the workshop participants and soon received support from Riotur, Orla Rio, and organizations such as ABIH, SindRio, and Rio Convention & Bureau. The pilot project will last for 12 months and is in operation in the region between Posto 3 and Posto 4 on Copacabana beach.  

Guilherme Borges told of having a career-oriented toward entrepreneurship, new businesses, and leading teams, but always working intuitively. “During the master’s degree [iMEX], we were introduced to various thought organization techniques and a wide variety of scientific articles, which were very enriching and changed how I work.” He adds that “courses such as Innovation Management by Professor Paulo Figueiredo, Research Methodology by Professor Joaquim Rubens, and the journey we took on Consulting Project I and II by Professors Augusto Sales and Sami Fouad were essential in this journey.” 

Borges highlights the participation of two other iMEX students during the stage of structuring the project, Daniel Rocha and Priscila Neves, who helped him create one of the actions implemented by the project. The group carried out field research with 50 people to see the economic viability of installing smart drinking fountains for the sale of filtered water on the beach, thus reducing the sale of water in plastic bottles. The first machine has already been installed and sells 500 ml of water for BRL 1.00.  

“Only with good research could we predict a more adequate model. The iMEX coordinator, Professor Augusto Sales, was also fundamental in constructing this part of the project. The materials available in the Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Sustainability course gave us a good guide to format the project, especially the modules on business model design; and the lecture by David Keller on how to build creative confidence was excellent. We used these references a lot to finalize our work” emphasizes Guilherme. 

In early 2023, FGV EBAPE, through the coordinator of iMEX, received representatives from the CPAP, a small delegation from the EU, executives from Orla Rio, sustainability specialists, and professors from FGV EBAPE to discuss solutions for the issue of plastic. The Praia Circular project was presented to Riotur during this meeting, and FGV EBAPE confirmed its support to the initiative encouraging other partners. The meeting was essential in the EU’s decision to offer financial support through its Foreign Policy Instrument, as the project enables knowledge exchange with companies and universities in several European countries. 

For Professor Augusto Sales, who worked with the group in the classroom following the project’s development, Praia Circular is strong evidence that disseminating an entrepreneurial culture in organizations is a great ally in engaging professionals and related parties and creating value for the business. “Praia Circular is an excellent demonstration that innovation and sustainability can go hand in hand for the benefit of organizations and society. By using management and entrepreneurship techniques, combined with environmental awareness, iMEX students are helping to create a pioneering and promising initiative capable of inspiring other companies and sectors to adopt more sustainable practices. It is rewarding to see how the academy can contribute to building a more balanced and prosperous future for all.”  

New options  

The project has already planned surveys to assess the engagement of dwellers and the acceptance of tourists to the implemented actions. In the coming weeks, field tests will be carried out for the acceptance of new products that can replace plastic, such as canned water and packaging made from starch.

Because the project is closely connected to the theme of his master’s thesis, Borges requested – after a conversation with CPAP representatives – to replace the thesis project he had already submitted with a research project integrated with the actions of Praia Circular. 

“I received all the support from the school, and I believe that this was also a determining factor for the project’s approval. I coordinated, along with researchers from Riotur, on the weekend between April 19 and 23, a field survey with 411 national and international tourists on sustainability and tourism. Data from this survey will be used by the Praia Circular project to improve planned actions and to create new solutions. I will also use the data in my thesis, and I am confident that the results can help the development of the project in some way. It is a great joy for me to know that my academic work can somehow help such an important initiative for our city,” he explains. 

For Borges, the connection between academia and industry is essential for academic research to contribute to a more robust and secure entrepreneurial environment in the country.

“Throughout my professional life, I saw several companies and businesses that opened and closed due to lack of planning and, mainly, innovation. I find it very difficult for this culture to be incorporated into entrepreneurs and executives without the support of academia,” he concludes. 

Another important event was the visit of the EU’s Commissioner for the Environment, Oceans, and Fisheries, Virginijus Sinkevičius, who came to Brazil for a meeting with Brazilian authorities to discuss circular economy. The commissioner learned about the main actions of the Praia Circular project, the installation of a vending machine for drinking water, the process of collecting plastic waste along the coast of Rio, and the actions to raise awareness among the population.