The Quito Metropolitan Convention Center was the scene of the Ekos Sustainability Summit 2025, held on April 23 and 24. This event brought together business leaders, social organizations, educational institutions and citizens committed to building a more sustainable future. For two days, conferences, panels and immersive experiences were held that addressed issues such as the circular economy, plastic pollution and gender equity.
ReciVeci® was present with a stand during the summit, whose central focus was the card game “Do we do Match?”. Those who visited our space had to combine solutions with different challenges related to recycling and waste management. Five cards were offered, designed for different audiences: homes, businesses, events, mass-market companies and brands. Each letter promoted reflection on strategic alliances, sustainable practices and the importance of including grassroots recyclers in circular economy models. Upon completing the game, participants obtained symbolic prizes such as magnets and tarot cards that they remembered to recycle with ReciApp.
The summit was also the scene of the panel “Plastic Pollution: A Battle That Cannot Be Lost”, with the participation of Lorena Gallardo, co-founder and innovation manager of ReciVeci®; Javier Díaz Crespo, director of corporate affairs and new businesses at Enkador S.A.; Alejandro Luque, representative of Latin America of the Children and Youth Major Group to the UN Environment Programme; and Andrés Silva Villalobos, circular economy program officer at WWF-Ecuador, who moderated the panel.
During her speech, Lorena stressed that there is no single formula to address the problem of plastic waste. He pointed out that upstream solutions must be built, with business models that work in each territory and that focus on those who have historically supported recycling in our cities.
“We have to worry more and more about the issue of plastics and solid waste. That's the reason why ReciveCI exists, to create a sustainable business model where grassroots recyclers are the protagonists,” he said.
The second day of the summit included the talk “The Recipe for the Future”, where Lorena Gallardo and Paola Caicedo, corporate communications manager at McDonald's Ecuador, presented an initiative that demonstrates how closing the recycling cycle is possible. More than 667,000 polyboard cups have been collected by basic recyclers, who receive fair payment for their service. These cups are transformed by Tork into paper and napkins, which are then reincorporated into the McDonald's system. The initiative has benefited more than 100 people and has prevented the issuance of more than 20 tons of CO2-eq.
ReciVeci®'s participation in the summit made it clear that talking about sustainability can also be fun, participatory and transformative. We thank all the people who came to play, talk and share ideas. We are excited to think about the alliances that will emerge from this meeting to continue promoting fair, local recycling with a grassroots approach.
