Open Discussion: Business Community and Sustainable Waste Management

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YEREVAN, Armenia – On June 12, 2020, the American University of Armenia (AUA) Acopian Center for the Environment, the American Chamber of Commerce of Armenia (AmCham) and its Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) Committee Waste Management Working Group, European Business Association Armenia (EBA), and Union of Manufacturers and Businesses of Armenia (UMBA) jointly organized a webinar titled “Business Community and Sustainable Waste Management.”

The webinar is part of the initiative started by AmCham’s FMCG Committee Waste Management Working Group. It followed an open discussion on solid waste management international case studies in October 2019, where leading experts shared the best practices for Armenia and highlighted the importance of the dialogue between the government and private sector in creating a responsible business environment.

Karine Sarkissian, the executive director of AmCham, and Alen Amirkhanian, the director of AUA Acopian Center for the Environment, gave welcome remarks. Harutyun Alpetyan, the circular economy expert at the AUA Acopian Center for the Environment, presented the RA legislation and management systems for packaging and other business waste, such as EPR, voluntary-based systems, and others. Elina Markaryan, the vice president of AmCham, and Alexander Babaskin, the regulatory affairs manager at BU Ukraine CCHBC, spoke about the business communities’ approaches to sustainable waste management systems, the importance of raising awareness on those systems, and the Ukrainian experience. The webinar was concluded with a question and answer session. The decision was made to continue the cooperation between the business chambers, business community, and public sector. 

The objective of the seminar was to raise awareness about environmental issues and motivate Armenia’s business community into action on environmental commitments, including those highlighted in the EU-Armenia Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA). The webinar engaged relevant stakeholders, such as business chambers, industry representatives, and international organizations. Together they brainstormed on actions that the business community can take to advance the sustainable waste management agenda in Armenia. Government representatives were also invited to ensure that their perspectives and efforts are taken into consideration. With everything taken into account, the stakeholders presented an action plan. 

The AUA Acopian Center for the Environment, a research center of the American University of Armenia, promotes the protection and restoration of the natural environment through research, education, and community outreach. The AUA Acopian Center’s focus areas include sustainable natural resource management, biodiversity and conservation, greening the built environment, clean energy, and energy efficiency, as well as information technology and the environment.