The success of the Just Go Zero project on Tilos Island in Greece, which transformed the island into the world’s first zero-waste island, shows that implementing sustainable solutions largely depends on influencing behavior.

The INSEAD Sustainable Business Initiative (SBI) has partnered with Polygreen, a network of companies that offers circular economy solutions, to explore how this model can be extended to other islands and parts of the world.

Atalay Atasu, Professor of Technology and Management and academic director of INSEAD SBI, and Imran Gill, CEO for the Middle East at Polygreen, discuss how Tilos can serve as a role model for sustainable and circular systems, and how their collaboration can help organizations move from inspiration to execution.

The success of the Just Go Zero project on Tilos Island in Greece, which transformed the island into the world’s first zero-waste island, shows that implementing sustainable solutions largely depends on influencing behavior. Polygreen has achieved boundary-stretching success by removing public bins from the island and implementing education programs to encourage waste sorting and recycling among residents and tourists.

As part of their research collaboration, INSEAD faculty and SBI researchers will conduct empirical research in Tilos, focusing on operation, marketing, and consumer behavior. The Tilos initiative demonstrates how businesses can be a force for good, and academic-industry collaboration can lay the groundwork for impactful research and tangible outcomes.