Eleven conversations with experts, public institutions, businesses and researchers to understand how the decisions shaping the ecological transition are made.
How is sustainability measured? Who defines the criteria that guide public procurement? How do environmental policies become concrete decisions capable of influencing the economy, markets and people’s quality of life?
These are some of the questions at the heart of Con Criterio – How Sustainability Decisions Are Made, the new video podcast co-produced by Fondazione Ecosistemi and EconomiaCircolare.com, hosted by journalist Raffaele Lupoli. The series was created to shed light on what often remains behind the scenes of public policymaking: the process through which ideas, strategies and regulations are transformed into decisions capable of driving change.
Each episode explores one of the major challenges of the ecological transition through conversations with leading voices from public institutions, academia, business and the wider sustainability community. From Minimum Environmental Criteria (CAM) and Green Public Procurement (GPP) to the circular economy and European policies, Con Criterio offers an accessible space for in-depth discussion, explaining not only what decisions are made, but also how and why they take shape.
Rather than being a generic podcast about sustainability, Con Criterio focuses on decision-making processes, policy tools and the expertise required to turn sustainability goals into concrete action. The project’s vision is best expressed by its promoters.
“Every public procurement decision goes far beyond the signing of a contract: it shapes markets, drives innovation and generates tangible impacts on the environment, the economy and people’s quality of life. With Con Criterio, we want to show that sustainability is built first and foremost through informed decisions and an open exchange of expertise. Giving a voice to experts, public institutions, associations and businesses means demonstrating how public procurement can become a powerful driver of the ecological transition, strengthen industrial competitiveness and create value for society. Understanding how these decisions are made ultimately means understanding how the future is built”, says Silvano Falocco, Director of Fondazione Ecosistemi.
“In 2025, Italy’s public procurement market exceeded €309 billion. Every time a public authority decides what to purchase and according to which criteria, it does much more than carry out an administrative procedure: it shapes the market and creates opportunities for companies investing in sustainable products and services. This is why we created Con Criterio: a space for dialogue with the people who deal with the complexity of sustainability every day, applying regulations, testing procedures and understanding both their opportunities and limitations. Sharing this expertise is the best way to make decision-making processes more transparent and accessible“, says Alessandra De Santis, President of Editrice Circolare and General Coordinator of EconomiaCircolare.com.
First episodes
The first season opens with Claudia Brunori, Director of ENEA’s Department for Sustainability, Circularity and Climate Change Adaptation of Production and Territorial Systems, discussing the role of research and assessment tools in supporting the ecological transition.
The second episode features Fabio Ciconte, President of Terra! Association and Chair of the Rome Food Council, exploring the relationship between food systems, public food policies and sustainability.
The third episode welcomes Fabio Iraldo, Full Professor of Management at the Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies in Pisa, who offers his perspective on the circular economy, corporate sustainability strategies and the risks of greenwashing.
A project born from dialogue
The first episodes were recorded during Forum Compraverde Buygreen 2026, Italy’s leading event dedicated to sustainable and green public procurement policies and practices. For two days, the Forum also became a dedicated production space. Alongside conferences and public debates, a purpose-built studio hosted the recording of the first episodes, bringing together some of the country’s leading experts in sustainability, public procurement and the circular economy.
This was no coincidence. For over twenty years, the Forum has been a place where public institutions, public authorities, businesses, researchers and civil society come together to exchange ideas and experiences. Con Criterio extends that dialogue beyond the event itself, making it accessible to a wider audience.
Each episode has a clear purpose: to make complex topics easier to understand and to show how every criterion, regulation and public decision contributes to shaping a more sustainable development model.
The first episodes will be available from 29 July on YouTube and Spotify.
