Gestcompost, a Suma Capital majority-owned organic waste management company, this year finished construction and began operations on its new treatment plant allowing it to more than double its waste treatment capacity.

The new plant, located just 80 km from Madrid, can treat 700,000 tonnes of non-hazardous organic waste including sludge, municipal solid waste, livestock, and food waste. Spain currently recycles the least amount of waste in the EU. Only 36.7% of municipal waste is composted or recycled, significantly less than the EU average of 49.6%.

Gestcompost has expanded its renewable energy production by upgrading its biogas generating facilities. Suma and Nippon Gases this year supported Gestcompost in financing the construction of two biogas upgrading plants within its waste management facilities.

"At Suma Capital, we're committed to catalysing positive change and shaping a more prosperous future through sustainable and impact investing. Our investment in initiatives like Gestcompost in 2023 propels us toward our purpose, mirroring our continuous endeavours for sustainable growth," said Enrique Tombas, co-founder and president of Suma Capital."

Having initially taken a 40% stake in Gestcompost in 2020, Suma increased this to a 60% stake in 2022, and 66% in 2023. Suma increased its stake in Gestcompost to enable its expansion and the construction of the new treatment plant.

One IMPACT Awards judge commented that Gestcompost "plays a pivotal role in the circular economy and is a great example of how a 20-year-old company can transform". Another complimented its "circular economy approach to dealing with waste, with lots of impact generated at scale throughout the value chain".

Since Suma's initial investment, Gestcompost has doubled its earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA).