Entrevista: Agustín de Saralegui Pérez
Ecoembes – Product Owner specialized in Environmental Services Companies
1. As Product Owner at Ecoembes, how do you turn an initial idea into an app that encourages recycling and ocean protection?
We begin by identifying the problem, as there are still people who do not recycle all the packaging from the products they consume. From this starting point, and leveraging technology and the principles of behavioral economics, our value proposition is an application (RECICLOS) that incentivizes users through individual and collective rewards to drive change and generate a direct impact on the environment.
For us, understanding the user is key. That’s why we continuously conduct interviews, surveys, and other research techniques, allowing us to gain deeper insights into their barriers, habits, and motivations around recycling. These insights become the foundation for designing an intuitive and engaging user experience, incorporating features that not only encourage recycling but also allow users to visualize the positive impact of their actions.
What makes this process most valuable is that it is not static. Agile methodologies allow us to continuously evolve the app through a high-frequency iterative process, where each version incorporates learnings from users and the environment.
2. How do your digital tools help reduce the waste that reaches the ocean, and how do you measure their real impact on marine health?
What we have learned through our qualitative studies is that the main entry motivation for RECICLOS users is to actively contribute to social causes and to improving the environment through recycling. These findings are supported by quantitative data and the app’s own usage metrics, which confirm that our tool successfully engages and retains users in consistent recycling behavior.
Although RECICLOS is still in a testing and national rollout phase, preliminary data is promising. In cities where it is already available, we have observed a significant increase in the use of yellow recycling bins, thereby reducing the amount of waste that ends up in natural environments, including the oceans.
RECICLOS is not just an app; it is a catalyst for change that connects people with the idea that every action counts. By incentivizing recycling through rewards aligned with environmental causes, we enable users to perceive the impact of their decisions, motivating them to become part of a collective effort that protects our seas and oceans for future generations.
3. With RECICLOS, recycled cans and bottles are transformed into support for environmental projects. Could you mention any organizations dedicated to ocean conservation that you have supported?
Since the launch of the application, RECICLOS users have actively contributed, through their recycling actions, to various environmental organizations working to protect the oceans, such as Oceánidas and Alnitak, among others. In addition, we have promoted conservation projects focused on wetlands and marine species such as the seahorse.
4. With the rapid evolution of technology, are you exploring the use of artificial intelligence, data analytics, or other digital tools to improve your applications and enhance ocean protection?
RECICLOS is a technology-based project designed to digitalize the recycling habit and bring it closer to new users. We use artificial intelligence to recognize the packaging scanned by users and to identify the containers where they are deposited.
Decision-making is always grounded in a scientific approach, guided by data analysis and experimentation. Through usage analytics and the study of behavioral patterns, we identify which aspects of the app drive the highest engagement, where improvement opportunities exist, and how to optimize retention. This iterative, learning-driven approach allows us to prioritize our roadmap strategically, maximizing both environmental impact and user satisfaction.
5. What makes you a Blue Storydoer?
There is one principle that has guided my professional journey for years: aligning the business goals of purpose-driven companies with the needs of their users.
From my time as Marketing Director at the first carsharing company established in Madrid to my current role as Product Owner at Ecoembes, I have consistently worked to turn ideas into concrete actions.
I firmly believe that we all have a responsibility to build, from our area of knowledge and influence, the world we want to live in.
In my case, I have found in technology a powerful tool to drive change, motivating people to act and generating tangible impact on critical issues such as sustainability.
For me, being a “storydoer” means designing solutions that mobilize others to become part of the change. I enjoy leading initiatives that go beyond words and contribute to building a better world.
