Consorzio Italiano Compostatori

What Consorzio Italiano Compostatori does

Consorzio Italiano Compostatori (CIC) is a non-profit consortium founded in 1992 and headquartered in Rome (legal seat) with operational headquarters in Treviglio, Italy. It represents approximately 150 public and private entities — including operators of composting and anaerobic digestion plants, trade associations, technical studios, laboratories, research institutions, and equipment manufacturers — that together treat 75% of Italy's organic waste (1,807,348 tonnes in 2021). CIC's mission is to promote the recycling of the organic waste fraction into compost (Ammendante Compostato Verde/Misto/con Fanghi/da Filiera Agroalimentare) and biomethane, and it serves as the industry's institutional interlocutor with Italian regions, national ministries, and EU bodies.

CIC's core technology is the biological treatment of organic waste through aerobic composting and anaerobic digestion. Its proprietary assets are three quality certification marks: the Marchio Compost di Qualità CIC (since 2003, covering ~50% of national compost production with 300+ annual analyses), the Marchio Compostabile CIC (since 2006, certifying products to UNI EN 13432:2002), and the Biometano Fertile mark (in development for biomethane). It also operates the Osservatorio Bioriciclo research platform jointly with Biorepack, the Stazione Sperimentale CIC experimental station, and an online tool for compost dosage guidance. The consortium publishes annual Rapporti CIC, six Organic Biorecycling volumes, and technical compendia, and supports the Master in Bioeconomy of Organic Waste and Biomass with CNR.

CIC's revenue model is subscription-based membership contributions (Contributi consortili) from ~150 members across Soci Ordinari, Soci Aderenti, and Soci Ordinari di Categoria tiers, with annual amounts set by the Assembly of Members. Pricing is not publicly disclosed. Distribution occurs through the consortium's website (compost.it), a dedicated compostable products site (compostabile.com), and direct sales of compost by member plants to farmers, floriculturists, fertilizer intermediaries, and municipalities. The GTM motion is community-led (consortium membership, events, advocacy) and event-driven (Conferenza Nazionale sul Compostaggio, Ecomondo, ICAW, World Soil Day, Green Med Expo, Ecoforum). Daily operations are run by a small Struttura Operativa of ~14 staff plus external collaborators.

Name

Consorzio Italiano Compostatori

Legal name

C.I.C. – Consorzio Italiano Compostatori

Website

https://compost.it

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Consorzio Italiano Compostatori (CIC) is a non-profit Italian consortium of ~150 public and private members that promotes organic waste recycling into compost and biomethane, treating 75% of Italy's organic waste and operating three quality certification marks.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Waste Management Certification Services

NAICS

Fertilizer and Compost Manufacturing (32531)

SIC

Refuse Systems (4953)

akta.pro primary industry

Commercial Food Waste Programs & On-Site Solutions (Cafeterias, Grocers, Hospitality) (BPALAEAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Accreditation & Oversight Bodies for Food Safety Certification (ABs/Scheme Owners) (AFALACAB), Sustainability Testing, Certification & Compliance (LCA, Recyclability/Compostability Testing, FSC/PEFC) (IMALAMAK)

Keywords

• Organic waste recycling
• Compost quality certification
• Biomethane production
• Circular economy consortium
• Industrial compostability certification

Headquarters

HQ city

Roma

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership contributions (Contributi consortili): CIC collects annual membership fees/contributions from its approximately 150 member companies (Soci Ordinari, Soci Aderenti, Soci Ordinari di Categoria) to fund the consortium's management and promotional activities. The Assembly of Members determines annual contributions, any variations to the reserve fund, and its amount.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels13 records

Core offering

Consorzio Italiano Compostatori (CIC) is a non-profit Italian consortium that represents approximately 150 member companies operating composting and anaerobic digestion plants. It provides quality certification programs for compost (Marchio Compost di Qualità CIC), compostable products (Compostabile CIC), and biomethane (Biometano Fertile), while promoting organic waste recycling through institutional representation, technical committees, training, research, and dissemination of best practices at national and EU level.

Product overview

Consorzio Italiano Compostatori is a non-profit organization that promotes and enhances organic waste recycling activities for the production of compost and biomethane. The organization's core offerings consist of two main product categories: organic fertilizers (compost/ammendanti) and renewable biofuels (biomethane), each with associated quality certification programs. The compost product line includes four distinct types (ACV, ACM, ACF, ACFA) differentiated by input materials. Quality certification programs include the 'Marchio Compost di Qualità CIC' for compost products, 'Compostabile CIC' for compostable materials certification, and 'Biometano Fertile' for biomethane quality. Additional services include the Osservatorio Bioriciclo research platform, the CIC Experimental Station for compost research, and an online tool for compost dosage guidance in organic agriculture.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Compost di Qualità CIC: A voluntary quality certification mark for compost products, created in 2003, representing approximately 50% of compost produced in Italy.
• Compostabile CIC
• Biometano Fertile
• Osservatorio Bioriciclo

Products and services

• Marchio Compost di Qualità CIC Voluntary quality certification program that verifies and monitors the quality of compost produced by member composting and anaerobic digestion plants, with a Release Phase and Maintenance Phase involving periodic site visits and over 300 annual samplings and analyses. Governed by a specific Regulation and conducted by third-party technicians and MIPAAF-recognized laboratories.
• Compostabile CIC Certification mark that identifies compostable products and materials meeting the UNI EN 13432:2002 European Standard for industrial compostability, distinguishing biodegradable materials suitable for industrial composting processes (~90-day cycle). Certified by Certiquality.
• Biometano Fertile Quality certification mark under development by CIC to certify the quality of biomethane produced in member anaerobic digestion plants.
• Osservatorio Bioriciclo Joint research and information platform created by CIC and Biorepack that disseminates best practices for organic waste recycling and compostable packaging, providing technical-scientific articles, press reviews, events coverage, and regulatory updates.
• Stazione Sperimentale CIC Experimental station for the development and enhancement of quality compost, established in 2018 through collaboration with Fondazione per l'Agricoltura F.lli Navarra, focusing on the soil carbon sink role of compost and phosphorus nutrient value.
• Tool Online - Dosi e modalità di impiego del compost Online tool for organic farming operators providing customized dosage and application guidance for green compost (ACV) and mixed compost (ACM) based on specific crops and soil types.

Quantifiable outcome

• 75% of Italy's organic waste is treated at CIC member plants
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

36 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• BiorepackcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2018CIC collaborates with Biorepack (national consortium for recycling compostable bioplastic packaging) to spread best practices in organic waste recycling and compostable packaging. Together they created the Osservatorio Bioriciclo. Objective: provide clear information to correctly differentiate biodegradable and compostable packaging to improve 'umido e verde' collection quality.
• CIB - Consorzio Italiano BiogascoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018CIC and CIB co-founded the Piattaforma Tecnologica Nazionale del Biometano (National Biomethane Technological Platform) in 2018 at Ecomondo. CIC coordinates biomethane-related activities within this platform. Also collaborates on ECN, SIRCLES project, and joint press releases.
• COREPLAcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015CIC has collaborated systematically with COREPLA since 2015 on technical studies to characterize the presence of plastic and bioplastic waste in the organic waste recycling chain. Conducted joint surveys in 2015-2017 and 2019-2020.
• ComiecocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013CIC has been a member of Comieco since 2013. The two consortia have established systematic technical collaboration to characterize the presence of cellulosic waste within the organic waste recycling chain.
• AssoambientecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssoambiente is a founding member (socio fondatore) of CIC. It represents private and public companies managing environmental services and circular economy businesses at national and EU level. Also represented on CIC's CDA.
• UtilitaliacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUtilitalia (federation of companies in water, environment, electricity, and gas public services) is a founding member of CIC. Also represented on CIC's CDA. CIC participates in their events and initiatives.
• AssobioplastichecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIC is a member of Assobioplastiche and participates in the Association's Technical Committee. Contributes through conferences, training seminars, projects, and events to promote biodegradable and compostable bioplastics.
• CNR - Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (National Research Council)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIC collaborates with CNR's Department of Biology and Agricultural Biotechnology in Milan to organize the Master in 'Bioeconomy of Organic Waste and Biomass.' CIC is also logo sponsor on the CNR master page and has been collaborating since at least 2015.
• ECOMONDO - Rimini FieraflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIC is Founding Partner and member of Ecomondo's Scientific Committee. CIC is the global ambassador for Ecomondo, promoting the trade show internationally, participating in roadshows in China, Brazil, Norway, and the US (2019). Ecomondo is the primary Euro-Mediterranean trade show for green and circular economy.
• European Compost Network (ECN)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIC is a founding member of ECN and holds its Vice Presidency (Director General Massimo Centemero). CIC is Italy's National Quality Assurance Organisation (NQAO) for ECN-QAS since 2017. CIC coordinates Italian participation in ECN thematic working groups and co-founded the SOS SOIL platform.
• ACR+ (Association of Cities and Regions for sustainable Resource management)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIC collaborates with ACR+, the European network of cities, regions, and organizations committed to sustainable resource management and circular economy. CIC contributes to knowledge exchange, participates in European projects and initiatives, and promotes innovative solutions for organic waste prevention, collection, and recycling.
• ISWA (International Solid Waste Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIC supports ISWA's activities and participates in working groups on organic waste treatment. ISWA is a global non-profit association promoting professional and sustainable waste management, with thousands of members in nearly 100 countries.
• World Biogas Association (WBA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIC is a founding member of WBA. WBA promotes biogas and biomethane development globally. CIC coordinates activities related to biomethane production within WBA, with the shared goal of achieving the Paris Agreement 2015 sustainable development targets.
• Mediterranean Compost NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIC is a founding member of the Mediterranean Compost Network, which brings together companies, experts, and local authorities to promote organic waste recycling through source separation, quality compost production, and its uses within Mediterranean countries.
• CCREF / ICAW (International Compost Awareness Week)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIC collaborates with Composting Council Research & Education Foundation and serves as the Italian reference consortium for organizing the International Compost Awareness Week (ICAW), the world's largest compost education initiative, held annually during the first full week of May.
• International Compost Alliance (ICA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIC collaborates with ICA, the international network uniting major national associations promoting composting and organic waste recycling. Contributes to shared initiatives, experience exchange, and best practice dissemination globally.
• S.O.S. SOIL - Save Organics in SoilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIC is a co-founder of the SOS SOIL platform with ECN. The platform is dedicated to protecting, regenerating, and sustainably managing soil, bringing together organizations, research institutions, and industry operators. CIC contributes technical and scientific expertise on compost's role in soil fertility, carbon sequestration, and climate resilience.
• Re Soil FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIC supports the Re Soil Foundation (founded 2020), promoted by Politecnico di Torino, Università di Bologna, and Novamont. The foundation aims to safeguard soil as a vital non-renewable resource through territorial regeneration, and CIC provides technical support.
• Kyoto ClubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIC is a member of Kyoto Club, a non-profit organization promoting energy efficiency, renewables, waste management, sustainable agriculture, and circular economy. CIC is also part of #Green Heroes, sustainability ambassadors in Italy.
• LegambientecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIC and Legambiente united forces in 2025 to enhance organic waste recycling and circular economy in Italy. They co-organized events at Ecoforum 2025 and co-published press releases on collection quality improvement.
• AssocartaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIC and Assocarta signed a collaboration agreement at Green Med Expo & Symposium 2026 (May 2026) for industrial decarbonization, combining paper industry by-products with organic waste recycling.
• ATIA-ISWA ITALIAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIC collaborates with ATIA-ISWA ITALIA, the association uniting professionals, companies, and research institutions in waste management and remediation. Collaboration focuses on sustainable waste management, circular economy, and organic waste valorization.
• ASVIS (Alleanza Italiana per lo Sviluppo Sostenibile)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIC is an adhering member of ASVIS, which aims to raise awareness in Italian society about the importance of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and mobilize stakeholders to achieve SDGs.
• Cluster Italiano della Bioeconomia Circolare - SPRINGcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIC is a member of the Board of Directors of the SPRING Cluster, participating in its activities. The cluster encourages bioindustry development in Italy through a holistic approach to innovation, working to relaunch Italian chemistry under environmental, social, and economic sustainability.
• ICESP (Italian Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIC participates in ICESP, a national network bringing together institutions, businesses, research bodies, and organizations to promote knowledge and best practices in circular economy, bringing its expertise in organic waste management, composting, and biological recycling.
• Stati Generali della Green EconomyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIC is a member of the National Council of Green Economy. Through initiatives of study, information, and awareness, it contributes to promoting green economy development in Italy and operates in dialogue with government, particularly the Ministry of Environment and Economic Development.
• Fondazione per lo Sviluppo Sostenibile (SUSDEF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIC is a member of and collaborates closely with the Fondazione per lo Sviluppo Sostenibile, which promotes green economy as a pillar of sustainable development. CIC also participates in the annual 'Italia del Riciclo' report.
• Compostable by Design Platform (CbDP)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIC collaborates with the CbDP, an international initiative bringing together actors of the compostable supply chain to create a shared technical and scientific basis for appropriate use of compostable products and their recovery in organic waste management systems.
• Progetto Fra' Sole (Sacro Convento di Assisi)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIC is the technical partner of Fra' Sole, a sustainability project of the Sacred Convent of Assisi. CIC contributes to reorganizing organic waste collection (food scraps and pruning waste) to be transformed into quality compost for the convent's lands.
• Regione SardegnacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIC collaborates with Sardinia Region to promote and enhance organic waste recovery and recycling activities.
• Regione CampaniacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIC signed an agreement with Campania Region in 2025 for organic waste management, following a 2022 partnership that promoted new job opportunities and citizen awareness on circular economy.
• Regione CalabriacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIC and Calabria Region signed an agreement in 2020 for differentiated waste collection, collaborating to improve the organic waste production chain in the region.
• UNI (Ente Italiano di Normazione)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIC is a member of UNI, Italy's standards body. CIC participates in thematic technical groups and contributes to defining standards for organic waste collection quality and product standards from biogas and composting plants. CIC represents UNI at CEN TC223 technical group for analysis methods of amendments and growing substrates.
• UNICHIMminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIC is a member of UNICHIM (federated body of UNI) and participates in the Fertilizers Commission working groups to define shared analysis methods for amendments and growing substrates.
• CTI - Comitato Termotecnico ItalianominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIC is a member of CTI (UNI federated body) and participates in working groups of subcommittees related to Renewable Energy Sources.
• MASAF (Ministero dell'Agricoltura)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIC and the Italian Ministry of Agriculture (MASAF) signed an agreement in December 2025 for recycling equestrian sector waste, announced as press release n.9/2025.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Regional players

• Mediterranean Compost Network: Regional federation CIC co-founded to extend organic recycling promotion across Mediterranean countries. Comparable as a regional industry association in the same sector but operating across multiple geographies outside Italy.
• Comieco: Italian non-profit consortium for the recovery and recycling of cellulose-based packaging (paper and board), with which CIC has collaborated since 2013 to characterize cellulosic waste in the organic recycling chain. Comparable as an Italian consortium-sector non-profit operating in adjacent packaging recycling value chains.

Direct peers

• Assoambiente: Italian trade association of private and public environmental services and circular economy companies, a founding member of CIC and represented on its board. Directly comparable as an Italian non-profit consortium representing waste management operators at institutional level.
• Biorepack: Italy's national consortium for the recycling of compostable bioplastic packaging, co-created the Osservatorio Bioriciclo with CIC. Comparable as a sector-specific Italian non-profit consortium operating adjacent organic waste/compostable value chains with member-driven funding.
• CIB - Consorzio Italiano Biogas: Italy's national consortium for the biogas and biomethane industry, co-founded the National Biomethane Technological Platform with CIC in 2018. Directly comparable as an Italian non-profit industry consortium representing plant operators and advocating for biogas/composting at national and EU level.
• European Compost Network (ECN): The pan-European federation of composting and anaerobic digestion organizations, of which CIC is a founding member and holds the Vice Presidency. Both share the mission of promoting organic recycling, run quality assurance schemes (ECN-QAS), and represent member organizations at EU institutions.
• Utilitalia: Italian federation of municipal water, environment, electricity and gas utilities, also a founding member of CIC and represented on its board. Comparable as a federated Italian non-profit representing public utility operators in waste management and circular economy.

Broad incumbents

• Composting Council Research & Education Foundation (CCREF) / US Composting Council: The leading North American non-profit trade association promoting composting, with which CIC co-runs the International Compost Awareness Week (ICAW). Comparable as a larger established industry body in a different geography promoting compost quality standards, education, and policy advocacy.
• ISWA - International Solid Waste Association: Global non-profit association for sustainable waste management with thousands of members in nearly 100 countries; CIC actively participates in its working groups on organic waste. Comparable as a broader, established international waste management membership body covering CIC's organic recycling domain.
• World Biogas Association (WBA): Global non-profit promoting biogas and biomethane development, of which CIC is a founding member. Comparable as an international industry body operating in the same value chain (organic waste to energy) with policy advocacy and member services.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/consorziocic
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCnSFOZeY_y4fdQrsRjiA25g
• Facebookfacebook.com/ConsorzioCIC
• Instagraminstagram.com/consorziocic
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cic_5

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Consorzio Italiano Compostatori