With the Festival of Circular Economy returning for its 2nd year this November, Circular Online explores 5 things we’re looking forward to at the festival.
- Fireside chat with Amazon
- Panel: Is human behaviour the overlooked ingredient in making circularity work?
- Circular trailblazer’s panel: how can the circular economy move your business forward?
- Panel: Business reimagined – celebrating the circular business model
- Panel: Circular economy and the three R’s – reuse, repair, and refurbish…
The Festival of Circular Economy (FOCE) returns this November with speakers from Amazon and L’Oréal, and features keynote talks from environmentalists Tony Juniper, Marga Hoek, architectural designer and TV presenter Charlie Luxton and many more.
Attendees can also look forward to hearing why the Circular Economy is the future of business.
“For one simple reason; because it offers solutions,” Principal Consultant, Wood PLC, James Martin told Circular Online when we spoke to him ahead of the festival.
With policy makers pulling businesses, and consumers pushing them to act responsibly, the question is simple; will businesses fall behind in our rapidly greening marketplace, or will they embrace the opportunities and reap the rewards?
Martin is moderating the session “Closing the loop – Why should you invest in the circular economy?” on Day Four – which is focusing on The future of the circular economy – between 12:30 – 13:15.
“With policy makers pulling businesses, and consumers pushing them to act responsibly, the question is simple; will businesses fall behind in our rapidly greening marketplace, or will they embrace the opportunities and reap the rewards?”
To help you find out how you can reap the rewards of the circular economy, Circular Online has found the 5 things we’re most looking forward to across the festival’s 4-day programme, keep reading to hear about some of the exciting things happening at the event.
5 Things we’re looking forward to at FOCE
In preparation for FOCE, here are 5 things we’re looking forward to at the event, from host Mark Shaylor’s fireside chat with Amazon’s Director, EU Circular Economy to hearing from industry innovators how the circular economy can move your business forward.
1 – Fireside chat with Amazon
Speaking:
- Rich Loretto, Director, EU Circular Economy, Amazon
Host Mark Shaylor sits down for a fireside chat with Rich Loretto, Amazon’s Director, EU Circular Economy. This discussion will set out to facilitate an open and honest dialogue regarding where Amazon currently is on its circular journey, where it’s heading and how it intends to get there.
The audience will hear how the sustainability path is a journey and will take an honest, lessons learnt approach in order to impart delegates with valuable insights from a global organisation with many moving parts.
When people think of Amazon, typically, one of the first things they imagine is packaging. However, since 2015, the company has eliminated more than 1.5 million tonnes of packaging and reduced per-shipment packaging weight by 38%.
Hear Shaylor ask Loretto about the journey Amazon has been on to achieve this. Following this reduction in packaging, the audience will hear if a reuse/refill situation is possible given Amazon already has transport networks in place. As well as what the most difficult materials Amazon deals with are and what’s next for Amazon’s packaging in terms of sustainability.
2 – Is human behaviour the overlooked ingredient in making circularity work?
Speaking:
- Ali Moore, Head of Communication & Behaviour Change, ReLondon View Ali Moore
- Mariana Nicolau, Project Leader, CSCP
- William Awomoyi, Youth Ambassador to the Commonwealth, The British Youth Council
- Michelle Wilson, Programme Director, WasteAid View Michelle Wilson
Are consumers ready for a circular economy?
In a panel moderated by Director of Collaboration and Change, WRAP, Catherine David, speakers will attempt to answer the question: how does consumer behaviour affect the transition to a circular economy? The session will also look at the impact of consumer behaviour in the move to circularity.
When we discuss climate change, why is the wider conversation not about the circular economy? Circular principles to production and consumption not only reduce waste but emissions too. As well as decreasing how much we drive and transitioning to renewable energy sources, the circular economy could be a valuable tool, which could help lower global temperatures.
As part of this discussion, speakers will look at behavioural insights in circular strategies for textiles, plastics and electronics. The panel will also explore how the sector can enable people to reuse, repair and recycle more efficiently to help accelerate the transition to the circular economy.
3 – Circular trailblazer’s panel: how can the circular economy move your business forward?
Speaking:
- Pranshu Singhal, Founder, Karo Sambhav
- Alexandra Rico-Lloyd, Co-Founder, The Bike Club
- Mikela Druckman, Co-founder & CEO, Greyparrot View Mikela Druckman
- Lucy Hughes, Founder, Marinatex
Hear from the industry innovators who are at the cutting edge of moving us towards a circular economy.
Vice President – External Affairs, Circular Economy Institute, David Greenfield, is moderating the discussion which will explore how the speakers are helping to shape the market for circular solutions, redesign market conditions and policy, while scaling up and creating opportunities for investors and business.
Like Principal Consultant, Wood PLC, James Martin, says, the circular economy is the future of business, because it “offers solutions”.
Martin told Circular Online that the circular economy can help sustain businesses and allow them to grow their market through new products and services. He continued that, as businesses expand and embrace innovation, existing employees will be upskilled and new jobs will be created across the product life cycle.
By using sustainable materials, and cleaner practices, businesses will release less toxins and problematic materials – such as fossil based plastics – into waterways, soils and food chains, Martin contends.
Adopting circular principles now could unlock unique opportunities that put a business ahead of its competitors. The panel will explore how your company could be a trailblazer in the circular economy.
4 – Business reimagined – celebrating the circular business model
Speaking:
- Roland Thompson, Country Manager, Cyrkl View Roland Thompson
- Lamia Sbiti, Business Transformation Manager, ReLondon View Lamia Sbiti
- Maya De Souza, Circular Economy Taskforce, Business In The Community BITC
The panel will ask why you must start adopting circular economy business models now to remain competitive in the future.
Developing any business model is a challenge, however, to create a circular business model, you may have to be a pioneer in your industry. Whether correct or not, there is a perception that green costs more, which could be putting many people off adopting circular ways of working; but, with the right strategy, circular principles could reduce costs, while helping your company be kinder to the environment.
The premise of the circular economy was never created to ameliorate these particular challenges and yet, it does
When Circular Online spoke to Martin, he highlighted that the solution to many of the problems affecting households and businesses is under our noses. Citing a lack of finite resources, skyrocketing prices, businesses going under and a lack of job opportunities, Martin says the circular economy offers an answer to these problems.
“The premise of the circular economy was never created to ameliorate these particular challenges and yet, it does.”
As part of the panel, moderated by CIWM’s Policy & External Affairs Director Lee Marshall, the speakers will set out different strategies for circularity and provide the tools to help the audience decide which is right for their business.
5 – Circular economy and the three R’s – reuse, repair, and refurbish…
Speaking:
- Julia Hailes, Sustainability Campaigner and Author,
“How can we best extract value?” is the question the panel will attempt to answer.
The circular economy is a holistic approach to waste management. It isn’t only about recycling items; repair, reuse, and refurbishing is equally important. Moderated by CIWM’s Policy & External Affairs Director Lee Marshall, the discussion will explore the three R’s and their importance across every industry.
Amongst the topics up for debate are the market for raw materials across different industries and examples of reuse capability loops. The audience will also hear how to turn the three R’s into a business.
Speaking to Circular Online, Martin said: “When products are no longer of use, the circular economy recirculates the materials back into supply chains. This gives businesses a resilient source of supplies and a cushion against volatile market costs. It reduces the need for finite materials and also offers consumers durable goods; welcome news for squeezed budgets.”
The Festival of Circular Economy has been coordinated by CIWM in collaboration with the Circular Economy Institute, WRAP, ReLondon, and supporting partners and collaborators such as ISWA.
Across the four-day event, 23 countries will participate with 60 speakers offering their insights to delegates. Several sectors will be featured at the Festival, such as architecture, manufacturing, construction, design, energy and fashion. All of these industries, CIWM says, have a key role to play in the development of a more circular economy.
If these 5 things we’re looking forward to at FOCE have piqued your interest in the event, don’t miss out on playing a role in the festival.
To be part of the event, secure your ticket, or find out more about becoming an event supporter, click here.
