Circular caught up with the founder and president of the Circular Economy Institute Anna Tarí to ask her how the organisation came to be and what its future might hold.
How did you set up the CEI and CEC?
The CEC came first. It was a side project really, when I was working at the United Nations.
I came across the concept of the circular economy and was fascinated, so I developed a blog and invited experts to write articles and contribute. I called it a “club” because that’s what it felt like.
There weren’t many people connecting in the circular space at that time and I felt the need to connect people with each other, so they could make things happen.
Eventually, I started face-to-face networking events- very informal in the lobby of a hotel or something-and brought that to London in 2014.
We would get in experts to give us presentations and the numbers grew. I remember thinking every city needs a club like this, and, from there, we launched the CEC programme.
Anyone, anywhere in the world, can form a club of their own to discuss circularity.
What about the Institute?
We were always being asked for training and standards. People were asking “what does it mean that someone knows how to implement circularity?”
We saw a lot of organisations learning about sustainability, then renaming that to “circularity”, even when it wasn’t really. So we developed a body of knowledge we could use to certify that people know what circular economy principles are and how to implement them.
The first level – the “Trained certificate” – is all about the basics and gives people knowledge they can draw on. What does it mean to design for circularity? What does renewable mean?
Students get case studies showing companies behaving in a circular fashion and examples of best practice.
It’s ideal for managers who want their team to be on top of the circular economy field and leverage circular opportunities.
The next levels – “Specialist” and “Instructor” – involve a project on something the candidate is doing in their own company. It’s very hands-on.
Specialist is ideal for those willing to implement strategies in their own organisations, or for those consulting. The Instructor level is for those who want to teach others about these strategies.
What do people say about the CEI?
“As a member of CEI’s Experts Group, it was an honour for me to be invited to preview and critique the Circular Built Environment Specialist coursework.
“I highly recommend this certification to anyone seeking a solid grounding in both theory and practice” – Gary Miciunas, Founder of ChiefCircularityOfficer.com.
Do different cities have different approaches?
Yes, very much so. We actually started a city maturity index that shows how far along a territory is. Does it have awareness and a strategy; is it implementing that strategy?
When a local organiser joins, we ask them a few questions to understand the state of their city. It’s up to them what sort of activities they organise, to best suit their members.
We provide some instruction and help with our global events, such as Circular Cities Week.
Why is CIWM a good fit for CEI and CEC?
We have collaborated on projects before; the two organisations “know” each other very well.
CIWM (the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management) is a well-respected organisation that has lots of knowledge, expertise with training courses, and an active and engaged membership.
It will give CEI extra rigour and gravitas, and the regional nature of the CECs is not so different from CIWM’s regional centres.
I think CEI and CEC will help CIWM to expand into parts of the circular economy space that are outside its traditional remit of resources and waste management. I see the tie-up as a very positive thing.
What do people say about CEI Certifications?
“The course content was well researched, referenced and integrated multiple sources from academia and from industry.
“Various mediums were used for content delivery, including visual-auditory/video, reading, writing (for the fill in the blank responses at the end of each learning module) and photos/infographics/charts.
“The case study examples brought the learning to light in real world applications.
“As circular economy understanding gains traction in the built environment space, there’s a lot of noise about what it all means and how to get started.
“Having a certification from a global noted agency such as CEI and CIWM provides credibility and authority to speak and consult in this arena” – Cynthia Milota, Assistant Editor and Staff Writer covering the Circular Economy | Work Design Magazine.
Will the world ever achieve a circular economy?
I think a lot of people want it, and steps are being made in the right direction, with organisations that adopt circular practices being rewarded by consumers.
I’m excited because I see CEC members who really want to do something, not just talk. We will get to a stage where it’s less costly to do things in the right way, and there will be a tipping point. We are getting there.
What can CEI certifications do for you?
“I first learned of the circular economy in 2021 when I was writing my book, ‘Work Better. Save the Planet: The Earth-first Workplace Is Good For People Great For Business.’
“My research led to me learning about CEI’s certification program. I was excited to enrol in the certification course and deepen my knowledge about circularity.
“Gaining my certification has been a highlight of my recent professional career, has allowed me to provide greater value to my clients, and has led to new projects because of my specialized knowledge of circularity.
“The self-paced, thorough course was well-designed and enjoyable because of the variety of learning modalities (videos, reading assignments, and quizzes).
“I highly recommend the program for anyone interested in making a positive difference for their organisation, their people, and the planet” – Lisa Whited, Circular Economy Specialist, consultant, and author of Work Better. Save the Planet.
