FESTIVAL PROGRAMME.

Hosts welcome and opening remarks – Mark will start the festival asking is circular enough? Are we at a risk of friendly fire? Join us to hear from experts delving into these furthers.

A renowned expert in the field of circular economy, Walter R. Stahel will set the scene for the festival discussing how we can optimise opportunities and overcome challenges in growing the circular economy. 

Philip Mossop from climate tech leader Pentatonic provides a look at global legislation governing the circular economy and introduces the Pentatonic AI Legislation Tracker. 

• Key pieces of global legislation
• What can businesses expect
• How to comply
• Using AI to understand legislation 

• Analysing the current circular landscape: road blocks, speed humps and the roadmap ahead.
• What does ‘circular’ mean to you?
• Identifying the current barriers to adoption for industries.
• Is the circular economy attainable?

Moderator:

• Mark Shayler, Author/ Circular Economy Expert 

•  The importance of design and innovation for product technology where the resulting product has long distance supply chains. What influences design? 
• Ensuring design is fit for purpose for the product in question and fits a circular economy at source and destination, even when these are different countries. 
• Considering supply chain sustainability as part of design, including carbon footprints, recycling post use, and utilising pre-existing materials. 
• International wine use-case showcasing a circular lifecycle.

• Materials of the future – what will we need and understanding second life usability to limit virgin material usage.
• How accessible are alternative materials?
• The potential of material sourcing as a service.
• Practical implementation at scale, what will this look like?

• How innovators are tackling the circularity of each step in the design process including materials choice, process manufacturing and business models.
• Focusing on quality over quantity for a full reuse approach to design.
• How collaboration across sectors and solutions will lead to an optimised ecosystem.
• What marketplace solutions can help eliminate barriers for design?

Moderator:

• Mark Shayler, Author/ Circular Economy Expert 

• Ahlstrom’s circular design process. 
• A future perspective – envisioning how processes will work in 2030 and altering todays processes to align with the vision.
• Strategising what to change first for a sustainable domino effect.

• Where to start in implementing circular practices in a global infrastructure.
• Optimising circular materials lifecycle and designing packaging for circularity.
• Reviewing Mars’s work in implementing circular steps in their framework.

To follow soon … 

• A Mud Jeans approach to running a circular business model, what does this currently look like?
• Reviewing the current market examples of circular models and their level of adoption and success including take back schemes, renting, DRS and repair.
• ‘Degrowth’; what this concept of making money with less products means for established businesses.
• The impacts of new EU regulations from an operational perspective. 

Artificial intelligence has driven a major leap in our understanding of waste material through scalable waste analysis. The data challenge has since evolved, the technology has developed in time to help meet these growing demands. In this panel, speakers representing differing perspectives from waste operations to regulation, will delve into one of the sector’s most time-sensitive challenges:

• The role of automation in helping the sector meet this unprecedented demand for detailed waste data.
• The impact of policies like the emissions trading system and extended producer responsibility.
• What widespread AI adoption will look like for the waste sector and its implications. 

Moderator:

• Sarah Foster, Chief Revenue Officer, Greyparrot

• A digital approach to the circular economy – how disruptive technologies can offer new solutions to current and future challenges.
• How data is the core of digital and the importance of actioning intelligent data.
• Decentralisation – creating optimised digital infrastructures to enable solutions like RFID tracking, automation, robotic sorting and continuous improvement.

Moderator:

• Ian Farrell, Editor, Circular/ CPL 

A look back over the topics and themes shared across the first day of the festival. 

Topical themes for conversation:

• Current policies aiding circularity across the globe – the pro’s and con’s and what we can learn from them. 
• How can we create a more unified approach to implementing change? 

The roundtables are closed discussions for an opportunity to delve into the outlined topics in more detail, offering a chance to ask for advice or to discuss challenging topics with industry experts. 

Host:

• Mark Enzer OBE FREng, Strategic Advisor, Mott MacDonald

Hosts welcome and opening remarks – Mark will start the festival asking is circular enough? Are we at a risk of friendly fire? Join us to hear from experts delving into these furthers.

A renowned expert in the field of circular economy. 

Philip Mossop from climate tech leader Pentatonic provides a look at global legislation governing the circular economy and introduces the Pentatonic AI Legislation Tracker. 

• Key pieces of global legislation
• What can businesses expect
• How to comply
• Using AI to understand legislation 

• Analysing the current circular landscape: road blocks, speed humps and the roadmap ahead.
• What does ‘circular’ mean to you?
• Identifying the current barriers to adoption for industries.
• Is the circular economy attainable?

Moderator:

• Mark Shayler, Author/ Circular Economy Expert 

Hear from a Tim Parker, Founder of Circular City around the challenges, opportunities and best practices for startups looking to stake their place in the circular economy. The session will cover: 

• A quick overview of Circular Cities track record with developing & testing reuse & return systems. 
• Why we need to focus on Upstream solutions rather than downstream. 
• An introduction to what returnable packaging systems comprise of, the various models they can take, and the benefits of switching to returnable systems. 
• Common concerns and the associated challenges in this evolving space.
• Opportunities from returnable packaging systems & key takeaways.

• Sustainable growth, where we currently are on this journey.
• Are current government regulations helping or hindering the growth of the circular economy?
• Examples of how industries and countries are building on different government initiatives to stamp their place as leaders in this space.
• Reuse, repair and remanufacture as opportunities to develop and expand growth.

Moderator: 

• Lee Marshall, Policy & External Affairs Director, CIWM 

Join Elin Bergman as she shares a Nordic perspective around current gaps within the circular market where innovative solutions are needed, and how we can target these areas to help drive change. 

• Reviewing the current circular landscapes for startups – what challenges and opportunities are apparent?
• Creating ethical and purpose driven innovations.
• How can we increase visibility and amplify startups?
• Measuring return on investment for circular solutions.

Moderator:

• David Greenfield, Vice President – External Affairs, Circular Economy Institute (CEI)  

• Delving into the ‘do’s’ and ‘dont’s’ from an investment perspective in the circular economy.
• Best practice as an innovator including what needs to be reported, ESG and greenwashing within this context.
• From concept to fruition, discussing the importance of purpose driven solutions.

Moderator:

• Mark Shayler, Author/ Circular Economy Expert 

• How can we encourage more funding for circular solutions?
• A shift in mindset, how can business models grow to encompass a circular economy?
• How can the UK economy grow with a sustainability focus to finance?
• Discussing the concept of growing the economy by producing less. 

Moderator: 

• Sophie Rippinger, Innovation Manager, Edinburgh Innovations 
   

A look back over the topics and themes shared across the first day of the festival. 

Topical themes for conversation:

• Current policies aiding circularity across the globe – the pro’s and con’s and what we can learn from them. 
• How can we create a more unified approach to implementing change? 

The roundtables are closed discussions for an opportunity to delve into the outlined topics in more detail, offering a chance to ask for advice or to discuss challenging topics with industry experts. 

Host:

• Mark Enzer OBE FREng, Strategic Advisor, Mott MacDonald 

Hosts welcome and opening remarks – Mark will kick off day 2 of the festival reviewing the days 2 content themes and discussing the role of circularity in net-zero initiatives. Join us to hear from experts delving into this further! 

• The role of waste in climate change to date.
• Reviewing the multiple perspectives of this link.
• Disrupting the pattern through new circular focused solutions.
• The opportunity for start ups and innovators to build and collaborate on the working being done in South Africa to help drive impactful change. 

• Sustainability starts with carbon – breaking down realistic steps into an actionable roadmap.
• How to tackle the biggest challenges with the simplest solutions for fast results.
• Utilising the circular economy to deliver net-zero as we focus on renewables, resource and recovery.
• Discussing the focus of COP28 in this space.

Moderator:

• Valerie Lim, IoT Tribe/ Net Zero Tech Alliance 

• An overview of the AI challenge, discussing the benefits and risks.
• Discussing how AI assists decarbonisation.
• Examples on how AI can support the transition to a circular economy. 

• Closing the skills gap – what are the first steps in this process?
• How to attract new talent to help build a circular future.
• Empowering the team to embrace the change. 
• How digital skills assist sustainability within this space. 

Moderator:

• Dr. Adam Read, Chief External Affairs & Sustainability Officer, Suez UK 

• Lessons from The Gambia – how WasteAid’s local ‘circular network economy approach’ is helping develop green skills and is helping to educate communities on the circular economy.
• What is the nature of the skills gap in The Gambia and how is the project funded by CIWM helping to bridge that gap?
• How developing skills is helping to drive income levels at the first mile of resource recovery?

Hear from Yayra Agbofa, Founder of The Revival, as I take you on a journey through our innovative approach to tackling textile waste from the global North. Discover how we’re empowering communities and championing sustainable change through:

• Educational initiatives on zero waste and upcycling skills.
• Raising awareness about the environmental impact of consumer patterns.
• Building collaborative communities to drive meaningful change.
• Celebrating our collective achievements in the quest for a more sustainable future. 

• The psychology behind decision making.
• Understanding market segmentation.
• Sustainable consumption – how to encourage behaviour change through easy implementation.
• How to aid people in aligning decisions/ choices with values/ actions.

Get a glimpse of the interesting work undertaken by John Twitchen around the attitudes, awareness and challenges associated with the disposal of batteries. As part of a whitepaper aiming to influence policy change within this space, join this session to hear first hand the interesting (and shocking) findings around awareness of this hazardous material. 

• Raising awareness of the Circular Economy, what more can be done to aid this?
• What initiatives and programmes are currently available to promote circular economy education?
• Partnerships and collaboration as the key in reaching an optimised circular eco-system. 

Moderator:

• Livvy Drake, Sustainability and Behvaiour Change Consultation,  Sustainable Sidekicks 

To follow soon …

• A review of the event content and themes heard over the two days.
• Examples of how a circular approach has helped businesses, authorities and countries create sustainable change.
• The role of ESG in scaling circular ethically.
• Reaching one common goal – what are the next steps in our circular journey? 

Moderator:

• Mark Shayler, Author/ Circular Economy Expert

A look back over the topics and themes shared across the second day of the festival. 

Topical themes for conversation:

• Reviewing the current status of net zero.
• Commitments to climate change and decarbonisation, and why the goal posts keep changing.
• How can we push progress and accountability to reach critical goals? 

The roundtables are closed discussions for an opportunity to delve into the outlined themes in more detail, offering a chance to ask for advice or to discuss challenging topics with industry experts. 

Host:

• Ray Parmenter, Head of Technical & Policy, CIWM 

Hosts welcome and opening remarks – Mark will kick off day 2 of the festival reviewing the days 2 content themes and discussing the role of circularity in net-zero initiatives. Join us to hear from experts delving into this further! 

• The role of waste in climate change to date.
• Reviewing the multiple perspectives of this link.
• Disrupting the pattern through new circular focused solutions.
• The opportunity for start ups and innovators to build and collaborate on the working being done in South Africa to help drive impactful change. 

• Sustainability starts with carbon – breaking down realistic steps into an actionable roadmap.
• How to tackle the biggest challenges with the simplest solutions for fast results.
• Utilising the circular economy to deliver net-zero as we focus on renewables, resource and recovery.
• Discussing the focus of COP28 in this space.

Moderator:

• Valerie Lim,  IoT Tribe/ Net Zero Tech Alliance 

• An overview of the AI challenge, discussing the benefits and risks.
• Discussing how AI assists decarbonisation.
• Examples on how AI can support the transition to a circular economy.

• Platform business models have been a powerful business models in driving discovery, matching and global scale in eCommerce; can this model be deployed to drive the circular economy?
• How many circular platforms are their globally? In what countries and what sectors?
• How much funding have circular platforms attracted year-to-date?
• What role can we expect circular platforms to play in advancing the circular economy to 2030? 

Transitioning to a Circular Economy has the potential to deliver sustainable benefits to businesses and communities in the UK and local government has a critical role in that transition in its role as a convener and ability to take a long-term view. The WMCA has taken a “strategy to action” approach, commissioning a Circular Economy Routemap to understand the potential and using that strategy to develop specific interventions to enable the circular economy transition. This conversation between Jordan Gerrard (WMCA) and Lottie Macnair (Useful Projects) will discuss the approach, and how we made sure that the Circular Economy transition was not a strategy sitting on a shelf. 

• Engaging in a system thinking approach vs product thinking, what does this looks like from an overall perspective?
• Seeing the gaps in regulation as an opportunity to be involved and to innovate.
• Moving from linear to circular focused business modelling, what change is needed to grow at scale?
• What new roles and opportunities will form from these new models?

Moderator:

• Neelam Melwani, Senior Manager, Deloitte 

Hear from Suzano about their work in creating sustainable processes and systems for global products. 

• Regenerating nature – how this will work within the concept of what we understand?
• Regenerative business, where does circular fit in this conversation?
• The concept of nature/ natural capital and not putting a price on this.
• Business focused vs nature focused and the misconceptions of greenwashing in this space.

To follow soon … 

• A review of the event content and themes heard over the two days.
• Examples of how a circular approach has helped businesses, authorities and countries create sustainable change.
• The role of ESG in scaling circular ethically.
• Reaching one common goal – what are the next steps in our circular journey?

Moderator:

• Mark Shayler, Author/ Circular Economy Expert

A look back over the topics and themes shared across the second day of the festival. 

Topical themes for conversation:

• Reviewing the current status of net zero.
• Commitments to climate change and decarbonisation, and why the goal posts keep changing.
• How can we push progress and accountability to reach critical goals? 

The roundtables are closed discussions for an opportunity to delve into the outlined themes in more detail, offering a chance to ask for advice or to discuss challenging topics with industry experts. 

Host:

• Ray Parmenter, Head of Technical & Policy, CIWM