This one looks at why leading companies are adopting the concept.
About three hundred executives took part, and it seemed to go quite well.
This discussion is focused on commercialisation, to analyse whether the circular economy movement is just another sustainability initiative that will pass or whether it has real potential to grow business.
Points debated:
• Is circular economy all that different to what they (and businesses in general) have been doing up to now? • What are the key strategic considerations when composing a transition strategy to a circular business model? • What will their circular business strategies entail in terms of goals and timelines? • How will the circular model they are planning help their business make more money? • What role will the current recycling industry play in a circular economy?
Speakers: • Marcel Jakobs, director supplier sustainability, group procurement, Royal Philips • Forbes McDougal, head of circular economy, Veolia • Martijn van Loon, project manager, research, development and innovation, Akzo Nobel • Justin Keeble, managing director, Accenture Strategy, Sustainability Services, Europe, Africa and Latin America
Circular Advantage Business Forum – 8th-9th June 2015 – All the top players meet to debate strategy. Including Suez, Accenture, DSM, Akzo Nobel, BT, Carlsberg, HP, Jaguar, Interface, Dell, Kingfisher and many more.
Sustainable Sugar Forum – 16th-17th June 2015 – London – All the leading sustainable sugar players meet to debate market access, supply chain sustainability, health and Beet vs. Cane. Including Coca-Cola, Shell, ED&F Man, Heineken, Mondelez, SAB Miller, Solidaridad and other leading experts.
How Business Can Tackle Deforestation – 28-29 September 2015 – Singapore – A make or break issue for Asia’s corporate reputation? With APP, Cargill, Forest Peoples Programme, Golden Agri Resources, HSBC, Robertsbridge, Sime Darby, TFT, Unilever, Wilmar International, World Economic Forum and many more. Email Charlenne.Ordonez@innovation-forum.co.uk for more information.
Innovation Forum will also be hosting an event on “The Living Carbon Economy: Biomass, Cellulose and Trees – what they mean for successful corporate sustainability in the very near future“. The conference will be held on November 19-20 in London. Email Tobias.Webb@innovation-forum.co.uk if you’d like to be involved.
I'm Tobias Webb, founder of Innovation Forum and Sustainable Wine. I write on this blog, with others, about areas of interest to me in supply chains, circular economy and sustainability in general. I hope you find it useful. I've worked in sustainability for about 20 years, and work with large companies, NGOs and governments all over the world. I often act as facilitator, at our conferences, and other meetings, either private or multi-stakeholder. I also work as a 'critical friend' advisor to companies on strategy and stakeholder engagement. I have a separate wine website on sustainability in wine at Sustainable Wine and more on Innovation Forum`s work can be found here.