Circular Economy and Private Sector Development: Learning Series

The linear, take-make-dispose economy that has driven economic growth over the past several hundred years has generated wealth and lifted individuals out of poverty. It has also created vast amounts of greenhouse gas emissions, wasted valuable natural resources, and harmed fragile ecosystems.

Many in the business community have recognized sustainability to be a judicious choice that serves economic, environmental, and societal goals. From large corporations to entrepreneurial start-ups, private sector players have begun embracing this transformation and new business opportunities, through innovative business models, close coordination along their value chains, enhanced processes and products, and a general reevaluation of what works and why.

Systems change requires complex solutions. Join us in this curated learning series to better understand how the private sector makes sense of these complexities and help accelerate the world’s transition toward a regenerative and circular economy.

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SESSION 11: CIRCULAR ECONOMY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

In this eleventh session of the Learning Series we explored the dematerialization and decarbonization challenges and opportunities to reduce GhG emissions, leverage low-carbon policies, and enable private-sector circularity in key industrial (and complementary) sectors and business innovations around the world. The expert panel also shed light on the role of policy as well as comments on degrowth as a potential solution.

>>> Watch the Replay! <<<

​Panelists & Presentations

Mona Haddad, Global Director, World Bank Group

Dr. Max Åhman, Associate Professor, Lund University

➡️ Circularity, climate change, and the basic materials industry

Molly Walton, Energy and Transport Manager, We Mean Business Coalition

Anirban Ghosh, Chief Sustainability Officer, Mahindra Group

Stephane Hallegatte, Senior Climate Change Advisor, World Bank Group

SESSION 10: CIRCULAR ECONOMY AND FOOD

In this tenth session of the Learning Series we explored the challenges and opportunities inherent to this critical sector and tackle topics from the manufacture of bioproducts, food losses and waste, to regenerative agricultural systems, and strategic investments. The expert panel also shed light onto examples of effective policies being implemented around the world to enable innovation, dematerialization and greater efficiencies in the food production processes.

>>>  Watch the Replay! <<<

Panelists & Presentations

Dr. Karin Kemper, Global Director, World Bank Group

James Pronio, Food Loss and Waste Manager, WWF

Dr. Marianne Thomsen, Professor and Researcher, Aarhus University
➡️ Regenerative Circular Food Systems

Ani Vallabhaneni, Co-Founder, Sanergy

Dr. Francisco Palma, Co-Founder, PolyNatural

Dr. Claire Sand, Co-Founder, Packaging Technology and Research

Stephen Otieno, Senior Manager for Climate Action Planning for Africa, C40

Yasmine Berbir, Head of Sustainability for MENA region, Nestlé

Julian Lampietti, Practice Manager, World Bank Group

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SESSION 9: CIRCULAR ECONOMY AND CONSTRUCTION 

Along with global leaders who are advancing sustainable construction initiatives, we explored opportunities and constraints of construction industry stakeholders as well as the role of governments in scaling up circular economy practices and enhancing decarbonization and competitiveness of the sector. 

>>>  Watch the Replay! <<<

Panelists & Presentations

Demetrios Papathanasiou, Global Director for the Energy and Extractives Global Practice, the World Bank

Sabine Schlorke, Global Head of Manufacturing and Global Portfolio Manager of Manufacturing, Agribusiness and Services, International Finance Corporation 

Carol Lemmens, Global Director and Advisory Services Leader, ARUP
➡️ Circular Economy and the Construction Industry

Dr. Jeremy Gregory, Executive Director, MIT Concrete Sustainability Lab
➡️ Opportunities to lower the environmental impacts of cement and concrete

Dr. Andrew Minson, Concrete and Sustainable Construction Director, Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA)

Eric Bourdon, Deputy CEO Industrial and Innovation, VICAT

Salome Galjaard, Deputy Program Manager Circular Economy at City of Amsterdam, the Netherlands

Wilson W.S. Lu, Professor, Department of Real Estate and Construction, University of Hong Kong

Monica Moesker, Head of Cities, Danish Design Center

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SESSION 8: CIRCULAR ECONOMY AND FINANCE 

In the 8th session of our Circular Economy Learning Series, we explore the critical issues that can inform policy makers and stakeholders within the financial sector.

>>>  Watch the Replay! <<<

Panelists & Presentations

Koen Davidse, Executive Director, World Bank Group

Jean Pesme, Global Director (FCI GP), World Bank Group

James Leaton, Senior Vice President, Moody’s

Aglaia Fischer, Circular Finance Project Manager, Circle Economy
➡️  Financing for a global circular economy

Hein Brekelmans, Head of Sustainable Finance Desk,  ABN AMRO

Davinah Milenge Uwella, Principal Program Coordinator, African Development Bank

Luigi Ruggerone, Director, Intesa Sanpaolo Group

Elisa Achterberg, Researcher, Sustainable Finance Lab

Dr. Tian Huifang, Senior Research Fellow, Institute of World Economics and Politics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences

Arnoud Walrecht, Director, KPMG

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SESSION 7: CIRCULAR ECONOMY AND TEXTILES

In the 7th session of this learning series on ‘Circular Economy and Private Sector Development’, we invited global leaders who are advancing sustainable textiles initiatives, and explored questions of economic viability, policy, environmental impact and scalability in a new normal.

>>>  Watch the Replay! <<<

Panelists & Presentations
➡️  Event Slides – Session Agenda

Isabelle Durant, UNCTAD Deputy Secretary General

Francois Souchet, Lead, Make Fashion Circular, Ellen Macarthur Foundation
➡️  Make Fashion Circular

Lisa Emberson, Professor of Environmental Science in Environment and Geography Dept., University of York and SEI Affiliated Researcher

Khalid Mahmood, Executive Director, Master Textile Mills Limited, Pakistan 

Jenny Fredricsdotter, Circular Business Manager, re:newcell

Amorpol Huvanandana, Co-Founder, moreloop Thailand  

Whitney Bauck, Senior Sustainability Reporter at Fashionista 

Jessica Long, Sustainability & Responsible Business Expert and Co-author, “The Circular Economy Handbook”’

Mart Drake-Knight, Rapanui clothing & teemill.com 

Sarah Hayes, Circular Strategy Lead, Sustainability Dept at H&M Group 

Henrique Pacini, Economist, UNCTAD

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SESSION 6: CIRCULAR ECONOMY AND TOURISM

The tourism sector is a generator of jobs and income but without proper systems in place, tourism can consume large quantities of energy, water, and plastics which degrade the environmental quality of coastal destinations and ecosystems and affect the lives of residents. New and circular business models are needed to change the way tourism operates and enable businesses and destinations to be sustainable. The COVID-19-related tourism pause is an opportunity to rethink, refocus, and reimagine how the tourism sector can build a better and more circular economy tourism system for the future.  

>>>  Watch the Replay! <<<

Panelists & Presentations
➡️  Event Slides – Session Agenda

Virginia Fernández-Trapa, Programme Officer, Sustainable Development of Tourism, UNWTO
➡️  Circular economy and tourism towards recovery, sustainability and resilience

Jenna Jambeck, Co-Lead Source to Sea Plastics Initiative, National Geographic

Megan Morikawa, Director of Sustainability Office, Iberorstar  

Karin Strand, VP Expedition, Hurtigruten 

Kevin Duffy, Co-Founder, Winnow 

Sergio Guerreiro, Senior Director, Tourismo de Portugal

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SESSION 5: CIRCULAR ECONOMY AND CRITICAL MINERALS 

The 5th session of the Learning Series on Circular Economy discussed mining of main minerals and metals, how they affect strategic value chains and their impacts on competitiveness. The panelists shed light upon fostering efficient design of products to improve traceability, recovery and recycling of main minerals and metals; and increasing  accessibility to recovered minerals and metals by strengthening urban-mining. They also provided examples of policies to foster circular economy business models, smart mining and urban mining.  

>>>  Watch the Replay! <<<

Panelists & Presentations

Daniele La Porta, Senior Mining Specialist, WBG
➡️  Climate Smart Mining Presentation | Supporting materials

Peter Handley, Head of Resource Efficiency Unit, European Commission
➡️  Critical Raw Materials, Opportunities and Challenges of Circular Economy Strategies

Holy Ranaivozanany, Head of Sustainability, Huawei, China
➡️  Presentation | Supporting materials

Sarah Maryssael, Battery Metals Group Manager, Tesla, USA
➡️  Critical Minerals - Battery Supply Chain

Danilo Bonato, Managing Director, Erion, Italy
➡️  Circular Economy and Critical Materials Bonato

Lucia Helena Xavier, Senior Researcher, CETEM/Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation – BRAZIL
➡️  Circularity in the e waste supply chain

Suzanne Greene, Program Manager of the Sustainable Supply Chains initiative, MIT, USA

Stephen D'Esposito, President, RESOLVE, USA

Jan Klawitter, Head of International Policy, Anglo American, UK 

Payal Sampat, Mining Program Director, EARTHWORKS - USA

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SESSION 4: CIRCULAR ECONOMY AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES

In the fourth session of this learning series on ‘Circular Economy and Private Sector Development’, we invited global leaders, scientists, researchers and relevant stakeholders from industry to share experiences, to discuss challenges and report state-of-art and in-progress research in the intersection of ICT and Circular Economy. A key takeaway from the session is the important role of private sector technology solutions - such as digital platforms, AI and Blockchain - that enable the smart use of resources and create new efficiencies. In addition, panelists provided insights into the role of policy makers in ensuring a secure and transparent enabling environment, conducive incentives and improved coordination to help scale circular business models.

>>>  Watch the Replay! <<<

Panelists & Presentations
➡️ All presentations | Master

Wesley Spindler, Director, Business Strategy & Sustainability, Accenture
For background information, please check here.

Attila Turos, Senior Advisor, Value Chains, UNDP I Co-Founder, Seven Chapters of Circularity

Henrik Hvid Jensen, Head, Circular Economy Internet Initiative, Corporate Blockchain
➡️ The Circular Economy Internet

Danny Groh, CEO, Frountier Tech
➡️ Unlock The Power Of Intelligent Data

Dr. Matanya Horowitz, CEO, AMP Robotics
➡️ Enabling a world without a waste using AL and robotics

Matthew Silver, CEO, Cambrian Innovation
➡️ Making water reuse and resource recovery simple, sustainable and cost effective

Gerhardt Carsten, Partner, A.T. Kearney, Germany
➡️ Circular Valley - Hot Spot for the Circular Economy

Elisa Tonda, Head, Consumption & Production Unit, Resources & Markets Branch­, Economy Division UNEP

Giorgos Demetriou, Director, Circular Economy Research Center, France
➡️ Circular Economy and Private Sector Development: Emerging Technologies

Mathy Stanislaus, Interim Director, Global Battery Alliance, World Economic Forum
➡️ Batteries Powering Sustainable Development

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SESSION 3: CIRCULAR ECONOMY AND PLASTICS

In the third session of this learning series on ‘Circular Economy and Private Sector Development’, we invited global leaders who are advancing circular plastics models, and explore questions of economic viability, environmental impact and scalability in a new normal.

>>>  Watch the Replay! <<<

Panelists & Presentations

Roland Geyer, Professor at Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, University of California, Santa Barbara
➡️ Plastic: Too much of a good thing?

Jane von Rabenau, CEO and Founder, Siklus

Seah Kian Hoe, Founder and Managing Director, Heng Hiap Industries

Dr. Michael Saltzberg, Global Business Director, Biomaterials at Dupont

Sander Defruyt, New Plastics Economy Lead, Ellen Macarthur Foundatio

Juliet Kabera, Director General, Rwanda Environment Management Authority

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SESSION 2: ECO-INDUSTRIAL PARKS

In the second session of this learning series on ‘Circular Economy and Private Sector Development’, we launched the 2nd edition of the EIP framework and invited global leaders who are advancing circular models in EIPs, exploring questions of economic viability, environmental impact and scalability in a new normal.

>>>  Watch the Replay! <<<

Panelists & Presentations

Mareike Boll: Advisor in the GIZ Competence Center Environment in Germany.

Nilgün Taş: Deputy Director of the Department of Environment and Chief for the Industrial Resource Efficiency Division at UNIDO.

Dario Quaranta: Senior Advisor in the Finance, Competitiveness and Innovation Global Practice at the World Bank Group.
➡️ Presentation by GIZ, UNIDO and WBG

Paban Chowdhury: Secretary to the Government is currently acting as the Executive Chairman of Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) under Prime Minister’s Office of Bangladesh.

Dr. Marian Chertow: Professor of industrial environmental management at the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies and Director of the Center for Industrial Ecology.
➡️ A paper by Zaoual, A.-R., & Lecocq, X. on Orchestrating Circularity within Industrial Ecosystems: Lessons from Iconic Cases in Three Different Countries. California Management Review, 60(3), 133–156.
➡️ A paper on uncovering Industrial symbiosis (JIEUncovering 1-07)
➡️ A paper on Industrial Symbiosis Dynamics and the Problem of Equivalence (Boons 2017)
➡️ A paper on understanding the organization of industrial ecosystems: A social network approach (j.1530-9290.2008)

Hannes Utikal: Head of the Center for Industry and Sustainability at Provadis Hochschule, a university of applied sciences based at the industrial park Frankfurt Höchst. 
➡️ An exploratory study on how Industry 4.0 could enhance sustainability in industrial areas.
➡️ A methodology on how clusters may evolve from administrative entities to clusters of change

Dr. Sangjoon An: Project Manager, Korea National Cleaner Production Center (KNCPC) in Korea Institute of Industrial Technology (KITECH). 
➡️ Presentation (KNCPC)


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SESSION 1: CIRCULAR ECONOMY AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR

In the inaugural session of this learning series on ‘Circular Economy and Private Sector Development’, we invited global leaders and practitioners invested in a private sector-led transition to explore questions of its economic viability, contribution to resilience, and impact on applicable Sustainable Development Goals.

>>>  Watch the Replay! <<<

Panelists & Presentations

Joke Dufourmont: Joke leads Circle Economy’s Circular Jobs Initiative.
➡️ The Social Impact of The Circular Economy

Ken Webster: Ken is currently a senior lecturer at the University of Exeter, Business School and guest researcher at Linköping University in Sweden.
➡️ The Sandwich

Nabil Nasr: Dr. Nabil Nasr is Associate Provost for Academic Affairs and Director of Golisano Institute for Sustainability at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT).
➡️ Circular Economy and Value Retention Products (VRP)

Shardul Agrawala: Dr. Shardul Agrawala is Head of the Environment and Economy Integration Division at the OECD Environment Directorate. 
➡️ Circular Economy the Environmental Case Business Models and Role of Trade