Business Recycling News

Circular business design workshop launches in Australia

By Liam Taylor 1 August 2024

The CIRCO methodology has been used to train 3000 organisations across 30 hubs in Europe and Asia since launching in the Netherlands in 2014.

Planet Ark's Australian Circular Economy Hub (ACE Hub) will partner with CIRCO NL, a Netherlands Government-funded organisation, to bring their circular economy training to Australia, starting with Victoria.

The CIRCO project is supported by the Circular Economy Innovation Fund as part of the Circular Economy Business Innovation Centre (CEBIC). CEBIC is delivered by Sustainability Victoria on behalf of the Victorian Government.

CEBIC works to foster innovation and collaboration across supply chains to reduce waste, increase re-use and repair and generate new streams of revenue for business. From September 3, CIRCO training will be available in Australia with a launch at Sustainability Victoria’s offices in Melbourne.

The methodology is applied to two training options. The most comprehensive is the Circular Business Design Workshop – a three-day program to familiarise organisations in Victoria with the possibilities of operating in the circular economy through circular entrepreneurship and design. There will also be a one-day masterclass available to Victorian designers.

CIRCO training targets the design phase of product and service development, exploring circular business model opportunities with organisations. It offers practical training initially for people in Victorian-based organisations offering products to the market and to those involved in product value chains. It activates entrepreneurs and creative professionals to re-design products, services and business models to do circular business with a focus on retaining value in products that last and products that flow.

Planet Ark has assembled a qualified team of delivery partners to work closely with Victorian businesses to deliver the CIRCO training. In this project period, the training will be provided by a mix of internationally based CIRCO accredited trainers and locally trained (then accredited) trainers to Victorian organisations in sectors like the built environment, textiles, technology and packaging.

Planet Ark's Head of Circular Economy Development, Dr Nicole Garofano, said the CIRCO initiative aims to equip Victorian organisations with circular design skills so they can create new circular products and extend product life through design.

“As evidenced in our Circularity in Australian Business reports, and in our many thousands of interactions with wide-ranging stakeholders over the last three, almost four years, there is a consistent call for increased awareness and knowledge of how to apply circular business models to facilitate the transition to a circular economy in Australia,” Dr Garofano said.

CIRCO training provides this practical knowledge and is aimed at organisations that put products out into the market and the people who help them achieve this including business developers, designers from all sectors, marketeers, operations, innovation and commercial managers from various organisations."

The CIRCO training program has been highly successful in countries around the world including Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam in the Asia Pacific.

CIRCO International Program Manager Pieter van Os said launching the program in Australia offered an important hub opportunity.

“We are excited to bring the CIRCO design methodology to Australia. It has facilitated 3.000 companies in Europe and Asia to create business opportunities and reduce their footprint by becoming more efficient with materials and energy, so we have high hopes that the methodology can accelerate circular innovation in Australia, too.”

Consul-General of the Netherlands, Mr Hugo Klijn, congratulated Planet Ark on the launch of the CIRCO initiative in Australia, in partnership with CIRCO NL. Klijn said the adoption of the program of circular business design workshops marks a significant milestone in the ongoing commitment between the Netherlands and Australia in fostering sustainable practices and circular economy principles in Australia.

“This partnership will pave the way for a broader adoption of circular practices, benefitting both our economies and the environment. It is an excellent example of how international cooperation can lead to substantial local impact.” Mr Klijn said.

Interested participants can register to receive more information on CIRCO training using this link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SNJ86JS

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Liam Taylor
Prior to joining Planet Ark Liam spent his time studying global environmental issues, travelling Southeast Asia on the cheap and working for a sustainable property management company in Bali, Indonesia. Joining the communications team at Planet Ark, he hopes to inspire positive environmental behaviour through effective and positive messaging.