Getting In the Loop: Circular Economy | Sustainability | Closing the Loop

Hi and welcome to Getting in the Loop. I’m Katie and today I’m talking with Rowan Drury of Sweden’s first plastic package-free shop, Gram.Rowan Drury founded Sweden’s first plastic package-free shop Gram in 2016 after searching for a more sustainable way to buy food. At GRAM Everything is sold loose and by weight. Shoppers are encouraged to bring their own reusable containers so that they do not have to throw away anything when they get home. When she’s not running the shop, Rowan can be found lecturing about zero-waste lifestyles, supporting others in their quest to start up zero-waste shops and initiatives and advise companies about how to reduce their waste and climate impact.In this episode, you will hear about why Rowan started Gram and we dive into the zero-waste lifestyle.ABOUT TODAY’S GUESTRowan Drury founded Sweden’s first plastic package-free shop Gram in 2016 after searching for a more sustainable way to buy food. At GRAM Everything is sold loose and by weight. Shoppers are encouraged to bring their own reusable containers so that they don't have to throw away anything when they get home. When she’s not running the shop, Rowan can be found lecturing about zero-waste lifestyles, supporting others in their quest to start up zero-waste shops and initiatives and advise companies about how to reduce their waste and climate impact.

This episode is a crash course in the commons economy with Michel Bauwens of the P2P foundation. Michel introduces me to the concept of P2P and how it can be used to create commons. We discuss how the concept of the commons can be used as a model for governance in the circular economy and you’ll also hear why Michel is cautious of the so-called ‘sharing economy’ popularized by platforms such as Uber and Airbnb.ABOUT TODAY’S GUESTMichel Bauwens is the founder and director of the P2P Foundation and works in collaboration with a global group of researchers in the exploration of peer production, governance, and property. Michel is also research director of CommonsTransition.org, a platform for policy development aimed toward a society of the Commons. He has (co-)published various books and reports, is a founding member of the Commons Strategies Group, and recently crafted a Commons Transition Plan for the city of Ghent in Belgium in 2017.Highlights:What is P2P and the commons economyHow you can use P2P to create commons Examples of city commons labs and how to use protocols to create urban commonsWhy Michel is cautious of the so-called ‘sharing economy’ popularized by platforms such as Uber and AirbnbHow the commons economy could enable circular systemsThe three different levels of open contributive systems and four types of ownership Why commons licensing works best for immaterial goods

Today I’m talking with Adrien Segens about supply chain management and managing material risks. In this episode you will hear why having a better understanding of where our products come from and where they end up can help us create a more circular economy. We talk about different ways technology can play in enabling supply chain management and the benefits of supply chain transparency for companies.ABOUT TODAY’S GUESTAdrien Segens is a Corporate Development Consultant. Since 2008, Adrian has worked with innovative companies in that special place where technology, supply chains and sustainability meet each other. His projects have focused on using innovative technologies to address issues such as supply chain traceability; Smart Assets in Smart Cities; Natural Capital accounting, and corporate environmental reporting.HighlightsMeet the RSA How realistic is having an overview of supply chainsBlock chain, the Internet of Things and the role of technological solutions in managing supply chainsWhy supply chain management is crucial for circular economyThe three big challenges of circular supply chains: location, condition, and availabilityBenefits of managing risks through supply chain management/ Why it pays to have an overview of your supply chain

Today I’m talking with Prof. Dr Wayne Visser who is the Director of the Sustainable Transformation Lab at Antwerp Management School. In this episode, you will learn the four qualities of leaders and how you as an individual can act as an agent for change, including the four different types of change agents and how to tell which one are you. As you will hear, much of Wayne’s work has focused on leadership for sustainability, which I think is very much relevant for those of you trying to implement circular change.ABOUT TODAY’S GUESTProf. Dr Wayne Visser is a globally recognized ‘pracademic’ on sustainable business, author of 29 books and presenter of Closing the Loop, the world’s first feature-length documentary on the circular economy. He currently serves as Professor of Integrated Value at Antwerp Management School, where he also holds the Chair in Sustainable Transformation, supported by BASF, Port of Antwerp and Randstad. He is a Fellow of the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership, Director of Kaleidoscope Futures and Founder of CSR International. Previous roles were as Director of Sustainability Services for KPMG and Strategy Analyst for Capgemini in South Africa.HighlightsProjects at the Sustainable Transformation Lab related to circular economyThe Corporate Leadership Group on circular economyFour things leaders do to inspire changeHow to be a circular economy champion at any level and the individual as change agentFour types of change agentsHow to tell your change agent type

Today I’m sharing the story of the In the Loop circular economy game!In this solocast episode you’ll hear why the In the Loop game was created, how the game became a reality, and why I’m a fan of gamification. I share how the In the Loop game helps players to start thinking about moving towards a circular –rather than linear- economy and who’s been playing.Highlights1:45 Who am I?4:00 The In the Loop game story7:00 What are critical raw materials?13:00 How the game works17:00 Who has been using this19:30 Evaluating In the Loop in use21:00 Important tips about using In the Loop

Today we’re welcoming Kate Daly of Closed Loop Partners to the podcast. In this episode you will learn about how Closed Loop Partners is working with US companies to help accelerate the transition to a circular economy. Kate tells us why companies are motivated to work on circularity and shares examples of recent projects including a challenge to ‘Reinvent the Paper Cup’ as part of the NExt Gen consortium founded by McDonald’s, Starbucks, and Closed Loop Partners. Resources and links discussed in this episode are available at gettinginthelooppodcast.com . ABOUT TODAY’S GUESTKate Daly is the Executive Director of the Center for the Circular Economy at Closed Loop Partners, an impact investment firm. The Center is a hub for circular business acceleration, investment, and research in packaging, food, the built environment, and apparel & textiles. Prior to joining Closed Loop Partners, Kate served as Senior Vice President at the NYC Economic Development Corporation. At NYCEDC Kate led a team launching innovative business development programs in sectors including fashion, tech, sustainability, media, and advanced manufacturing. Kate previously served as the Executive Director of the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission. HIGHLIGHTS2:30 Kate’s impressions from the World Circular Economy Forum 20193:45 What is happening in the USA regarding circular economy5:00 Why the US private sector is motivated to move towards a circular economy10:40 How Closed Loop Partners is working with brands to advance circularity15:00 Bringing together competitors in the NExt Gen consortium and the challenge to ‘Reinvent the Paper’ cup23:00 Benefits of (digital) material passports and examples in practice27:30 Next steps for widespread acceptance of the circular economy

In Part Two of our special two-part episode, we return with the founding father of the Performance Economy Dr. Walter Stahel. Today we learn about the work he is currently doing to accelerate the transition to a more circular economy. You will hear about his new book, The Circular Economy: A User’s Guide, including why he was motivated to write the book in the first place and why he thinks the most important part of circular economy is YOU. Resources and links discussed in this episode are available at gettinginthelooppodcast.com . ABOUT TODAY’S GUEST Dr. Walter R. Stahel is founder and director of the Product-Life Institute (Switzerland), the oldest established consultancy in Europe devoted to developing sustainable strategies and policies. He is a visiting professor at the University of Surrey (UK), a full member of the Club of Rome, and author of numerous publications,, including his recent book The Circular Economy: A User’s Guide. HIGHLIGHTS 2:00 How the World Circular Economy Forum 2017 motivated Walter to write his new book 10:30 Moving from (Extended Producer) Responsibility to Liability for a circular transition 17:00 How to change business models to increase profitability using the tricks of the Performance Economy 21:00 Why we need to move away from silo-thinking 26:00 Why achieving a circular economy starts with finding ways to motivate individuals

In this special two-part episode, we hear from the founding father of the Performance Economy Dr. Walter Stahel. In today’s episode (Part One), we learn about Walter’s background, how his work on the performance economy began, and his experience finding arguments to convince people that buying performance rather than products makes sense for business as well as the environment. I also announce the winner of our special book giveaway in collaboration with Catherine Weetman! Resources and links discussed in this episode are available at www.gettinginthelooppodcast.com . ABOUT TODAY’S GUEST Dr. Walter R. Stahel is founder and director of the Product-Life Institute (Switzerland), the oldest established consultancy in Europe devoted to developing sustainable strategies and policies. He is a visiting professor at the University of Surrey (UK), a full member of the Club of Rome, and author of numerous publications,, including his recent book The Circular Economy: A User’s Guide. HIGHLIGHTS 4:30 Walter’s background and how he became passionate about the performance economy 10:00 How to create wealth and wellbeing with much less resource consumption 14:30 Best practice examples of performance business cases 19:30 Behind the scenes with the fascinating story of single use cameras 21:00 Social benefits from creating performance business models 24:30 What has surprised Walter the most over the past forty years

Today we’re talking with Olaf Boerner about plastics and packaging in a circular economy. In this episode, you will learn about current trends in the plastics industry and packaging sector, discover what it means to be plastic free and the tradeoffs associated with it, and hear about practicalities related to recycling plastics. Get ready to be shocked when you find out what things you use everyday that contain plastic! Resources and links discussed in this episode are available at gettingintheloopodcast.com ABOUT TODAY’S GUEST Olaf Boerner is the head of business development at flustix, which tests and certifies plastic-free products as well as products made with recycled plastics to help reduce plastic waste worldwide. Olaf has previously worked as a consultant in the fields of Sustainability and International Education with a special focus on growth projects. HIGHLIGHTS 5:00 Trends in reducing, replacing, and recycling plastics 12:30 What is flustix and plastic-free 14:15 Addressing the growing consumer demand for plastic-free 16:00 Is plastic-free the way to be? 20:15 What is a certification and how flustix works 22:45 Certifying recycling content and challenges with recycling 30:30 Where to buy certified plastic-free or recycled plastic products

Joost de Kluijver joins us on the podcast today! Joost is the founder and CEO of the social enterprise Closing the Loop (CTL), which has developed a service that delivers on the growing demand for circular IT. Prior to founding CTL, Joost worked for Accenture and the Global Reporting Initiative. In this episode, you will learn about the work Joost and his organization CTL is doing to enable proper collection and recycling of African e-waste and find out how their service provides a solution for circular procurement of IT in Europe. Resources and links discussed in this episode can be found at gettinginthelooppodcast.com . HIGHLIGHTS 2:20 Why it is important to close the loop on electronics 7:15 How Closing the Loop delivers value to two customer groups 9:45 Circular IT services and work with brands such as Samsung 12:30 Supply chain certification tools and collection 14:30 Challenges of setting up IT collection systems in Africa 17:30 Why electronic waste recycling has yet to happen in Africa 23:00 Common misconceptions about e-waste in Europe and Africa 26:00 The future of circular IT

Today we’re talking about plastics consumption and recycling with Peter Wang Hjemdahl of rePurpose. In this episode, you will hear about the work Peter is doing to empower informal urban waste workers and raise awareness with plastic consumers. You will also learn about why you should find out more about your own plastic consumption and the importance of knowing what happens to your plastic. Resources and links discussed in this episode can be found at gettinginthelooppodcast.com . ABOUT TODAY’S GUEST Peter Wang Hjemdahl is a social entrepreneur and is cofounder of rePurpose, which is a social enterprise that aims to create a global community of conscious consumers, workplaces & businesses that are going #PlasticNeutral. Peter has an MBA from The Wharton School. HIGHLIGHTS 3:30 Estimate your plastic footprint in three minutes 5:45 How rePurpose began and why they decided to focus on India 8:00 Current state of informal plastics recycling in India 13:30 How rePurpose works with recyclers 16:20 Making consumers aware of plastics and recycling 22:30 Ways to reduce your own plastic consumption 28:00 How to join the rePurpose movement in rethinking plastics

Andrea Brown of the impact investment manager Quadia joins us on the podcast today! In this episode, you will learn about impact investing, hear Andrea’s thoughts on promising new business models that can help the transition to a more circular economy, and find out why circular finance has received a lot of attention lately. Resources and links discussed in this episode can be found at gettinginthelooppodcast.com. ABOUT TODAY’S GUEST Andrea Brown is Director of Impact for Quadia. Quadia is a pioneer investment manager allocating private and institutional wealth into investment strategies that are helping to accelerate the circular and regenerative economy. Andrea brings over ten years of working with global fortune 500 companies on sustainability strategy at the World Business Council for Sustainable Development. There she led the development of WBCSD’s circular economy program, Factor10 bringing together CEOs from over 40 companies, including Dow, P&G, DSM, Philips, IKEA, Unilever, Veolia, Danone and more. She developed the CEO Guide to the Circular Economy and is a regular speaker on circular economy and sustainability at global events. HIGHLIGHTS 3:00 Using finance to help scale the circular economy 5:45 Linear risks that the circular economy can avoid 8:00 What is impact investing and how is it different from traditional investment? 12:30 Quantifying the impact of circular businesses and trends in sustainable finance 16:30 Entrepreneurship and value creation in a circular economy through collaboration 19:30: Making the business case for circular business models 23:15 Visions for transitioning to a circular economy

In this episode, Christian van Maaren tells us about the economic and environmental benefits of reusing waste materials and how his company Excess Materials Exchange has helped to reuse over 70,000 tonnes of materials. You will learn about how to create value from and find new uses for materials once thought of as waste and hear about Christian’s mission to redefine waste. Resources and links discussed in this episode can be found at gettinginthelooppodcast.com .Update: Since recording the podcast, Excess Materials Exchange has finished conducting the pilot study discussed in the podcast. In terms of the potential impact of the pilot, here are the final findings:· Identified financial value equivalent to €64 million· Energy savings equivalent to the energy consumption of the city lights in Paris for five years· Water savings equivalent to 860 Olympic-size swimming pools· CO2 savings equivalent to almost 870,000 car rides from Amsterdam to MilanABOUT TODAY’S GUESTChristian van Maaren is co-founder of Excess Materials Exchange. The company aims to find new uses for waste materials by connecting stakeholders and has created value for unused materials in various industries and sectors including plastics, textiles, and construction.HIGHLIGHTS3:00 Meet the ‘Tinder’ of the circular economy that matches secondary material supply with demand5:30 Quantifying the resources saved by reusing materials8:00 Plastics, textiles, organic waste, and other materials that can be reused10:30 How technology enables track and trace of resources flows16:00 Going beyond a platform to match supply and demand of secondary materials17:15 How excess materials are driving the transition to a circular economy20:30 Eight challenges to implementing material reuse platforms26:00 Legislative barriers to reuse of materials32:00 Rethinking our views of waste to enable a more circular economy

Today I am thrilled to welcome John A. Lanier, the Executive Director of the Ray C. Anderson foundation. John works to advance the legacy of Ray, his grandfather, whom you might recognize as the founder of carpet tile manufacturer Interface, Inc. Twenty years ago, Ray detailed his and Interface’s sustainability journey in his book Mid-Course Correction, and John has now released an update called Mid-Course Correction Revisited. In today’s podcast, John and I discuss Ray’s legacy, what has happened in the 20 years since Ray first documented his journey, and John’s vision for the future. Resources and links discussed in this episode can be found at gettinginthelooppodcast.com . ABOUT TODAY’S GUEST John A. Lanier is the Executive Director of the Ray C. Anderson Foundation, a Georgia-based private family foundation honoring the legacy of the late Ray C. Anderson. Ray, who was John’s grandfather, was the founder and CEO of Interface, Inc. the world’s largest manufacturer of carpet tile and a leading company committed to environmental sustainability. John shares his late grandfather’s passion for Earth and her natural systems, and he is the author of Mid-Course Correction Revisited, released this year to explore what it will take to create prototypical companies and economies of the 21st Century. HIGHLIGHTS 4:30 Ray C. Anderson’s legacy and the work of the Ray C. Anderson Foundation 6:30 Interface’s sustainable business journey and transformation 11:15 Picking up where Ray’s story left-off 14:00 Moving from company examples to a macro-economic perspective 20:20 Making the change to a more circular economy happen 25:00 Ways to shift culture and change mindset within companies 30:00 Recognizing the limitations of an abundance mindset

Sustainability strategist, designer, and social change agent Leyla Acaroglu joins us on the podcast today! In this episode, you’ll hear about Leyla’s exciting work to make sustainable design understandable and desirable, and you’ll learn how design and systems thinking can help us move towards a more circular economy. For show-related links and resources head to: gettinginthelooppodcast.com ABOUT TODAY'S GUEST Designer, sociologist, sustainability provocateur, and 2016 United Nations Champion of the Earth, Dr. Leyla Acaroglu challenges people to think differently about how the world works. As a pioneer of creative change, she weaves together sustainability, design, and systems thinking to challenge the way people see the world. She is the founder of Disrupt Design, The UnSchool, and CO Project Farm. HIGHLIGHTS 2:45 Bringing sustainable living practices to life through the CO Project Farm 11:15 Understanding the impacts of design decisions and making sustainable design cool 17:45 What needs to happen to reach a more circular economy 20:30 Designing learning systems and tools for the circular economy 25:00 Preparing future generations to create more sustainable solutions 29:00 Gaps in current circular economy discussions 32:15 Workshops, fellowships, and online training to level up your career and systems thinking skills

I'm recapping what happened last week at the 2019 World Circular Economy Forum (WCEF2019) in Helsinki, Finland. In this episode, you will hear about the World Circular Economy Forum and learn my top takeaways from the event. ABOUT THE HOST Hi, I'm Katie Whalen, founder of In the Loop Games AB. I aim to make education for sustainable development understandable and fun, and my first game-based learning tool was the IN THE LOOP game. I'm finishing a PhD at Lund University where I researched business models for circular economy as part of the MISTRA REES project. HIGHLIGHTS My top five takeaways from the WCEF2019: CE has truly become a global topic. . Design is crucial if CE is going to succeed. Consumers can make or break CE business models. What kind of CE do we want to create? Centralized or Distributive? We still have room to improve if we want to make a systemic change.

Johanna Reimers, CEO of Refind Technologies, reflects on the role of technology in creating a more circular economy. In this episode, you’ll hear how Refind Technologies is using machine learning and AI to help companies undertake repair, remanufacturing and recycling. And, don’t miss the fascinating reason why Refind Technologies also knows a lot about fish as well as batteries! For more information and show notes visit http://gettinginthelooppodcast.com . ABOUT TODAY'S GUEST Johanna Reimers is CEO of Refind Technologies since 2015, which she co-founded in 2014. She has an M.Sc. in Industrial Engineering and Management from Chalmers University of Technology and worked as an IT consultant and project manager for about ten years prior to working in the recycling business with Optisort, a former version of Refind, in 2013. HIGHLIGHTS 2:30 Introduction to Refind Technologies 4:00 How to teach a machine to sort batteries 7:30 Why Refind Technologies knows a lot about fish in addition to batteries 14:30 Enabling circular repair and remanufacturing with automation technology 18:00 How Refind Technologies introduced the world’s first reverse vending machine for batteries 25:30 Challenges and opportunities for circular technology 33:15 The future of AI and mission recognition for circular economy

Today on the podcast we’re chatting with Lynn Wilson about circular textiles and diving into the design and production side, talking about zero waste fashion and recycling. We also talk about the consumption side of things, looking at what we’re doing in our wardrobes and how we look after and dispose of our clothing. ABOUT TODAY'S GUEST Lynn Wilson is a designer, researcher and circular economy specialist. From 2013 to 2017 she was part of the Circular Economy team at Zero Waste Scotland where she implemented a national circular economy textiles strategy. She is currently a PhD researcher at the Adam Smith Business School, Glasgow University. HIGHLIGHTS 4:30 Lynn’s background and journey to her current research 12:00 Tech for zero waste textiles production – is it happening? 19:00 Opportunities for reuse and second-hand clothing and why some customers say no to secondhand 31:30 What you can do and shifting to a ‘Buyerarchy of Needs’ by borrowing, renting or leasing 35:30 Looking towards the future and challenges with closing loops in textiles and apparel

Today on the show we’re diving into the world of lean thinking with lean and green expert Dr. Keivan Zokaei. In this episode we learn about what it means to be lean and green, diving into the Japanese roots of lean thinking and exploring what we can learn from the concept when it comes to the circular economy. Links and resources related to this episode are available at http://gettinginthelooppodcast.com. ABOUT TODAY'S GUEST Dr. Keivan Zokaei is partner at S A Partners and is a lean thinker, management consultant and author. Keivan has over 15 years of experience in lean thinking, specializing in operations and supply chain management. He has led transformation projects working with organisations including Wartsila, Unilever, Royal Bank of Scotland, WalMart, Scottish Government, Welsh Assembly Government, Tesco, Marks and Spencer, Kraft, MARS, and Sainsbury’s. Previously Keivan was director at the Lean Enterprise Research Centre at Cardiff University. He is also the 2014 recipient of the prestigious Shingo Research and Professional Publication Award. HIGHLIGHTS 4:30 What is lean? What does it mean to be lean? 9:00 What does it mean to be lean and green - and why do initiatives fail? 15:00 Saving resources and money: examples of lean and green from practice 30:00 The most overlooked part of circular economy

Tim Forslund tells us about the ‘Learning Landscape Research’ he conducted at the Ellen MacArthur Foundation where he spent six months investigating the circular economy learning offerings that are available both online and at higher education institutions. Tune in to find out which two unexpected countries are leading the way with circular economy learning offerings and hear how circular economy concepts are currently being taught around the world. About the Guest Tim Forslund is an Environmental Officer at the Embassy of Sweden in Beijing. He previously I worked as a Research Analyst at the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, mapping and analysing circular economy learning in higher education and creating content for the China programme. Highlights 3:30 The why and how behind the Learning Landscape Research 10:45 How Finland and the Netherlands are leading the way as places to study circular economy 12:45 Examples of courses around the world and what we can learn from how circular economy is being taught 17:30 What educators think is most important when teaching circular economy concepts 20:45 Future trends and opportunities for linking finance, law, and digital to circular economy

Today we’re doing something new! I’m recapping my trip to Cambridge for the one-day ‘Future of electric mobility and material demands’ Short Course organized by SusCritMat. In the past ten years, global sales of electric vehicles have increased yearly. Right now we have more than 4 million electric vehicles on the road globally, and by 2040, there could be up to 900 million electric vehicles. But will the supply of battery materials such as lithium and cobalt be able to keep up with the demand for electric vehicles? Tune in to this week’s episode to uncover this question and more issues surrounding this topic. HIGHLIGHTS 4:40 Will supply be able to match demand of cobalt and lithium? 8:30 Is circular economy a solution? 12:45 What other potential changes and solutions are there?

Today we’re talking about building materials reuse with Joe Connell, Executive Director of the Building Materials Reuse Association (BMRA). Tune in to hear about opportunities, challenges and trends regarding building deconstruction and materials reuse, and learn about the BMRA’s upcoming conference. About the Guest Joe Connell is the Executive Director of the Building Materials Reuse Association (BMRA). Joe has 20 years of experience in the reuse industry, with accomplishments that include helping to launch several local reuse groups in Portland, Oregon, and serving on the City of Portland’s Deconstruction Advisory Group to pass the nation’s first deconstruction ordinance. Highlights 2:45 What is the Building Materials Reuse Association? 5:30 Overview of building materials reuse in the USA – materials and sectors 9:30 Benefits of deconstruction and reuse 13:30 Is deconstruction really new? 15:15 How to deconstruct a building & hybrid deconstruction 18:15 Buildings as material banks in Europe and the US 21:00 Upcoming activities at the BMRA 24:00 Material marketplaces, business opportunities and challenges

Earth Day giveaway! Today we’re speaking with Catherine Weetman about implementing circular economy in practice and what she has learned from working with SMEs. We talk about her book Circular Economy: A Handbook for Business and Supply Chains: Repair, Remake, Redesign, Rethink and Catherine has given me a copy to giveaway to one lucky listener! To have a chance at winning, all you need to do is leave a review on this podcast’s iTunes page. Listen to the episode or head over to the show notes at http://www.gettinginthelooppodcast.com to find out more about the giveaway. ABOUT TODAY'S GUEST Catherine Weetman is the Director of Rethink Solutions, a circular economy focused business consultancy based in the UK. Catherine has over 25 years' experience in contract logistics, manufacturing, retail and supply chain consultancy, and her career spans food, fashion and logistics, including Tesco, Kellogg's and DHL Supply Chain. She is also a Visiting Fellow at the University of Huddersfield and Vice-Chair of the Environment and Sustainability forum of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport, UK. HIGHLIGHTS 2:00 How to engage companies in circular economy 6:00 Common mistakes companies make when trying to go circular 10:00 Deep dive into Catherine’s book ‘A Circular Economy Handbook for Business and Supply Chains’ 17:00 Promising and challenging sectors for moving towards the circular economy 20:00 Shifting from a sales mentality to life-cycle costing 22:30 Power of the crowd and citizen-led initiatives spurred by social media

Leonidas Milios is a researcher at the International In at Lund University in Sweden focusing on the management and policy aspects of resources. His research is part of the Mistra REES programme, which consists of three leading Swedish universities and a wide range of industry, governance and civil society partners. Leonidas previously worked as a consultant for the European Commission and the European Environment Agency. HIGHLIGHTS What do we mean by circular economy and strategies to make products and resources last longer [2:30] What is a policy? [7:30] Moving from waste management to waste prevention - how the EU Circular Economy Action Plan and EcoDesign can help support durability and repairability [10:00] Why non-EU manufacturers should also care about the EcoDesign directive [17:00] How France and Sweden are paving the way with repair and reuse legislation [18:15] Outlook on future policies to promote repair and right to repair [25:00] What is the environmental benefit to using products longer? [34:30] Five key takeaways and recommendations to encourage repair and reuse [36:15]

Alessandra Hool is the CEO of the ESM Foundation. The foundation has existed since 1951 and is dedicated to support research and development activities in the field of rare and critical elements. In pursuit of this goal, the Foundation develops and coordinates projects in the field of rare and critical elements, such as the European education project SusCritMat. HIGHLIGHTS How the SusCritMat project is helping industry professionals, educators, and researchers address material criticality [3:00] Online videos and courses you can take part in [8:30] Why sustainable resource management starts with supply chains and how to implement this in practice [9:30] Common misconceptions about critical raw materials [13:30] Upcoming SusCritMat summer course and how you can join [15:15] Experiences from using the In the Loop game with high schoolers at Swiss Tech Days [18:30]

Adrienna Zsakay is the Executive Director of Circular Economy Asia, which implements circular economy programs and projects in the Asian region. Adrienna has spent many years working across Asia, including in Malaysia, India, Korea and Thailand. HIGHLIGHTS The importance of Asia and what is Circular Economy Asia? [1:00] What countries are doing in regards to circular economy [6:00] Circular Economy Asia’s ongoing projects [10:30] Cultural differences and how approaches differ from country to country [14:15] Initiatives toward circularity and untapped potential [18:15] What’s next and connecting to European initiatives [24:00]

Ken Webster is a leading expert on the circular economy and author of the book The Circular Economy: A Wealth of Flows. From 2012-2018, he was Head of Innovation at the Ellen MacArthur Foundation where he remains an associate, and he now holds positions at both the University of Exeter and Linkoping University. In this episode, I talk with Ken about the importance of thinking in systems. Do we want to circulate wealth or extract it? How do we ensure we’re setting the right system conditions for the circular economy? Tune in to today’s discussion to find out. For show notes and links visit www.gettinginthelooppodcast.com. HIGHLIGHTS Moving towards the circular economy [01:45] Reflections on the surge of interest in circular economy and the challenges ahead [05:30] Two rules for the circular economy and why we need to stop looking for examples [11:25] What are the system conditions for the circular economy? [017:30] How to make the system circular and the need for both big and small flows [22:45] Future visioning and useful links [33:45]

In today’s episode, Helene Smits shares about her work with companies and brands to close the loop in the textiles sector. Helene reflects on what brands are currently doing to implement more sustainable business practices, such as using recycled content and addressing environmental impacts of production. She also discusses successes and challenges she’s encountered over the past few years of working with brands to close the loop, and emphasizes the importance of also addressing consumption habits within the textiles and apparel sector - even if that means asking ‘Do I really need this?’ before you make your next purchase. Helene Smits founded Circle Economy’s Textiles Program in 2014 and recently launched her own independent consulting firm called Stating the Obvious. She focuses on collaborative projects that drive the practical implementation of circularity in the industry and works with a wide array of pioneering organisations including Recover, The Alliance for Responsible Denim, Textile Exchange, Amsterdam Fashion Institute and Fashion for Good. Highlights Our existing textiles system [01:45] What brands are currently doing [04:00] Challenges/opportunities for closing the loop in the apparel industry [10:30] New fashion business models and are they really beneficial? [17:25] What you can do – consumption and brands making a change [23:30] Future visions for the textiles sector [28:25]

Today on the show we’re speaking with Anna Tari, who is CEO of the Circular Economy Club - a worldwide organization she founded in 2012 for anyone interested in circular economy. Anna discusses what’s she learned about circular economy in the years since the club’s founding, shares (for the first time!) an exciting event they are launching later this year, and explains how you can become a member and even start your own club. For show notes and resources visit www.gettinginthelooppodcast.com. Highlights What is the Circular Economy Club (CEC)? [02:00] How to start your own local hub [08:50]Connecting local hubs to a global network [09:50]Takeaways from a global mapping of circular economy initiatives [12:30]CEC resources and an upcoming special event to encourage local city action [15:50] Education and work with universities [21:30]

In today’s episode, TU Delft Associate Professor David Peck talks about a topic often linked to the circular economy - critical materials. In the show, Dave explains that it’s not about running out of materials and why material criticality should be considered. We reflect on how this relates to the circular economy, and dive into Dave's research on what we can learn from the British response to material shortages in WWII. Show notes and links available at www.gettinginthelooppodcast.com. Highlights The importance of critical materials to society [02:30] The ‘Homer Simpson’ moment we face regarding sustainable development [11:30] British material shortages in WWII and strategic response [15:30] What you had to do to get furniture in WWII Britain [22:30] Are these strategies and policies applicable today? [24:00] What we can do and creating awareness [31:00] Upcoming EU regulations [35:00]

You’ve heard about circular economy, and you’re probably actively working in this space. Maybe you're in education, industry, or policy? You know there’s so much going on. But what’s actually happening? And is it really making a difference? This is the starting point for the Getting in the Loop podcast and I invite you to join me in the search to find out. Each week I interview circular economy experts about what they’re doing and learning. And the best bit - you get to be a part of it! Welcome to the very first episode! In this episode I share about why I started this podcast, who I am, and how it will work. New episodes will be released on Mondays at Noon, CET. You can listen and subscribe at www.gettinginthelooppodcast.com to have each new episode delivered to your inbox. Have an idea for an amazing guest or a topic you’d like me to cover? Email me: katie (at) intheloopgames.com.