A unique national Circular Design program making 50 Finnish companies circular frontrunners

Companies are increasingly recognising the opportunities that the circular economy brings as a competitive advantage and a means to boost their business in a rapidly changing market environment. Companies participating in the ’Circular Design – Path towards Circular Economy’ training program are currently developing new strategies and product and service innovations through circular design.

As part of the implementation of the strategic Circular Design programme and built on the initiative of the Ministry of the Environment, the training programme will be showcased at the World Circular Economy Forum event in May, at the Finland booth in Messukeskus in Helsinki. The exhibition will feature concrete examples of how investing in circular design is creating new strategic approaches, process enhancements and product and service innovations, not to mention new, circular business opportunities.

The Circular Design – Path towards Circular Economy program is being implemented throughout 2023 and is internationally unique focusing primarily on increasing circular design capabilities of participating companies. The free-of-charge pilot program involves 50 companies of various sizes and industries selected through an application process.

Participants include corporations of all sizes such as Stora Enso, UPM Raflatac, Mirka and Martela, as well as Helkama Velox, Kiilto and Genelec.

The program is now half-way through, and some companies are working on strategic-level initiatives focused on changing processes and operating principles, while others are engaged in concrete product and service development projects. At Martela we are looking for new ways to further develop our circularity-based lifecycle model. The development will be utilised to support sustainable workplace development of our customer organisations.

The development work within companies is still ongoing, and projects are still in the planning phase. The training will continue until the end of the year, and many projects will commence thereafter. However, the enthusiasm and interest in new initiatives are significant, with all participants recognising the necessity of transitioning to a circular economy.

The training is an initiative of the Strategic Circular Economy Program, led by the Ministry of the Environment. Design Forum Finland, a promoter of design utilisation in companies, and circular economy expert Ethica Oy, in collaboration with VTT, SYKE, Sitra, Frankly Partners, Miltton, and Alice Labs, are responsible for its implementation.

Companies participating in the Circular Design – Path towards Circular Economy program can be met at the World Circular Economy Forum event's exhibition area at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs joint booth on Tuesday, 30th May, from 16:30 to 17:00. The Martela presentation will be held at 15:00.

For more info:
Saija Malila Design Forum Finland saija.malila@designforum.fi +358 44 727 2280	Anne Raudaskoski Ethica Oy anne.raudaskoski@ethica.fi +358 50 341 0881	Anne-Maria Peitsalo Martela Oyj anne-maria.peitsalo@martela.com +358 40 720 1491

www.circulardesignsuomi.kiertotaloussuomi.fi/en

Image: Circular Design training program / Petri Anttila