International

  • Photo of Jean Billant
    Type of organisation or company
    Country
    France
    About this contact

    Circul’R was established in 2017 and is now a leading voice on the circular economy in France and internationally thanks to the close links it has established with all stakeholders: large companies, VSEs/SMEs, producer responsibility organisations (PROs), public institutions and local governments. Circul’R is firmly committed to supporting organisations - whether public or private - in their transition to circular models and modes of operation.

    To achieve this mission, Circul’R works at three levels: 
    1. Training - Raising awareness of the circular economy among managers and employees and enhancing their skills in this area.
    2. Leading coalitions - Creating and leading coalitions of committed players to set new standards in circularity.
    3. Consulting - Support private and public organisations in setting up circular economy projects, from roadmap to operations.

    Circul'R has a team of 40 circular economy experts.

    With over 10 years of experience in sustainability and the circular economy, Jean has worked across NGOs, public institutions and consulting. He started at the NGO GERES, supporting access to energy  projects, then joined ReLondon to coordinate circular economy initiatives for the Municipality of London, including the “London’s Food Footprint” study. At Circul’R, he now leads projects with private companies and public authorities in France and internationally, supporting the design and implementation of circular strategies. He actively facilitates dialogue between sectors to overcome barriers to circularity, notably through coalitions and collaborative projects. As part of the ECESP Coordination Group, he aims to foster cross-sectoral cooperation and share field insights to advance Europe’s circular transition.

  • "Circular bioeconomy – making the best possible use of natural resources. Focus: Biodegradable packaging from mycelium and agricultural waste". Images of coffee grounds, food waste, banana leaves and sewage ponds.
    News type
    Country
    Netherlands
    Key Area

    The ECESP website has a good selection of circular bioeconomy-themed content. We'll be shining a spotlight on some of it here!

    This item looks at biodegradable packaging from mycelium and agricultural waste.

  • Photo of Kari Herlevi
    Type of organisation or company
    Country
    Finland
    About this contact

    Sitra – The Finnish Innovation Fund is a pioneer in advancing the circular economy globally. As the initiator of the world’s first national circular economy road map, Sitra addresses societal challenges that shape our world. Their international programmes collaborate with partners to solve global challenges, enhance well-being and boost economic growth within the Earth’s carrying capacity. They drive systemic change through research, innovation and stakeholder collaboration. Promoting circular business models, skills, jobs and policies, they actively contribute to EU-level initiatives such as the European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform (ECESP). Globally, Sitra advances circularity through the EU Circular Economy Resource Centre (EU CERC) and the World Circular Economy Forum (WCEF), a leading annual conference and global platform for knowledge exchange and partnership building, initiated by Sitra.

    Kari Herlevi is Programme Director for Global Circular Economy at Sitra. He leads Sitra's international efforts to advance the circular economy, focusing on systemic change, foresight and cross-sectoral partnerships. Kari has played a key role in shaping global circular economy dialogues, including the WCEF and the EU CERC. With a background in sustainability and innovation policy, he works to align well-being and economic growth with planetary boundaries. Kari is a frequent speaker at international events and a driving force behind Sitra’s global initiatives to promote regenerative and inclusive circular solutions.

  • About this contact

    Academics for Circular Economy (ACE) is an international non-profit network connecting PhD researchers, postdocs and early-career academics working on circular economy topics. ACE strengthens research capacity through peer learning, mentoring and skills development in research design, stakeholder engagement and science communication. Their mission is to bridge the gap between academic research and practical action by connecting researchers with policymakers, industry and civil society actors. Through collaborative projects, workshops and policy dialogues, ACE fosters high-quality, interdisciplinary research that advances circular economy implementation and systemic sustainability transitions globally.

    After over a decade in industry, Priya Saikumar has transitioned to academia to complete her PhD on Circular Economy Transitions in the Electrical and Electronic Equipment sector at the University of Oxford. Priya and seven other members met through an online Circular Economy PhD peer community, and recognised that research and practice in the field often remain siloed. As a result, valuable, high-quality doctoral insights are overlooked and reinvented for decision making in policy and industry. To address this, they founded Academics for Circular Economy, a non-profit that bridges academia and practice by making rigorous research accessible to practitioners while also enabling PhD scholars to apply their expertise and break free of the publish-or-perish cycle.

  • About this contact

    ACR+ is an international network of cities and regions sharing a common goal: promoting sustainable resource management practices. Established to encourage innovation, knowledge transfer and cooperation, they are at the forefront of the movement toward a circular economy, where resources are used sustainably and waste is minimised, where sub-national authorities play a key role and establish strong partnerships with a multitude of stakeholders. 

    Anita Lombardo is a Project and Policy Officer at ACR+, where she manages EU-funded projects focusing on circular public procurement, construction and demolition waste, EPR and circular bioeconomy. With experience across the public, private and non-profit sectors, she has engaged with diverse stakeholders and developed expertise in policy analysis, project management and cross-sectoral collaboration. Anita has worked at Nespresso and at the European Commission’s Secretariat General, gaining deep insights into mainstreaming sustainability considerations in production value chains and policy. Fluent in English, French and Spanish, Anita holds a Master’s degree in Sustainable Development and her wide-ranging expertise enables her to navigate the complexities of EU programmes and sustainable development initiatives.  

  • Photo of Mariana Lopez Davila
    Type of organisation or company
    Country
    Belgium
    About this contact

    The Environmental Coalition on Standards (ECOS) is an international NGO with a network of members and experts advocating for environmentally friendly technical standards, policies and laws. For over two decades, they have shaped environmentally ambitious standards, policies and laws in areas such as the clean transition to a circular economy, building a renewable and efficient energy system and fighting greenwashing. They are also pushing for a more inclusive, open and transparent standardisation system at all levels, and the appropriate use of standards in support of environmental legislation and policy.

    As Head of the Circular Economy and Nature team at ECOS, Mariana leads efforts to advance environmental priorities in international and EU policy and to strengthen the representation of environmental interests in standardisation. She is responsible for developing and implementing ECOS’ strategy on Circular Economy and Nature.

  • Portrait of Mr Simon Clement
    Type of organisation or company
    Country
    Germany
    About this contact

    ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability is a global network of more than 2500 local and regional governments committed to sustainable urban development and is active in 125+ countries. ICLEI Europe supports local governments across Europe, the Middle East and West Asia in their transition to climate neutrality and more resilient and equitable communities.

    Simon Clement joined ICLEI Europe in 2002. As Head of Circular Economy, he is responsible for ICLEI's activities in this field, including managing the European Circular Cities Declaration. For over 20 years he has worked for, and on behalf of, local, regional and national governments in project, policy and strategy development on sustainability issues such as circular economy, procurement, transport and smart cities.

  • About this contact

    The Collaborating Centre on Sustainable Consumption and Production (CSCP) is an international nonprofit Think and Do tank that works with businesses, policy makers, partner organisations and civil society to deliver a good life.

    Michael Kuhndt is the Founder and Executive Director of the CSCP, with more than 20 years' experience of international cooperation, development and sustainability. He has managed programmes for many multinational companies, ministries, European and UN organisations in the fields of: strategy development for sustainable supply chains and circular economy, development/set-up of a sustainable consumption approach, upscaling of sustainable business models, triple bottom line innovation, sustainable finance and policy strategies based on multiple stakeholders.

  • David Fitzsimons
    Type of organisation or company
    Country
    Belgium
    EU
    About this contact

    The European Remanufacturing Council is based in Brussels and represents multiple business sectors and trade associations that extend the life of products through remanufacture and refurbishment. A steering group made up of five member organisations advises on the annual work programme as they aim to increase sales of remanufactured products in Europe.

    David Fitzsimons became Director of the European Remanufacturing Council in January 2017. He is a member of the World Economic Forum’s Advanced Manufacturing and Supply Chain group. He is also a member of the United Nations Environment Programme on Product Life Extension. He has welcomed the latest version of circular economy metrics for business from the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, which starts to account for the CO2 savings from remanufacturing and refurbishment processes. He participates in the World Steel Association working group on remanufacturing; the WSA was the first materials organisation to acknowledge the sustainability benefits of using durable materials in products designed for extended life cycles. Wherever possible, David promotes the work done by Professor Nabil Nasr in the USA to develop the evidence base for Value Retention Processes, including remanufacturing.

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    Rethinking value: Business pathways to circular transformation

    Vlerick Business School - Rethinking value: Business pathways to circular transformation, White paper by Dr Nuria Spijker, Senior Researcher & Sarah Grison, Circularity Expert, with a photo of a tree
    Type
    Author
    Nuria Spijker
    Sarah Grison
    Publication Date
    08/2025
    Country
    Belgium
    Language for original content

    Drawing on cross-sector case studies from construction and food to finance and retail, this white paper illustrates how circularity is being translated into business models, procurement systems and design strategies.

    It looks at systems thinking, industrial ecology, design innovation, business models, enabling mechanisms and behavioural change – all of which are key to understanding and implementing circularity across business and policy contexts.

    The paper finds that organisational culture, leadership and behavioural change are as critical as technical solutions; EU policy momentum is accelerating uptake through regulation, finance and public procurement; and businesses that embed circularity across functions and align it with broader sustainability goals are best positioned for the future.