Circular Economy: Learnings from Europe

Online Webinar – The Gifts of Circularity

Australia, New Zealand and our Asia/Pacific neighbours can learn a great deal from members of the European Union (EU) where the transition towards a circular economy is already underway. This was an obvious takeaway from a recent European Study Tour organised by the Australian Circular Economy Hub and Planet Ark, which derived significant learnings from the Netherlands, Sweden, France and the UK as well as the World Circular Economy Forum in Helsinki, Finland.

In the second webinar of this series, we are joined by three circular economy practitioners who joined the ACE Hub Study Tour Delegation. Moderated by Planet Ark’s Nicole Garofano, we will hear from Bronwyn Voyce, Founder of Civic Futures Lab, Emily Dunstan, Chief Growth Officer at Sustainability Victoria and Hayley Jarick, CEO of the Supply Chain Sustainability School.

In this webinar, our speakers will share their reflections on the strategic policy directions underway in the EU and discuss how education supports circular economy adoption across all businesses, including SMEs. They will unpack how value-chain collaboration and industrial symbiosis are enabling circular adoption and acceleration.

Nicole Garofano is the Head of Circular Economy Development for Planet Ark. Nicole is leading the ongoing strategic development of the Australian Circular Economy Hub. For almost 20 years, Nicole has worked in environmental education and action with a focus on waste management and a circular economy.

Bronwyn Voyce is the founder of Civic Futures Lab, an impact lab helping leaders make sense of complexity, navigate uncertainty, and deepen their impact in tackling climate change. She works with governments and ASX-listed corporations to accelerate their transition to net zero through ESG strategy development, policy design and circular program delivery. Bronwyn led the development and delivery of the global first program to divert banned surplus single-use plastics from landfill, through the “Great Plastic Rescue” diverting over 60,000 tonnes of obsolete stock from landfill.

Emily Dunstan is the Chief Growth Officer at Sustainability Victoria. From starting out in zoology and animal behaviour, Emily has spent over sixteen years working in education, science communication, behaviour change and insights, strategic planning and social impact. Her work has taken her from zoos to schools to humanitarian organisations and finally state government. She loves working out why people do the things they do, and how we can help our communities take on more pro-environmental action – in ways that make sense to them. The Strategy, Research and Growth group’s role is to ensure Sustainability Victoria’s programs are future ready, responsive to emergent trends, opportunities, and risks and getting Victoria to an economy that is circular and clean, as fast as possible.

Hayley Jarick is the Company Secretary and CEO of the Supply Chain Sustainability School Limited, an Independent Director of ResponsibleSteel, Chair of Planet Ark’s Australian Circular Economy Hub Procurement Working Group, and within WWF’s Materials & Embodied Carbon Leaders Alliance (MECLA), a Project Control Group (PCG) member and Chair of two working groups; steel and knowledge. Hayley completed her MBA at the Australian Graduate School of Management (AGSM) and Bachelor of Commerce, majoring in International Business and Legal Studies, at the University of Wollongong, Australia.