The partners explain that this collaboration aims to push circular models into the spotlight and help inspire a new generation of innovation leaders, while growing awareness and support with consumers to buy products created with circular principles.
This initiative also sees the launch of the Circular Economy Awards, which will ‘highlight the benefits the circular economy can bring to both producers and consumers and showcase the practical examples of the circular economy in action’.
The awards will be open to businesses that demonstrate circular practices. This means products or services that use renewable materials and are designed for durability, reuse, remanufacturing, and recycling to keep products, components, and materials circulating in the economy.
RDS deputy chief executive of the Foundation, Niamh De Loughry said the initiative is a testament to their ‘shared vision of highlighting best practice and solutions which will energise more organisations to do the same’. “We believe the awards scheme will highlight and celebrate those organisations and their leaders who seek to achieve new heights and bring innovative circular economy solutions to the market that, were in many instances, previously unimaginable."
An alumni event will be organised for category winners and runners up for the purposes of lifelong development, networking and continued peer-to-peer learning in relation to implementation of circular economy strategies and processes.
The call for entries will be open from January 18 to February 26, and the awards are expected to take place in May 2024.