Walter Stahel joins Ecover and The British Retail Consortium at Europe’s first large scale circular economy event

Walter Stahel of the Product Life Institute has confirmed that he will join the programme of 100 business leaders and experts at Resource: Europe's first major knowledge sharing conference and exhibition for the circular economy in March 2014. There is increasing interest for retailers and manufacturers to guarantee the supply of future materials and insure themselves against resource scarcity as the risks to business become more significant. The free to attend conference and exhibition will bring together 3000+ professionals in a first event of its kind.

 

Taking place at London's ExCeL centre, 4^th – 6^th March, Resource is the first and only major event  that connects the whole supply chain to collaborate on waste and resource issues and drive the growth of a circular economy in Europe.

 

French businesses have moved to support Resource through thought leader speakers from L'Institut de l'Economie Circulaire. The Institute will take part in the speaking programme and will be sharing experiences of its group of major businesses that convened earlier this year to form the Institute, headed by Green Party member Michel Lambert.

 

As well as speakers from major global businesses such as Unilever, Marks & Spencer and BAM, Resource will feature smaller businesses with a disruptive business model, such as Bert van Son, CEO of Mud Jeans. Mr van Son will be sharing his experience of his revolutionary new clothes leasing model, where consumers pay a small fee to lease clothing, with a reclaimable deposit given when the garment is returned.

 

Another UK business leader joining the speaking programme is Rod Fountain, CEO of Fluteoffice. Fluteoffice make durable, lightweight office furniture from cardboard. At the end of useful life, furniture is easy to move, dismantle and recycle, preventing landfill or downcycling.

 

As well as looking at the implications of the circular economy for products, Resource will look at how new business models will transform the way organisations view property portfolios. A move towards leasing rather than ownership will dramatically disrupt the idea of buildings being 'owned'. In the same way that 'light is provided, rather than light bulbs owned', buildings may be designed in a cradle to cradle fashion, so that materials are reclaimed and reused at the end of life.

 

The event has a growing list of forward thinking supporters, including CIWEM and The Institute for Sustainability, Technology Strategy Board, RSA, Great Recovery Project, Green Alliance, Carbon Trust and 2Degrees.

 

 "Resource is the event that businesses need to attend to see what the circular economy means for them, where the opportunities lie, and how material flows could threaten their profitability," said Resource Director, Ed Lawson. "Whilst large businesses may have most control over their supply chains, it is sometimes the smaller businesses that can capitalise more quickly on the full opportunities minimising waste, closing the loop and reclaiming materials'.

 

A resource constrained future brings both threat and opportunity. The threat is a scarcity and volatile cost of virgin material – the opportunity is to move now and make the most of the way consumers are embracing companies that minimise waste, recycle more and act sustainably.

 

 

Website -www.resource-event.com

Twitter - @resource_event

 

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