Celebrating Circularity at Davos

Amongst the world leaders and multinational business executives who travel far and wide to attend the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos each year is an ever-expanding group of pioneers. Together, they are enabling new solutions to traditional challenges, and together, they are stepping out of the shadows to celebrate their successes on the global stage. For the past three years, The Circulars, an initiative of the World Economic Forum and the Forum of Young Global Leaders, has acknowledged the pioneering circular economy efforts of an array of innovative, new, and digitally disruptive enterprises, investors, foundations, leaders, and public sector organisations that are pushing the circular economy beyond established boundaries.Seen as a global movement that has the unique ability to provide answers to many of our planet’s most pressing challenges, the circular economy is now being welcomed into the spotlight, and those individuals and organizations that have taken the bold steps to adopt it are finally gaining the recognition they deserve.

Gabby Pieraccini, Head of Zero Waste and Circular Economy for The Scottish Government, accepts the The AB InBev Award for Circular Economy Governments, Cities and Regions from Tony Milikin, Chief Procurement Officer for AB InBev. Photo credit: The Circulars.As applications roll in each year, countless unique and inspirational stories of how individuals and organisations are making significant contributions towards driving awareness and understanding of circular principles across the globe are shared. Last year alone, the awards team received over 200 entrants from 37 countries, ranging from some of the world's largest multinationals to the most innovative start-ups, including:

• Black Bear Carbon, a startup that has brought the circular economy to the tire industry by developing an innovative technology that extracts high-quality carbon black using end-of-life tires as feedstock, was the a runner-up for the Dell Circular Economy People’s Choice Award.
• Fairphone, an electronics manufacturer that enables product life extension through its one-of-a-kind modular phone design that allows owners to open, repair and update their own phones was a finalist for the Young Global Leaders Award for Circular Economy SME.
• Glasgow Chamber of Commerce (GCoC), which is taking forward the city’s commitment to make Glasgow a “Circular City of Excellence” with the findings from their Circle City Scan, was a highly commended applicant for the AB InBev Award for Circular Economy Governments, Cities and Regions.
• Sitra, a Finnish, government-backed fund that supports the transition to an entirely circular economy through investments, alongside educational and societal transformational activities was a finalist for the CNBC Award for Circular Economy Investor.
• Dutch Awearness, a textile chain management service that enables the provision of circular workwear collections to the European market, was highly commended for their application for the Ecolab Award for Circular Economy Digital Disruptor.

Now in its fourth year, the Circulars are anticipating applications from an even higher number of innovative individuals and organisations that are yet to be discovered. Are you a forward-thinking member of the circular economy movement? Submit your entry to one of the following categories before September 30th to celebrate your accomplishments!

• Award for Circular Economy Leadership
• Award for Circular Economy Multinational
• Award for Circular Economy SME
• Award for Circular Economy Public Sector
• Award for Circular Economy Investor
• Award for Circular Economy Digital Disruptor
• People's Choice Award for Circular Economy Entrepreneur