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Startup fills climate data gap with AI intelligence to boost decarbonisation

Szilvia Szabó — Tue, 17 Dec 2024 16:17:43 +0000

Startup fills climate data gap with AI intelligence to boost decarbonisation

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Carbon Management

Carbon Emission

Start-up

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Carbon Management

Despite the skyrocketing number of net-zero emission pledges set by countries, companies, and other entities, greenhouse gas emissions still need to be reduced by 43 per cent by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050 globally, according to the United Nations' latest figures.

While carbon management is becoming increasingly a core business activity, collecting and analysing data presents challenges since emissions must be tracked across direct, indirect and value chain activities as these inputs are classified as Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions in reporting systems.

Lara Obst, Co-Founder and Chief Climate Officer at ClimateChoice, a Berlin-based climate tech company, highlights that supply chain emissions typically account for over 80 per cent of a company’s total carbon footprint.

“We chose to focus on Scope 3 emissions because they represent a significant but often overlooked part of the decarbonisation journey,” she explains, adding that this area is a critical blind spot for many organisations.

Co-Founders of climate tech startup, ClimateChoice: Dr. Rey Farhan, Lara Obst and Yasha Tarani (left to right)

“With upcoming regulations like the European Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) requiring over 50,000 companies to report and address Scope 3 emissions starting in 2025, taking action is no longer optional — it’s essential.”

ClimateChoice provides an AI-first climate intelligence platform specifically designed for procurement and climate teams to empower businesses to accelerate Scope 3 decarbonisation through informed climate choices.

Lara had her “climate aha moment” in 2014 when studying the IPCC* report, which made her realise that 50% of global emissions are concentrated in just eight international supply chains.

She says this recognition fuels her daily work since she firmly believes that addressing this area can transform an overwhelming challenge into a manageable one.

“Our goal is to empower sustainability and procurement leaders with the tools and support they need to overcome these complexities and achieve their Scope 3 reduction targets.

This involves gathering data from hundreds or thousands of suppliers, assessing their climate maturity, accelerating sustainable procurement processes, and implementing structured decarbonisation roadmaps.”

Climate data management presents various challenges, as Lara describes that decision-makers struggle with insufficient input on supplier emissions and climate efforts, which leads to a lack of transparency.

Relying on manual methods like emails and Excel sheets also makes data collection inefficient and prone to errors, slowing progress. In addition, suppliers are often overwhelmed by repetitive requests and unclear processes, leading to lower participation and slower adoption of climate initiatives.

“Our platform automates data collection from publicly available sources, such as sustainability reports, websites and other databases, to create initial climate profiles for suppliers. Companies can then invite their suppliers to enrich these profiles, avoiding the need to start from scratch,”

Lara explains what makes ClimatChoice unique.

“This approach eliminates inefficiencies, enhances transparency, and fosters effective supplier engagement, setting the stage for collaborative decarbonisation efforts.”

ClimateChoice is building a global network of climate-conscious businesses, already having users from over 140 countries, and expanding its reach through an expert-led peer learning initiative, which currently includes 40 leading companies.

One of their recent collaborations with global tech giant Lenovo demonstrates the power of joint climate action through innovative, data-centric approaches as they engaged the multinational company`s international network in decarbonisation efforts.

Leveraging their AI-driven data platform, Lara and her team first analysed a vast amount of public data, typically covering over 100 detailed data points per supplier, to create individualised ClimateChoice Scorecards for each partner, followed by activating accounts that offered secure additional data sharing – including emission metrics, relevant initiatives and climate targets.

“This two-way data flow provided all participants with real-time climate performance benchmarks and tailored feedback, fostering transparency and collaboration across the supply chain,” Lara recalls.

“As a result, Lenovo achieved a Gold rating for climate leadership, while its partners collectively reached a Silver-equivalent rating.“

She adds that companies cannot comply with regulations, effectively track improvements, or build trust with stakeholders without accurate and transparent data, so ClimateChoice strives to turn transparency into action.

Apart from constantly developing and improving their platform, Lara shares that raising awareness and promoting the potential in managing Scope 3 emissions is also an important part of their work.

Winning the Green Startup Slam competition at the Greentech Festival (GTF) Los Angeles event in November was an outstanding opportunity for her to connect with sustainability leaders and impact investors overseas.

Reflecting on this achievement, Lara says: “Being able to share our mission on stage was already a highlight, but winning the competition against such innovative changemakers was beyond anything I anticipated.

This recognition reaffirms that we’re addressing a pressing global problem – one that resonates with many seeking impactful, scalable solutions.”

Lara Obst, Co-Founder and Chief Climate Officer at ClimateChoice pitching at the Green Startup Slam competition at the Greentech Festival (GTF) Los Angeles event in 2024.

Milestones like this further inspire ClimateChoice as a startup to continue driving meaningful action and contributing to the collective effort of turning climate ambitions into tangible results.

“The entire experience at GTF was very inspiring, and it reinforced the importance of knowledge sharing and global networks in achieving our shared climate goals.”

ClimateChoice also offers white papers such as the Scope 3 Strategy Canvas or the Best Practice Guide as part of their educational outreach, in addition to hosting learning programmes and fostering a community of practitioners.

Looking into the future, Lara shares: “Securing $2 million in funding in 2023 has enabled us to scale our platform across industries and geographies, significantly expanding global supply chain coverage. Our next big goal is establishing climate-smart supply chains as the industry standard, driving systemic change and accelerating decarbonisation at scale.”

* IPCC report - Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change produces assesment reports on climate change

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Designing a better reality through regenerative urban development

Szilvia Szabó — Tue, 19 Nov 2024 10:16:29 +0000

Designing a better reality through regenerative urban development

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The natural and built environment is exposed to increased pressure due to the impacts of climate change, which is only expected to intensify over time.

Architect Kevin Loftus believes that at the heart of addressing this challenge is bad design, which can be and should be replaced with design solutions that positively impact people and the planet.

After spending a decade abroad, studying and working internationally from the UK to China and the Netherlands, he recalls experiencing a growing awareness of the built environment's impact on the natural environment.

“I became disillusioned with the industry and current business as usual. This was the motivation to begin a new form of practice that seeks to find solutions to the key challenges facing the built environment from an environmental perspective, ranging from low-carbon design to creating sustainable communities through co-design.”

After returning to his hometown, Ballina, in County Mayo, he set up the social enterprise ACT Studio, which stands for Accelerating Change Together, in 2021 with former colleagues James McConville and Tom Lindsay to fulfil this ambition.

Their team comprises architects, urbanists, and policy specialists working to accelerate the Green Transition and deliver projects that combine regenerative approaches with social impact.

As design director, Kevin oversees setting standards and design processes across projects, including continuous research and developing new techniques to achieve regenerative and net-positive outcomes.

He explains that “currently, the design and construction of our towns and cities are disconnected from natural processes that support ecological stability”.

Kevin Loftus, Architect, Co-Founder and Design Director at ACT Studio

As Kevin sees it, conventional design approaches often overlook issues like the urban heat island effect, stormwater flooding, fragmentation of natural corridors, dispersed land use, and high embodied and operational carbon emissions.

“To design regeneratively means adopting a holistic approach, where we are mindful of the inputs and outputs of the systems we create. This awareness allows us to ensure that outputs can be reused in ways that either reinforce the system or act as positive resources for nature.

For example, a regenerative design might include an orchard park that grows fruit for local consumption, composts its waste on-site, harvests energy from the composting process, and uses the compost to plant more green spaces nearby.”

Generating surplus energy through renewable sources to be shared elsewhere or using strategic planting to absorb stormwater, thus reducing pressure on stormwater systems while creating green spaces for both people and nature, are other examples of the same logic, according to Kevin.

ACT Studio team views nature as a fundamental partner and asset in creating urban spaces while adopting circularity and Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) principles.

He emphasises that aiming to "do no harm" is insufficient and that we need solutions that actively work to restore the planet, making regenerative design more a necessity rather than a choice.

“Achieving social and cultural change, essential for environmental transformation, requires tangible examples that prove a different way is possible.

Our projects aim to serve as these examples, showcasing a future where humanity exists in harmony with the natural world.”

Reimagining Sustainable Town Centre Living - Scotch House Development in Ballina, County Mayo, designed by ACT Studio. Image: ACT Studio

One of their latest projects is reimagining town-centre living to attract people back to urban areas by transforming Scotch House in Ballina through revitalising vacant, above-shop units and adding new residences by stacking them above existing rear structures, connected by a series of shared gardens.

The core concept reflects ACT Studio's regenerative and social approach as it integrates offering amenities like open green spaces, own-door access, and even on-site growing opportunities with a new public laneway to encourage active travel and enhance the public realm.

“The development will generate a surplus of renewable energy, with new units constructed from a straw panel system that sequesters carbon within the building’s structure”,

shares Kevin.

Recently granted planning permission, the project aims to create a model for urban regeneration.

Having worked with various development projects, Kevin believes embracing complexity and being willing to iterate is crucial to translating regenerative concepts into actual developments.

Their development process involves challenging the status quo and exploring options from different angles, including clients, consultants, and other project stakeholders, so this “collaborative approach ensures that ideas for regenerative solutions can emerge from everyone engaged in the project”.

Another project that Kevin feels represents the benefits of a holistic approach is the Bioeconomy Tapestry development, located at Cill Ulta, a Centre for Sustainability, which aims to promote food sovereignty, sustainable energy, farm-to-fork research, Irish agricultural heritage and crafts, and the Irish language.

“In collaboration with Rhatigan Architects, we designed a masterplan to expand the site’s capacity by adding new food production facilities, a greenhouse with labs, a bioeconomy research centre, and new educational spaces."

Designing an Ecosystem for Bio-economy Innovation at the Bioeconomy Tapestry development, located at Cill Ulta, a Centre for Sustainability. Image: ACT Studio

He adds that 25% of the site is reserved for nature and habitat areas, protecting endangered Irish species like the corncrake, and the site development plans are designed to accommodate crop rotation and designate shifting areas for pollinators.

“The centre will explore ways to make native crops more resilient to climate change and promote regenerative farming practices at both local and national levels.”

Despite the significant potential of regenerative design, there are numerous challenges.

As Kevin has observed from his experience working on various development projects, one of the primary obstacles is the lack of understanding of the pressing nature of our climate and social situation.

Challenging existing mindsets and leaving the certainty of “business as usual” is another area where a lot needs to be done besides shifting government policy and regulation that would support innovative design instead of blocking it.

“I wish our culture of consumption could be replaced by a culture of care. If we based our decisions, policies, and laws on the principle of caring for others and the environment, our mission would effectively fulfil itself.”

Kevin and his team also developed an in-house tool called Accelerating Action software product to offer a practical solution for making impact matter more by providing metrics and visuals.

“This tool uses the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a foundational framework to demonstrate alignment with SDG targets, helping communicate a project’s impact. It can also be used in early-stage workshops to assess the potential impact of a project, guiding its overall direction.”

Headline image: ACT Studio

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World’s largest corporate sustainability initiative opens chapter in Ireland

Climate Journal reporting — Tue, 19 Nov 2024 09:47:22 +0000

World’s largest corporate sustainability initiative opens chapter in Ireland

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SDGs

Climate Action

Business Sustainability

Topic

Business Sustainability

A special initiative of the UN Secretary-General, the United Nations Global Compact, will officially launch its Irish chapter on November 28th at Dublin’s Exo Building to accelerate actions towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) by 2030.

Sanda Ojiambo, Assistant Secretary-General and CEO of the UN Global Compact will open the exclusive event where senior representatives from business, government, academia, and civil society will explore how ambitious change can be implemented for a more sustainable future in Ireland.

At the current COP29, the UN Climate Change Conference held in Baku, Azerbaijan, Ojiambo emphasised that the world is “so far off in terms of climate targets and where we need to be" and that providing clear pathways for the private sector is crucial.

The launch event will provide more insights about the UN Global Compact and programmes such as the Forward Faster initiative, a global platform for credible, ambitious corporate action to guide companies on where to make the most significant impact the fastest.

Nessa Whelan, United Nations Global Compact Ireland Country Manager, highlights that Ireland needs forward-thinking leaders from the private sector committed to prioritising sustainability.

Nessa Whelan, United Nations Global Compact Ireland Country Manager

“The official launch of the network in Ireland marks a groundbreaking milestone towards driving positive, sustainable change. New members can expect to join like-minded organisations that will advance their business beyond mere regulatory compliance towards sustainable actions that add true value through longevity and profitability.”

She adds that since only 17% of the United Nations’ SDGs are on track to be achieved by the 2030 original deadline, introducing the Forward Faster initiative in Ireland to increase accountability and transparency is a major step in accelerating change.

“The Forward Faster initiative will be adopted in Ireland by focusing on key areas where businesses can drive rapid progress on the SDGs. These include gender equality, climate action, living wages, water resilience, and sustainable finance,”

Whelan explains.

The Forward Faster initiative by UN Global Compact aims to accelerate actions to deliver on SDG targets by 2030.

The launch event will feature high-level discussions with national and international speakers, including David McRedmond, CEO of An Post, and Noel Keeley, CEO of Musgraves Ltd and other influential figures, to provide insights, facilitate the exchange of ideas and foster collaborations.

To join the UN Global Compact Network Ireland, businesses must align their operations with the Ten Principles covering human rights, labour standards, environment, and anti-corruption. This requires a public commitment from their CEO and submitting an annual Communication on Progress (CoP).

Regarding benefits for businesses, Whelan says: “Participants receive access to a range of training sessions, workshops, and best practice resources that guide them in embedding sustainability into their operations. Furthermore, they gain visibility for their leadership in sustainability and are supported in meeting emerging regulatory requirements related to sustainable business practices, helping them remain competitive in a changing global economy.”

The UN Global Compact Network Ireland will provide companies with tailored support, resources, and learning opportunities to accelerate their progress while encouraging them to take bold action and lead the way in creating a more sustainable and resilient economy.

To make membership accessible to businesses of all sizes, the annual fee is tiered based on company size and revenue so new registrants can join the network of existing Irish members such as An Post, DAA, Smurfit Kappa, Ryanair, ICON plc, and AIB.

With over 15,000 companies and 3,000 non-business signatories based in over 160 countries, involving 69 Local Networks, the UN Global Compact has become the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative since its launch in 2000, accelerating change at scale to deliver on the SDG targets by 2030.

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Climate tech conference advocates for change in the US despite expected regressive anti-environmental policies

Climate Journal reporting — Mon, 11 Nov 2024 12:06:28 +0000

Climate tech conference advocates for change in the US despite expected regressive anti-environmental policies

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The GTF Connect international event series, initiated by leading global climate innovation platform GREENTECH FESTIVAL, will host two days of thought-provoking discussions, networking and awards to advocate for the green transition in Los Angeles at the iconic Avalon Hollywood on November 14th and 15th.

This year's central theme is “Business as Usual is Dead,” aiming to emphasise the need for a new era where green innovation and leadership drive the economy, and profit-only priorities are in the past.

Nico Rosberg, Sustainability & VC Entrepreneur and co-founder of GREENTECH FESTIVAL, commented: “This year’s GTF Connect in Los Angeles is about uniting to transform today’s unprecedented challenges into opportunities for a better tomorrow.

Business as usual is Dead, and we’re eager to dive deep into what this means for the future of sustainability, innovation, and green technology.”

Nico Rosberg, Sustainability & VC Entrepreneur and co-founder of GREENTECH FESTIVAL

With two main categories, the ‘Start-up’ and ‘Changemaker`, GREEN AWARDS will present exciting US-based climate innovators on the first day.

The lineup for nominees includes start-ups such as Ascend Elements, Twelve, and Lyten, which are making waves by drastically lowering emissions in the battery and jet fuel spaces using innovative materials and technologies.

The conference will take place on the second day and is jam-packed with inspiring leaders and influential creators sharing insights, as well as the GREEN START-UP SLAMS and GREEN INVESTORS CRUNCH sessions with various networking opportunities.

Debates on stage will explore topics like “Can the LA Olympics be a Movement for Good?” and “Is Sustainable Hollywood just another Fairytale?” besides discussing equitable cities, energy transformation, and accessible mobility for all.

One of the renowned speakers, Erin Simon, VP and Head of Plastic Waste at the World Wildlife Fund, says:

“We need to design solutions for the future we want, not the reality we are in. I am not saying we don’t need to be grounded, but we need to think outside of today’s barriers if we want actual change.”

GTF panel discussion, Berlin. Image: GREENTECH FESTIVAL

Attendees will have the chance to hear from changemakers, including Adam Lenz, Head of Sustainability at Waymo, Conyers Davis, Global Director of USC’s Schwarzenegger Institute and Nurit Katz, Chief Sustainability Officer, UCLA, to name a few.

After hosting GTF Connect events in London and Singapore in 2024, the Los Angeles conference will welcome approximately 600 guests, including a 50-person business delegation from Germany led by the Governing Mayor of Berlin, Kai Wegner.

Marco Voigt, Co-Founder of GREENTECH FESTIVAL, shares what drives them to advance the green agenda:

“… green leadership deserves to be recognised, and we want to play our part by providing the platform and inspiration for business leaders to see what’s possible when green business innovation, technology, and leadership unite.

We have learned a lot from our peers across the globe on our 2024 tour, and we’re excited that GTF Connect has the opportunity to return to Los Angeles a second time, especially given that we aim to celebrate and promote green change across the entire planet.”

Those interested in joining the GTF Connect event in Los Angeles can avail free tickets on the event`s website.

The GREENTECH FESTIVAL is a leading global platform for business sustainability, uniting innovators, changemakers and communities to showcase cutting-edge green technologies, share actionable insights and accelerate the decarbonisation of industry.

By expanding globally, the festival aims to celebrate and promote green globally, as organisers firmly believe this world urgently needs sustainable transformation.

Read more insights with Erin Simon, Vice President and Head of Plastic Waste and Business at the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), a participant in the "Creating Change" panel discussion at the GTF Connect Los Angeles event on 14-15 November:

Read the article >>

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Making a world without plastic pollution a reality

Szilvia Szabó — Mon, 11 Nov 2024 09:55:40 +0000

Making a world without plastic pollution a reality

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Plastic Pollution

Climate Action

Topic

Plastic pollution

Changemaker insight with Erin Simon, Vice President and Head of Plastic Waste and Business, World Wildlife Fund

Whether we consider biodiversity loss, polluting fossil fuels, or climate disasters, the picture is clear: we must change systems at scale.

Although change doesn`t happen overnight, and if you recall any recent personal endeavours to change something in your life, from shifting to a healthier diet to squeezing in more exercise, you will agree that change is difficult.

One of the most pressing global challenges we face is plastic pollution, given that every year a staggering 19-23 million tonnes of plastic waste leaks into aquatic ecosystems, polluting lakes, rivers and seas, according to the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).

As Vice President and Head of Plastic Waste and Business at the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Erin Simon drives positive change across industries in packaging and material sustainability while leading one of WWF`s flagship campaigns, “No Plastic in Nature”.

“Mount Everest. The streets in your neighbourhood. Tropical beaches on remote islands. Your local park. The Mariana Trench. What do all of these places have in common? You can almost guarantee that you will find plastic waste in every one of them”, says Erin about the scale of the plastic challenge.

For a global issue like plastic pollution, Erin stresses the importance of collective action.

She believes that to combat this crisis, we need as many people as possible to support and contribute to the solution, but for that to happen, we need to overcome our differences.

Erin Simon, Vice President and Head of Plastic Waste and Business, World Wildlife Fund (WWF)

“Divisiveness continues to paralyse us as a global community across many complex issues. We get caught up in one way or another and lose the ability to create shared solutions. With plastic pollution, there are ways to find common ground and benefits for communities, the planet, and the private sector – we just need to come together to find them.”

She further explains that collaboration is not just about working together more broadly as “we can't just inspire everyone to go off and act on their own”.

However, plastic is not only an environmental issue since it disrupts livelihoods and has been linked with various human health implications, negatively impacting lives worldwide.

While we still don’t know how much plastic ingestion is safe for humans, there is growing agreement among a broad group of scientists that plastics are responsible for significant harms to human health, the economy, and the earth's environment.

Plastic pollution pose a threat to human health according to variouos research. Image: Canva

Erin feels strongly about the power of collaboration and delivering justice as she explains that “our oceans don't adhere to country borders, and neither can our solutions - success for a few will not equal success for the planet”.

The plastic pollution crisis is quickly reaching a tipping point, even though, in March 2022, the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA) agreed to establish a legally binding international agreement to address the issue.

“Despite voluntary initiatives and national regulations, marine plastic pollution has increased by 50% in the last five years and is projected to triple by 2040”,

Erin explains.

Crafting a treaty that will make a real difference requires strong and specific agreements that will hold countries accountable for building better systems for waste management and recycling while finding alternatives to plastic to avoid exhausting natural resources is at the top of WWF`s agenda.

The Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) on Plastic Pollution will gather in late November to have the final negotiations, which, as WWF describes, is the “last critical moment to prevent irreversible economic, health, and environmental damage from plastic pollution”.

On the promising side, some countries already recognise the importance of addressing the plastic crisis. For instance, Colombia, Jamaica and Panamá announced joining forces in 2023 through a shared initiative to reduce plastic pollution from coastal and urban environments by allocating $ 42 million to support a holistic approach to improve city-level circularity.

Looking into the future, Erin shares her vision:

“We need to design solutions for the future we want, not the reality we are in. I am not saying we don’t need to be grounded, but we need to think outside of today’s barriers if we want actual change.”

One example she highlights where collaboration sparked real change is the Business Coalition for a Global Plastics Treaty, jointly convened by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and WWF, where she managed to bring major companies such as Walmart, Target, The Coca-Cola Company, and Procter & Gamble to the treaty negotiating table.

She notes that many of these businesses are not only in favour of a treaty like this but have become vocal champions for it, helping grow industry buy-in, adding that “plastic producers are a large part of the problem but also a vital part of the solution”.

An area where Erin sees a massive mindset shift is necessary is looking at the economics of plastics differently.

“We often measure progress in dollars and cents – which is how our world works, but it also prioritises that and colours our ability to get creative. The question of “who is going to pay for it?” plagues problem solvers and deprioritises communities and ecosystem services that often bear the brunt.”

In her opinion, to turn the tide and make a world without plastic pollution possible, a global treaty that provides rules for all countries to abide by and enables solutions like policies and funding that smooth the way for implementation would be essential.

The role of advocacy cannot be overstated despite the fact that the plastic crisis is one of the most well-recognised global issues, and 85% of Americans somewhat or strongly agreed in a recent WWF poll that plastic waste pollution is a serious and concerning problem that requires immediate political action to solve.

As part of her work to raise awareness, Erin Simon takes the stage alongside other changemakers to share insights about their changemaker journey at the Greentech Festival conference in Los Angeles on November 14-15.

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Bringing creative design solutions to life with smart circular twists

Szilvia Szabó — Thu, 10 Oct 2024 13:46:28 +0000

Bringing creative design solutions to life with smart circular twists

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This article is part of the 'Celebrating Circular` initiative and story collection that spotlights trailblazer Irish businesses making strides towards a more sustainable and low-carbon economy.

Arriving in Ireland 11 years ago from Brazil, Caio Pazini had to look for opportunities to restart his life in a new country.

Working as a handyman and carpenter for two years gave him enough experience to start his own business, Forja Works, which offers design solutions with a twist: reusing perfectly good materials that no longer fulfil their original purpose and recycling as much as possible.

“I already had an eye for recycling as my family back in Brazil has been working in plastic recycling, so I knew more about this area.”

Initially, his main driver was to balance the lack of financial resources by saving materials instead of throwing them away.

Keeping materials in circularity

Having a background as an Environmental Engineer also helped him realise the potential of different materials while working on designs.

“I have the mindset of keeping materials in flow, whether through recycling, reusing or repurposing. I see endless possibilities when I look at designs or objects, imagining the best possible way to make them work.”

“When I look at designs or objects, I see endless possibilities, imagining the best way to reuse and repurpose materials.”

Caio Pazini, Founder of ForjaWorks

In the past years, Caio has worked on a wide variety of projects, from designing restaurant interiors and outdoor coffee areas to wardrobes and event installations.

In 2023, he was proud to divert over 2000 kg of discarded materials by breathing new life into them through his work.

“I’m at my best when I can work on the creative design while finding the best way to use materials all over again. I equally enjoy turning a piano into a bar and designing benches from recycled plastic.”

One of his recent projects was creating a ‘trash wave’ installation for KIA as part of their communication at the St Patrick's Festival. In this case, he had to demonstrate and visualise the plastic waste challenge by visualising the plastic journey.

Focusing on design longevity

Another area he focuses on is improving design longevity by using modular systems that allow him to replace or fix certain items without destroying or damaging the main structure.

For instance, he would adopt this approach at a coffee shop when creating fixed seating areas, making it possible to repair blocks instead of dismantling everything. Caio’s thinking goes beyond materials.

He added a ‘buy-back' service to his business, meaning he would offer partners a fair price to reclaim the materials he used when they no longer wanted them.

“Buying back materials from my clients allows me to redress or repurpose them and use them elsewhere. I have created a ‘library of materials' at my workshop so I can mix and match what I need according to the actual design I'm working on. This is a great deal for my partners, for my business and the environment.”

He aims to have a bigger facility where he can expand the ‘library of materials’ concept and scale this approach.

Exploring full circularity

Searching to take his ideas and enterprise to the next level led him to participate in the MODOS course.

“Being part of the programme helped me find new ways to finance my ideas and market our services and products besides rethinking my business model. The contacts and overall support were also beneficial. It also opened my eyes to carbon emissions and management and how to adopt it in a meaningful way to my company.”

An added value in joining the MODOS programme was to find a community where he was understood.

“It was nice to have a space where you are not considered weird because you want to do things differently.”

Building a three-pillar system

Talking about plans, he adds that his goal is to build a three-pillar system that can cover all aspects of being circular from start to finish.

“I have opened a new business focusing on producing recycled plastic sheets, so we can handle the manufacturing while our Studio creates the design and the original ForjaWorks enterprise delivers projects.

This way, we can offer a fully circular solution that ensures the best use of materials throughout the entire process.”

Although the advantages of adopting this approach are clear, he admits that convincing people to invest in a more long-term solution and consider their impact is challenging.

In 2023, Forja Works diverted over 2000 kg of discarded materials by breathing new life into them through creative design.

Staying and growing local

On top of working on circular solutions, Caio feels strongly about keeping everything local and avoiding imports as much as possible to reduce emissions and create more jobs locally.

“I hope to become a pioneer in this sector and lead by example. This also means I need to pave the way first, which takes a lot of energy and time.”

To walk to talk, he is keen to run his business responsibly. I

ntegrating solar panels and electric vehicles into their operations is part of their ambitious carbon emission reduction plan, and playing an active part in hosting the Canal Cleaning events in Portobello in Dublin is also on the agenda.

In the midst of running and expanding his business, Caio says it is hard to balance and find time to switch off, but luckily, his work is also his passion.

“I’m full of ideas but also need to keep the focus on the business to make things work. What keeps me grounded is the actual craft, making things with my hand. It is satisfying turning materials into creations and seeing things shaping up by your hand.”

Explore other inspirational stories as part of the Celebrating Circular initiative supported by the Regional Waste Management Planning Offices and Dublin City Council.

Read more stories>>

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Starting a sharing revolution with circular packaging

Szilvia Szabó — Wed, 09 Oct 2024 10:14:33 +0000

Starting a sharing revolution with circular packaging

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Circular Packaging

Sharing Economy

Topic

Circular Business

This article is part of the 'Celebrating Circular` initiative and story collection that spotlights trailblazer Irish businesses making strides towards a more sustainable and low-carbon economy.

Despite the evident negative environmental impact, single-use coffee cups are still part of our daily lives.

Ireland is one of the most polluting countries in Europe, given that approximately 22,000 disposable cups are used every hour, which makes up about 200 million cups every year, creating 3,700 tonnes of waste, according to a Government of Ireland study published in 2020.

When Sarah Fliessbach moved to Ireland from Germany six years ago, she was surprised to see that disposable cups were the norm.

“It struck me that even events were dominated by single-use cups, and when COVID hit, this approach spread like wildfire since refill was not an option in order to stay aligned with health directives. It was crazy to see all those disposable cups and food packaging piling up,” Sarah recalls.

Finding an alternative to single-use plastic cups

She started to research options that could offer another viable solution with the potential to be scaled up in time.

At the beginning of the journey, Sarah talked with many businesses to determine whether there was an appetite for an alternative and how this could realistically work.

After gathering inputs, the idea of creating shareclub was born to offer circular packaging solutions for events, workplaces and takeaway services to minimise waste.

Sarah Fliessbach, Founder of shareclub, a start-up offering circular packaging solutions.

Receiving funding from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 2023 as part of their Green Enterprise Innovation initiative provided a great opportunity to kickstart the business and further develop the idea.

“We designed a mobile application that allows users to scan a QR code on our cups to join the rental system and practically rent a cup for the duration of an event or elsewhere.

Using shareclub at events presents organisers with a very tangible outcome in terms of costs and savings as well as avoiding mountains of unnecessary waste.”

With this solution, they can cater all kinds of small and large events alongside coffee shops or canteens.

“Thanks to the app, we can precisely show partners their impact and savings, which they can use as reliable data in their impact report or communication.”

Shareclub now provides circular packaging solutions for events, workplaces and takeaway services to minimise waste by offering an easy-to-use rental service.

Inspiring return and meaningful sustainability efforts

Unlike other deposit schemes, Sarah would like to inspire people to return the cups, as she says this enhances overall sustainability.

“Our goal is to keep these items in circulation and use them many times. So far, we have reached a promising 98-99% return rate.”

To ensure the long-term usability of their products, they use high-quality plastic cups, which are practically unbreakable, dishwasher and microwave-safe, and can be remade into a new product at the end of their life.

The power of learning in building a circular enterprise

Building a circular enterprise tests Sarah and her team’s skills, and learning is part of their journey.

“I`m always curious to learn more, and sustainability is constantly evolving. It's great to have initiatives like the MODOS training where you can catch up and see what others are doing in this space. The little ideas and seeing the creativity of other businesses were truly inspirational.”

Learning about zero-waste business models and product development was especially interesting for Sarah.

“Looking at water usage was one of the aspects of the training that resonated with me since our cup cleaning process involves water usage through washing facilities. It made me explore this area further and ensure we take a circular approach, especially when we scale and have a bigger volume of cups.”

She mentions that discovering available supports as part of the MODOS course, such as the Local Enterprise Office offerings, was a great addition to the learning part.

Bridging the gap between intention and action

Introducing a circular business is a challenge, as Sarah shares that while the intention and interest are there, taking action and committing to adopting a new system is different.

“We need to be able to show how we can create value to bridge the gap between wanting to do this and actually doing it. At the moment, we focus on early adopters who already have the mindset, but scaling will require a lot of education.”

Although Sarah thinks that government policy and the CSRD are pushing businesses to think differently and actively seek opportunities to adopt sustainable practices.

Making a circular solution fun and appealing

One of their recent collaborations with the Dublin Coffee Festival proved that their concept works well and that people are more than happy to participate if you make it fun and convenient for them.

“We managed to avoid using single-use cups throughout the whole event. It worked without a glitch, which we are really proud of. We wanted to help people engage instead of making them uncomfortable.”

Their goal is to make shareclub accessible and hassle-free for partners and users and spark change to make the event industry circular step by step.

“We would like to become an influential player in transitioning Ireland to a more sustainable economy and make it the new norm at events to use our solutions.”

Once they establish shareclub in Ireland, Sarah would like to explore the potential of replicating the model in other countries. She believes that with the circular movement growing stronger, they could be there to provide a ready-to-use solution.

“Climate change is personal for me, and having two small children makes it very real as they already ask questions. I want to be able to say that I was part of the solution. I want to contribute and act now and find a way to make change happen.”

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Creating nutritious, sustainable snacks from rescued natural resources

Szilvia Szabó — Tue, 10 Sep 2024 10:56:08 +0000

Creating nutritious, sustainable snacks from rescued natural resources

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This article is part of the 'Celebrating Circular` initiative and story collection that spotlights trailblazer Irish businesses making strides towards a more sustainable and low-carbon economy.

Looking at waste as a potentially valuable resource is at the heart of the Circular Economy, and the agri-food sector is one of the hotspots where this approach can be highly beneficial.

Patrick Nagle and his partner Sunkyung Choi, or as everyone calls her, Sun, are not food scientists or sustainability experts, yet they have embarked on a journey to create a business that embraces circularity in food production.

They launched Well Spent Garin in 2022, a start-up that turns spent grain, a byproduct from the brewing process, into delicious, healthy, and sustainable snacks while diverting tons of waste that would otherwise end up in landfills and adding to carbon emissions.

Brewer’s spent grain (BSG) is a byproduct of the brewing process that accounts for approximately 85% of the waste produced by a brewery.

However, building this circular business goes beyond spotting a market opportunity.

A close up to climate change

The product idea is rooted in Patrick and Sun's shared passion for long-distance trekking and enjoying crossing various landscapes.

One of their adventures was a 430 km arctic track where they witnessed the shocking impact of climate change in its most profound form: lack of clean natural drinking water due to dried-up streams that would have sustained natural ecosystems for thousands of years.

Patrick Nagle and Sunkyung Choi, Founders of Well Spent Grain

Having to ration their water supplies for two days to go on without access to fresh water was an experience that sparked the thought of learning more about climate change and how they can take meaningful action.

After investigating and experimenting with various options, they came up with the Born Again Bites snack as a sustainable alternative.

Building a circular business model from scratch

Regarding overcoming challenges in building up their business, Sun says: “We received wonderful support from the South Dublin LEO, which helped with finance and mentoring, as well as access to networking and promotional opportunities.”

She adds that participating in the MODOS sustainable business training programme was also beneficial for expanding their knowledge and gaining valuable insights on building a more circular business model.

“Each session was practical, enabling me to directly apply the learning to our start-up. For instance, applying the design thinking approach to scaling up provided me with a fresh perspective,” she shares.

Sun particularly enjoyed learning through case studies and networking with other participants, getting to know different aspects of circularity and other areas, such as effective storytelling techniques.

Well Spent Grains turns spent grain, a byproduct from the brewing process, into delicious, healthy, and sustainable snacks while diverting tons of waste that would otherwise end up in landfills and adding to carbon emissions.

Entering mainstream grocery stores

Being recently selected to introduce their product in over 200 Lidl stores across Ireland in September is a major milestone for Sun and Patrick, which they hope will propel their enterprise further.

“The moment I first saw our product on the shelves, I realised we had actually done this. Now, it makes me proud to see the Born Again Bites in shops, and I'm really excited to expand our reach,” Patrick shares.

He also sees their participation in the Lidl Kickstart programme as an opportunity to move into a better-equipped facility and achieve their goal of taking production to the next level.

Well Spent Garin`s Born Again Bites is a sustainable and healthy snack aiming to fight climate change.

“Production is a big bottleneck for our business. We need to reach a point where we can justify larger premises and professional processing to move away from the slower and less effective ‘kitchen-based’ production.”

A creative touch to share the wonders of spent grain

Although spent grain has excellent nutritional values, as it is high in fibre and proteins and contains vitamins and minerals, its use is still underutilised.

Patrick shares that educating their audience and ensuring people understand what makes Born Again Bites a better choice is one of the most crucial areas they need to work on.

“We started a collaboration with another Irish start-up, Bold Donut, specialising in gamification, to create an online mini-game that takes players on a journey to explore where spent grain is coming from and what makes our product a more sustainable and healthier option,” Patrick says.

He adds that this playful approach is a great addition to their communication, which they plan to boost to reach a wider audience and spark interest.

Sun further explains that creating brand awareness as a small company with a limited budget in a crowded market and cutting through the noise requires more creativity.

Scaling with a positive impact

So far, Well Spent Grain has received multiple recognitions, including winning the silver medal at the 2023 National Startup Awards in the Food Drink category, being shortlisted for the Emerging Category at the RDS Circular Economy Awards in 2024, and Sun making it to the finals for the 2024 IMAGE PwC Businesswoman of the Year Awards in the Sustainability Champion of the Year category.

While they are striving to further develop the enterprise and create more products, Sun shares that it means more to them than just achieving business KPIs: “I worked for a corporation for over ten years and felt empty. Now, I’m more fulfilled, and I really like the fact that I`m doing something meaningful and making things better. We are mindful that scaling our business means scaling our impact, so we aim to get more involved with local communities and create value.”

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Catalysing societal change through reimagining the cultural sector and creative industries

Szilvia Szabó — Tue, 10 Sep 2024 08:40:27 +0000

Catalysing societal change through reimagining the cultural sector and creative industries

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Sustainability Strategy

Sustainable Business

Circular Business

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Business Sustainability

This article is part of the 'Celebrating Circular` initiative and story collection that spotlights trailblazer Irish businesses making strides towards a more sustainable and low-carbon economy.

Envisioning a future where Ireland’s cultural sector and creative industries operate in a restorative and regenerative way, Michael Soro and Megan Best brought Native Events to life in 2017 to provide sustainable solutions.

They embarked on a journey to change the festival industry as a starter and worked on projects to get more events to adopt sustainability practices by using their services, such as integrating solar generators and sound systems or introducing deposit schemes to avoid single-use plastic and selective waste management, among other things.

Even though they made steady progress and gathered a skilled team, the pandemic forced them to pause. Instead of looking at this as a setback, they used the break from busyness to reflect on what they had learned, where the market was going, and how they could scale their impact.

They bounced back with new ideas and expanded their offerings, which allowed them to work on various projects, such as creating the Guide for Plastic-Free Festivals and Events or designing the Sustainability Toolkit for the Arts.

Megan says that for her "The circular economy is all about sharing - materials and assets, yes, but also ideas and connections.”

Megan Best, CEO of Native Events

Redirecting the sustainability focus

Transitioning from working in the cross-section of art and sustainability, Kate O'Neill joined Native Events as a Communication Specialist to expand their reach and work with partners.

“We have the ethos that cultural events and activities can be a catalyst for societal change. We see a festival as a microcosmos for change since you have a group of people together doing things they would also do on an everyday basis – this is where you can intervene,” Kate explains their approach.

Kate O'Neill, Communication Specialist at Native Events

She adds that with planning, you can pinpoint actions that would make a difference, but you also need smart communication to get people to make different decisions, such as using public transport.

Moving into education and training

Besides events, Native Events now also works with organisations and institutions where education and training are crucial in embedding sustainability projects.

Programme Manager Brecken Byron leverages her technology and education development background to design engaging, hands-on learning experiences that could drive transformative change.

"Our goal is to achieve that shift in thinking. To really integrate sustainability, you need education. Either people are open to this new thinking or are resistant; no one wants to fundamentally change their lives as it is very uncomfortable. So, we aim to manage the journey of change and get them to buy in,” Brecken explains.

As part of its expansion, Native Events is now piloting an action-oriented online course that focuses on adopting practical steps towards sustainability in the arts and other industries.

The fear associated with change

Kate adds that sustainability and change can be scary to look at, and they need to be mindful of that in all their work.

Keeping it real and losing the jargon can also help. It is a great practice for her to use their garden at home as a “nature classroom” with her son, which gives her that everyday aspect besides enjoying spending time together outdoors.

“The perception is that embedding sustainability is expensive and requires huge changes. Instead, we show that this is doable and can be broken down into practical steps considering the timeline and budget,”

says Kate, highlighting that building trust is crucial in their work.

She explains that, especially with events, you can never be 100% accurate since many things can modify any predicted scenario.

“For instance, one of our flagship collaborations is the carbon management of the St Patrick’s Festival, which includes a lot of logistics and multistakeholder involvement. We use a framework that allows us to manage all available data besides setting up a baseline to get a sense of ‘normal’ and lay out a roadmap for changes.”

Walking the walk and talking the talk

Besides providing educational opportunities to others, the team is keen to constantly upskill and sharpen their knowledge.

As CEO of Native Events, Megan Best joined the very first MODOS course, which was more of a pilot, as she recalls.

“I thought I had a good sense of the circular economy. It was brilliant to find out how much I didn't know,” pointing out that it was an eye-opener for her to learn about new areas such as modular design or industrial symbiosis.

It further propelled them to build new connections and even enrol in another climate-focused accelerator programme for entrepreneurs, which they probably wouldn't have done without MODOS.

The power of collaboration

Besides being strategic about sustainability and aiming to integrate projects across organisations, Native Events runs public involvement initiatives as well.

“We collaborated with Nature Trust to help rebuild Irish native woodlands by organising the Acorn Gathering event in 2023 where people could come along to Wicklow to collect acorns while learning insights from an ecologist on why this is so important,” Kate shares.

“Collectively, we gathered around 150 kg of acorn, which means that about 15,000 oak seedlings can be planted.

Another project that Brecken found fascinating is the Arts Council Climate Action Training Program, where they support about 150-200 organisations in crafting their own sustainability policies.

Brecken Byron, Programme Manager at Native Events

She adds: “All projects funded by the Arts Council need to implement sustainability initiatives as part of a new framework. We provide guidelines, organise seminars, peer-to-peer sessions, and offer tailored support to practically hold their hands to get them over the finish line.”

Brecken shares that it is exciting and motivating for her to work on diverse projects at Native Events so she can play her part in positively influencing people and sectors.

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Challenging the fast fashion machine and shifting mindsets

Szilvia Szabó — Mon, 09 Sep 2024 13:17:56 +0000

Challenging the fast fashion machine and shifting mindsets

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This article is part of the 'Celebrating Circular` initiative and story collection that spotlights trailblazer Irish businesses making strides towards a more sustainable and low-carbon economy.

The fashion industry is infamous for exploiting natural and human resources and is estimated to be responsible for 10% of global carbon emissions, more than international flights and maritime shipping combined.

Textile production alone is causing 20% of water pollution globally while using clean water supplies on a massive scale. According to an EU report, producing one cotton t-shirt requires about 2,700 litres of fresh water, which would be enough to meet one person’s drinking needs for 2.5 years.

The list of environmental and ethical issues that need to be addressed in the fashion industry could go on, raising the question of whether we can really change all of them.

Launching an ethical circular fashion brand

Sandra Murphy has over two decades of experience in the global fashion industry, including working as a designer for various leading American fashion brands such as Victoria’s Secret, Gap and Hanes while running her own small independent label while living in New York.

“I’ve seen how mass production works and also did boutique scale design, learning from both sides, which inspired me to search for ways to improve things.”

After 16 years of fast-paced New York life, she returned to Ireland determined to start with a blank canvas and launch a fashion brand that would reflect her learnings and values.

Sandra Murphy, Founder of AFORE AFTER ethical circular fashion brand

“My question was how to challenge a system that has been working in a specific way for decades."

Exploring circular and sustainability angles relentlessly

She started to explore every angle of creating a brand and product that is entirely circular and sustainable, looking at aspects from selecting garments to design, manufacturing and logistics.

“I found that small things like removing a plastic tag from the garment can make a difference, and using ethical and sustainable certified materials are not making production drastically more expensive.”

Even naming her business AFORE AFTER encapsulates her commitment to considering the before-and-after stages and moving away from the linear thinking that only focuses on the before part but ignores what happens with an item after its use.

Admittedly, Sandra is still figuring out how to make her business completely sustainable, but she has already created some groundbreaking solutions.

Dealing with the complexity of garments

In her quest to use a genuinely sustainable material, she realised that the complexity of garments is an issue when it comes to recycling.

This motivated Sandra to design the ETERNAL, a synthetic-free, mono-material and biodegradable garment with zero post-consumer waste that practically can remove all technical necessity for plastic and polyester materials, delivering a truly recyclable solution.

Besides material innovation, she spotted another opportunity to fight the throwaway culture and create a circular clothing option.

So, she came up with a creative design for the ETERNAL collection that would allow this clothing to be styled in 12 different ways, expanding the use of the same piece.

“If we’re going to move away from fast fashion, every single item in our wardrobe needs to work harder. I wanted to challenge the idea that a garment can only serve one or two purposes.”

The creative design of the ETERNAL collection would allow this clothing to be styled in 12 different ways, expanding the use of the same piece and fighting the throw-away culture.

The power of exchanging ideas and experiences

Sandra is keen to learn and expand her horizons, so it was a no-brainer for her to join the MODOS circular business course.

“I was probably more prepared from the circular economy point of view, but other areas like communication and customer engagement were certainly less known to me, and the course provided an excellent insight into these areas. Working with a mentor also helped a lot in translating what I learned into everyday situations.”

Another valuable part for her was that she could exchange ideas and experiences with other businesses.

She recalls that managing sustainable packaging was a common issue for everyone in her group, regardless of their sectors.

“I decided to use paper packaging and eliminate plastic completely. I use a solution that I call a “bagvelope”, which is a mix between a delivery bag and an envelope.

I prefer this even if it means that sometimes I have to take a return due to delivery damage from rain.”

Sandra learned unexpected things during the MODOS course, and she says that no matter what level you are at, there will be something you can take from this learning experience.

There’s no copy-paste solution for a sustainable, circular business

“Sustainability in general is not figured out. You can’t blindly follow and adopt a model like a copy-paste solution. There’s a learning curve in this for everyone.”

Sandra says there's a lot to do in not just educating businesses but consumers, especially when it comes to fashion.

"When you buy an organic banana, you know exactly what that means.

But when you say sustainability in fashion, it can mean many things, and you should definitely look beyond using recycled materials, not to mention anything about production or other areas.

However, limited knowledge and a lack of transparency make greenwashing and influencing people easy enough.”

The additional hurdle of shifting mindsets

She adds that due to the complexity of fashion and the massive communication budget, big brands spend on “brainwashing” people to keep buying new stuff, making it very difficult to change how things work.

“I have a strict transparency policy so my buyers can see exactly what makes up the pricing.”

Sandra plans to build her business on the two pillars of product innovation and knowledge sharing, addressing both raising awareness and providing a solution to make fashion more sustainable.

Explore other inspirational stories as part of the Celebrating Circular initiative supported by the Regional Waste Management Planning Offices and Dublin City Council.

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