How to Embed Circular Economy Practices in Small Business

The imperative to transition towards a circular economy has become increasingly prominent in today’s business landscape. With growing concerns about resource scarcity, environmental degradation and climate change, businesses of all sizes are under pressure to adopt sustainable practices. However, for small businesses, integrating circular economy principles can present unique challenges. Limited resources, constrained budgets and a lack of expertise often hinder the ability to embrace sustainability initiatives effectively.

This webinar will provide an overview of how small businesses can embed circular economy practices into their strategic planning and operations. By examining the core principles of the circular economy and offering actionable strategies for small business, this webinar will empower entrepreneurs to embrace sustainability and unlock long-term value. By embracing circular economy business principles, you not only mitigate environmental impact but also future-proof your business and drive sustainable growth.

What you will learn:

• What is the circular economy? Why is it important to my small business?

• What are the challenges and opportunities I may encounter when adopting circular economy practices?

• What are some practical strategies for me to embed circular economy practices into my small business?

• How does circularity improve my competitiveness?

Join us to equip yourself with the knowledge, tools and inspiration needed to start or continue your entrepreneurial journey towards circularity.

Speaker Bio:

Andrew Telfer is a veteran Canadian sustainability and circularity professional, currently serving as the Director of Circular Opportunity Innovation Launchpad (COIL) at the Circular Innovation Council. Previously, he served as Executive Director at the Smart Cities Office at the City of Guelph, where he led two circular economy initiatives: Our Food Future and COIL. For more than a decade, Andrew served as the inaugural Sustainability Manager for Walmart’s Canadian Market, where he delivered environmental initiatives for both direct operations and the supply chain. Highly regarded as a public speaker on sustainability, circular economy and climate action in a business context, Andrew is honoured to be recognized as a recipient of Canada’s Clean50 award.

Dr. Christopher Coghlan has been working in environmental and food systems education and practice for over 15 years. He is Director of Curriculum and Strategy for Boundless Accelerator (formerly Innovation Guelph) as part of the COIL initiative. Christopher contributed to the building of circular economies through multimedia learning tools, research, workshops, policy development, and network building. He collaborates with small businesses, communities, governments, and researchers.

This webinar is sponsored by Desjardins. Desjardins is committed to providing a comprehensive approach for businesses. We’ll tailor our offer to your financing needs and give you access to specialized services for businesses and institutions. Whatever your plans are, we work with you to establish high-performance strategies that are up to your standards.

If you require accommodation, please notify us by email at least 4 weeks before the event date at etoronto@toronto.ca. To cancel the accommodation, we require 5 business days’ notice before the event date.