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Q4 Network Meeting participants engaging during the Producer-Led Innovation Session. On Wednesday 3 rd  December we hosted our final CIRCULÉIRE member networking session of 2025: Producer Responsibility as a Driver of Circular Innovation Across High-Impact Sectors. Co-hosted in partnership with WEEE Ireland , this collaborative session explored how producer responsibility (through Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes or voluntary initiatives) can drive circular value within organisations.   Attendees examined successful practices across sectors, identified barriers to circular activities like repair and reuse, and uncovered opportunities enabled by improved design, data, and partnerships. Through examples and a 1-hour innovation session, attendees reflected on lifecycle challenges and considered collective approaches to reduce risks and costs.   The session aimed to enhance understanding of circularity opportunities and inspire future collaboration for sector-wide impact.  We were really delighted with the outputs!  The transition to a circular economy is truly accelerating across multiple sectors, driven by regulatory changes, consumer awareness, and the urgent need for sustainable practices. Attendees from across supply chains, agri-food, construction, electronics, and manufacturing highlighted both progress and challenges in this journey.  1. Market Dynamics and Economic Incentives   Demand for second-hand materials is growing, but cost competitiveness with virgin materials remains a challenge. Policies and incentives are essential to stimulate investment and innovation in reuse and recycling.  2. Cross-Sector Collaboration   Opportunities for collaboration between sectors such as WEEE and plastics management are emerging. Shared infrastructure and coordinated efforts can unlock efficiencies and scale solutions.  3. Agri-Food and Packaging Innovations   Material reduction and lightweight packaging are advancing, driven by internal goals, customer demands, and regulatory targets. However, multiple standards across markets and excessive plastic variety complicate recycling. Moving toward mono-material packaging and limiting plastic types can simplify processes.  4. Design for Reuse in Construction and Furniture   Designing products with reuse in mind (modular, easy to disassemble) can significantly reduce waste. While green procurement policies are pushing sustainability, high costs and customer preference for new products remain barriers.  5. Built Environment and Infrastructure   Customer interest in recycled content is growing, but regulatory burdens and high recycling costs hinder scalability. Streamlining recycling schemes nationally could reduce complexity and costs.  6. Electronics and ICT   Battery recycling infrastructure is strong, and professional equipment recycling is effective. However, high costs, lack of standardized certifications, and poor product design for recycling pose challenges. Opportunities include creating certified repair hubs and leveraging circular economy regulations.  7. Batteries and Take-Back Initiatives   Ireland has robust collection systems for WEEE and batteries, but poor data capture and regulatory grey areas limit reuse. Expanding marketplaces for reused products and improving data systems can unlock new opportunities.  8. Cross-Sectoral Manufacturing   Public awareness and regulatory frameworks like the Circular Economy Act and Deposit Return Scheme are driving change. While regulatory complexity and corporate complacency remain challenges, the economic potential of job creation and value retention is significant.    Initiatives like CIRCULEIRE  exemplify how collective action can drive meaningful progress. Collaboration, innovation, and policy alignment are key to overcoming barriers and unlocking the full potential of the circular economy.

Katyln O’Riordan (CEO & Co-Founder of Kinset), Richard Brennan (CEO, Evolve Automotive), Michelle Lee (Head of Innovation & Sustainability), and Valentina Tarasco (Circularity Assessment & Metrics Lead CIRCULÉIRE/IMR) at the ESG Autumn Summit 2025. A big thank you to CIRCULÉIRE members  Kinset , Evolve Automotive and General Paints Group  for sharing their circular stories with Valentina Tarasco IMR Metrics & Assessment Lead at the ESG Summit on the 20 th  of November.   Katie O’Riordan CEO of Kinset, a green tech circular start-up, highlighted the fact that most products lack accessible data, making reuse and recycling nearly impossible. In fashion, 64% of textiles end up as waste, and only 1% is recycled. Furniture faces similar issues, with 10 million tons discarded annually due to poor repairability. Beauty packaging accounts for 72% of sector waste, while paint and chemicals create challenges when product details are lost. Digital Product Passports (DPPs) can transform circularity by reducing compliance admin by 70%, enabling transparency, and meeting upcoming EU regulations requiring DPPs for garments by 2028. With accurate data, businesses can unlock reuse, recycling, and new value streams across industries.   Richard Brennan , CEO of Evolve Circular Automotive, shared his journey of transforming Ireland’s automotive sector through circular practices where data quality and availability are critical enablers of circularity.  Starting as a regional business, he scaled nationally to Evolve by merging with GTE Recovery, creating a model that manages vehicles from end-of-life to reuse. Their approach includes recovery, repair, redistribution, and resale, prioritizing green parts to reduce carbon impact. Despite challenges, partnerships with both Allianz and Axa and the Garda fleet have driven adoption. With legislation abroad and growing demand for sustainability, Evolve champions collaboration, data-driven traceability, and innovative solutions like a feasibility study for use of second-life EV batteries as energy storage solutions.   Evolve’s green parts strategy focuses on creating a circular automotive ecosystem by reusing high-quality components from end-of-life vehicles instead of relying on new parts. Vehicles are dismantled responsibly, and reusable parts are harvested, graded, and quality-checked. Green parts are supplied to body shops and repair centers, reducing costs and carbon emissions. Data-driven systems track parts from donor vehicles to ensure transparency and compliance.  The impact is clear. Reusing parts avoids emissions from manufacturing and global shipping of new components.  It anticipates EU directives promoting green parts before new parts. Evolve’s focus on partnerships has allowed them grow and their digital focus not only serves customers’ carbon data but their own stock optimisation. Michelle Lee , Head of Innovation & Sustainability at General Paint Group (GPG) referred to GPG’s ESG strategy being guided by the B Corp framework . Certification in 2024 was not a revenue-driven exercise but rather adopted as a blueprint for impact, aligning with pillars of workers, environment, customers, community, and governance. For GPG circularity drives innovation through sustainable formulations, recyclable packaging, waste reduction, and design for longevity. Collaboration with suppliers and networks like CIRCULÉIRE accelerates progress. For GPG, cultural change was key.  ESG projects now shape the company’s goals, training, and daily operations, fostering innovation and resilience helping them deliver their mission to create products that benefit people, planet, and communities.   It was great to have such diverse circular businesses represented at this very well received Deep Dive Session. Thank you all again!   #LetsGetCircular #CircularEconomy #ESGSummit2025 #Sustainability #Innovation #ResponsibleBusiness #GreenTech #ESGLeadership #CIRCULÉIRE #IrishManufacturingResearch

Representatives from the CircularShift consortium, including IMR’s Patrick O’Donnell and partners from across Europe, gather in Mechelen for a three‑day project meeting on advancing circular procurement. From December 1-3, Patrick O'Donnell from Irish Manufacturing Research (IMR) attended the Interreg NWE CircularShift project meeting in Mechelen, Belgium. He represented the wider Irish consortium, which includes the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment, Sandyford Business District, and WEEE Ireland as associate partners. The CircularShift project aims to accelerate the transition to a circular economy by scaling up circular procurement practices for frequently purchased public-sector products such as phones, laptops, and workwear across 5 regions Netherlands, Belgium, France, Germany and Ireland. This twice-yearly gathering brought together all partner organizations and selected associate partners to review progress across the three work packages and plan for the coming six months. Patrick was joined by Fernanda Pinto Godoy from Sandyford Business District , who presented their work on the Circular PsP project and the AI tool they're developing to help public organizations draft tenders for circular procurement. Day One: Decision Making Framework and Dashboard The morning started with a masterclass from Nyenrode Business University on decision-making for circular procurement. They outlined two approaches for making better procurement decisions: The Structural Path The structural path uses regulations, frameworks like the Digital Product Passport, and established best practices. While these will be essential tools once legislation is fully operational, that will take time. The Behavioural Path The behavioural path focuses on motivating people to engage with the challenges of circular procurement. Using the FOGG behavioural model, it explores how prompts can encourage people to ask the right questions of the right people, driving motivation and building capability. Breakout sessions then tackled three sectors: workwear, laptops, and phones. Participants identified key stakeholders and KPIs important for the project, along with the risks and opportunities that could either hinder or enable behavioural change. They also examined how ESPR criteria could guide procurement choices. In the afternoon, Anusha Mascarenhas from Nyenrode explained how a decision-making framework can help shift from quick, intuitive thinking to more deliberate analysis. Patrick then presented a prototype of the Decision Making Framework, followed by discussion of its proposed elements. Saul Morais from Nyenrode led a workshop where participants applied the framework to a sample tender for modular phones. Groups of procuring organizations from different regions tested the framework phases and provided feedback. Fernanda wrapped up the day with an overview of the Circular PsP project, explaining how their AI tool could assist in creating tenders. She invited all partners to follow the project and potentially test the tool in future. Day Two: Needs Assessment The morning masterclass, delivered by Joan Prummel and Mervyn Jones from lead partner Rijkswaterstaat , focused on changing mindsets to change behaviour. Their key message was that mindset operates at the individual level, not the abstract organizational level. To create change, you need to find people with the ability, influence, and interest to make it happen, understand what barriers are holding them back, and address those barriers. These stakeholders will vary across organizations and procurements. Successful needs assessment means finding the right people at the right time and asking them the right questions. It's crucial to enable individuals to lead on areas they're passionate about. Joan Prummel's work on the Green Deal illustrated how networking and building collaboration are essential for developing new ideas. A workshop then showed partners how to map stakeholders based on their interest and influence to identify those who can drive the biggest change. The afternoon session, led by Patrick and Wouter Reekers from the City of Almere, began with an overview of the needs assessment requirements for training. An open discussion identified key stakeholders—both internal and external to procurement organizations—who need to be interviewed. Once the stakeholder types were agreed upon, a proposal for conducting interviews in partnership with Anusha was presented and accepted. Partners then identified stakeholders within their networks who could be interviewed. These will be mapped on a matrix to identify gaps, allowing partners to seek out any missing stakeholders. Day Three: Value Chain Collaboration and Pilots Jukie Poppe and Peter Verswijvel from the City of Mechelen ran a workshop to help partners develop ideas for potential pilots. Three breakout groups each focused on one sector: laptops, phones, or workwear. Using the R-Strategy table from Circular Flanders (outlining five goals and various strategies to achieve them) groups identified possible strategies and actions for each sector that could be included in future procurements. They then explored the barriers and enablers to implement these strategies. After each group shared their findings, pilot partners reviewed all three sectors to identify strategies and actions they could incorporate into future pilots. The exercise was highly successful, with pilot partners finding several strategies to test. Audrey Bonabeau from RESECO in France then presented their experience with working groups for furniture, outlining how they set them up, ran them, and what they learned. An open discussion followed, and both methods for establishing working groups were endorsed, along with the scope of pilots for work packages 1 and 3. The afternoon featured site visits to social-circular practices in Mechelen: CiLAB Collective collaborates with fashion brands, retailers, and Decathlon to repair and upcycle collections that would otherwise be discarded. They're working with social economy company Ecoso on the RegioGreentex project to develop new business models, particularly for workwear life extension. The Recupperij, Ecoso' s innovation lab, prepares laptops and smartphones from the City of Mechelen and other companies for reuse as part of digital inclusion efforts. This work is done by people who face barriers to employment. The Recupperij also sorts and refurbishes fashion items like glasses, shoes, and bridal wear, and provides laundry and repair services for workwear. Next year IMR will be reaching out to organizations across Ireland's public procurement landscape and value chain partners to understand their training needs and unlock new opportunities. We will also be establishing a dynamic working group centered on a procurement pilot for laptops or phones. As part of this collaborative effort, we'll be hosting an innovative "Meet Your Supplier" event. Watch this space for details as plans take shape!

Irish Manufacturing Research (IMR), in its capacity as the secretariat of CIRCULÉIRE, and the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment (DCEE) are delighted to announce the winners of the inaugural All-Island Circular Venture Awards held on Thursday, November 27th at ESB’s Event Space in Dublin. Open to late-stage start-ups and ventures across the island of Ireland, the Awards are designed to recognise companies pioneering the emergence of the circular economy sector by enabling or demonstrating a circular value proposition.  Minister of State with responsibility for Circular Economy Alan Dillon TD delivered an enthusiastic opening speech, saying: ‘ I am very pleased to see such strong cross-sectoral circular innovations represented at these inaugural Circular Venture Awards.  The ten shortlisted companies showcase a vibrant ecosystem and emerging circular economy sector that the Government is committed to supporting. Our 2nd Whole of Government Circular Economy Strategy emphasises mainstreaming circular business models, supporting the scale-up of reuse, repair and remanufacturing, and encouraging sharing economies. By investing in innovation and infrastructure, Ireland aims to reduce resource loss, support job creation, and embed circularity across sectors.  Today, by celebrating circular innovations across the island of Ireland, we take steps to accelerate impact and accelerate our collective transition to a circular economy.  I would like to recognise Irish Manufacturing Research as a strategic delivery partner who is driving industry-oriented circularity and wish all shortlisted companies the best of luck with your pitches .’  Ten shortlisted companies, including Arcology System, Biographene Innovations Ireland, BladeBridge, Circular Food Co, Ecoroots, Gemell Technology Limited, HaPPE Earth, Harp Renewables, Integrated Materials Solutions and Kinset Limited, pitched to a high-profile audience of investors, industry leaders, policy makers, and media to compete for a prize pool of €10,000.   With representation from an extremely broad range of sectors (commercial fitout infrastructure, construction waste management, compostable PPE, biobased production and packaging solutions; repurposed wind energy infrastructure; digital enablement of circular processes; aerobic digestion, additional manufacturing for textiles; and upcycling of food residuals) the judging panel were certainly challenged. Mark Nodder, Joint CEO of Makers Alliance; Jamie Rowles, Partner at Regeneration.VC; Faye Walsh Drouillard, Founding & Managing Partner of WakeUp Capital; and Dr Geraldine Brennan, Director of Circular Economy Innovation at Irish Manufacturing Research, deliberated and emerged at 5 pm with a winner and two finalists. Martina Hennessy, Assistant Secretary with responsibility for Circular Economy and Resource Efficiency at DCEE, announced HaPPE Earth as the overall winner, Gemell Technology Limited as the first finalist and Ecoroots as the second finalist. Micheal Cassidy, CTO at Irish Manufacturing Research; Lisa O’Riordan, HaPPE Earth; Martina Hennessy, Assistant Secretary for Circular Economy and Resource Efficiency at DCEE. Micheal Cassidy, CTO at Irish Manufacturing Research; Adam Hankin, Gemell, 1st finalist; Martina Hennessy, Assistant Secretary for Circular Economy and Resource Efficiency at DCEE. Micheal Cassidy, CTO at Irish Manufacturing Research; Lavanya Bhandari from Ecoroots, 2nd finalist; Martina Hennessy, Assistant Secretary for Circular Economy and Resource Efficiency at DCEE. Congratulating the companies, Ms Hennessy said: ‘I am delighted to represent my department at the 2025 All-Island Circular Venture Awards. The innovation witnessed today is exceptional, and I very much look forward to seeing all the companies involved going from strength to strength as we seek to grow the circular economy in Ireland . ' Congratulating the three companies, Irish Manufacturing Research (IMR) Chief Technology Officer, Micheal Cassidy, said:   ‘Today IMR celebrates these pioneers, and as a strategic delivery partner to the Government, we are committed to driving industrial-oriented circular innovation with many more companies like these over the coming years.’ Referring to the winner, Dr Geraldine Brennan, Director of Circular Economy Innovation at Irish Manufacturing Research, said: “The winner of the inaugural All-Island Circular Venture Awards embodies circular innovation, circular excellence, execution strength, commercial viability and system level mpact with the persevering and pioneering vision of never giving up.” Lisa O’Riordan from HaPPE Earth, winner of the All-Island Circular Venture Awards 2025. All-Island Circular Venture Awards 2025 shorlisted ventures.

This challenge took place as part of Design & Crafts Council Ireland Irish Design Week 2025  with a programme of 70 events nationwide.    Winners were announced on 20 th  November with Change Clothes winning in the micro category and The Rediscovery Centre winning in the small category – both great examples of the circular economy in action in the consumer space!  McWilliam Bags and Gemell Technology (a finalist in the 2025 All-Island Circular Venture Awards) were runners up.  We were delighted to support our member DCCI and congratulate all the participants.  The IBDC , with sustainable design at its core, are supported by the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment.

Karl Crowley, Senior Program Manager for RD&I Circular Economy at IMR/CIRCULÉIRE, presenting at IMR’s Network Day in Mullingar on 20 November 2025. On Thursday, 20th Novemb er, Irish Manufacturing Research (IMR) hosted its Members Network Day in Mullingar. A gathering of industry leaders, technology experts and member companies, the event focused on accelerating Ireland’s manufacturing sector toward a more resilient, sustainable, and circular future.   The Circular Economy Innovation unit and IMR’s wider Sustainable Manufacturing team collaborated in two of the sessions held on the day: Electrification of Heat: Strengthening Energy Resilience and Sustainability  and R&D Funding Masterclass: From Bottlenecks to Funding Opportunities.     The Electrification of Heat  panel, with experts including Dr Geraldine Brennan (Director of Circular Economy Innovation at IMR), Diana Vaz (Senior Programme Manager, IMR Sustainability Team), Colm Martin (Manager of EXEED Program at SEAI), and Gareth McAllister (Founder & Managing Director, Ahascragh Distillery), explored how electrification can transform energy systems and reduce Irish industry’s carbon footprint. The panel offered insights pertaining to CIRCULÉIRE´s 11th Good Practise Sectoral Guide which was officially launched at this event.     The R&D Funding Masterclass , led by Kevin James Fraser (IMR EU Programme Manager), Karl Crowley (Senior Program Manager for RD&I Circular Economy), and Paul Kilroy Glynn (PRIAM Commercial Lead), provided practical strategies for unlocking innovation through funding by outlining and demystifying national and EU funding mechanisms.    The Members Network Day was an opportunity for the CIRCULÉIRE  team to share information about our services and research capabilities and connect with stakeholders committed to advancing Ireland’s circular economy.

Valentina Tarasco (Metrics & Assessment Lead, CIRCULÉIRE/IMR) engaging with TY student attendees during Science Week at IMR’s Mullingar office. During Science Week Valentina Tarasco , IMR Ce Metrics & Assessment Lead co-hosted a session on sustainability and the circular economy for TY students in IMR Mullingar. Valentina highlighted why shifting to a circular model is essential to tackle the 45% of emissions linked to how we extract and process materials. She shared what a “day in the life” working in this field looks like and then allowed the students to take over. In this interactive session students became CEOs, CSOs, Procurement, Marketing and Sales for an hour, working together to redesign products to be more sustainable. It was a really rewarding day and we are proud to play a part in shaping the innovators of tomorrow through real-world learning experiences! #LetsGetCircular #CircularEconomy #ScienceWeek2025

In May 2023 the Circular Economy Hotspot came to Dublin under the leadership of the Rediscovery Centre and with the support of CIRCULÉIRE, Department for the Environment, Climate, and Communications , Dublin City Council , and the Eastern & Midlands, Regional Waste Planning Office . This week-long event, which ran from Monday 29th of May until Thursday 1st of June highlighted the ground-breaking circular economy initiatives, best practices, and innovation on display in Ireland to an international audience. CIRCULÉIRE were delighted to support the organisation of this hotspot and to participate in events and activities throughout the week. On Monday the 29th of May CIRCULÉIRE/IMR hosted a delegation of representatives from the Catalonia Government in our IMR offices in Rathcoole prior to the Dublin Circular Economy Hotspot opening ceremony in the Mansion House, Dublin. At the Mansion House delegates heard from key speakers, including The Lord Mayor of Dublin, Caroline Conroy, Minister of State with Responsibility for the Circular Economy, Ossian Smith TD, and Owen Keegan, Chief Executive of Dublin City Council and celebrated the announcement of Slovenia as the future Circular Economy Hotspot 2025 host. On Tuesday the 30th of May an exhibition and conference was hosted in Croke Park, at this event the CIRCULÉIRE team showcased it’s services to hotspot delegates and facilitated the exhibition of four of our CIRCULÉIRE Innovation Fund Awardee Projects C-SUP by Novelplast, CESI by WEEE Ireland, MEDAL CRM by Offerre, and Circular By Design by DCCI and NCAD. Head of Circular Economy and CIRCULÉIRE project lead Dr Geraldine Brennan also presented CIRCULÉIRE’s impacts over 2020-2022 and participated in an international panel exploring how to scale-up Innovation & Collaboration for circularity alongside Prof. Andre Martinuzzi, Director of the Institute for Managing Sustainability, Associate professor at Vienna University of Economics and Business, Anna Brussa, EIT CKIC’s Industrial Value Chain Lead, and Joël Mestres Lobez, Financial Engineering Manager, CINEA. To conclude the second day of the Dublin Circular Economy Hotspot CIRCULÉIRE in association with the Dublin Chamber of Commerce hosted a ‘Circular Matchmaking’ Industry Networking event. The third day of the Hotspot was dedicated to Deep Dive Workshops, the CIRCULÉIRE team co-designed and delivered a Design and Manufacturing workshop in collaboration with Mike Townsend of Earthshine Group. This workshop was attended by over 80 international attendees from industry, policy and academia and included company case studies from businesses who are embodying circular design in their organisational plans, including CIRCULÉIRE member Kevin Cronin of Freefoam Building Products , Marion Briggs of Health Beacon , Richard Brennan of Evolve Fleet , Jean René Skjelbred of Norsk Ombruk AS , and Peter Corcoran of MBio . Expert contributions were also offered by Gwen Cunningham, NCAD + Circle Economy (Textiles); Donal Healion, NCAD (Med Tech); and Frank O’Connor, Anois (Systems Design). On Thursday 1st of June, the final day of the Dublin Circular Economy Hotspot, CIRCULÉIRE supported one of our founding members Farrell Furniture and their CIRCULÉIRE Innovation Fund winning ‘ Do More with Less ’ project partners the Office of Public Works Furniture Division (OPW), and Atlantic Technological University (ATU). This was a truly unique opportunity to get insight behind the scenes of the incredible product life extension endeavours undertaken by the OPW in collaboration with Farrell Furniture & ATU through the Do More with Less project. This was a fantastic week-long international showcase and knowledge sharing event for the circular economy industry in Ireland and we were incredibly proud to be a part of it.

Sophie Reynolds, Senior Programme Manager at CIRCULÉIRE/IMR, speaking at the Environment Ireland Conference 2025. We were delighted to sponsor the Environment Ireland Conference on October 9th with IMR ’s Sophie Reynolds, Senior Programme Manager CIRCULÉIRE  taking to the stage to talk about ‘Delivering on Circularity's Transformational Potential’.    Sophie explained that the linear economy of ‘take, make, waste’ is a mindset and system which has enabled growth in the past, however, it has also created many of the most urgent sustainability and resource crises faced today.     Outlining Ireland’s over dependence on virgin materials and resulting increased exposure to price and supply chain shocks, Sophie noted construction’s dominance in material use and waste with agri-food and materials production sectors next in line. Sophie identified the need to meet demand while reducing emissions as a challenge facing industry, asserting that this can only be achieved by decoupling economic growth from material use through circular, low-impact innovation, then moving on to highlight the circular innovation services offered by CIRCULÉIRE .      Three key articles published in the Circular Economy Chapter of the Environment Ireland Handbook give excellent updates on the policy landscape, our cross-sectoral circular innovation and collaboration approach, as well as our Venture Accelerator.      See links below. Delivering the circular transition – Environment Ireland   Demystifying, de-risking and delivering circular innovation – Environment Ireland   Accelerating circular business model innovation – Environment Ireland      Now back to the events of the day!      The Circular Economy & Resource Management Session chaired by Claire Downey, CEO of the Rediscovery Centre also featured speakers from Repak, The European Environment Agency and Northern Ireland’s Strategic Investment Board.    Repak  Chief Operations Officer Tom Gaynor  outlined the company’s role in packaging, waste and the circular economy. Members’ fees support household and business recycling, bottle banks, and civic amenities, while Repak leads the efficient collection and recycling of packaging waste through support and guidance on packaging design and promoting the circular economy through reduce, reuse, refill, and recycle activity.  It collaborates with the EU to design and implement legislation while meeting challenges and managing the implications for Ireland; and develops and implements plans to educate and encourage consumers to recycle.    Ioannis Bakas , Circular Economy Monitoring Expert at the European Environment Agency , is focused on accelerating the circular economy in Europe.  In the context of resource extraction and processing accounting for 55 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions; 90 per cent of total global biodiversity loss and water stress; and 50 per cent of total particulate matter pollution, Bakas outlined what must be done to accelerate the circular economy in Europe:  Firstly, resource use must be reduced and a move towards a less material-intensive European economy must be prioritized. Secondly, to maximize the utility of existing products, we need to significantly increase the intensity of use per product and achieve much longer product lifetimes. Thirdly, for circular economies to achieve large-scale success, substantial quantities of high-quality secondary raw materials must be returned to productive use; and finally, a robust global governance framework on resource use is essential.    Heidi Redmond , Circular Economy Adviser at the Strategic Investment Board   spoke about developing a circular economy for Northern Ireland and outlined the circular economy policy goals of the Department for the Economy NI .  Put simply, they aim to invest in innovation, skills and R&D; maximise the value of resources locally; design out waste; collaborate for system change; and stimulate funding and incentivize investment.    This was a really enjoyable session  - we look forward to many more!  See more below from colleagues who attended other elements of the day    In the opening session, Timmy Dooley TD, Minster of State with responsibility for the Marine at DCEE, emphasized the development of Ireland’s Marine Strategy under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, aiming for clean, healthy, and sustainably used seas. He announced forthcoming legislation for Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) to safeguard habitats, support biodiversity, and facilitate offshore renewable energy, including plans to deliver 20GW of offshore wind by 2040.     Julie Thompson, Deputy Secretary of Environment, Marine & Fisheries Group, Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (N.I.), outlined the region’s environmental priorities. Central to this work is the Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP), built around six outcomes covering air and water quality, biodiversity, sustainable production, waste reduction, and climate action. Other priorities include peatland restoration, the Farming with Nature Programme, and circular economy measures such as deposit return schemes and extended producer responsibility.    Veronica Manfredi , Director, Zero Pollution, Water Resilience & Green Urban Transition, DG Environment, EC, highlighted the EU’s continued commitment to its Zero Pollution Action Plan, launched in 2021 under the European Green Deal. Upcoming reviews of the Zero Pollution Action Plan and new strategies for chemicals, circular economy, and water resilience will focus on implementation, innovation, and simplification.     Prof. Robbie McDonald, Chief Scientist and Chief Insights Officer, Office for Environmental Protection, UK, gave a blunt assessment of the current state of water quality and environment in Northern Ireland. The OEP’s mission is to protect and improve the environment by holding government and public bodies account, focusing on four key areas: scrutinizing environmental improvement plans, monitoring environmental law, advising government, and enforcing compliance.     Levent Ergin, Chief Climate, Sustainability & AI strategist at Informatica, emphasized the critical role of data as the foundation for both sustainability reporting and AI deployment in public and private sectors. He highlighted the growing regulatory landscape which will require detailed supply chain and environmental data. Ergin also addressed AI, particularly agentic AI capable of autonomous decision-making, noting that 80% of projects fail due to siloed deployment and insufficient controls. To succeed, organisations must implement cross-functional AI committees, risk assessment, and change management frameworks, with strong foundations in data cataloging, quality, master data management, and governance.    Laura Morrison, Head of Responsible Business, Business in the Community Ireland, focused on developing sustainable supply chains, emphasising the social and human rights aspects alongside environmental concerns. Morrison stressed social due diligence is more than compliance; it requires companies to assess where people may be at risk, engage with suppliers proportionately, and take tangible actions to mitigate harm. She noted the importance of integrating internal practices with supplier engagement, as poor purchasing behaviors (short-term contracts, cost pressures) can exacerbate social risks and that education and training would be beneficial in reinforcing that sustainability success requires both data and human-centric engagement across the supply chain.    Lisa-Nicole Dunne, CEO of Mantra Strategy, spoke about diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), underscoring that social justice is inseparable from environmental and economic sustainability. Drawing on her experience as a neurodivergent leader, she highlighted how structural barriers, from recruitment bias to inflexible workplaces, continue to exclude many groups, particularly women, disabled people, migrants and those from lower-income or minority backgrounds. Her conclusion was that sustainable progress depends on integrating environmental, social and governance goals, ensuring that diverse voices are central to decision-making.

All-Island Circular Venture Awards 2025, featuring the judging panel: Geraldine Brennan (IMR/CIRCULÉIRE), Mark Nodder (Makers Alliance), Faye Walsh Drouillard (WakeUp Capital), and Jamie Rowles (Regeneration.VC). CIRCULÉIRE and Irish Manufacturing Research are proud to announce the All-Island Circular Venture Awards 2025 judging panel which in its inaugural year gathers circular economy innovation, venture investment, and advanced manufacturing leaders. The distinguished panel includes Joint Chief Executive Officer of Makers Alliance, Mark Nodder; Partner at Regeneration.VC , Jamie Rowles; Founding and Managing Partner of WakeUp Capital, Faye Walsh Drouillard; and Dr. Geraldine Brennan, Director of Circular Economy Innovation at Irish Manufacturing Research.     Mark Nodder  brings a wealth of knowledge in advanced manufacturing in Northern Ireland, gained through an extensive career of service to the economy at the NI Chamber of Commerce and Invest NI.     Jamie Rowles  provides his expertise in leading early-stage circular and regenerative technology investments globally, climate investments across the UK and US, and co-founding tech start-ups.     Faye Walsh Drouillard  contributes with her experience in driving financial, social and environmental impact via venture investment, entrepreneurship, innovation, enlightened funding models and encouraging diversity in finance and governance.     Dr. Geraldine Brennan  completes the panel with her leadership in industry applied research and as Director of Circular Economy Innovation at Irish Manufacturing Research and former head of CIRCULÉIRE, Ireland's flagship Platform for Circular Manufacturing & Innovation.    The All-Island Circular Venture Awards 2025 will be held on 27th November at ESB HQ, Dublin 2, where late-stage start-ups and ventures driving circular economy innovation will pitch to the judging panel and compete for a total prize pool of €10,000 plus additional coaching sessions.    The deadline for applications is Thursday 30 th  October at midnight .     For full details about the judging panel, eligibility criteria and to submit your entry, please visit the Awards site: All-Island Circular Venture Award 2025 | CIRCULÉIRE .

At centre: Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon, T.D. (Photo sourced from Minister Martin Heydon's LinkedIn post). Last week, we joined the launch of Bioeconomy Ireland Week 2025 in Tullamore where Minister Martin Heydon announced that Ireland will host the Global Bioeconomy Summit in 2026 during its EU Presidency.    The event showcased how Ireland’s bioeconomy is moving from research to real deployment, with discussions on regional biorefineries, side-stream valorisation, bio-based materials, and SME-led innovation.    From Tirlán’s work on dairy side-stream valorisation to Zirkulu’s plant-based outdoor apparel, it was clear that collaboration between start-ups, industry, and research is driving momentum.    For us at CIRCULÉIRE, the takeaway is clear:    The bioeconomy and circular economy are complementary but distinct.    The real opportunity lies in designing systems that retain value locally through smart material loops, co-ownership models, and circular business innovation.    We look forward to continuing to support our members in connecting bio-based innovation with circular impact.    #LetsGerCircular #CIRCULÉIRE #IMR #BioeconomyIrelandWeek #CircularEconomy #IrishBioeconomy #Innovation #SustainableIndustry #RuralInnovation #CircularBusinessModels

John Gallagher (TCD), Fiona McCoole (EPA), Claire Downey (Rediscovery Centre), Dr. Geraldine Brennan (IMR), and Dr. Tom Voege (PRO Circularity Alliance) at the panel “Circular Economy: From Good Intentions to Good (EU) Regulations” during RDS Circular Economy Day 2025. On 22nd October 2025, the RDS hosted its Circular Economy Alumni Day in Dublin, bringing together alumni ventures, policymakers, funders, and partners to celebrate achievements and strengthen the ecosystem of circular innovators. Guests were welcomed by Paul Kelly, RDS CEO, Niamh De Loughry, RDS Foundation Director, and Sarah Keating, Sustainability and Innovation Programme Manager. The day featured an address from Minister of State for Small Business and Retail & Circular Economy, Alan Dillon TD , and remarks from Rebecca Markey, Chair of the RDS Committee of Enterprise. The programme included a keynote by Iain Gulland of Zero Waste Scotland, sessions on funding and policy, and workshops to gather evidence for the EU Circular Economy Act. The Alumni Day provided a unique platform for knowledge exchange and collaboration. Contributions from Dr Anne Marie Henihan and Dr Tom Voege; and panel discussions facilitated by Prof. Jane Stout and Prof. John Gallagher of Trinity College Dublin ensured a rich mix of perspectives. Stakeholders such as Dr Mary O’Riordan and Lisa O’Riordan (HaPPE Earth, Alumni of the 2024 CIRCULÉIRE Accelerator), David Scanlon (Resolve Partners), Sinead Byrne (Prospera), Claire Downey (The Rediscovery Centre), and Fiona McCoole (EPA) highlighted the urgency of collective action and the need to accelerate solutions which reduce waste, extend product lifecycles, and deliver sustainable growth. Dr Geraldine Brennan , Director of Circular Economy Innovation at Irish Manufacturing Research, contributed to the policy panel, sharing insights on how research and industry collaboration can drive systemic change. Agnese Metitieri, CE Ventures Lead, was also present to position the CIRCULÉIRE Accelerator, reinforcing our commitment to supporting ventures scaling circular solutions. These contributions, built awareness of the resources and programmes available to the CIRCULÉIRE network among alumni and stakeholders. Taking part in the RDS Circular Economy Alumni Day, not only allowed us to celebrate achievements but also deepen connections and reaffirm CIRCULÉIRE’s mission: accelerating impact in a systemic way alongside other key stakeholders within the Irish ecosystem.