New business directory connects circular economy solutions

A newly launched online business-to-business Circular Economy Directory is a New Zealand first to help businesses discover and use innovative circular products and services.

A first of its kind, the Circular Economy Directory will assist businesses to transition to a circular economy model where products and materials are designed to reduce waste and carbon emissions by keeping existing products in circulation for longer.

Businesses looking to do the right thing can find suppliers that have listed their products and services. Categories include reducing carbon, sharing and trading existing resources, and extending the lifespan, and can easily be found through the search function.

Sustainable Business Network (SBN), through a public-private partnership, has created the directory to help businesses transition from a linear to a circular economy at greater speed and scale. 

James Griffin, General Manager Projects and Advisory at SBN, says the new Circular Economy Directory will be a valuable resource.

“Businesses haven’t known who can help them or where to find them so we have created a one-stop-shop to provide access to what they need”.

Innovative upcycling social enterprise Critical is looking to partner with businesses that have upcoming building fit-out projects to find new life for plastic waste.. Like the nearly 9,000 plastic milk bottles that were used to build Kōkako Organic Coffee Roasters’ newest coffee shop.

Critical Chief Executive Rui Peng says “We understand that businesses have problems with plastics and zero waste commitments that aren’t easy to solve. Not only that, they want durable products while being able to tell a great story to their customers. We hope to not only solve those issues but to also solve one of the biggest pollution crises of our generation. The directory provides a much-needed conduit to businesses looking for innovative ways to reuse existing materials as well as other circular economy practices.”

Griffin cautions that pressure from government regulations and customers means change is coming and urges businesses to take action now.

“The Circular Economy Directory exists to easily find solutions to solve the issues we face now.  It provides access to innovative products and services that contribute to regenerating our world rather than degrading it” says Griffin.

Griffin is encouraging people to join the online launch and find out how they can be part of the solution.

View the directory here: https://sustainable.org.nz/circular-economy-directory/

If we don’t invest in the circular economy, we’ll soon be investing in more chaotic price rises and supply shortages. Do it now, and we can be world leaders in high value innovation. Read Andy Kenworthy’s article ‘Go circular to end supply chain chaos’ on page 26 of the May Quarterly edition of NZBusiness.