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This year’s World Circular Economy Forum WCEF2023 shows how the pressing challenge of rapidly scaling up circular solutions can be answered worldwide. For instance, the forum demonstrates how investing in the circular economy is a way to increase profitability and resilience for companies across value chains. Reducing dependencies on scarce virgin materials create sustainable growth and new jobs. Collaboration is key so that entire value chains can become more circular.
The Forum also explores the role and possibilities of the financial sector to tackle challenges and drive coherent action towards de-risking investment in circular initiatives globally. We aim to demonstrate that well-being within the boundaries of nature is possible with policies which create incentives to adequately price natural resources and unlock investments to support uptake.
“I hope businesses and investors as well as countries are looking for truly future proof strategies. Are they ready to respond to the growing call to put nature at the heart of all decision making, business and our lifestyles? Through the WCEF2023, we want to help all kinds of organisations look further into the sustainable and profitable future,” says Jyrki Katainen, President of the Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra, WCEF2023’s co-host.
Another important topic of the forum are circular solutions to halt the loss of biodiversity, where the food and agriculture sector can make the greatest contribution. Additionally, decarbonising the world is critical: as the demand for metals and materials grows exponentially, circular solutions are needed more than ever.
“Setting up new conservation areas is of course necessary, but not enough. Even if we were to reach the global target to protect 30% of our land and water areas, more significant is what happens in the other 70%. From this point of view it is necessary to integrate economy and market mechanisms to bring solutions,” Katainen continues.
The WCEF2023 brings together more than 2,000 new economy pioneers in Helsinki and thousands more online. You can hear the ideas of more than 120 speakers, participate in 42 results-oriented accelerator sessions, and explore more than 50 circular economy champions in the Expo area. The WCEF2023 is the place to find the best business models, financial instruments, innovations, partners, policies and strategies.
Visions for a circular future by young leaders
The WCEF2023 amplifies strong voices of young generations about the need of transformation from the current linear “take-make-waste” economic system towards a sustainable and regenerative circular economy. At the same time, young voices at the Forum are challenging the way we currently understand the circular economy and demanding for not only their voice but also that of nature to be heard.
“We need to include younger generations to the circular economy discussions as this transition will define their future. That is why we have engaged youth organisations and asked them to actively join the circular economy community at the WCEF2023”, says Svein Berg, Managing Director of the Nordic Innovation, also co-host of WCEF2023.
Read more about the World Circular Economy Forum
Meet top doers and thinkers from all over the world!
How the game-changing solutions will be scaled up everywhere will be discussed at WCEF2023 in Helsinki by Managing Director of BlackRock Christopher Kaminker, Chief Impact Officer of Circulate Capital Ellen Martin, Vice-President of European Investment Bank Ambroise Fayolle, Director of African Development Bank Anthony Nyong, Managing Director of the Nordic Development Fund Karin Isaksson, UN Assistant Secretary-General Elizabeth Mrema, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission Frans Timmermans, EU youth delegate to the UN Nadia Gullestrup Christensen, Founder of Swivel Skills & UnSchool Leyla Acaroglu, President and CEO of Metsä Group Ilkka Hämälä and Co-Founder of Climate Farmers Philippe Birker, among others.
Online press briefing on 23 May and accreditation
Want to learn more? Representatives of the co-hosts will share their thoughts and answer questions in an online press briefing on 23 May 15:00 (EEST; UTC+3) / 12:00 (UTC). The briefing is limited to representatives of the media and will take place on Microsoft Teams.
The speakers of the press briefing include:
- Kari Herlevi, Head of Global Collaboration Unit for Sustainability Solutions, The Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra
- Svein Berg, Managing Director, Nordic Innovation
Media representatives are required to register for the briefing by 22 May 16:00 (EEST; UTC+3) / 13:00 (UTC) at https://www.lyyti.fi/reg/WCEF2023__Online_press_briefing_0547. Registered journalists will be provided with the link to join the Microsoft Teams meeting.
To join WCEF2023 from 30 May to 2 June online or on-site in Helsinki, media accreditation is needed and is available on the event website at www.wcef2023.com/media.
Mediakit and logos
Download our media kit from WCEF2023’s website for more background information on the circular economy and the World Circular Economy Forum. You’ll find story ideas, contact information of experts for your interviews as well as recommended background material.
The WCEF2023 logo is available at Sitra’s material bank.
Media contacts
Media inquiries and interview requests should be addressed to WCEF2023’s media liaisons:
- Samuli Laita, Leading communications specialist, Sitra, the Finnish Innovation Fund, samuli.laita@sitra.fi, tel. +358 40 5368650
- Lena Henriksson, Head of communication, Nordic Innovation, l.henriksson@nordicinnovation.org, tel. +47 9113 8654
For editors
The World Circular Economy Forum (WCEF) creates a new economy, businesses and jobs, by leveraging circular solutions to solve the planetary crises. Since 2017, the Forum has gathered together forward-looking thinkers and doers and presents the game-changers in the circular economy and showcasing the world’s leading circular economy solutions. Now is the time to scale up circular solutions everywhere. WCEF is a global initiative of Finland and Sitra, the Finnish Innovation Fund. The WCEF2023 is jointly organised by the Sitra and Nordic Innovation.
The Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra is a future fund that collaborates with partners from different sectors to research, trial and implement bold new ideas that shape the future. Sitra is a nationally and internationally influential think-and-do-and-connect tank, a promoter of experimentation and new operating models, and a facilitator of co-operation. Its aim is a Finland that succeeds as a pioneer in sustainable well-being. Sitra was named the number one public-sector circular economy accelerator in the world when Sitra won the public-sector category of the Circulars Awards 2018 for its pioneering work to accelerate the world’s transition to a circular economy.
Nordic Innovation is an organisation under the Nordic Council of Ministers. They aim to make the Nordics a pioneering region for sustainable growth by promoting entrepreneurship, innovation and competitiveness in Nordic businesses. Their work is based on the Nordic prime ministers’ vision that the Nordic region will become the most sustainable and integrated region in the world in 2030. Nordic Innovation acts as a catalyst and enabler of Nordic arenas for cooperation and ecosystems, through the three innovation missions: A waste-free Nordic region. A pioneering region for green mobility. Leading within smart and sustainable growth.
