Circular Economy as Your Competitive Edge

Early-stage companies and manufacturers will learn to capture immediate value through circular business models—and leave with three tools to get started.

The circular economy represents a $2.2 trillion annual opportunity by 2030 (McKinsey), with 64% of Gen Z/Millennials willing to pay more for sustainable products (Deloitte 2025). Companies of all sizes are winning: Patagonia's Worn Wear program, Eileen Fisher's take-back initiative, and local startups like Rheaply (asset sharing) and Bureo (skateboard decks from fishing nets) prove you don't need to be Fortune 500 to succeed.

Attendees will receive three implementation tools:

1. Circularity Assessment Tool - Measure current product performance and identify improvement priorities
2. Strategy Explorer – Explore and evaluate the relevance of 30+ circular strategies customized for your product type
3. Business Case Calculator - Compare your linear model against circular strategies with 10-year ROI projections

Oliver Wyman analysis shows circular models could unlock $883 billion to $1.5 trillion in new US revenue—4-7% of GDP. This session focuses on capturing your share through practical, immediately actionable strategies. You'll learn from real examples, from Toast Ale (brewing with surplus bread) to Fairphone's modular design to Interface's fishing-net carpets.

Sign up to discover:

• How to transform waste streams and idle capacity into revenue
• How to position yourself ahead of regulatory shifts while accessing growing investment pools
• Strategies scaled for both startups (minimal investment) and manufacturers (process optimization)

This is an in-person workshop and lunch will be provided. Space is limited and registration closes at 10:00 AM on Monday, December 1.

AGENDA

11:30-11:45 AM: Check in, grab lunch

11:45 AM - 12:45 PM: Workshop

12:45-1:00 PM: Q&A

ABOUT THE SPEAKER

Israa Ameen Thiab is a Ph.D. candidate in sustainability at Rochester Institute of Technology’s Golisano Institute for Sustainability. She holds a Master of Science in Environmental Management and Policy from Lund University in Sweden, one of the world’s top 100 universities according to the QS World University Rankings.

With more than 15 years of experience advancing corporate sustainability and sustainable development across sectors such as tourism, aviation, consumer goods, healthcare, energy, and food and beverage, Israa brings a global perspective shaped by her work throughout the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. She currently works with P2I’s Supply Chain Sustainability Program as a Pollution Prevention Consultant. Her recent research supported the ASEAN Circular Entrepreneurship project, which provided education and training on circular economy principles across Southeast Asia.