Nowadays, companies are increasingly focusing on producing circular products and services, which have one or more circular features, like reusability, reparability, modularity, recyclability, etc. However, ordinary consumers and citizens are still lacking the knowledge and the information on these products’ circular features and benefits. Moreover, circular products are still in a competitive disadvantage vis-à-vis linear products, which are often cheaper and more familiar for consumers.
The initiative Circular Point (CP) is a service hub set up by one of EMG group companies - Geonardo Ltd.,with the aim to provide practical and business circular economy solutions for companies and organisations. Circular Point versatile services allow you to choose the most suitable and relevant support your company or organisation needs to apply circular economy principles in your daily practice or product development. Circular Point has a mission to serve both the efficiency and profitability of our clients, while creating a positive environmental, social and consumer impact as well. Circular Point is building on the domestic and international network of the Foundation for Circular Economy, which has been an active promoter of circular economy in Hungary since 2014.
Among the Circular Point activities, we offer company training and workshops on the topic of circularity, strategic consulting and policy support, involvement in call for proposals, product promotion and market research, consultancy on Cradle to Cradle Design, as Circular Point is an exclusive assessor of Cradle to Cradle certifications in Hungary.
One of the first activities of Circular Point was the organization of a Business Seminar on Circular Economy which took place on 11 April 2019 and held at LOFFICE, Budapest, Hungary. The Ambassador of Finland to Hungary, H.E. Mr. Markku Virri delivered inspiring words to the participants coming from the manufacturing and private sector, academia and associations and foundations interested in the topic of circular economy. Mr. Jyri Arponen, Senior Lead in Business Development from SITRA, the Finnish Innovation Fund, introduced the concept of circular economy and its relevance for the manufacturing industry. The presentation provided practical tips and know-how to the manufacturing industry to apply circular economy practices in their day-to-day activities by showcasing best practices.
The seminar counted with the presence of representative from: the Hungarian Waste Management Federation (HOSZ), FCC Group, NOKIA, the Industrial Development Coordination Agency (IFKA), the Business Council for Sustainable Development in Hungary (BCSDH), the Confederation of Hungarian Employers and Industrialists, Lafarge Cement, the Hungarian Furniture Association, the Embassy of Finland in Budapest, the Finish- Hungarian Chamber of Commerce, the European Climate Foundation, KEXPORT, NEOMAX, Bay Zoltán Nonprofit Ltd, Madence Csoport, Gubolina e.U, Genpact, and students from different universities (ELTE and Budapest University of Technology and Economics).
Circular Point attended various national and regional relevant events on circular economy, such as the Economondo Green technology EXPO 2019 in Rimini Italy (5-8 November, 2019), the International Conference on Resource Efficiency in Brussels (25-26 September, 2019), Waste Revolution Conference in Budapest (October 18, 2019), and as well as other relevant international events where environmental issues, wastewater management and circular economy were part of the agenda, such as the Budapest Water Summit 2019 (15-17 October, 2019).
The circular economy offers a wide range of opportunities for innovation, better and long-term consumer relations as well as for reducing the negative ecological footprint and for the sustainable management of natural resources. In 2020 Circular Point plans to continue its activities and launch a tool to help consumers and citizens in the EU to use a website and a smartphone application (app) which would provide them with practical information on circular consumer choices – products, services or programmes/initiatives. This tool should help boost the demand for circular solutions, widen consumers’ knowledge on circular economy and its advantages as well as change their mindset for considering circular/sustainable features when buying consumer goods.
Visit Circular Point website to stay tuned and learn more about this initiative!
