UK-Finland Sustainability Knowledge Exchange 19-21 October 2020

1. The Circular Economy in
Finland
UK-Finland Sustainability Knowledge
Exchange
Kari Herlevi
Project director, Circular economy
Sitra
21.10.2020

2. A gift to Finland
The Finnish Parliament established
Sitra as a gift celebrating the 50th
anniversary of Finland's
independence.
The public future-oriented
organisation was given the mission
to build the successful Finland of
tomorrow.
The year was 1967.
Erkki Laitila, HS/Lehtikuva 1967

3. How do we guarantee
a fair future for everyone
if the only thing we know for
sure is that everything will
change?

4. 5 important things
1. A gift from Parliament to the 50-year-old
Finland. Still under the direct control of
the Finnish Parliament.
2. An independent future house: a
futurologist, visionary, developer,
experimentalist, financier, partner,
trainer, and networker.
3. The aim is the successful Finland of
tomorrow, the vision is the next era of
well-being – a fair and sustainable future.
4. Funded by returns on endowment capital
and capital investments.
5. The vision is implemented by three
themes and hundreds of projects.
+ the most
important of all
Building our future together.

5. OVERCONSUMPTION
OF RESOURCES
BIODIVERSITY LOSS
CLIMATE CHANGE OVERCONSUMPTION
OF RESOURCES

6. IRP Global Resources Outlook 2019
90%OF BIODIVERSITY LOSS AND WATER
STRESS ARE CAUSED BY
RESOURCE EXTRACTION AND
PROCESSING
OECD Global Material Resources Outlook to 2060
Ellen MacArthur Foundation, 2019
x2GLOBAL MATERIAL USE IS
PROJECTED TO MORE THAN
DOUBLE FROM 79 GT IN 2011
TO 167 GT IN 2060.
45%45 PER CENT OF CLIMATE
EMISSIONS ARE ASSOCIATED
WITH MAKING PRODUCTS.

7. 700,000THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY CAN INCREASE THE EU’S GDP BY AND
ADDITIONAL 0.5% by 2030, CREATING 700,000 NEW JOBS IN THE PROCESSS.
EU Circular Economy Action Plan

8. PRODUCT DESIGN IS AT THE CORE OF THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY. OVER 80%
OF ALL PRODUCT-RELATED ENVINRONMENTAL IMPACTS ARE DETERMINED
DURING THE DESIGN PHASE OF A PRODUCT.
European Commission: Ecodesign your future
80%

9. The change towards a circular
economy is not only a wise move
for well-being and
competitiveness, but also
essential for a sustainable future.

10. Our current aim is to accelerate
the transition to a fair and
competitive circular economy.

11. We accelerate the
development and spread of
circular economy solutions
created by Finnish companies
and businesses.
We speed up the global
transition to a fair circular
economy with both Finnish
operators and international
organisations.We increase the
understanding of the
positive and negative
environmental effects
of digitization.
We provide information,
tools and solutions to
support a fair transition
to a circular economy.

12. How do you make the transition to a circular economy?
Where do you start?
What do you aim for?
How do you know if you are there?

13. Since 2015, we have…
Compiled the first national circular economy road map in the world.
Built tools for businesses to move towards a circular economy.
Created a global circular economy community.
Greeting from
Finland!

14. !Finland’s road map to a
circular economy
In 2016, Finland was the first country in the
world to create a national circular economy road
map.
A circular economy road map is a tool for
change: it helps define the required steps and
compiles key stakeholders’ views on the essential
changes and actions required for the circular
transformation.
It is a document that includes a vision as well as
goals and tangible actions that will accelerate a
country’s transition towards a circular economy.
Do it the
Finnish way!

15. How to create a national
circular economy road map?
Based on what we have learned, we put together a guide
to help countries start their journey towards a
circular economy.
The guide features tools, guidelines and
inspiration for countries that want to move towards or
are already taking their first steps towards a circular
economy.
The guide can be used as both an inspiration and a guide
that walks the reader through each phase of the road
map process.

16. 7Seven key lessons from
creating a circular economy
road map
1. Create the road map from your country’s perspective
2. Co-operation is the starting point and a requirement for
progress
3. Make sure the road map balances action with flexibility
4. Form a situational picture
5. The road map must be agile to stay relevant
6. Measure success, monitor development and set stages
for the journey
7. Invest in the execution.

17. Where are we now?
Already in 2018 Finland, a country with 5,5 million
people, had the highest number of circular
economy programmes and courses in higher
education in the world.
25% of large Finnish companies have the circular
economy as part of their strategy.
83 per cent of Finns fully or partly agree that Finland
should take action to promote the circular
economy even if other countries are not doing so.

18. The most interesting
companies in the circular
economy in Finland
A list compiled by Sitra to showcase Finland’s most
inspiring examples of the circular economy.
1. Product-life extension
2. Product as a service
3. Sharing platforms
4. Renewability
5. Resource efficiency and recycling
Sitra is using the list as a way to challenge Finnish
companies to meet the changing needs of the world.

19. 39 inspiring circular
economy solutions from
around the globe
We compiled a list of 39 inspiring circular
economy solutions from six continents, ranging
from circular fashion to magnetic ink and from
upcycling solar panel waste to podcasts and games.
The list was published at #WCEFonline in September
2020.
Take a closer look at sitra.fi/inspiring.

20. World Circular Economy
Forum
The World Circular Economy Forum is a
landmark event of the year that brings together business
leaders, policymakers and experts to present the world’s
best circular economy solutions.
A few weeks ago, WCEFonline took a dive into why
and how a circular economy can help reboot and build
resilience in the economy with more than 4000
participants from around the world.

21. Two days, six sessions

22. We have the power to make a
transition to a circular economy.
We just have to do it.
Inger Andersen at WCEFonline

23. sitra.fi/en/
@sitrafund