Closing the Loop: Updates from our Circularity Projects
Hi there,
By now, you have probably already heard about circular economy. In recent years, it has become a much-used term and a political goal in many countries as well as the EU. Circular economy asks the question: How do we keep materials and products in use for longer? But circularity is just as much a social question as it is an economic one. It prompts us to rethink how we live, consume, and make decisions together.
In our projects, we’re working towards circularity though education and supporting adult education trainers and facilitators. Our ECOPath and ACE projects, specifically, engage with circularity from different angles: One explores what a circular society looks like, the other equips SME professionals with circular economy and EGS skills.
A new path towards a circular society
In May, we travelled to Frankfurt am Main for a meeting with our partners in the Actions for a Circular Society through Education (ACE) project. Each partner brought insights into circular initiatives from their national contexts ranging from repair cafés to an agroecological farm as a space for research, exploration, and knowledge sharing. Moving from exchange to brainstorming, we defined the focus of the educational resources on circular society principles and practices for individuals, communities, organisations, and businesses.
The ACE project partners from Germany, Poland, Spain, and Sweden in Frankfurt am Main (Germany), May 2026.
We understand a circular society as interconnected material, energy, and knowledge flows that close loops across sectors—ranging from production and consumption to reuse, recycling, and regenerative practices. A circular society builds on collaborative approaches, prioritizing shared value creation, participatory governance, and systemic innovation.
Within this context, the ACE project aims to increase awareness of the concept of circular society, informing about the various opportunities and benefits of circular systems in everyday life, business, and community development. It seeks to inspire individuals and organisations to adopt circular practices as well as to create synergies through knowledge exchange between European countries through online educational resources, showcasing best practices, and the implementation of workshops and events.
Following our project meeting in May, we are now defining the content and structure of the ACE educational resources.
What is the difference between circular economy and circular society?
Most will be familiar with the concept of circular economy which has emerged as an alternative to the linear economy which is based on the logic of take-make-dispose. In a circular economy the goal is to keep products and materials in circulation so that they never become waste. Central to this concept are the Rs of circularity which are guiding principles to circular production and consumption. These include
· Reducing i.e., consumption, production and waste generation;
· Reusing and repairing products that might otherwise be wasted;
· Recycling materials to feed them back into the cycle of production and consumption.
Within the concept of circular society, economy is only one of many interconnected cycles (as described by Callisto Friant et al., 2023 in “Transition to a Sustainable Circular Society: More than Just Resource Efficiency”). It is a more holistic approach that goes beyond production and consumption patterns, taking into account societal values and behaviours, how knowledge circulates, how political power is distributed, as well as other questions of access, equity, justice, and care.
Within circular economy, aspects of social justice can be forgotten, such as questions of who bears the cost of circular transitions, who has access to circular products or means of production, and who makes decisions on what circularity looks like and how it is implemented. Within circular society these questions are asked alongside efforts to transition into a circular economy.
Similarly, while circular economy focuses on production, it does not necessarily shape consumer behaviour and societal norms around consumption. Circular society pays attention to these aspects asking us to rethink not only how we produce but how we consume and behave. This brings to the forefront a broader debate: Can we keep growing consumption sustainably (green growth), or does a genuinely circular future require us to consume less overall (sufficiency)?
With the ACE project, we pick up on the concept of circular society, to engage multiple actors, including individuals, communities, educators, and businesses, in reflecting on and implementing circular practices and principles on a societal level.
Supporting adult educators to build SME professionals’ circular economy and EGS skills
While ACE explores circularity from a holistic societal point of view, our ECOPAth project brings circular economy and ESG principles into practice for SME professionals. And in July, it brought our partners to Malmö for a joint staff training and partner meeting. Together, we explored the learning materials on ESG (environmental, social, and governance aspects of sustainability) and circular economy for professionals working in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from both a learner and trainer perspective. We also reviewed the accompanying Facilitation Guide in preparation for our upcoming training of adult educators and trainers.
The ECOPath project partners in Malmö (Sweden), July 2026.
Looking Ahead: Between August and October, we will hold training sessions for adult educators and trainers in Croatia, Ireland, Spain, and Sweden. These sessions of a total of four hours, will provide those interested in implementing the ECOPath Gamebook with an overview of the learning materials and methodology. It is an opportunity to gain in insight into the material, reflect on how to best facilitate it, and ask questions.
Circular economy principles and ESG play an increasingly pivotal role within the business sphere and efforts to transition to more sustainable ways of producing and consuming. However, SMEs often lack resources and know-how on circular principles and practices and EGS in order to improve their company’s impact or for reporting purposes – either voluntary reporting or in response to requests for information by larger companies who are obligated to report on their sustainability impact including information on companies within their value chain. ECOPath addresses this gap through a comprehensive hands-on Gamebook including self-paced and facilitated modules aimed at building skills rather than providing a step-by-step manual to impact reporting.
Did you know?
Myth: ESG reporting only matters for large companies.
Particularly following the Omnibus amendments to the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) which excludes SMEs from the scope of mandatory reporting, you might assume that ESG reporting is only relevant for large companies. However, it is still relevant for SMEs as they are indirectly pulled into reporting requirements, for instance, as suppliers to larger companies or by banks and investors who request sustainability data for financing decisions.
Myth: Recycling is the most central aspect of circular economy.
Recycling should be the last resort, not the first move. A truly circular approach focuses on sustainable design aimed at durability and repairability, rethinks business models, and encourages reuse and sharing. Avoiding waste altogether is always preferable to recycling it, both to protect the planet and because it holds greater cost-saving potential.
When you get started on your journey to report and improve impact, keep in mind that you do not need to be perfect immediately. Instead, the most important first step is to get started, for example by following these practical tips:
1. Start with a simple materiality assessment to identify which ESG topics are the most relevant to you.
2. Map your resource flows before setting circularity goals to identify which steps are the most impactful as well as which ones are easily implemented, and which ones will require more time, effort, and investment.
3. Use existing free tools, resources, and networks made available by your government, national chambers of commerce, the Enterprise Europe Network, or EU-funded projects such as ECOPath.
Get involved
Whether it’s rethinking how we produce through ECOPATH, or the role different societal actors play in shaping a circular society through ACE, circularity turns out to be less about a single fix and more about how all these pieces (economic, social, individual, and collective) fit together.
Do you want to contribute to a more circular way of life? Keep an eye out for updates on our social media or our website where all learning resources are made available for free. You are welcome to reach out to us if you have questions or would like to receive more information about our upcoming activities such as the ECOPath training of facilitators.
Until then,
The SwIdeas Team
About the projects
ACE
The Actions for a Circular Society throug Education - ACE- project supports the transition to a circular society by equipping adults, communities, and organizations with knowledge, skills, and tools to adopt circular practices. It introduces and explains circular principles, informs stakeholders about benefits, and inspires engagement through best practices. (Project no.: 2025-1-DE02-KA220-ADU-000356192)
ECOPath
ECOPath seeks to build pathways for European entreprises to become more sustainable. It equips current and future SME professionals with green skills and knowledge on circular economy and ESG. The project is co-funded by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union. (Project no.: 2024-1-SE01-KA220-ADU-000244589)
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.
