White Research helps organize successful virtual circular economy event

More than 150 stakeholders signed up for the ‘Making it Circular’ conference

Two weeks ago, the Brussels based boutique consultancy White Research offered important communications and organizational support for the ‘Making it Circular’ virtual event that promotes a circular economy for plastics in Europe. The conference, that was organized on 29 and 30 September by the Horizon 2020 project ‘Pop-Machina’, brought together 15 presenters and more than 150 registered stakeholders from all over Europe. The UK plastic recycling start-up ‘Relic Plastic’ won the plastic waste recycling competition on the second day of the conference.

The ‘Making it Circular’ conference that focuses on recycling plastics, fits Pop-Machina’s overall objective of promoting sustainability and generating socio-economic benefits in European cities. The project does so by reinforcing the links between the maker movement, that that brings together individuals who create products from waste, discarded or unused materials, and organisations that support a circular economy.

On the first day of ‘Making it Circular’ the 15 presenters discussed the status of the circular maker practices in Europe. Speakers included the European soft drink association UNESDA, the NGOs Plastic Bank and Zero Waste Europe as well as the Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia (IAAC). On the second day companies presented their circular projects in a competition about how they manage plastic waste. The first place went to Relic Plastic, a plastic-recycling start-up in Lancaster, UK, followed by Salubata, a French plastic recycling start-up that produces shoes from recycled materials.

A great success

The organisers state that they are not only extremely happy with the attendance, but also the quality of the speakers and the debates. In the end more than 150 representatives of non-governmental organisations, companies and European institutions registered for ‘Making it Circular’ and around 60 eventually joined the discussions.

Communications and organizational support

White Research played an important part in the communication and organization of the ‘Making it Circular’ event. Among other things, the consultancy approached potential speakers and sponsors, managed and created content for the social media accounts, promoted the event and offered technical support before, during and after the conference.