Press release, June 13, 2023
Small and medium-sized enterprises are facing higher and higher demands for responsible operations from their customers, owners, investors, and other interest groups. Several SMEs have already done some work related to sustainable development, but for some, these issues are now becoming topical as projects such as the programme for European green development – the Green Deal – is moving ahead. Instead of resolving responsibility issues on their own, companies will benefit from networking with other parties. The network will provide both information and concrete support in weighing new ideas and suitable solution options.
The development company Posintra and the Laurea University of Applied Sciences have received EU funding for two cooperative projects that aim to promote sustainable growth, moving towards a circular economy, and practical climate acts for SMEs business operations. We are now looking for companies in Porvoo to join these projects.
The circular economy entails new business opportunities
The circular economy is a new economic model that is generally seen as an alternative to the more traditional linear economic model. The circular economy is strongly linked with the idea of new business opportunities, which are connected to preserving the value of materials, services, and sharing economy solutions. According to some estimates, circular economy business models can increase business revenue up to seven times compared with linear business models. At the same time, circular economy can reduce a company’s environmental footprint by up to 60-85 per cent*. Currently, the world’s circular economy rate is estimated to be no more than about 7 %, which means that over 90 % of all used material are not channelled to reuse. In Finland, the circular economy is progressing, but it needs to be sped up. However, Finnish companies have excellent starting points for transitioning to a circular economy, and no time should be wasted in getting started right now.
WeCircle – sustainable growth from circular economy is a project that advances the circular economy expertise and the transition to a circular economy for industrial SMEs. The project also makes a connection to the transformation of the Kilpilahti industrial area and the new business opportunities for SMEs that may result from it.
– We are currently meeting industrial SMEs operating in Porvoo and eastern Uusimaa to discuss how the WeCircle project could serve the needs of each company. We can also bring along companies from other parts of Uusimaa. We will start the business cooperation properly in the autumn, so if you have any responsibility-related issues on the table and are interested in the circular economy as an enabler of your company’s sustainable growth, you should contact us, urges business developer Ari Långsjö from Posintra.
– You should wait no longer to familiarise yourself with circular economy thinking and circular economy business models and their identification from the point of view of your own company’s business, as it is the future path in any case, continues Posintra’s business developer Jenni Juuvinmaa.
In the WeCircle project, Laurea produces a practical workshop and a learning package for companies. – We listen very closely to companies’ needs and strive to respond to them, says Laurea University of Applied Sciences RDI expert Hanne Laasonen.
Porvoo to develop their own climate partnership model
In the Posintra/Laurea joint project of Co2Jump – Climate leap to partnership! a climate partnership model is being developed as a collaboration between 40 Porvoo companies and the city. Co2Jump is a new and experimental network cooperation initiative that helps companies, municipalities, the development company, and the university of applied sciences respond to the challenge brought on by climate change.
– The network-like operational model is supported by the digital and gamified developed by Laurea University of Applied Sciences CELLL development tool that is connected with the large-scale business development produced by Posintra. The companies’ climate goals already form a part of the development of the entire business, and at the same time the city of Porvoo opens up the climate goals of its own purchases to a joint and open review. What we hope to see the end of the project is how the businesses of the participating companies have developed to meet the challenges of the times, how the companies’ carbon footprints have decreased, and how the city of Porvoo has been able to sign several climate partnerships with local companies, says Co2Jump project manager Christina Sani.
– Business development also includes increasing understanding of how funding can be obtained to support the energy transition, Peter Backman, a business developer working in the project, sums up.
*Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra: Sustainable growth with circular economy business models – Playbook for businesses
More information:
WeCircle – sustainable growth from circular economy
Project manager Jenni Juuvinmaa,
Business developer Ari Långsjö, ari.langsjö@posintra.fi
Co2Jump – Climate leap to partnership!
Project manager Christina Sani,
Business developer Peter Backman,
VARAA AIKA