Circular economy experts to gather in Sydney

Australian and European leaders in sustainability will come together in Sydney on 9 May for the inaugural Australian Product Stewardship Forum — an opportunity to share practical and strategic steps that manufacturers, brands, retailers and governments can take to produce and consume products without waste.

Businesses and policymakers can expect to be inspired and challenged by a line-up of international and Australian speakers, with interactive panels furthering the discussion about what can be done to ensure products sold in Australia cause less harm to the environment and society across their entire lifecycle, from design and manufacture through to use and end of life.

The full-day program will open with a conversation between the Hon Tanya Plibersek MP, Minister for the Environment and Water, and John Gertsakis, Director of the Product Stewardship Centre of Excellence.

“More than a Q&A, this open-ended dialogue will discuss the challenging issues, opportunities and reforms underway to help achieve producer responsibility across the product lifecycle. It will set the tone for the frank and productive conversations we’ll have throughout the day,” Gertsakis said.

The forum will also feature a presentation from Aurel Ciobanu-Dordea, Director for Circular Economy in the European Commission.

Leaders from diverse sectors and industries will then share their experiences of making product stewardship a reality. The panel discussions will be facilitated by Claire Kneller, Managing Director of WRAP Asia Pacific, with each panel focusing on one of the three product lifecycle stages. Time has been allocated to allow and encourage questions from forum delegates.

“We are thrilled with the calibre of speakers and the people who have registered to attend the forum — these are people who represent brands, retailers, schemes, associations and government agencies that are innovating to prevent waste and pollution by changing how products are designed, made, used, repaired, reused and recycled,” Gertsakis said.

“Whether you are starting this journey or further progressed, join us to learn and share practical solutions to maximise sustainable consumption and the circular economy.”

The Australian Product Stewardship Forum will be held on Thursday, 9 May 2024 at Aerial at UTS Sydney.

For ticket registrations, visit https://stewardshipexcellence.com.au/forum-2024/.

Image credit: iStock.com/metamorworks