Circular Innovation Council is excited to kick-off our new quarterly series that brings our members together for learning, networking, and sharing the latest updates from CIC.
Join us virtually Tuesday, May 12th at 1 pm ET for our very first session. We’ll share updates on CIC’s current work and priority areas, offer a sneak peek into our 2026/27 strategy, and highlight how members can get more involved. Attendees will also have the opportunity to connect with other members and hear success stories that demonstrate how collaboration helps achieve circular ambitions.
Register now and stay tuned for more details. We look forward to connecting with you and kicking off this new member series.
This meeting is exclusive to members of CIC. If your organization is not yet a member, please contact Shirley@CircularInnovation.ca to join.
As Earth Month comes to a close, we’re taking moment to reflect on our impact on the planet and rethink the systems that shape it. It’s proven that our linear take‑make‑waste economy has delivered growth and convenience, but at the cost of resource depletion, waste, and rising emissions. Protecting the Earth calls for rethinking how we design, use, and value materials so that economic activity works within planetary boundaries, not against them.
A circular economy offers that pathway forward. Its vital to tackling climate change, as it can reduce 45% of global GHG emissions associated with products, materials, and food that renewable energy solutions alone can’t address. By reducing resource extraction, regenerating natural systems, and designing out waste and pollution, circular approaches help reduce environmental harm while strengthening resilience for communities and our economy. Earth Month serves as a reminder to take action — but learning, sharing, and advancing solutions that support a healthier planet today and a sustainable future is essential year round.
As we close out the month we want to hear how organizations and individuals marked Earth Month! Whether by engaging employees, supporting your community, or taking individual actions to reduce waste and rethink consumption. Circular Innovation Council is here to collaborate, connect ideas, and support organizations at every stage of their journey as they work toward their circular ambitions.
From our social media this month:
Video: How can circularity support the Earth?
Video: How to support a circular economy?
CIC’s Waste Auditor Training Course offers a combination of lectures and workshops offering attendees hands-on experience through case studies, creation of audit plans, and development and application of auditing skills through table-top scenarios and situational exercises.
What’s Included?
Upcoming Course: June 2nd to 5th, 2026
Last month, Caitlin Perry from the Circular Innovation Council team was invited to participate in the Designing for a Sustainable Future Innovation Sprint at uOttawa’s Telfer School of Management. The sprint was one of several events held as part of the university’s month‑long, campus‑wide SDG Month campaign. This multi‑day, hands‑on workshop focused on SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production, introducing more than 50 undergraduate students from diverse disciplines to the principles of the circular economy and challenging them to redesign everyday products through a circular lens.
From clothing to electronics, ten student teams were each assigned a common product to disassemble, map across its full lifecycle, and reimagine the product’s design with circularity embedded into the business model. At the end of the sprint, teams pitched their redesigned products, with the most innovative and sustainable concept receiving a grant to prototype their solution. CIC participated alongside other local experts by participating in the kick‑off panel and mentoring students throughout the workshop, offering guidance and real‑world insights as they tackled complex challenges.
It’s inspiring to see students who will soon be entering the workforce come together to address real‑world sustainability issues. Multidisciplinary, experiential learning opportunities like this sprint play a critical role in equipping the next generation of leaders with the skills and mindset needed to drive a more circular and sustainable future.
See more about the event and University of Ottawa’s efforts to educate students on circularity:
Economies worldwide fundamentally depend on materials, yet a significant portion of their value is lost at each stage of production, use, and disposal. Each year, an initial estimate of €25.4 trillion (± €4.7 trillion) in economic value is lost due to resource inefficiencies, premature product disposal, and underutilised assets. Compared with a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of €82.6 trillion, this highlights the immense scale of material-related losses.
More from CGR Dashboard
After years of frustration with stalled debate over fossil fuels at UN climate talks, more than 50 countries are gathering in Colombia for the first summit focused entirely on phasing out oil, gas and coal.
The conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels opens today in Santa Marta as countries try to push the issue outside the regular UN process, where major producers have often resisted efforts to curb fossil fuel use.
More from CBC
We want to say a big thank you to our new member that joined us in March 2026. Thank you for becoming a part of our fast growing membership here at Circular Innovation Council!
Take Action Films make films that have an impact. From Netflix, CBC, Sundance Channel to hundreds of film festivals, schools, corporate board rooms, church basements and town halls, their audiences are as diverse as the planet.
Generate Upcycle develops, owns, and operates facilities that turn solid and liquid organic waste into renewable energy, clean water, and climate-smart fertilizers — delivering sustainable, circular waste management solutions to communities across North America and Europe.
We respectfully acknowledge that we live, work and play on the traditional territory of many Indigenous Nations and we humbly extend our respect to Indigenous individuals, communities and Elders, past and present, as the traditional custodians of this land.
Circular Innovation Council is a registered charity.
Charity Registration Number: 119112118 RR 0001
