We proudly announce that our cooperation agreement with designaustria, respACT and Circular Futures at the initiative of the BCSSS has been formalized in June 2020, launching Circular Economy Forum Austria. This project will bring together a unique combination of competences uniting expertise in science, economy, design and governance within the Circular Economy Forum Austria. It is already the second transdisciplinary forum of the BCSSS, bridging research and practice.
The Forum aims to co-create a regenerative economic model to make relevant contributions to the achievement of the global sustainability goals, while strengthening Austria’s global economic position. This will be achieved by changing the use and life cycles of goods and materials that are produced, bought, sold, used and discarded in our society in order to curb raw material extraction, energy use, environmental pollution and waste while developing new value creation systems. The partners recognise companies as key to creating cross-sectoral value creation cycles. Business is a multiplier of a circular innovation ecosystem for future-oriented, regenerative economic development.
The Founding Partners
The Bertalanffy Center for the Study of Systems Science (BCSSS):
Bertalanffy Center for the Study of Systems Science (BCSSS) is an independent Austrian research and knowledge transfer institute, internationally recognized as an ambassador of systems science heritage and cutting-edge applied systems research. The creation of value cycles and networks requires a systemic view and approach, which is the core expertise of BCSSS.
At BCSSS, as initiator and organizer of Circular Economy Forum Austria, research focuses on applied and fundamental research and knowledge transfer to translate systems science into practice and further value creation. Regenerative growth models need environmental and societal benefits, zero waste and highly productive “next economy” innovations to contribute to the necessary systems change that creates long-term resilience and future-oriented approaches.
BCSSS enables and supports the overall integration of current systems approaches in the Circular Economy Forum Austria. Furthermore, we ensure through our program orientation and organizational form a framework and conditions for the development and facilitation of an independent forum in Austria.
Circular Futures – Platform Circular Economy Austria:
Circular Futures – Platform Circular Economy Austria is a multi-stakeholder platform, think tank, incubator and catalyst of projects and initiatives for the transformation towards a circular economy in Austria and Europe focusing on policy development.
The platform identifies opportunities and risks for the achievement of circular policy objectives (national, regional and international) and thus offers the participating organizations and other stakeholders starting points for joint strategies and projects. National and European decision-makers need important impetus to create the most effective circular economy policies possible through strategies and positions developed in the project.
designaustria
A total of more than 1,300 members from various sectors are currently committed to Austria as a design nation. The knowledge pooled here is extensive and the international networking far-reaching and interdisciplinary. designaustria strengthens design awareness through exhibitions, training programs, publications and public relations and highlights the benefits of design in society and the economy.
Design is an impulse generator for innovation and thus a key factor for further social development and economic success. The goal of designaustria is to raise awareness about the value of design in society.
The Expert Cluster Sustainable Design, which has published a design guide for the circular economy, aims to network and bundle all initiatives, actors, resources and existing know-how on the topic of sustainable design in Austria.
respACT
respACT‐Austrian business council for sustainable development is Austria’s leading business platform, advocacy group and knowledge hub for sustainable business and CSR.
With its extensive national and international network and professional expertise, respACT offers its more than 300 Austrian member companies numerous opportunities for competence development in the field of sustainable business. In workshops, working groups and business congresses, respACT addresses complex issues in the field of sustainable management in a practice-oriented manner. Topics are dealt with both at the strategic level and at the operational level, which means that the target groups of sustainability managers and managing directors are equally taken into account.
In order to promote competence development, exchange and networking in the best possible way and to achieve a reach beyond the national level, respACT works closely with the globally leading partner organizations CSR Europe, World Business Council for Sustainable Development and the UN Global Compact and acts as their national contact point and official partner organization. By working closely with these internationally active business networks, the organization reaches out to companies worldwide. This promotes international business cooperation, which is the basis for a circular economy.