After three years and more than eighty conversations, The Circular Coffee Break comes to a close.

When Jaakko Nauha first joined The Circular Coffee Break in January 2023, Tracegrow was still early in its commercial journey. The idea was clear, recovering micronutrients such as zinc and manganese from used alkaline b...

Circular economy has long been rich in ambition but poor in execution. For more than a decade, companies have piloted circular initiatives, launched innovative products, and explored new business models. Yet most of thes...

Circular economy investing is undergoing a fundamental shift. It is no longer a niche impact category on the periphery of venture capital. It is becoming a strategic lever for industrial resilience, commercial advantage,...

As climate, inequality, and governance crises converge, communities around the world are searching for new models of prosperity. In British Columbia, Circularity.One is testing one such model. Co-led by Barri Harris and ...

Circularity was not a headline theme at Slush 2025, yet it was impossible to miss. Walking through the halls and meeting rooms in Helsinki, it became clear that circular solutions are moving from niche experiments into c...

Circularity has entered a new phase. Once debated as a sustainability aspiration, it is now a strategic response to resource scarcity, geopolitical pressures and emerging regulation. At the Circular Valley Forum, leaders...

When Kate Reimann took her kids to the beach one summer day, she didn’t expect it to change her life or lead her to reimagine an entire industry. Watching a wave sweep away a handful of cheap plastic beach toys, she real...

California’s wine industry is rewriting the rules of agricultural sustainability. Behind this transformation stands Allison Jordan, Executive Director of the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance (CSWA) and Vice Pr...

Across Europe, momentum is building for a new kind of growth that thrives on circularity. The circular economy is more than recycling or waste reduction. It is about designing systems where resources circulate continuous...

When Dan Dicker left a promising career at Dyson twenty-five years ago, few in business circles were talking about the “circular economy.” The idea of designing products from recycled materials, extending their lifespan,...

At a time when the words sustainability and impactrisk losing meaning through overuse, the leaders at Impact Day 2025 in Tallinn reminded us that real progress is neither abstract nor accidental, it’s built on daily deci...

The textile industry stands at the center of a paradox. Polyester and nylon dominate global production because they are durable, affordable, and versatile. Yet these very strengths come at a cost: synthetic fibers are no...

When Joe Iles joined the Ellen MacArthur Foundation in 2011, the idea of a circular economy was still a fringe concept. Designers, innovators, and business leaders were only beginning to explore what it meant to move bey...

When we think of circular economy pioneers, it’s easy to picture sleek tech startups or industrial upcyclers. But some of the most exciting innovations is rising in sectors with deep roots, like food. One such example? F...

Circularity has moved from buzzword to boardroom, from concept to commercial imperative. Yet translating circular ideals into large-scale, operational reality remains a monumental challenge. For Kalle Saarimaa, Chief Ope...

The Nordic region is often held up as a global leader in sustainability. But when it comes to circular economy transformation, are Nordic companies truly walking the talk? That’s the question Michel Bajuk (Managing Direc...

For over a decade, Anne Raudaskoski has helped reshape how companies think about design, innovation, and impact. As co-founder of Ethica, one of Finland’s first consultancies focused on circular design, and now as the au...

In an era marked by increasing environmental urgency and systemic transformation, it has become clear that no single sector, company, or institution can drive the shift toward a circular economy alone. During a recent co...

In a world grappling with escalating climate risks and growing geopolitical tensions, circular economy thinking is no longer a niche concept. It is becoming a strategic imperative. Few understand this better than Tuuli H...

From protecting vaccines to powering cities, glass is one of the most pervasive yet underexamined materials in modern life. We live behind it, look through it, and increasingly rely on it in our pursuit of smart, energy-...

Transforming a global petrochemical giant into a circular economy leader is not for the faint of heart. It takes more than corporate strategy and capital—it takes conviction, vision from the top, and a relentless willing...

An inside look at Tchibo’s Circular Solutions Lab with Kristina Kölling, Head of Environment & Circular Economy

When you think about football, you may picture packed stadiums, passionate fans, or last-minute goals. But at FC St. Pauli, the story runs deeper. This Hamburg-based club has built a legacy on progressive values, communi...

On May 19th, 2025, The Circular Coffee Break podcast went live for the very first time at ARKI135, the circular economy hub in Helsinki’s Arabianranta district. The event was hosted by Arabia Circular Hub Helsinki and Mi...

Insights from Alvaro Conde, Lead Author of the Circularity Gap Report 2025

Espoo, Finland – 13.5.2025 – The Circular Coffee Break podcast is pleased to announce a new partnership with Globe Hope, a pioneer in circular fashion and sustainable design based in Finland. This partnership brings toge...

In this episode of The Circular Coffee Break, I had the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Claas Oehlmann, who leads the Circular Economy initiative at the Federation of German Industries (BDI). With a strong background in su...

Espoo, Finland / Tallinn, Estonia – 28.4.2025 - The Circular Coffee Breakpodcast is excited to announce a new media partnership with Impact Day 2025, the largest conference focusing on Responsible Business and Prosperity...

In this episode of The Circular Coffee Break, I sat down with Peter Evans, a global authority on circular platforms, circular tech, and digital strategy. With a career spanning research, advisory roles, and corporate for...

Finnair is making strides toward a more sustainable future, and circularity plays a critical role in its approach. While much of the conversation around aviation sustainability focuses on emissions reduction and alternat...

The transition to a circular economy is a strategic imperative for businesses seeking long-term resilience, regulatory compliance, and competitive advantage. Yet, many organizations struggle to embed circularity into the...

The global economy is increasingly defined by competition for critical resources, supply chain vulnerabilities, and the strategic maneuvering of nations to secure materials essential for industrial and technological domi...

Vietnam is undergoing a significant transformation in its approach to circular economy and sustainability, and at the heart of this shift is Hong Quan Nguyen, Director of the Institute of Circular Economy Development and...

The transition to a circular economy (CE) is one of the most critical challenges of our time. As businesses and policymakers seek to move away from the linear "take-make-dispose" model, the need for advanced technologica...

Industries worldwide are facing mounting pressure to minimize waste and transition toward circular business models. Yet, identifying viable pathways for repurposing byproducts and side-streams remains a significant chall...

Espoo, Finland – 3.3.2025 – The Circular Coffee Break podcast is proud to announce a new partnership with Uusiouutiset, Finland’s leading professional magazine specializing in the circular economy. This collaboration wil...

Globe Hope has been a pioneer in sustainable fashion for over two decades, transforming discarded materials into high-quality, upcycled products that challenge conventional industry practices. Leading the company today i...

Green hydrogen is more than just a clean energy source, it plays a fundamental role in advancing the circular economy. By enabling decarbonization across industries, optimizing energy systems, and integrating waste strea...

Harald Friedl is a circular economy pioneer whose work spans over a decade of driving systemic change across public and private sectors. As the founder of the recently relaunched Circular Economy Innovation Agency, Haral...

The transition to a circular economy requires more than just ambition, it demands systemic change, technological innovation, and data-driven decision-making. While circularity offers a compelling vision for a sustainable...

In this episode of The Circular Coffee Break, I had the pleasure of hosting Anniina Virta-Toikka, Vice President of Sustainability at Konecranes, a Finnish company specializing in the manufacturing and service of cranes ...

In this episode of The Circular Coffee Break, I had the privilege of hosting Elin Bergman, widely recognized as the Circular Economy Queen of Sweden. Elin serves as the Circular Impact Officer and Vice Chair at CradleNet...

The "Circular Economy Outlook 2024 Nordics," published by Cradlenet and RISE, offers a comprehensive examination of the progress and challenges faced by public companies in Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden as they tr...

In this episode of The Circular Coffee Break, I had the privilege of speaking with Kalle Määttä, Chief Growth Officer at ResQ Club, a pioneering Finnish company dedicated to reducing food waste. ResQ Club connects consum...

In this episode of The Circular Coffee Break, I had the pleasure of hosting Karoliina Tuukkanen, Senior Specialist at Kiertotalous Pirkanmaa (KIPI), also known as Circular Economy Pirkanmaa. Based in the Tampere region, ...

In this episode of The Circular Coffee Break, I had the pleasure of hosting Päivi Koivisto, Vice President of Sustainability at Kalmar. With a distinguished career spanning roles at UPM, Cargotec, and now Kalmar, Päivi h...

In this episode of The Circular Coffee Break, I had the privilege of speaking with Justus Kammüller, Senior Manager for Sustainable Business and Markets at WWF Germany. Justus brings a wealth of experience from both the ...

In this episode of The Circular Coffee Break, I had the privilege of hosting Jonas Aechtner, Senior Project Manager for Circular Economy at WWF Germany. Jonas has been at the forefront of advancing circular economy princ...

In this episode of The Circular Coffee Break, I had the pleasure of speaking with Michael Maas, CEO of Zimi Charge, a company providing comprehensive EV charging solutions tailored for commercial fleets. Based in Stellen...