What role can we, as customers, play in the transition to a Circular Society?

WE HAVE HEARD IT ALL BEFORE… WE NEED TO SORT OUR TRASH, BUY SUSTAINABLY LABELED PRODUCTS, CHOOSE PRODUCTS WITH LESS PACKAGING, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME MAKE SURE NOT TO BUY TOO MUCH OR WASTE THINGS THAT CAN BE USEFUL.

Try to combine all of the above with a lifestyle where people are encouraged to live healthy, workout, be good parents, loving partners, and make healthy organic dinners, while staying online and updated on everything. It’s no wonder that we as citizens and customers end up making the easy, convenient and affordable choices.

So how do we make it convenient, fun, tasty, and even profitable to do the right thing? This challenge is at the center of this year’s LAUNCH Big Think, April 9th at the eBay HQ in San Jose, California, where brands such as IKEA, LEGO, Apple, eBay, Interface, Dell, VF Corporation, Novozymes, Kvadrat alongside organisations like the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, GreenBiz, WeWork and independent experts in customer behavior and consumption patterns will be coming together to understand how we can collectively build a circular society.

After 4 years of focusing on innovation and action around materials, design and manufacturing, LAUNCH is now shifting the focus of work to find innovative approaches to Customer Engagement & New Business Models that can play a role in building a Circular Society.

“For IKEA, becoming circular is a huge opportunity to innovate and find new ways to meet people’s needs and dreams at home within the limits of the planet. By truly understanding people’s needs, we can design relevant offers and meet customers’ needs in new ways. We are just at the beginning, but are starting to test a range of solutions, including exploring new business models.”

Håkan Nordkvist, Head of Sustainability Innovation, IKEA Group

History has shown that as citizens and customers, we are creatures of habit, seeking convenient gratification for our basic human needs. History has made it evident that we need to get beyond the moral imperative, and  engage consumers in making more sustainable choices.

“eBay as a platform contributes to giving products a second and third life. In that way you can say that our platform is already an important vehicle in the Circular Economy. A key factor in bringing customers and citizens along on this journey towards a Circular Society is convenience. We are excited to host this year’s Big Think and to explore this truly important challenge with world class partners and thinkers.”

Chris Librie, Senior Director – Global Impact and Giving, eBay

Some of the key challenges facing sustainable consumption is the intention-action gap. Illustrated by the fact that most of us want to do the right thing, but often end up acting against good intentions.

We are witnessing a new generation that are used to owning less and sharing more. Some characterize them as the ‘Insta-gratification generation’, but I see strong signs that we are facing a generation that is ready for a fundamental shift in ownership and business-models. We are eager to contribute to this exploration.”

Barruch Ben-Zekry, Director – Sustainable Business Value, VF Corporation

The Big Think on April 9th will help LAUNCH formulate the 2018 LAUNCH Innovation Challenge seeking innovations, solutions and new business models that support building a Circular Society. This year’s challenge will be announced June and innovators from around the world will have until September 1st to submit solutions. This year’s selected innovators will be announced October 16, 2018 and be invited to this year’s LAUNCH Accelerator Forum on December 5-6, 2018.

We invite people who would like to contribute to the LAUNCH Innovation Challenge 2018 to consider and send their reflections and feedback on the the following three questions:

• What will characterize a sustainable lifestyle in 2030 – and how does it radically differ from the way we live today?
• What trends and shifts in behaviors will most radically challenge us in our quest for living within planetary boundaries by 2030?
• What services, innovations, platforms and behavioral trends today show the way toward more sustainable living in 2030?

Please send your feedback and reflections to circular@launch.org or tweet ideas, links to research, trends and  solutions using the hashtag #LAUNCHCircular. We will include feedback in our discussions at the Big Think and in the subsequent challenge formulation. Make sure to connect with us on LinkedIn or Facebook where we will keep everyone posted on this years challenge.

For more about LAUNCH partners, please contact:

•     eBay: Kari Ramirez, Lead Communications Manager, North America: karamirez@ebay.com
•     IKEA Group: Jamie Rusby, ‎Head of Sustainability Communications: jamie.rusby@ikea.com
•     VF Corporation: Craig Hodges, Senior Director, Corporate Communications: Craig_Hodges@vfc.com

For more information about LAUNCH visit www.launch.org or contact:

Kristin Coates, Executive Director @ +1 415 465 5533, kristin@launch.org,

or Sofus Midtgaard Director Circular @ +45 30220111, sofus@launch.org.