Project
Kiertokylät Keski-Suomessa
Project sponsors
Promoting the circular economy requires a systemic change, along with concrete actions from businesses, the public sector, and civic actors. Through broad and open-minded collaboration, challenges in circular economy business can be addressede and the transition to a circula economy accelerated.
The project was to activate circular economy measures among SMEs, municipal officials, and business developers in the rural areas of Central Finland, to increase circular economy expertise, and promote the formation of industrial symbioses, i.e., cooperation-based operational models, on a regional level. The main target groups were the industrial and construction sectors, as well as those supporting the circular economy transition in these industries. The goal was to facilitate the renewal of businesses, initiate the operation of new circular economy value networks, and motivate companies and municipal officials to engage in practical circular economy actions and experiments.
The project activities were implemented through five work packages:
1: Activating companies in the circular economy
2: Activating circular economy-supporting activities in municipalities
3: Building a circular village together
4: Communicating about the circular economy and development
5: Project administration
The circular economy transition requires interdisciplinary cooperation between sectors and various levels of actions in both the public and private sectors. Networks play a crucial role in creating and promoting value in the circular economy. Activation measures created opportunities to strengthen and expand networks, as well as foster new collaborative efforts.
The project advanced the Finnish government's goal of carbon neutrality by 2035, the Circular Economy Programme of the Government, and the objectives of the Government Programme. Additionally, the project was aligned with the Central Finland Strategy, the Rural Development Plan for Central Finland, and the strategies of the participating municipalities. As a result of the project, conditions were created for new, sustainable, and profitable circular economy business in Central Finland.
Project results
In the Circular Villages in Central Finland project, companies and municipalities were activated through workshops, webinars, a study trip, and interviews. As outcomes, 20 agile experiments, 55 circular economy actions, and 32 collaboration initiatives were identified, and 23 operation models were developed. In addition, 7 new jobs were identified, along with 5 milestones for advancing the circular economy in Central Finland by 2030. The project also compiled a materials repository and produced a final publication.