About Us
Circular Revolution is the first business-led hub in the UK focused on circular thinking. Led by Riversimple in partnership with the University of Exeter and Swansea University, Circular Revolution will help the transition of businesses in Wales to a Circular Economy. Advocating for the radical redesign of how we produce and deliver products and services, the Circular Economy challenges the notion that materials, products and resources can have an ‘end-of-life’. It proposes that by adopting novel business models, renewable energy and strategies such as re-use, repair, refurbish or recycle, resources can be looped back into the system acting a feedstock for future products and materials. This will help to not only design out waste, but also maximize the economic and environmental value of these resources, ultimately contributing towards improving sustainable development and reducing climate change.
Riversimple
Riversimple is taking the lead role in the Circular Revolution Project and will be an exemplar of Circular business for organisations to engage with.
Riversimple is the world’s only truly circular car manufacturer, and have developed an innovative business model based on the key characteristics of the Circular Economy. By selling mobility as a service rather than cars as products, Riversimple are incentivised to build the most sustainable car possible and consider the end of life of all components and materials while providing a cutting-edge, affordable service to customers. Riversimple have been named as a CE 100 Emerging Innovator company by the Ellen MacArthur foundation. This circular business model is crucially underpinned by a unique multi-stakeholder governance structure, which aims to equally balance and protect the interests of 6 stakeholder groups (Community, Customers, Environment, Investors, Staff and Suppliers). Advocating for the radical redesign of how we produce and deliver products and services, the Circular Economy challenges the notion that materials, products and resources can have an ‘end-of-life’. It proposes that by adopting novel business models, renewable energy and strategies such as re-use, repair, refurbish or recycle, resources can be looped back into the system acting a feedstock for future products and materials. This will help to not only design out waste, but also maximize the economic and environmental value of these resources, ultimately contributing towards improving sustainable development and reducing climate change.
Swansea University
Swansea University is a leading, sustainable university with ambitions to help drive forward sustainable development both in the UK and further afield.
They have a dedicated and committed team of sustainability professionals working at the University. Swansea University School of Engineering work in partnership with the School of Management to set up the pan-Wales Research and Innovation Group on the Circular Economy drawing upon the extensive expertise and knowledge across Welsh Universities to address circular economy challenges. The CESME Wales team have been advising on the content of a new circular economy undergraduate level course for manufacturing businesses that has received ESF funding. Working with the Higher Education for Future Generations Group Wales, the Regional Centre of Expertise (RCE) Wales, the Welsh Government and Swansea University to set up the Circular Economy Research and Innovation Group for Wales (CERIG)., which aims to connect complementary expertise and experiences to facilitate circular economy innovation and research in Wales. Swansea Blockchain Lab is a dedicated group of researchers and business professionals based at Swansea University’s Computational Foundry, a world-class facility driving research into computational and mathematical sciences backed by £17m from the European Regional Development Fund. Swansea Blockchain Lab is supported by CHERISH Digital Economy Research Centre. Its mission is to understand the fundamental scientific underpinnings of blockchain and distributed ledger technologies, and to drive engagement with industry and the wider blockchain community.
The University of Exeter
The University of Exeter is globally recognised for Circular Economy leadership, theory and practice. In 2017 they established the Exeter Centre for Circular Economy (ECCE) with the aim of catalysing the transition to a Circular Economy. The University of Exeter was designated as a Global Pioneer by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation in 2017.
ECCE is one of the largest dedicated Circular Economy research groups in the UK and internationally with over 20 full time employees delivering £10M worth of research across a substantial portfolio of 14 Circular Economy different project teams. The centre is an interdisciplinary hub, connecting numerous research institutes and individual researchers across the disciplines of social sciences, data science, engineering, life and environmental sciences and business. This provides an excellent understanding of the components for successful interdisciplinary leadership, collaboration, knowledge exchange, outreach and impact, all of which will be accessible by the CEIC.Wales. In 2019 ECCE established the world’s first International Society for Circular Economy (IS4CE) bringing together international stakeholders and thought leaders to accelerate Circular Economy theory and practice.
“The National Interdisciplinary Circular Economy Research (NICER) Programme is a four-year £30 million investment from UKRI, started in January 2021 to move the UK towards a circular economy. The University of Exeter have a key role leading the CE Hub and one of the five Circular Economy Centres (CE Centres)."
