UWTSD students to take lead at circular economy event

Sixteen students from the University of Wales Trinity Saint David’s (UWTSD) Institute of Management and Health in Carmarthen will play a key role in delivering a first-of-its-kind training session next month designed to educate businesses on how to implement the principles of the circular economy.

The South West Wales branch of the Circular Economy Club (CEC) will hold the training session on November 20 at UWTSD’s Carmarthen campus with support from Carmarthenshire Council and EFT Consult, a Swansea-based company that specialises in cutting edge and innovative technologies in relation to the design and consultancy of the built environment.

EFT Consult recently worked closely with the British Standards Institute (BSI) to develop the first Publicly Available Specification Standard (PAS), a fast-track standardisation document that defines good practice for a product, service or process, in relation to the principles of the circular economy.

The circular economy is an alternative to the current linear model of take, make, waste our finite resources. It is essentially designed to help society become empowered and more prudent with their use of resources – to reuse, recycle, regenerate, and care for the well-being of people, resources and the planet.

EFT Consult launched the Swansea & Carmarthenshire branches of the CEC in 2018. CEC is a not-for-profit international network of over 4,500 circular economy professionals and organisations from over 140 countries. It will also help meet the aims and objectives of the Wellbeing of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015, in line with the guiding framework principles of the circular economy standard BS8001.

Adrian Matthews, Consultant at EFT Consult, said:

“CEC activities to-date have been about provide guidance for people who wish to join the CEC’s global movement. The club’s mission is to bring the circular economy to every corner of the world and raise the profile for local, regional and national possibilities, interactions and implications.

“This next session takes things a step further. Now we have developed the BSI standard, we will now focus on specific ways in which companies can start to implement the principles of the circular economy. We will be providing, recommendations, requirements and statements for well-being quality performance factors associated with the built environment and leading on to reporting the wellbeing performance and security of people, resources and the planet.”

Dr Louise Emmanuel, director of UWTSD’s Institute of Management and Health, said:

“Studying the circular economy is an essential component of our Business and Management programmes at UWTSD Carmarthen, so we are delighted that our students can be part of the mapping event to help build a picture of circular economy business within the region.”

The CEC team, said:

“We at CEC are proud of the work EFT is doing by bringing the mission of the club to Wales. This will be a useful and necessary session to bring the circular economy movement to the next level in the region, now in partnership with UWTSD.”

If you are interested in attending this free event, register here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/circular-economy-club-cec-carmarthenshire-mapping-session-tickets-69993924713?ref=eios