The circular economy isn’t just a global trend - it’s a local opportunity. And real transformation starts in the places we live and work.

That’s why we partnered with Circularity and the Wiri Business Association to launch Circular Wiri  -  a learning lunch, site tour and practical conversation about how  Wiri can lead the way in circular innovation.

Here’s what we learned from our first session  and how your business can be part of it.

What Circular Wiri was all about

Circular Wiri brought together over 50 local businesses, changemakers and community leaders for an afternoon of connection and circular thinking.

Attendees toured the will&able site, saw refurbishment and reuse in action and heard from Louise Nash (CEO, Circularity) on how circular models are already delivering results across the world -  from cost savings to impact metrics.

What we learned: Survey highlights

We surveyed attendees to get a snapshot of where businesses are currently at in their sustainability journeys.

Here’s what they told us:

What's in place?

• 45% have a waste minimisation plan
• 33% have nothing in place
• 22% have a sustainability strategy
• 0% have climate or carbon reduction targets

Circular practices:

• 34% of respondents are procuring for circularity (e.g. reuse, recycled goods)
• 11% are refurbishing or repairing assets
• 11% are donating or redistributing unused materials
• 11% are conducting waste audits
• 11% are measuring impact (e.g. emissions, waste diversion)
• 22% do none of the above

The barriers to progress:

• 45% stated cost
• 22% stated time
• 22% stated internal capacity
• 11% were unclear where to start
• 0% stated a lack of expertise
• 0% stated leadership buy-in

How confident respondents feel towards sustainability goals:

• 75% stated somewhat confident
• 12.5% stated they were very confident
• 12.5% stated they were not confident and needed support

Who is responsible for sustainability?

• 45% had no defined responsibility
• 33% shared informally across teams
• 22% had a dedicated role (e.g. Sustainability/ESG Manager)

What’s clear?

There’s genuine appetite for change and plenty of businesses ready to act. What’s needed is shared continued conversation, support, and entry points that make it easier to start.

An exclusive offer from Circularity

In response to the momentum created at Circular Wiri, Circularity is offering a 20% discount on a Circular Economy Audit for Wiri-based businesses who book before 31 July.

This includes:

1. Site Visit – mapping what’s made, used and discarded
2. Data Review – identifying inefficiencies and hidden costs
3. Workshop – co-designing circular solutions
4. Report – a tailored roadmap for your next steps

Circularity has worked with over 365 businesses and helped reduce waste by an average of 52%. Now, they’re ready to help you.

Ready to take action?

Book your audit today:
Louise Nash – Founder & CEO, Circularity
louise@circularity.co.nz
www.circularity.co.nz
022 430 9714

Missed Circular Wiri or based outside the Wiri area?
Drop a comment below or message us - we’d love to talk about how your business can take its first (or next) step into the circular economy.

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