Building South London’s Circular Economy Ecosystem
As the push for sustainability gains momentum, South London is emerging as a hub for circular economy innovation. By transitioning to a restorative model of production and consumption, we can drastically reduce waste and environmental impacts.
At Eco Workforce Partnership, we’re proud to play a leading role in cultivating South London’s circular economy through workforce development, local partnerships, and sustainable sourcing initiatives.
The Power of Clustering
One of the biggest opportunities lies in the clustering of circular economy activities and players within the South London sub-region. By co-locating complementary operations, we create symbiotic value chains that optimise material and resource flows.
EWP is collaborating with local authorities, businesses, universities and community groups to map out and connect these circular economy clusters. We provide the skilled labor and consultancy support to operationalize circular systems spanning:
- Construction material reclamation and reuse
- Industrial symbiosis and byproduct valorization
- Remanufacturing and repair services
- Sharing economy platforms
- Waste stream valorization
- And more…
Building a Local Circular Network
Success requires strengthening local networks and knowledge-sharing between circular economy stakeholders. That’s why EWP is proud to be a member of the Hub4Circularity community of practice.
Hub4Circularity unites businesses, researchers, policymakers and grassroots circular initiatives across South London. Through this platform, we collaborate on developing circular strategies, piloting new models, and tackling barriers to implementation.
Establishing Local Hubs
While operating at a sub-regional scale, circular economy progress often starts at the hyper-local level. EWP is committed to investing in underserved communities by establishing physical neighbourhood circular economy hubs. These multi-functional spaces serve as:
- Reuse/repair centres for consumer goods and building materials
- Makerspaces for local manufacturing and upcycling
- Community composting and urban growing sites
- Workforce training facilities for circular skills development
- One-stop shops for sourcing sustainable materials and supplies
We partner with local councils, housing associations, schools and businesses to create these community wealth-building hubs and hire locally for staffing.
Enabling Circular Sourcing and Production
On construction and infrastructure projects, EWP facilitates sustainable sourcing of reclaimed and recycled materials through our online Circular Economy Mall marketplace. We leverage global networks to access circular supply chains worldwide.
We’re also upskilling South London’s workforce in circular construction techniques, renewable manufacturing skills, and repair/remanufacturing processes. This fosters more localised production and self-sustaining circular economies.
Sustainability must be rooted in community empowerment and equitable economic models. By clustering South London’s assets, building strong local networks, and investing in grassroots circularity, EWP aims to make the sub-region an inspiring global exemplar.
Join us in pioneering this important work! Reach out to explore partnership opportunities.
