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We know what it takes to create a more human-centred economy. In this session you will hear firsthand from the people already putting the circular economy into action: entrepreneurs, policymakers, trade union leaders and businesspeople. They will inspire you in your mission by sharing what they believe is needed to unleash the potential of the circular economy, one that works with and for people, spurs innovation, encourages economic growth and creates decent jobs for all.
Program Manager, Solutions for Youth Employment (S4YE)
The World Bank Group
Namita Datta works for the bank’s multistakeholder global programme S4YE, forging partnerships with several leading private companies, foundations and Civil Society Organisations (NGOs). She has led several flagship publications on frontier topics including the role of digital technology, changing nature of work, gender and opportunities in the creative and circular economies. She led the recent global report “Working across Borders: The Promise and Peril of Online Gig Work”. Before joining the bank, Namita worked with the Government of India, heading a large complex municipal corporation responsible for delivering key urban services to the city of Delhi. She also worked as secretary (head) of the departments of urban development, power and environment in Goa, India. She holds a PhD from Cornell University, an MIA from Colombia University, New York, and an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad.
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Esther Goodwin Brown
Lead of the Circular Jobs Initiative
Circle Economy
Esther Goodwin Brown’s work focuses on climate justice and how the circular economy can be a means for inclusive, sustainable development around the world. She leads a programme focused on creating the tools to ensure the circular economy is positive for work and workers. Her work aims to ensure steps taken by governments and other public agencies to tackle environmental issues are approached fairly and with people in mind. This involves collaborating across sectors and agendas, including the circular economy, climate, just transition, education and economic development.
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Why we need to put people at the centre of the circular economy
Rie Vejs Kjeldgaard
Director of the Sustainable Enterprises, Productivity and Just Transition Department
International Labour Organization (ILO)
Rie Vejs Kjeldgaard has held diverse management positions for the ILO throughout Europe and Asia, including in New Delhi, Vietnam, Bangkok and Geneva. Some of her responsibilities have included partnerships and field support, country policy analysis, job quality in micro- and small businesses, and enterprise development. Prior to joining the ILO she worked as head of product and market development in the pharmaceutical industry. Rie is a Danish national with an education background in economics and business administration, with a specialisation in marketing and international business development.
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Meet the people putting the circular economy into action today
Beatrice Cyiza
Director General of Environment and Climate Change
Ministry of Environment, Rwanda
Beatrice Cyiza is a committed environmental expert with over 15 years’ experience in environment management. She coordinates the ministry’s policy development and stakeholder engagement and steers the development of strategies and plans while ensuring the mainstreaming and compliance with key policy actions. In her role, she promotes research and studies that are instrumental in advancing policy implementation and facilitating the sharing of best practices. As an administrative coordinator for academic affairs, extension and applied research at the Rwanda Institute for Conservation Agriculture from 2018 to 2021, she contributed to the development of institutional policies, action plans and faculty development strategies. As an environmental audit and monitoring officer and the Nagoya protocol focal point at the Rwanda Environment Management Authority, she developed a number of audit check lists for key sectors and developed environmental audit reporting tools. Beatrice has dual master's degrees in biodiversity conservation and in disaster risk management and climate change governance.
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Karen Pflug
Chief Sustainability Officer
IKEA Ingka Group
Karen Pflug joined Ingka Group in August 2021. In her role, she leads the sustainability centre of expertise which supports the company to deliver towards the ambitious commitments set out in the IKEA people and planet positive strategy. Throughout her career, Karen has led major business transformation and change initiatives, with a strong emphasis on innovation, sustainable design and retail. She has held a range of senior leadership roles at Ingka Group, Inter IKEA Group, Nike, Reebok, Triumph International and Australian sportswear brand Skins. Karen holds a BSc in Textile Design and Design Management from the University of Manchester. She is a keen sportswoman and lover of the outdoors, with passions for cycling and kayaking. She lives in the Netherlands with her husband, daughter and son.
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Mayri Tiido
CEO
Materjalivoog
Mayri Tiido is an adult educator with 10+ years’ experience and a circular economy entrepreneur. She's one of the co-founders of Materjalivoog, a marketplace in Estonia for industrial leftovers. In addition, she has researched what competencies young people need to become future leaders in a circular world and is a guest lecturer in different universities in Estonia on sustainability and circular economy topics.
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Vidyadhar Rane
General Secretary
Alang Sosiya Ship Recycling & General Workers’ Association
Vidyadhar V. Rane is a staunch believer in a free, independent and democratic trade union movement. He is the founder of the pioneering union of shipbreaking workers in India. He has been working in the organised sector as well as in the unorganised sector since 1989. He is a member of the Bipartite Wage Negotiation Committee constituted by the ministry of shipping of India to revise the wages and service conditions of port and dock workers of major ports. Rane has been instrumental in organising shipbreaking workers in India. The union of shipbreaking workers at Alang, in Bhavnagar district of Gujarat has under his leadership done excellent work for the welfare of the members and their families. Since 2023, Rane has been instrumental in establishing his union as a partner with the ILO in a project called “Promoting OSH in Alang ship recycling and downstream industry”. He is also vice chair of IndustriALL’s shipbuilding and shipbreaking sector.
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Esther Goodwin Brown
Lead of the Circular Jobs Initiative
Circle Economy
Esther Goodwin Brown’s work focuses on climate justice and how the circular economy can be a means for inclusive, sustainable development around the world. She leads a programme focused on creating the tools to ensure the circular economy is positive for work and workers. Her work aims to ensure steps taken by governments and other public agencies to tackle environmental issues are approached fairly and with people in mind. This involves collaborating across sectors and agendas, including the circular economy, climate, just transition, education and economic development.
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Closing words
Elisa Tonda
Chief, Resources and Markets Branch
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
Elisa Tonda works for the industry and economy division of UNEP. She has more than 20 years’ experience in the field of environmental management, business sustainability, resource efficiency, sustainable consumption and production, the circular economy and sustainable development. She began her career in the private sector as an environmental expert and then held several positions in UN organisations.
