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CIWM CEO Sarah Poulter
An innovative pilot programme aimed at exploring new methods for practical skills exchange and knowledge sharing between the design sector and waste and recycling industries has been launched by the CIWM (The Chartered Institution of Wastes Management) and the Circular Economy Institute.
Funded by CIWM and working in partnership with the Design Council and WRAP, the Design Skills for Circularity Programme, set to commence in January 2026, will enable designers and waste management professionals to observe, learn, and collaboratively address challenges within their respective fields. The overarching aim is to co-develop proposals that promote a shift towards a more circular economy, influencing both practice and policy.
Practically, the programme will involve waste management companies opening their facilities to groups of designers for visits, curated tours, workshops, and collaborative design discussions. Participating sites will include materials recycling facilities, energy-from-waste plants, landfills, and specialist hazardous waste facilities. Conversely, members of the waste and recycling sector will have the opportunity to visit design firms and factories to foster reciprocal learning and collaboration.
Additionally, the programme will feature hosted workshops and webinars focused on circularity in design. Topics will include re-use, repair, recyclability, carbon footprint, materials science, packaging technology, future trends, and product/service pricing.
CIWM and its partners are actively seeking a dedicated cohort of designers and industry professionals to participate in this pilot and prove how increased collaboration and co-design can unlock significant opportunities for more sustainable, circular design and manufacturing practices.
Commenting on the launch, Sarah Poulter CEO CIWM and Circular Economy Institute said: “It is vital that we in the resources and waste management sector supports the design community in developing durable products that are less wasteful to manufacture and enable the resources they contain to be fully recovered at the end of their life. If you work in the design sector and want to contribute to the development of a more circular economy, I encourage you to consider participating in this exciting pilot.”
For more information and to sign up for the Design Skills for Circularity Programme, please click here.
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