Moscow Circular

My name is Ekaterina, I'm from Moscow. 

I did a great career in a bank during 12 years in decided to quit my job and find myself making impact for the people and the planet.

Together with a partner we opened the first zero waste shop in Moscow to help people live without waste. I initiated joining our business to the New Plastics Economy - together with global companies we worked towards making our businesses plastic waste free.

I am an organizer of OpenIDEO Moscow Chapter - a community working together to solve global social problems. I was selected as a guide for Food System Vision Prize - an invitation for organizations across the globe to develop a Vision of the regenerative and nourishing food system by 2050.

I’m a partner of sustainability consultancy agency and circular economy professional.

1. Take-make-waste linear economy model that we use now in city leads to a lot of amount of waste, overconsumption, dirty production, air pollution, nor fair economy and uncomfortable living in the city.

2.  Circular Moscow will help to unite businesses, city policymakers and citizens. The project will incorporate in city level how to design out waste and pollution, keep materials in use and regenerate natural systems.

3. The project will help businesses, policymakers to switch from linear to circular economy system on the city level and will give citizens new solution for new consumption behavior. Make Moscow more resilient city and better to live in.

Cities play a central role in the global economy. Home to more than half of the world’s population, they are creative, innovative centres of growth.

By 2050, two thirds of us will live in cities. However, our urban centres are grappling with the effects of our current take-make-waste economy. Under this ‘linear system’, cities consume over 75% of natural resources, produce over 50% of global waste, and emit between 60-80% of greenhouse gases.

The project aims to solve the problem of a lot of waste, generated in Moscow caused by linear economy system. I see that some cities in the world is already doing a circular economy strategy and would love to see Moscow as a circular city too. 

In Moscow we have different initiatives of businesses that are dedicated to very specific topic but nor related with the system and other players and one strategy. I see that that transition to circular economy is possible to realize together and with a systemic way. 

The project will affect 25 million people that live, work and travel to in Moscow everyday and other people that live close to Moscow and communicate with the city.

It is an organization that unites businesses, policymakers and citizens of Moscow in order to build a circular city. A place where stakeholders understand benefits from transition to circular economy, get information of the processes and researches, case studies, find experts in this area, partners, funding, events related to circular economy topic, and make collaboration between different areas, realize solutions and make dialog happens between different industries and policymakers.

The project will help businesses, government to collaborate and create a solutions to help citizens to change the consumer behavior, create a better city image, new jobs and services. The project will also raise awareness about circular solutions and facilitate designing new services for citizens to live and consume in a more sustainable way.

Moscow Circular will help to plan circular city solutions, design and make products and services, accessing, operating, maintenance strategy and business models of circular solutions. 

1. Businesses

I collaborate with businesses in different industries and of different size, see what they want to achieve and what are the gaps. How is it possible to add value. New business models will help businesses to gain benefits like saving money on raw materials, engaging more with consumers, add environmental and social value to there products, make business more transparent and resilient by redesigning value chains, decrease operational and reputation risks 

2. Policymakers

I'm trying to connect policymakers with businesses in order to give them understand real needs of businesses and help working in the same direction to transfer to circular economy in Moscow. Policy makers could reduced congestion, eliminated waste, reduced costs. Allow new growth and business opportunities in the city and have new jobs. Make the city more attractive for investment, tourists and citizens. 

3. Citizens

Citizens are trying to find ways of easy way of sustainable behavior. They are ready to change to sustainable consumption but without scarifying comfort life. I see that in Moscow there are a lack of information and systemic view on the problem. People are waiting for convenient solutions from government and businesses and they are ready to support it. 

I believe that the Prize is going to support leaders and projects that are ready to change the world. I realize that in Russia we are a bit late with circular economy, we still don't have a lot of experts in circular economy and sustainability area and I believe that all the countries need to change the view on how we deal with the economy, consumption, raw material using, production and design. I believe that if I get this Prize I will do one step together with Russia to make our society and the planet better.

I was successfully working in a bank but quit my job because I realize that I need to make something more powerful for people and planet. I dedicate three years to zero waste, sustainability and circular economy topic, participated in social business startup as a partner, collaborated with partner to run a consultancy in sustainability, opened a sustainable packaging company, organized a lot of activities with OpenIDEO Chapter, was a guide for Food system vision prize, together with a team worked on food business resilient guide and realized that I'm very passion about making our life better and can motivate and encourage people to act together.

I applied for EllenMacArthur Foundation pioneer programme From Linear to Circular, did the first part and was motivated to apply my knowledge and network for apply in my country. 

I asked 15 experts in and OpenIDEO Moscow chapter member is they want to collaborate on this project and now we are start working on refining this project and planning our nearest activities. We started to make a web site, find partners and program of funding, talk with businesses an Moscow policymakers.

I'm passionate to build fairer, resilient, healthier society with more efficient economy. I believe that we can live better and happier live. 

That resonates with my personal believes that everyone could a right and opportunity to breath fresh air, enjoy beautiful nature, eat fresh, healthy and nutritious food at fair price, drink clean water, have clean city and the planet. I love my country and for me it is very sad to see what is happening around me. I don't want to have the reality that I have now and decided to do my best to change what I can change for better future.

I worked in a big bank in international department with large corporate clients and in small startup as an entrepreneur and as a consultant. 

During my startup experience I did a lot of different things:financial planning, strategy, marketing and PR, sales, branding, management, organizing. In a bank I also was a manager of a group of people. I did a volunteer work with OpenIDEO and opened a chapter in Moscow where we collect people to work on social challenges. I'm very curious and love learning, I dedicate my free time to learn something new 

I'm good in strategy, system thinking and future casting, design thinking. trends and organization. I can motivate people and very good at networking. I'm passionate in doing people's life better and having better society and a better future for us. I have a successful experience in organizing and motivating people to collect and do beautiful things together. I like to connect people and always find a way to find a right persons and resources to solve the problem.  

With my passion about circular economy, sustainability, business oriented mindset and background on making people oriented solutions, desire to connect people to build a better future for us and for the planet I think that I could deliver this project to live.

When COVID started in Russia all my projects were frozen without any possibility to work on in the nearest future. And I had no money at all. I decided to use this time to invest in my future projects and into my development. At this time together with group of creative people that together with me were guys on Rockefeller and OpenIDEO Food Vision Prize from other countries we started to work on the project that will help food businesses to be more resilient and sustainable and reinvent food system. We are working on this projects during 4 months and already have ideas how we can develop our project. 

Also I started my circular economy programme and started to develop international network, which was a very good investment of time as now I have a better understanding how I can apply my knowledge, skills and where can I find right people for my project and where can I ask advise or find information.  

Now I see that this time of lockdown gave me the opportunity to work on international collaboration on which maybe I could't find time in normal situation.

I did a great career in a bank during 12 years in decided to quit my job and find myself making impact for the people and the planet.

Together with a partner we opened the first Zero Waste Shop in Moscow and  developed zero waste movement in Russia. As a part of this goal I organized the first Zero Waste Festival in Moscow that motivated people healthy lifestyle and initiated joining our business to the New Plastics Economy - together with global companies we worked towards making our businesses waste free.

I am also an organizer of OpenIDEO Moscow Chapter - a volunteer community working together to solve global social and sustainability problems using design thinking methodology. I was selected as a guide for Food System Vision Prize - an invitation for organizations across the globe to develop a Vision of the regenerative and nourishing food system that they aspire to create by the year 2050. 

I’m a partner of consultancy agency that aims to promote sustainable principles in business and lifestyle through strategy, design and communication.

I was selected for EllenMacArthur Foundation programme From Linear to Circular to be a circular economy pioneer. 

I believe that such a complex problems is needed to solve together and use a systemic view. The project Moscow Circular connects different stakeholders from many industries and motivates them to move together in one direction not only for goals of own organization but for the city and in connection with other players. In that way is possible to find best ways, resources, understand gaps and problems in other industries and find solutions. It's also a place where startups could find partners, get in touch with government and promote solution to citizens. Connecting stakeholders with one goal in systemic view it is easier to find which place could take every stakeholder in the system and what impact could create.

Now we have separate solutions, they are not circular as there are no connections between players. Connection between stakeholders, systemic view, clear principals of circular economy could help going circular faster and in an efficient way.

Small steps that I can plan to do at the beginning could lead to that changes:

- Raising awareness about circular economy - Organizing a web-site and sending offers to organization to connect with information about building a circular city will be interested for some organization as a PR activity, to find partners and to follow the trends (I did researches with businesses) - that will generate more interest between businesses and to the circular economy topic - more companies will talk about this and provoke desire to learn more about this topic - people will know more about the topic and will get more expertise in this topic and desire to apply this expertise - more circular solutions will appear in the city raising interest of other players to new solutions and involving more players - city will become more circular.

- Organizing event where I invite different stakeholders from government and businesses  will install new connections between different industries and policymakers - that connection will lead to cooperation - more players will be interested in new ways of cooperation around new topic by government an businesses and will dive to know what is it that will lead to start new circular businesses and projects on the markets and way of cooperation between government and businesses. 

- Now I started to unite people from different industries and create a core of the project and find experts that will develop circular activities in different areas. In one month I have 20 experts in different areas helping to create a strategy and refine project objectives, strategy, business plan and nearest activities. 

- In one year I plan to unite 100-200 organizations (stakeholders). Each organization have different numbers of clients, members, followers (could be from 1-2 thousands to millions each one).

 - In five years I plan to unite 3-5 thousands organizations (stakeholders) that provides services to millions of citizens.

I'm looking to connect organizations and policymakers by sectors.

Within the next year I plan to connect 100-200 organization, organize events in order to promote the project and there goals for businesses and policymakers, refine business plan, organizational structure, find funding, start making circular strategy by sectors with members of the project, make PR campaign to promote the project, create a circular solution with project members.

Within the five years make the project a popular place for circular innovators, for investors to find startups, for companies to find partners, for policymakers a place to interact with the government and for open talks for citizens to find circular solution of members for daily life and information for raising awareness about circular economy. I plan in 5 years to work with 3-5 thousand organization that operates in Moscow (not counting consumers that these organizations serve). Organize a possibility for startups to apply for circular innovation directly from the web-site and easy way to find partners and customers.

Funding is a barrier as I understand that many people can not dedicate a lot of time to the project without any financial benefits, especially now after COVID when whey lost work, projects and money. Some activities of the project is impossible or very hard to do to do with any financial support (like inviting experts from other city to offline events (if possible the nearest year)).

I'm very self motivated person, but even for me making this project alone will be difficult, so it's better to have a strong team and couching or consultant (ideally). 

I'm expected that many organizations will be skeptical about the project as the topic is a quite new for Russian market. We know about ecological programs, waste management, but circular economy is a new topic.

Some companies see each other as a competitors and not ready to collaborate and share ideas. 

I will try to find financial support to start the project (already asked some advise our possible funds and organizations)

Will find collaboration with city government.

I did a list with my network, already started to collaborate with designer to make a web site with explanation, vision and mission of the project and will send this project to different funds to ask financial support and for media to promote the project.

I will try to use my skills of community building to collect people at the beginning around the project and engage them with the community.

I will find a way to organize the first activity and engage people with real work and not only with existing community.

I will try to find a good storyteller to help me to refine project vision, mission and benefits for members. And will work on brand building (I have an amazing guide of social brand building)

I will use my local and international network to find ways how to overcome barriers.

I contacted to some leaders, businesses and policymakers and started to conversation about collaboration on the project, asking advises and connecting people into one chat.

I contacted to such people and united them together to discuss the project:

- Skolkovo business school and had a conversation with head of sustainability department

- Moscow innovation center (government) and started conversation about the project and including this project with national programs

- Expert of sharing economy in Russia. Asked him for advice with which organization it's better to connect

- Expert in green buildings

- Several sustainability agencies in order to collaborate and organize events

- Museum of Contemporary arts that already did a great work on sustainability

- Designers, illustrators, design thinkers to help with the project

- FAO expert 

- ecologist 

- big packaging company

- fashion experts

Also I talked with agency that organize events with Moscow government to organize a festival where we will present ideal circular city. This festival will help citizens to now better the concept. understand the idea, find interesting solutions and will connect players that represents future city to connect with policymakers. 

I talked to NGO city4people project that make our city better and more convenient from architecture point of view and proposed them to add circular economy approach. They are interested to collaborate and we will discuss the project in August. 

I have some ideas around business model but some refinement is needed.

The project could be non'profit and profit. I suppose these could be the products and services that our project will provide to stakeholders:

- reports to members

- projects that we can help to do with our team

- events for corporates and goverment

- platform of communication

- content and information about circular economy, learning courses

- trends and case studies in circular economy

- organizing share of expertise with different countries

- being a speakers in events and sharing expertise

Businesses are mostly finding information how they can get more benefits for the business. We can prepare researches and trends report. Also education is needed for the businesses. Businesses are also looking to be the first in the industry. It is possible to connect them with innovators and startups via organizing hackatons that could help businesses to make partnerships and find solution of their challenges.

For government is needed to know who are the main players and to connect with them. In Russia we have a problem that there is a big informational and communication gap between governments and businesses. Policymakers are trying to find ways to find information about the players. This project could be helpful. Is is possible to add governments initiatives (as to find relevant information on governments web sites is very complicated).

Could be a combination of funding, grants or from gaining money from membership fees, projects done for corporates and governments.

Not done yet.

Salary fund for 5-7 people - 100 000 USD 

PR and marketing, website, technical support, content generation - 20 000 USD

If any organization of events should be calculated separately if needed any finance (not done with partner support)

Other operational costs +10-15%

Total 122 000 - 125 000 USD

1. Funding. For this project it is needed to find people that could dedicate time to make researches, find partners, run events, make operational work, prepare content, work with businesses, policymakers. Budget is needed for organizational expenses like travel expenses for speakers of events, technical expenses (web-site, application, maintenance), marketing and PR. To have a strong core of organization it's crucial to find people that could dedicate a lot of time to the project. 

2. International expertise. In Russia we are just at the beginning of circular economy and sustainability topic and it's great to have an international view and have a possibility to attract experts from different culture to bring their experience.

3. Couching. When you are in a project it's not always so easy to see from outside to your projects, problems and opportunities. It's always good to have a facilitator or external view.

4. Marketing and international network. This prize will give me the opportunity to speak about this project on international level and attract partners.

I'm looking for partnership for funding especially it is needed at the begging of the project to build a team, making first projects and rising awareness of the project. 

Also partners could help to make projects together and present projects as case studies and for marketing purposes. 

Mentors and couching partners could help to refine business model and operational processes of the organization.

EllenMacArthur Foundation

Cities that already have circular strategies: Amsterdam, Rotterdam, New York, San Paolo, London.

Russian government and different departments that are related to waste management, sanitizing, city planning.

Business schools and universities (Skolkovo, MIT, Stanford)

Open innovation platforms (OpenIDEO)

Representatives in different industries  (Built environment, city planning and architecture, Arts and design, Transport, infrastructure and mobility, Investment, Urban farming and food, Energy, water and utilities, Fashion and textiles, Materials and waste management, Plastics and packaging, Advanced manufacturing and electronics)

Social entrepreneurs

Corporates  that are interesting in finding how to implement circular solution in there organizations or where to find local innovative and circular partner and would like to invest in this development (Danone, Coca-Cola, L'Oreal, MacDonalds, Adidas, H&M, Uniqulo, IKEA, etc)

Media and social media