The 4th Circular Economy Week Türkiye
The Embassy of Finland in Ankara and Business Finland in Istanbul participated in Türkiye Circular Economy Week for the fourth consecutive year. Organized in collaboration with DCube Circular Economy and Sustainability, the Business for Goals Platform, and the Business and Sustainable Development Association (SKD Turkey), the event was also supported by the Nordic Council of Ministers. This year’s sessions were held at the Istanbul Chamber of Industry on April 8 and at the Denizli Chamber of Industry on April 10.
Throughout the event, panel discussions delved into key topics such as the integration of the circular economy into the business sector, climate-friendly solutions, resource efficiency, and circular product design. The panels also highlighted how Türkiye can accelerate progress toward its sustainable development goals, emphasizing the valuable contributions of the circular economy to the business landscape.
Held immediately after the closing meeting of the Turkey Circular Economy Action Plan, the 4th Türkiye Circular Economy Week offered a timely opportunity to assess progress on the national agenda. It also served as a dynamic platform to explore the latest developments within the European Union, with a particular focus on the Nordic countries.
Finland was represented in the panels by Finnish company representatives, the Honorary Consul, and members of Business Finland. The panel titled Sustainable Production and Circularity Strategies in Textiles was moderated by Pınar Taşdelen Engin, Chair of the Uludağ Textile Exporters Association and Honorary Consul of Finland in Bursa. The discussion centered on the application of new technologies in sustainable textile production, showcasing successful examples from Finnish research and Development initiatives in collaboration with Turkish manufacturers. Halit Gümüşer from Kipaş and Andreas Dorner from Re&Up shared tangible case studies from their sustainability-driven projects and joint efforts, offering the audience valuable insights into practical, scalable solutions.
The panel Nordic Best Practices: Circular Design and Innovation featured two expert representatives from the Nordic region. Paula Fontell, Co-founder and the CEO of the Finnish company Ethica, highlighted the critical role of sustainable design and shared how sustainability is embedded in their business practices. She emphasized the importance of developing sustainable materials across all areas of production. Rikke Ullested, the Founder of the Danish company Upcycl, presented compelling examples of how their platform enables companies to turn waste from one production process into valuable input for another. She underscored the vast amount of waste generated during manufacturing and stressed that capturing this waste before it reaches landfills is a core principle of circularity.
In Denizli, the Nordic Best Practices panel was moderated by Nilüfer Alapınar from Business Finland in Istanbul. The session featured Henna Suomi,
Director of Operations at the Finnish company Ioxio, and Emin İde, Managing Director of Lindström Türkiye. Nilüfer Alapınar introduced Business Finland’s scope of work, highlighting innovative solutions developed by Finnish companies and research institutions. Henna Suomi shared Ioxio’s approach to sustainability in production, emphasizing the company's strong focus on research and innovation. Emin İde presented Lindström’s operations in Türkiye, detailing the services they offer to support companies in enhancing sustainable production—an aspect that was well received by the audience.
Examples of Nordic innovation extended beyond the textile sector. In the panel on Sustainable Production and Circularity Strategies in Iron, Steel, and Copper, Pelin Gökçek Adıyaman from Business Finland in Istanbul highlighted Finland’s forward-looking approach to sustainable industrial production. She focused particularly on the Finnish steel industry, noting its critical role in the country’s ambitious goal to achieve carbon neutrality by 2035. As one of the key sectors targeted for decarbonization, the steel industry in Finland is undergoing a significant transformation through investments in clean technologies and circular practices. Gökçek Adıyaman emphasized the importance of breakthrough innovations such as fossil-free steel production, energy-efficient manufacturing processes, and enhanced recycling systems. Finland’s commitment to research, public-private collaboration, and the development of green industrial ecosystems positions it as a pioneer in sustainable steel production globally.
The 4th Circular Economy Week Türkiye created valuable opportunities for dialogue between Turkish and international companies, laying the groundwork for future collaboration—particularly in the areas of sustainable development and circular economy. As a platform where innovation meets industry, the event showcased how shared knowledge, forward-thinking strategies, and cross-border partnerships can drive meaningful progress toward a more sustainable and resilient future.