Dutch Embassy, AOD initiate conversations on sustainable innovation

Hirdaramani Industries Chief Transformation Officer Thusitha Cooray

InQube Global Vice President, Design Arjuna Hettikankanam

MAS Product and Sustainability Lead Gayara Dissanayake

Sustainability Strategist Eranthi Premaratne

• Key insights at Circular Leap Forum at Sri Lanka Design Festival

Circular Leap Forum will present an industry panel discussion, a circular design methodology pressure-cooker style workshop and an inspiring take on designing for longevity by CIRCO Netherlands certified trainers and key apparel manufacturing leaders.

This forum is a continuation of the Dutch Embassy’s partnership with AOD for circular design knowledge-sharing—a topic internationally championed by the Kingdom of Netherlands.

This open forum is accessible to design and innovation communities, entrepreneurs, students, startups, and the general public on 3 December, 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Colombo Innovation Tower.

Economic growth, in a linear economy, is measured by gross domestic product. It’s a problematic pattern that creates a consumption society. Apart from creating catastrophic environmental consequences as we all know, a linear economy is also bad for business because it permits an enormous loss of materials, energy, water, and labour. In circular design, this waste is approached as a design flaw. Design in the circular economy calls for a transformation in thinking, to shift from the current product-centric focus towards a more system-based design approach. The key lies in how a product or a material is designed for reuse, repair, remanufacture, refurbishment or recycling, extending the product’s life cycle and improving the resource productivity.

This is the kind of shift in thinking and design that the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands has been supporting with AOD’s Circular Design Lab for several years now. Using the Sri Lanka Design Festival as a platform to take this knowledge into the wider community, the Circular Leap Forum has been made an event freely open to all design enthusiasts, retail entrepreneurs, school students, and small and medium manufacturing businesses. A special invitation is extended to design undergraduates and alumni from all public and private institutes in Sri Lanka. Innovator networks, circular change agents, design oriented startups also stand to benefit from participating in this open forum. 

The Pressure Cooker Workshop designed by CIRCO of Netherlands is a rapid introduction to relooking at a business’ value chain and opportunities to innovate with circularity at its centre. It will be conducted by AOD alum and certified CIRCO trainer Chani Perera. Tried and tested examples of how this methodology and similar practices that are being used in the local manufacturing businesses will be provided through the industry panel. 

Here, a panel consisting of Hirdaramani Industries Chief Transformation Officer Thusitha Cooray, InQube Global Vice President, Design Arjuna Hettikankanam, and MAS Sustainable Product Lead Gayara Dissanayake, will be moderated by Sustainability Strategist Eranthi Premaratne. The session by Lonali Rodirgo—another AOD alum, certified CIRCO trainer and sustainable entrepreneur— aims to inspire and equip participants with knowledge on how they can influence the industry and a more conscious consumer. 

The shift towards a circular economy needs a change in our attitudes, mindsets, perceptions and behaviour. It requires people and businesses to change their way of thinking and acting, going towards sharing and collaborating. This is why educational institutions have a major role to play in paving the way for a more circular future. 

Cross-disciplinary education opportunities, new competencies, knowledge and working methods need to be developed; this is where Circular Leap Forum becomes a must-have conversation of today. Supported by the Dutch Embassy, hosted by AOD, and presented as part of the Sri Lanka Design Festival, the Circular Leap Forum is poised to influence new thinking and ideas that Sri Lankan manufacturers, retailers, and entrepreneurs need to have right now.

Aiming to make the forum accessible to a wider group, this event is freely accessible to everyone interested. For more information and pre-registration (limited seats), visit www.srilankadesignfestival.lk.