Episode 1: Linear vs. Circular Economy

We know for a fact that global production sectors are responsible for one-fifth of the world’s carbon emissions, and are consuming 54% of the world’s energy sources. It's urgent that the global production sector addresses these challenges. Here circularity is seen by many as one of the solutions. What is circularity? And what role can the manufacturing industry play in realizing a circular economy? How can the manufacturing industry adapt circular business models and still be a profitable business?

 
Meet Mats Sundell, R&D Director from Mirka and Kari Herlevi, Programme Director from Sitra in the first episode of our sustainability podcast. 

Episode 2: Trash to Treasure

Europeans use nearly 26 kilos of textiles and discard about 11 kilos annually. Less than half of these clothes are collected for reuse or recycling. Clothing consumption in the EU has increased by 40% in recent decades, driven by lower prices and faster fashion cycles. It has been said that we have enough clothes to dress the world for the next 100 years, yet 150-200 ton of textile waste (60 to 75 truckloads) are dumped, burnt, or sent to landfills every day. How to find transformative ideas for extracting value from waste? What does a concept look like that goes beyond recycling? How to redefine how we view and use resources and design products? Is a system change and circular business models the solution?

Meet Petra Härmälä Petra Härmälä, R&D Manager from Mirka and Jan Timm Utecht, Managing Director from Globe Hope in the second episode of our sustainability podcast. 

Episode 3: The Remanufacturing Revolution

With an EU market potential of 90 billion euros by 2030, remanufacturing is set to become an increasingly important aspect of the future manufacturing industry. Remanufacturing is the process of returning a used product to at least its original performance with a warranty that is equivalent to or better than that of the newly manufactured product. From a customer viewpoint, the remanufactured product can be considered the same as a new product. By keeping components and their embodied material in use for longer their climate impact can be reduced. How does remanufacturing differ from recycling or traditional manufacturing methods? Why is remanufacturing seen as a key strategy in transition towards a circular economy? What business opportunities does it offer and what are the environmental benefits?

Meet Mats Bystedt, Business Development Manager from Mirka and Minna Kröger, Head of Sustainability from Elisa in the third episode of our sustainability podcast. 

Episode 4: Data Driven Change

Digital Product Passport, Environmental Product Data, General Product Safety Regulation, Packaging directive, Ecodesign directive, Life Cycle Assessments, Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive – the list of initiatives to support the European green deal is long. At the same time, companies need to know if their sustainability initiatives make viable business. In this green transformation, data and sustainability analytics are crucial, since they enable companies to make strategic, real-time decisions to achieve their goals. What is the role of data as an enabler and how it can be used to make decisions that guide measurable change and responsible business practices? Whether it's lowering greenhouse-gas emissions, optimizing supply chains, or reducing waste, insights from sustainability data can power positive change while increasing profitability, or can it?

Meet André Norrback, Technology Manager from Mirka and Andreas Lundell, Associate Professor in Information Technology from Åbo Akademi Univeristy in the fourth episode of our sustainability podcast. 

Episode 5: Logistical Leapfrogs

Logistics is the lifeblood of a thriving company, ensuring products reach partners and customers seamlessly. However, logistics systems also impact the climate and environment, making it crucial to consider their environmental footprint. As supply chains grow longer and networks more intricate, new challenges emerge, prompting us to rethink sustainable logistics. How can we design logistics systems to be more sustainable? How can logistics drive the green transition? What factors must we consider, from sourcing materials to sustainable transportation?

Meet Johan Vestlin, Logistics Manager from Mirka and Anna Aminoff, Associate Professor in Supply Chain Management and Social Responsibility from Hanken School of Economics in the fifth episode of our sustainability podcast. 

Episode 6: Behind the (Green) Curtain

Customer concerns about climate change and sustainability are at an all-time high. People are really looking for products and services that match their values. This growing demand has led to a flood of environmental claims from businesses. But here’s the catch—not all of these claims are legit. This is where greenwashing comes in. On the other hand, we have greenhushing, when companies under-communicate their genuine green initiatives. While greenwashing undermines trust by exaggerating eco-friendly claims, greenhushing silences legitimate efforts, leaving stakeholders in the dark and creating a lack of transparency. What will sustainability communication look like in the future? Have greenwashing and greenhushing become a double-edged sword?

Meet Heidi Heino, Business Sustainability Manager from Mirka and Annika Sundell, Executive Vice President from Walki in the sixth episode of our sustainability podcast. 

Episode 7: Supply Chain Matters

As companies’ supply chains grow longer and networks more complex, new sustainability challenges and opportunities arise. Talking about sustainable sourcing, it’s not just about cost anymore, in other words finding the cheapest supplier. We have to look at the whole picture – consider everything from the extraction of raw materials to the disposal of products at the end of their life. In this equation, for a company to become more sustainable, the suppliers play a crucial role and collaboration is key here. How do we navigate sustainable sourcing and procurement in this evolving landscape? Can supply chains drive the green transition?

Meet Cecila Edsvik, Sourcing Specialist from Mirka och Vilma-Lotta Moisio, Head of Purchasing from Kiilto in the seventh episode of our sustainability podcast.