People, Profit & Planet: Embedding Circular Economy and Sustainability into Social Enterprise

WASEC invites you to a panel, Q&A and networking afternoon where you will hear from WA social enterprises who are kicking goals in the circular economy & sustainability space. Listen to start-up stories, pick-apart greenwashing, identify barriers and opportunities in the sector, meet like-minded people and gain tools and resources to help you embed sustainable practices into your social enterprise, small business or everyday life.

The traditional linear economy of the world uses resources and creates waste at a rate that is estimated to be 1.7 times what the earth can support on a long term basis. This means it now takes the Earth one year and eight months to regenerate what we use in a year. A circular economy is an alternative to the linear economy, where all materials are treated as precious resources, with nothing thrown away. We use products for as long as possible, and then recover the materials at the end of their life. 

The Panel kicks off at 4:00 leading into an interactive Q&A. Stay for drinks and snacks as we watch the winter sun set over Perth City Farm's beautiful gardens. Catering will be lovingly provided by Chris's Kitchen.

🎤 Meet the panelists 🎤

Dr Vanessa Rauland

Dr Rauland is an entrepreneur, academic, author, public speaker and founder and CEO of ClimateClever. Prior to founding ClimateClever, Dr Rauland worked as a lecturer and researcher at Curtin University for over a decade, teaching, supervising and researching in the areas of sustainability, climate policy and decarbonisation. She has won numerous awards including two Curtinnovation awards, a Women in Technology (WiTWA) Award and a “40 under 40” Award. 

Franco Randazzo

Franco is the CEO of Loop Upcycling which gives a second life to corporate waste while providing connectivity, empowerment and employment. Loop is a WA social enterprise and Australia’s first corporate upcycling company. Loop’s mission is to reduce the 800,000 tonnes of textiles that Australia sends to landfills each year and to create training and employment opportunities for people living with disadvantages. Franco has more than 20 years of leadership and management experience in leading sales organisations both in B2C and B2B. He is passionate about people both in coaching teams and enabling individuals to attain personal and professional growth.

Sharka Hornakova

At the beginning of 2021 Sharka started her own social enterprise called Donut Waste, focused on diverting coffee grounds and food waste from landfill. She bought a van, a bunch of 120l bins and started collecting coffee grounds and veggie scraps from cafes to use as compost for local community gardens. After going through the Curtin Ignition accelerator program, Donut Waste became a social enterprise on a mission to create a circular economy through plastic beer clip collections, upcycling coffee grounds into products and sustainable education.

Heidi Mippy 

Heidi Mippy is a Noongar & Thiin- Mah-Warriyangka woman and has lived and worked in many parts of this great state, including in the Kimberley, Pilbara, Gascoyne and the South-West. Currently she works with Noongar Land Enterprise (NLE) group – a leading Aboriginal grower group, developing commercially viable, land-based businesses. NLE have identified ‘looking after country’ (environmental management), cultural connectivity and rejuvenation, and wellbeing and healing as interconnected in how land assets are managed.

Kathleen Burton

The panel will be moderated by Perth City Farm's CEO, Kathleen Burton. Kathleen is passionate about enabling people to live considered, meaningful lives, feeling that they belong and are valued in their community, and are connected to the natural world.  She’s used her degree in Accounting and Entrepreneurship to work with non-profit organisations, creating programs that bring in new types of revenue, whilst creating change.