Circular Industry: Innovation and Digitalization as Enablers for SMEs

As part of its three-year long programme on SMEs and circularity in the food systems sector, the Asia-Europe Environment Forum (ENVforum) will organise the Spin-Off conference “Circular Industry: Innovation and Digitisation as Enablers for SMEs on 24-25 October 2022 in Incheon, Korea.

Taking place as a hybrid event with both online and onsite elements, the ENVForum conference is embedded in the overall programme of the 2022 Sustainable Development Transformation Forum (SDTF) organized by the United Nations Office for Sustainable Development (UNOSD) on 25-28 October 2022.

The ENVForum programme will include keynotes, panel discussions and networking sessions for participants and focus on two themes:

• Circular Economy as a Strategy for Decarbonisation: The Role of SMEs as Enablers for Decarbonisation
• Twin Green and Digital Transition: Advancements in the Circular Industry in Asia and Europe.

With the ENVForum being a key inter-regional platform for knowledge-sharing and capacity building for policy makers, businesses and civil society from Asia and Europe, the conference addresses the following objectives:

• Exchange of knowledge and experiences on SMEs’ contributions towards sustainable, green and digital transitions in the food industry sector.
• Multistakeholder engagement of policymakers, academia and research community, the business community and civil society organisations from ASEM countries.
• Setting up of an inter-regional network and community of practice to jointly identify potential areas of cooperation, including joint activities, research or advocacy initiatives.
• Awareness creation of the SMEs’ twin transition needs and effects with a focus on the food industry sector through the production and distribution of knowledge and multimedia products by experts.

The ENVForum conference in Korea follows up on the outcomes of the annual Asia-Europe Environment Conference (ENVForum) conference on “SMEs Going Circular: Decarbonisation of Food Supply Systems”, which was held online on 28-29 June 2022.