The international Accounting for Circular Economy and Sustainability (ACES) initiative, coordinated by Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences, wrapped up with a webinar filled with industry insight.
Accounting for Circular Futures webinar started with an overview of the three years spent on the project. Hosted by Annariikka Rosendahl from Haaga-Helia and Sebastiaan Morssinkhof from The Hague University of Applied Sciences, the presentation provided information on the research-based approach of the project. 25 business interviews were conducted, alongside a wide literary review, to form a basis for the learning materials provided in the project.
The three chosen topics were Circular Economy Business Models, Management Accounting in Circular Economy and Financial Accounting in Circular Economy. These learning modules provide a basis for running a circular economy-based business.
Rosendahl and Morssinkhof also hinted at the possible next steps for the ACES consortium. Version 2.0 of the project will be focused on the topics of monetizing circular economy business models, valuation and financial aspects, risk management and AI tools.
Circular business valuation among the key topics for the expert panel
The highlight of the Accounting for Circular Futures webinar was the expert panel, hosting industry leaders and experts from across Europe.
Within the discussion, themes that emerged were plentiful. One of the key topics brought up was the challenge of valuating circular businesses in a linear world. According to SwanIT founder Tuula Virhiä, financial institutions struggle with valuating repaired or used items. This creates a problem for circular companies whose business is based on re-selling used and repaired goods.
The circular KPI’s that are tracked by companies and institutions also received some concern. Simple and relevant objectives were seen as key solutions by the panel. Managing Director of SEAQUAL INITIATIVE François Devy pointed out that the KPI’s tracked by modern businesses need to be broadened to include full production chains and the environment.
The panel discussion, moderated by Loukia Evripidou and Óscar Montes Pineda from the ACES consortium, also featured Zsofia Kollar from Human Material Loop, Pantelis Pavlou from EY and Angelica Santodomingo from Impact Hub.
With ACES coming to and end in June 2025, new initiatives are critical to spreading circular economy knowledge to education and industries. European and worldwide collaboration is key, as demonstrated by the ACES initiative.
The international ACES project, funded by the European Union and coordinated by Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences, brings together expertise from five European countries, with researchers and education developers from Finland, the Netherlands, Spain, and Cyprus.
If you’re interested in exploring the online courses developed by the project, you can register via an online form. The courses are entirely free, offering a unique opportunity to join the forefront of circular economy development. For more information, visit:
