Leading the Way: Transforming business with sustainable practices

As a certified social enterprise, Circonomy provides circular services that mobilise otherwise dormant goods by repairing, refurbishing and rehoming products, creating positive impacts for people and the planet in the process.   

Starting from humble beginnings as a neighbourhood garage sale in 2013 as the World’s Biggest Garage Sale, Circonomy has celebrated a decade of transformative impact, reshaping the way Australians perceive and interact with dormant goods. This remarkable journey began with Founder and Chief Evangelist, Yas Grigaliunas, who recognised the untapped potential of unused items in homes, offices, and retail stores and set out to mobilise them for the benefit of those in need.

Circularity is becoming popular in consumer markets, with growing refurbishment efforts within traditional retailers. However, Circonomy is breaking new ground by championing the integration of circularity in business-to-business (B2B) environments. By pioneering this approach, Circonomy is setting the stage for a more comprehensive and impactful adoption of circular practices across various sectors through circular services – including through large-scale sustainable de-fit and re-fit solutions for the property sector.

Growth Through a Consumer-Focused Lens

According to Statista as of 2023, the demand for sustainable goods and services has risen significantly across Australia, with consumers taking into consideration sustainability efforts from businesses they are supporting.

Conscious consumerism is on the rise, and expectations on businesses has never been higher. Consumers are now placing greater emphasis on the alignment between a brand’s values and their actions. Transparency, authenticity and sustainability is in – and greenwashing is out. This shift reflects the values of everyday Australian’s recognising the importance of business accountability and sustainability in their part of reducing environmental impact.

Circonomy has forged partnerships with businesses across various sectors, including across the property industry, retail, education, and hospitality and other large corporates, to develop and implement sustainable practices. This commitment to sustainability has helped fostered business growth while championing sustainable practices that resonate with current values held by the community and consumers.

Sustainability often comes across as daunting, following a linear approach to execution. Circonomy is changing this by providing accessible and comprehensive sustainability solutions. Circonomy’s circular services encompass retail solutions, sustainable office defits and refits, refurbished tech, circular asset management, and sustainable operations to make sustainability possible in all aspects of business.

Circonomy’s services have been developed to target sustainable solutions for businesses across a number of industries, and are tailored to meet your needs.  Through partnerships and case studies, Circonomy has developed innovative and structured sustainability practices to help Australian businesses scale up to one that is aligned with current values amongst the community and addresses the impact of commercial waste in Australia.

Mirvac and Circonomy Project: Pioneering Circular Office Spaces

In Melbourne, an exciting collaboration between Mirvac and Circonomy unfolded, showcasing a commitment to circularity and sustainability. The goal of this project was to transform office spaces, unlock new social procurement opportunities, and make a positive social and environmental impact.

Mirvac and Circonomy embarked on an ambitious project together, aiming to remove items and materials from 12 floors with the goal of diverting 100% of these materials from landfill. With the expertise provided by Circonomy, they offered an end-to-end solution to maximize the value of the resources removed during the strip-out process, effectively aligning with Mirvac’s sustainability goals.

This partnership successfully:

• repurposed and rehomed over 3,000 pieces of loose furniture
• cleaned, removed, and repackaged 792 large commercial blinds
• removed approximately 7,920 ceiling tiles for reuse
• protected existing carpet tiles for reuse in the new fitout.

Through this process, 180 tonnes of carbon has been avoided through the reuse of products and materials within the building and the wider community. The collaborative endeavour provided Mirvac with a platform to demonstrate their commitment to sustainability, while simultaneously empowering Circonomy to enhance their sustainable defit operations service and extend their reach into Victoria and NSW, and across Australia more broadly.

Circonomy’s remarkable growth is exemplified by the range of circular services it offers to companies, enabling them to embrace sustainable practices and enhance their social and environmental impact. These services serve as a testament to Circonomy’s commitment to driving positive change and empowering businesses to adopt more environmentally conscious approaches. Circonomy may have started over 10 years ago, but their impact is only just beginning as they work to create a world without waste.