Turning Waste into Opportunity: Launch of Circular by Design with IKEA Serbia | RECONOMY Snippet

In Belgrade, we officially launched Circular by Design — a new circular economy partnership between IKEA Serbia and the RECONOMY program implemented by Helvetas and funded by Sweden.

Hosted at IKEA Serbia, the event marked the start of a project that connects corporate circular sourcing needs with local circular economy enterprises.

What is Circular by Design about? The project will:

🔹 Map IKEA Serbia’s circular economy needs as well as circular logistics and launch an open call for reuse, repair, and waste valorization enterprises;

🔹 Screen and shortlist high-potential circular small and medium enterprises an social entrepreneurs;

🔹 Provide targeted mentorship to develop 4–6 collaboration-ready business models aligned with corporate procurement standards; and

🔹 Facilitate matchmaking and define concrete next steps for collaboration.

By embedding women-, youth-, and disadvantaged-led enterprises into real corporate value chains, the pilot project aims to generate inclusive green income and employment opportunities — while turning waste streams into market opportunities.

But this is only the beginning.

🤝🚀🌱 Through partnerships like this, RECONOMY continues to demonstrate how private sector collaboration can drive inclusive, green, and market-based development across the region.

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