Close the Loop Australia has won Circular Leader recognition at the 2022 ACE Awards for its leadership, impact experience, practice, progression and future thinking in the area of resource recovery.
Joe Foster, CEO Close the Loop Group (CLG), of which Close the Loop Australia is a division, thanked Planet Ark Environmental Foundation and the judges for the recognition, saying, "Our entire team work hard to create real solutions for complex products and more sustainable packaging, in order to move towards a circular economy."
The 2022 ACE Awards winners were announced at a gala dinner on 24 November, as part of the specially curated Circularity event, which comprised a multi-stream conference, exhibition and networking events. The inaugural two-day event was introduced by Planet Ark’s Australian Circular Economy Hub (ACE Hub), organised by AWRE’s parent company Diversified Communications Australia and Planet Ark.
To win the 2022 ACE Award Circular Leader Award, ACE has stipulated that "an individual, company or organisation must demonstrate inspirational leadership and experience in progressing circular economy practices". ACE says the award shines a light on those who have not only championed circular economy practices, but have achieved significant advancement and continue to actively strive for a more circular future.
Close the Loop met the criteria for actively progressing the transition from where we were to where we are today, and working to accelerating circular economy in Australia.
The judges recognised that "Close the Loop demonstrates a solid body of work over 20 years which should be recognised and celebrated for creating a successful system and environment ensuring there is an end market for products and services (toner cartridges, plastics) creating the entire value chain."
Close the Loop is well positioned within the circular economy. It creates innovative products and packaging that includes recyclable and made-from recycled content, as well as collects, sorts, reclaims and reuses resources that would otherwise go to landfill.
Its circular economy journey began over 20 years ago, with the refilling of consumer printer cartridges when founder of the group’s Close the Loop division, Steve Morriss, realised the value of providing take-back and recovery services to the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) of the cartridge and toner products and other related printer consumables. Close the Loop then provided the capability for these products to be sent back to manufacturers for reuse at scale, while diverting other printer consumables from landfill through their in-house processing capability.
The Group is currently an ASX-listed company and provides take-back, processing, reuse and recycling of several hard-to-recycle products, including cosmetics, post-consumer soft plastic packaging, and e-waste with a ‘zero waste to landfill’ approach.
"Close the Loop Group will continue to scale up our operations and capabilities, creating new products with end of life in mind, taking back a greater breadth and volume of materials with zero waste to landfill, and increasing end market opportunities for those recycled materials to ensure we are closing the loop entirely," Foster said, congratulating the other nominees and winners, and inviting the industry to "continue to work together towards circular solutions in Australia".
In attendance at the awards were Close the Loop's founder Steve Morriss and GM Kesh Nair, named by Foster as key ambassadors for the business and long-term leaders in circular innovation, implementation and management.
"They represent the passion and drive required by our industry for real, positive change," he said.
CLG’s GM Kesh Nair
