West Midlands to host national circular economy conference

The Circular Economy UK Conference is coming to the West Midlands next year.

West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) has been announced as the headline partner for the national summit at The International Convention Centre in Birmingham on 5 February 2026.

Organised by The Sustainability Community and hosted at the home of manufacturing, the conference will open the debate on the critical role that the sector plays in driving forward circular economy principles in the 21st Century.

Hundreds of industry leaders, innovators, educators, investors and policy makers will come together, as experts take to the stage to share their insight and experiences with delegates.

Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands and chair of the WMCA, said: “Rethinking waste as a resource is vital for the future of our planet and our economy. This conference is a chance to show how this region is already leading the way and turning the circular economy into a driver of regional and national growth.

“Our Resource Reuse Network is already working with 150 businesses – helping them to cut their carbon emissions, save money and strengthen their supply chains. These results speak for themselves and prove that what’s good for the environment is also great for growth.”

With more than 300 attendees expected, along with 50 speakers, the conference is ideally suited to circular innovation companies and solution providers, local and national policymakers, educators and training providers, investors and accelerators, sustainability leads, regional development agencies, and trade bodies.

Pitching circularity at the heart of the new industrial revolution, the event will provide three stages:

• Circular Futures, exploring systems change, from product lifecycle extension and remanufacturing to industrial symbiosis and innovative materials.
• Circular Skills, addressing the skills revolution head-on from repair engineering to materials science.
• Circular Growth, connecting the dots between capital and circular ventures, driving into funding models sited to circular startups with insight from Innovate UU and British Business Bank.

Kate Hutchinson, founder and CEO of The Sustainability Community, said: “We would like to thank West Midlands Combined Authority for coming on board as headline partner of this event. It makes all the difference to have their support as we put the circular economy firmly on the agenda.

“With an impressive line-up of speakers, we want to provide delegates with an opportunity to learn, to engage to meet and to share thoughts. We also want to make this a catalyst for investment, which is often the biggest barrier to meaningful change.

“The Circular Economy UK Conference is quite literally setting the stage and delivering a platform that will give everyone involved a voice. This is not an isolated event, it is part of a much wider movement, and we hope to attract delegates both from the West Midlands and across the UK that have a vested interest in this topic.”

The Circular Economy UK Conference will take place on 5 February 2026 from 9am – 5pm with tickets available now on The Sustainability Community website.