Rethink Business was launched by Central Region Denmark in 2012 with financial support from the Danish Business Authority. The aim was to create growth in the region and guiding municipalities and small and medium enterprises, located in Central Jutland, who wanted to initiate green transition and green growth.

 

Minor Change Group was asked to figure out how to create demand and find the driving force, in a market that did not yet exist.

 

The solution was to focus on circular economy, which at the time was not a known approach in Denmark. With a goal to put circular economy on the agenda Minor Change Group laid a strategy that resulted in a model that on the supply side was focused around conversations about possibilities of circular economy and cradle-to-cradle among the region’s companies.

On the demand side, Minor Change Group recommended an open, movement-driven approach where everyone could help boost the transformation towards Circular Economy. And it opened up for broad participation from all sides – from grassroots to international players like Connie Hedegaard, and Ellen MacArthur Foundation, which among others were included as an international partner.

 

The result was over 2000 engaged in campaign activities, festivals and flash mobs which supported the transformation. Over 48 companies changed their business strategy and 180 partners joined in.

 

It was the first circular economy initiative of this scale, and the project has been inspiration for Circular Economy at the national level to a degree far exceeding the project’s initial aims for growth in Central Denmark Region.