Moving From the 'Take-Make-Use-Waste' Model to an Efficient Circular Economy

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The circular economy is pivotal for achieving climate and sustainable development goals and must be included in the COP28 outcomes. 

With this paper, International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), on behalf of the global business community, underscores the importance to move from the 'take-make-use-waste' model to a sustainable, resource-efficient circular economy.

Helping SMEs Thrive, Locally As Well as Globally

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Small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are the lifeblood of our economies. They account for the vast majority of businesses worldwide and are important contributors to job creation and global economic development. 

At a time when the global economy is still reeling from the effects of the health crisis, the ICC Small Business Champions Network will form a new informal advisory group to support the development of ICC’s global and regional work in market intelligence, public policy advocacy, and in the delivery of practical products and services that meet the needs of SMEs.

A new advisory group member said:

"I am immensely honoured to be part of the group and look forward to working together with ICC to help SMEs thrive, locally as well as globally."

Read on to learn more.

Today in Global Small Business: Small Table Maker Vintage Industrial Takes on Alibaba's Fakes

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What's affecting me, my clients, my colleagues and other global small business owners:

• Learn five takeaways from the ICC World Trade Agenda Day.
• Jack Ma's bold promise—that Alibaba would help create 1 million jobs in the U.S. over five years.
• Souq.com — which sells health and beauty products and electronic goods — has become the highest-valued internet company in the Middle East.
• Why should you export?
• The financial and cultural considerations to importing for small businesses.
• How a small table maker Vintage Industrial takes on Alibaba's flood of fakes.

The Smallest of Businesses Can Go Global If They Can Access the Internet

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The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) ended the World Trade Organization’s (WTO's) first ever dialogue with the business community as an important step towards strengthening the global trade agenda.

The event identified a broad range of possible WTO initiatives to help boost trade-led inclusive growth, including, but not limited to:

SME growth
Business leaders encouraged the WTO to explore possible initiatives to make trade easier for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), going beyond trade facilitation reforms to identify where harmonized rules and end-to-end standards can help small businesses access global markets. Access to financing was also highlighted as a priority to support SME trade growth.

Adding to that, the International Chamber of Commerce's First Vice-Chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal said:  "The global nature of e-commerce means that the WTO has a vital role to play in the further development of rules and standards for this area. E-commerce has the potential to revolutionize global trade flows. Today, even the smallest of businesses can go global if they can access the internet."

Read the entire article:  ICC welcomes new dialogue with WTO; highlights options for multilateral trade