At HealthBeacon, we are constantly innovating and working to collaborate with other like-minded organisations and stakeholders to work towards a better future for the planet. We take our commitments to circular economy and sustainability seriously, and know that this transition is challenging but imperative.
Last week I attended the World Circular Economic Forum + Climate virtual conference, hosted by the Netherlands and the Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra. The program was both high level and specific, with stakeholders from the UN, various governments, institutions, NGOs, the private sector and the youth voice all being represented at various times. It was one of the more hopeful outlets for the climate conversation that I have heard in a while, and I appreciate the tone they struck. It is easy to get buried in bad news and despair, which can be detrimental to the ability to take action. While we need to recognise and understand the extent of the crisis we are in, only urgent action built on a positive and compelling vision of the future will move enough people to have the impact necessary to reverse the damage that has already been done.
While there were plenty of platitudes and sweeping statements about Circular Economy’s role in addressing the current climate crisis, the moderators did a good job of pushing back, often asking for specific examples, and bringing the conversation back to the work that needs to be done on the ground. And there is plenty of work to be done…
Circular models are one of the easiest to understand, and often the hardest to implement. And there is much disagreement on what is considered truly circular. To quote the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, “A circular economy is based on the principles of designing out waste and pollution, keeping products and materials in use, and regenerating natural systems.” This will be vital if we are to live within our planetary boundaries, as we were often reminded at the conference. But how do we actually do this?
HealthBeacon often has its finger on the pulse of this movement. The company buzzes with the same enthusiasm and excitement that I witnessed from the entrepreneurs who were presenting their circular solutions at the conference. The constant drive to innovate waste out of the system, to work with like-minded partners, to collaborate with a wide range of stakeholders, and to be a leader in sharps waste management is a testament to the company’s leadership and vision.
This year looks to be an exciting and transformational year on the world stage in relation to climate commitments, circular economy and global collaborations. HealthBeacon is well positioned and delighted to be a part of this conversation and do its part to provide solutions in the home-generated sharps waste sector.
Marion Briggs
Marion joined the HealthBeacon team as their Sustainability Project Manager. A passionate environmentalist and sustainability advocate, she brings her sustainability experience from working with Friends of the Earth and her business experience from her past as a small business owner to bear on helping HealthBeacon to achieve their ambitious goals, driving the launching of their HealthBeacon Green Labs in Ireland and abroad.
About HealthBeacon
HealthBeacon is a medication adherence technology company which develops smart tools for managing medication at home. HealthBeacon’s FDA cleared smart sharps bin tracks patient injection history, provides personalized interactive reminders and safely stores used injectables. With the intervention of HealthBeacon’s Smart Sharps Technology, patients’ persistence and adherence increased by 25-30% within twelve months of initiating therapy. The HealthBeacon integrated model connects a patient’s routine and the prescribing clinician’s workflow. This technology has been adopted across thirteen countries with >400,000 injections tracked since launch in 2014, with a patient acceptance rate of 80-90%.