Unlocking the future: CTF – Battery Passport Edition

In the dynamic landscape of sustainability, mark your calendars for September 16th as the CircularTech Forum presents the groundbreaking Battery Passport Edition – the focus of the Forum remains the same, digital aspects of the Circular Economy, with a core emphasis on the Digital Product Passport (DPP). This year, we will delve into the topic of intersectoral Digital Product Passports, drawing insights from the Battery Passport, which serves as the blueprint for DPPs in other regulated industries. This pivotal event aims to bring the EU DPP ecosystem together, revolutionizing the realm of digitalization in the Circular Economy.

At the core of this monumental leap lie the EU Battery Regulation and Ecodesign for Sustainable Product Regulation (ESPR) as cornerstones of the EU Green deal and the Circular Economy Action Plan. Mandating the creation of a comprehensive Battery Passport by 2027 and in other product segments by 2028, these regulations reshape how we perceive and manage product (circularity) design, labeling, and performance.

With its enforcement in August 2023, the Battery Regulation it not only a frontrunner that sets stringent rules but also champions supply and transparency. It will cast its influence on every industrial and electric vehicle battery entering the EU market with a capacity exceeding 2 kWh. This heralds a transformative shift in how batteries are conceptualized, produced, and managed as waste and how the data should be managed along the lifecycle of the each battery.

Under the battery regulation, responsibility falls on market players to ensure social and environmental risk mitigation across their supply chains, from sourcing critical materials to updating data in the Battery Passport. By 2025, vital information like product carbon footprint must be publicly accessible in a Digital Battery Passport, fostering transparency and accountability.

Other industries that are regulated under ESPR, such as textiles, buildings, detergents, chemicals, bed mattresses, cosmetics, furniture, lubricants, paints, toys, tires, aluminium, glass, iron and steel, paper products, plastics and non-ferrous metals can learn from the battery case and thus are also invited to join the Circular Tech Forum in September.

Join The CircularTech Digital Product Passport Community And Stay Up To Date With The Latest DPP News

Moderated by

Elliana Jensen-Abieva

Founder
@
CircularTech

Dr. Susanne Guth-Orlowski

Founder
@
4TheRecord

Featured speakers

We add our speakers on a rolling basis. There will be more within the next weeks.

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Thomas Knothe

Head of Department Process Management and Factory Planning
@
Fraunhofer IPK

Ricky Thiermann

Product Owner
@
Spherity

Dr. Niklas Niemann

Partner
@
Systemiq & Battery Pass Consortia

Marion Van Deurzen

EU Regulatory Affairs Lead Home Care
@
Unilever

Carolynn Bernier

Project Coordinator
@
CIRPASS-2

Torsten Freund

Battery Passport Project Management
@
BASF

Daniel Monfort

Project Manager
@
BRGM & MADITRACE

Thomas Fell

CEO
@
GS1 Germany

Cornelia Frentz

Director Governance and Sustainable Investing
@
ECBF

Carsten Gerhardt

Partner, Initiator
@
EY & Circular Valley

Dr. Ilias Iakovidis

Adviser, Digital Aspects of Green Transition
@
EU Commission – DG CONNECT

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dieter Wegener

Vice President & Head of External Cooperation
@
Siemens Technology

Dr. Johannes Simböck

Division Manager - Transformation of The Economic Environment
@
Acatech

Femke Zijlstra

Senior Sustainability Manager
@
Avery Dennison Smartrac

Dr. Iain Woebcken Fraser

Head of Digital Solutions
@
RCS Global

Dr. Lukas Moschko

Business Unit Development Manager
@
Bosch Connected Industry; Platform Industry 4.0

Building the Digital Product Passport Community, we provide a space for stakeholders to connect and share insights, CircularTech addresses challenges and propels the widespread adoption of Digital Product Passports. 

On 16th September 2024, stakeholders will usher and meet together discussing how transparency, traceability, and sustainability in the battery and other regulated industries(textile, detergents, cosmetics, steel etc.) will contributing to the larger goal of a circular economy.

Yet, with great change comes the need for seamless collaboration and trust. Collaborative innovation is key to battery passport development, necessitating close cooperation among stakeholders involved in battery creation, use, and recovery. This collaborative effort involves aligning collected data and give transparency and provide an environment for the creation, operation, and collaborative use of data chains along the value chain. 

The CircularTech Forum serves as a pivotal platform that bridges this gap, providing a nexus for stakeholders to exchange and foster innovation. From addressing data asymmetry, the lack of standardized frameworks to shaping collaborative business models, the Forum cultivates a DPP ecosystem where innovation, collaboration, and sustainability intersect. 

Amidst discussions on initiatives like Catena X and the broader digital landscape, the CircularTech propels the adoption of Digital Product Passport, shaping the future of battery technology and contributing to a circular economy.

Agenda

🚀 Calling all startups in the circular economy and digitalisation sectors! 🌍

At CircularTech, we’re excited to give opportunity to startups that are developing pioneering solutions in digitalisation and circular economy to join us at the CircularTech Forum on September 16th. This is your chance to showcase how your solutions complement the Digital Product Passports (DPP) and contribute to a more sustainable future.

🔗 Connect with industry leaders, greentech investors, gain insights, and share your innovative ideas with peers committed to making a difference in Digital future of Circular Economy.

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to be part of the change we all want to see in the world. Let’s collaborate to create a sustainable impact! If you’re interested in participating, send us an email at info@circulartechforum.de

Our Media Partners

Stay Connected!

Elliana Jensen-Abieva

Founder – CircularTech Forum

As a dedicated advocate for sustainable development, Elliana is committed to leveraging her expertise in Circular Economy and Digital Identity/trust technologies to drive positive change. With a PhD in international relations focusing on the topic Climate Change, her academic foundation fuels her mission to address pressing environmental challenges.

Elliana is a founder of CircularTech, an international platform and Digital Product Passport community, that helps to bridge the gap between Circular Economy and Digitalization. Through CircularTech, Elliana is fostering collaboration among diverse stakeholders, promoting the adoption of Digital Product Passport and Circular Economy principles within the global business community.

The CircularTech initiative represents a crucial step in effective implementation and integration of connectivity and DPP interoperability, digital identity and trust technologies into solutions for Secure Supply Chains, contributing to a more sustainable and transparent future.

Dr. Susanne Guth-Orlowski

Founder – 4TheRecord

Susanne is founder of the consulting company 4TheRecord, SSI expert, author, podcaster and speaker. Her background is in security technology, and she has 20 years hands-on, technical experience in cryptography.

Today, Susanne is consulting companies and non-profit organisations on how to define IT-Security services and standards and bring them to market. She is a strong believer that technology based on open standards can help reach the climate goals and is currently engaged in defining the technical concepts for a digital, decentralized product passport to enable better repair, reuse, and recycling of products.

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Thomas Knothe

Head of Department Process Management and Factory Planning – Fraunhofer IPK

Thomas has been with Fraunhofer IPK for over 26 years, currently serving as the Head of the Department for Process Management and Factory Planning since September 2010. Previously, he was a Project Manager at Fraunhofer IPK from January 1998 to September 2010. Since April 2017, he has been an Honorary Professor at Technische Hochschule Wildau. Additionally, he chairs the JTC 24 Digital Product Passport System and Architecture at CEN and CENELEC as of March 2024. His expertise includes IT service engineering, business process management, and factory planning.
Ricky Thiermann

Product Owner – Spherity

Ricky is a dedicated Product Owner at Spherity, with a profound interest in green innovation and decentralized identity solutions. His expertise lies in the emerging standards of decentralized identifiers (DIDs) and Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI) concepts, particularly within the Internet of Things (IoT) ecosystem. Ricky is at the forefront of Spherity’s pioneering work on the Digital Product Passport, a revolutionary initiative aimed at enhancing transparency and sustainability in product life cycles. His passion for integrating cutting-edge technology with environmental responsibility makes him a valuable voice in the ongoing dialogue about the future of digital identities and sustainable innovation.

Dr. Niklas Niemann

Partner – Systemiq & Battery Pass Consortia

Niklas is a partner by Systemiq´s Materials Platform, with a focus on mobility and with strong links to the Energy Platform as enabler for the mobility transition.

He is a sustainability professional with 15 years of experience in industry and consulting with a deep understanding of renewable energy, grid infrastructure, and the transition to electric vehicles. His experience spans the European energy, utility and automotive sector, having worked for HSE/ Entega, RWE, McKinsey and, most recently, Volkswagen Consulting, where he spearheaded the sustainability efforts and led the CEO Alliance for Europe.

Marion Van Deurzen

EU Regulatory Affairs Lead Home Care – Unilever

Marion is the EU Regulatory Affairs Lead for Home Care at Unilever, where she excels at the interface of technology and marketing. With a PhD in Chemical Engineering/Biocatalysis, Marion has extensive experience in FMCG (laundry, autodish, personal care) and B2B enzyme products. She is passionate about people, results, and innovation.

In her role, Marion ensures regulatory compliance for European personal care products, collaborates with global teams, and advocates for Unilever’s positions to EU governmental bodies and trade associations. She supports innovation projects and European-specific claims development, always prioritizing brand and consumer protection through comprehensive regulatory guidance.

Carolynn Bernier

CIRPASS Consortium Coordinator – CIRPASS2

Carolynn is the CIRPASS-2 (EU Digital Product Passport Project) – Project Coordinator and an accomplished Senior Research Engineer at the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA). With a robust background in integrated circuit and protocol design for IoT wireless communications, Carolynn has been at the forefront of innovative technological advancements in her field.

Her current research focuses on smart embedded perception systems, where she leads projects that integrate sophisticated sensors and computing capabilities into compact, efficient designs. These systems are pivotal in advancing technologies for the circular economy and circular electronics, promoting sustainability and efficiency in technology development and usage.

Carolynn’s expertise and dedication to her work make her a valuable contributor to discussions on emerging technologies and their applications. Her insights into smart systems and sustainable technologies are informed by years of experience and a deep commitment to innovation in energy and environmental solutions.

Torsten Freund

Battery Passport Project Management – BASF

With overr 25 years of experience, Torsten excels in converting scientific chemistry into practical business solutions across industries such as agrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics. As BASF’s Battery Passport Project Manager, he leads efforts to innovate battery management and sustainability. Torsten’s extensive background in the chemical industry and his strategic leadership make him a key contributor to discussions on advancing battery technologies.

Daniel Monfort

Project Manager – BRGM/MADITRACE

Daniel is an experienced Project Manager at BRGM, where he has built a strong reputation in the field of environmental technologies. With over a decade of expertise, Daniel initially concentrated on seismic risks before transitioning in 2018 to the Environment-Ecotechnologies team. Here, he has focused on critical areas such as construction waste, secondary resources, and the circular economy.

At BRGM, Daniel is a driving force behind several major projects, including CREATE, FutuRaM, and Scarcyclet, all aimed at enhancing resource efficiency and sustainability. Notably, he serves as the scientific coordinator for the Horizon Europe MaDiTraCe project, which is dedicated to advancing the traceability of battery metal origins, a key component in ensuring sustainable and ethical supply chains for energy transition materials.

Thomas Fell

CEO – GS1 Germany

Thomas is the dynamic CEO of GS1 Germany, a leading figure in transforming how businesses communicate and share information in the digital age. With over 30 years of experience in IT and business, Thomas is at the forefront of exploring and shaping the future of digital transformation, including innovations such as Blockchain, the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, and robotics.

At GS1 Germany, Thomas spearheads a team dedicated to redefining how information is exchanged across diverse systems and processes. In an increasingly complex world, where different systems and methods can complicate even basic communication, GS1’s global standards offer a unified language that simplifies and enhances the way businesses connect with customers, partners, and suppliers.

Thomas’s passion for digital transformation is matched by his commitment to addressing the economic, ecological, and social challenges of our time. As a father of three digital natives, he is acutely aware of the evolving landscape that the next generation will inherit and is driven by a profound sense of responsibility to shape a better future.

Cornelia Frentz

Director Governance and Sustainable Investing – European Circular Bioeconomy Fund (ECBF)

Cornelia leads the European Circular Bioeconomy Fund’s ESG team. Among other things, her team conducts the ESG due diligence of potential investment targets, carries out the fund’s ESG monitoring and accounting, writes ESG reports and takes care of compliance with regulatory requirements.

Cornelia is an equity investment professional with 10+ years’ experience in the management of shareholdings and strategic projects in Europe and the Americas with a focus on the financial services industry. She is experienced as board member and in the realm of political decision-making. She majored in commercial law and international business.

Carsten Gerhardt

Partner, Initiator – EY & Circular Valley

Carsten is a Partner at Ernst & Young Global Consulting Services, focusing on Circular Economy, since June 2023. He also serves as Chairman and Initiator of the Circular Valley Foundation, promoting circular economy initiatives in the Greater Rhine Ruhr Area since December 2020. Previously, he was a Partner at A.T. Kearney for nearly 15 years and a Consultant at The Boston Consulting Group for over 9 years. His expertise includes sustainability and circular economy transformation.

Dr. Ilias Iakovidis

Adviser, Digital Aspects of Green Transition – EU Commission – DG CONNECT

Ilias is an esteemed Adviser at DG CONNECT within the European Commission, where he focuses on the intersection of digital and green transitions. His work is centered on evaluating the genuine (net) impact of digitalisation on environmental and climate outcomes. Ilias is also deeply involved in advancing the digitally-enabled transition to a circular economy, notably through initiatives such as the Digital Product Passport.

With a distinguished career spanning over 25 years, Ilias has been a pivotal contributor to the EU Agenda on eHealth and ICT for Active and Healthy Ageing prior to 2017. His extensive experience and expertise have shaped numerous initiatives aimed at harnessing digital technologies for sustainable development and improved quality of life.

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dieter Wegener

Vice President & Head of External Cooperation at Siemens Technology

Dieter Wegener is VP & Head of External Cooperation at Siemens Technology since 2016.

After four years as consultant for McKinsey he joined Siemens in 1996 as Head of Gas Turbine Engineering at “Power Generation”. He held various positions, as a personal Assistant for an Executive Board Member, as Chief Technology Officer for the Business Division “Industry Solutions” and as VP & Head of R&D -Organization “Advanced Technologies & Standards” for the Industry Sector.

Furthermore, he is chair of the BDI Taskforce DPP and Chair of the ZVEI Management Circle “Industry 4.0”. He graduated in Aeronautical and Aerospace Technology and worked as a scientist at the German Aerospace Center (DLR).

Dr. Johannes Simböck

Division Manager - Transformation of The Economic Environment – Acatech

Johannes has been with Acatech – German Academy of Engineering Sciences, since 2018, holding various roles. As of June 2024, he is the Division Manager for ‘Transformation of the Business Environment’. Since April 2022, he has also been the Team Lead for BatteryPass. Johannes holds a PhD in industrial chemistry from RWTH Aachen and has studied chemistry at TU München and UC Berkeley.

Femke Zijlstra

Senior Sustainability Manager – Avery Dennison Smartrac

Born and raised in the Netherlands with a background in material science, product and business development, Femke is a motivated business leader in the international (textile) industry, working with technology driven companies like Nike, PVH and DyeCoo textile dyeing systems.

Femke has always been passionate about using technology for a more sustainable future that enables circularity and contributes to carbon footprint reduction. Femke enjoys building bridges between commercial and technical professionals, because she speaks the language of technique and business. Femke is ambitious to collaborate with purposeful leaders (big and small) to create sustainable value and impact.

 

Dr. Iain Woebcken Fraser

Head of Digital Solutions, – RCS Global, Program Advisor, Germany

Iain brings extensive experience in the automotive, public sector and consulting industries to drive digital product development at RCS. Iain acquired expert industry and academic knowledge on responsible sourcing, human rights due diligence, implementing and managing sustainability in supply chain management, as well as strategies for technology and innovation as enablers and drivers of transparency and improved sustainability in multi-tier supply chains.

Dr. Lukas Moschko

Business Unit Development Manager – Bosch Connected Industry & Platform Industry 4.0

Lukas works for Bosch Connected Industry, the IIoT software house of Bosch, in business unit development and portfolio management, including strategic positioning towards new technologies and products. With his expertise and interest in (digital) innovation and technology management, he is committed to driving digital transformation and Industry 4.0. He wants to further develop how they create value for companies and society, e.g. in emerging B2B ecosystems and through appropriate business models. Lukas is actively involved in associations such as the German “Platform Industry 4.0” and ZVEI (Electro and Digital Industry Association), where he participates in the “Forum DPP4.0”, which coordinates collaborations for the design and implementation of digital product passports.