Circular Economy, Systems Thinking and Leadership

How to Drive Systemic Change in Your Organisation

In-person, three days, 9 – 11 September 2026 from 09:00 – 15:00 CET at the Hotel Miramare, Crikvenica, CROATIA.

Transitioning to circular economy principles has proven to be frustratingly challenging for most leaders. Not only is a deeper understanding of circular principles needed but, equally important, also an in depth awareness of Systems Thinking and indeed Leadership itself to successfully drive enduring, systemic change.

Trainer, Rationale, Options, Dates

Trainer: Relevant career accomplishments in Leadership and the Circular Economy can be seen here: Dr Gordana Kierans

Rationale: From my EU and global efforts as both a Leadership and Circular Economy consultant, coach, Professor and, recently as one of the Board Members of Circle Economy Foundation in Amsterdam, I have witnessed firsthand the frustrating and often insurmountable challenges most leaders face when trying to systemically transform their companies.
Witnessing these leaders facing such disappointments has led me to develop and now offer this 3-Day training programme that presents an in-depth understanding of Systems Thinking and also essential new strategies of Leadership.

When: 9 – 11 September 2026 from 09:00 – 15:00 CET at the Hotel Miramare, Crikvenica, CROATIA. (p.s. Consider bringing your family along to enjoy the sun, beaches and warm culture of Croatia just after after the high-season.)

Course Description

The transition from a linear to a circular economy is not merely a technical shift – it is a systemic transformation that challenges how you and your organisation create value, manages resources, and engages stakeholders. At the same time, increasing complexity, uncertainty, and interdependence requires leaders who can think in systems, act strategically, and lead across boundaries.

This three-day programme integrates the foundational principles of the circular economy with Systems Thinking and Leadership practice. Participants will explore how value is created – and lost – in linear systems, how circular strategies such as “The 9Rs” and circular business models can be applied, and how Systems Mapping enables better decision-making in complex environments.

The programme goes beyond tools and frameworks. It equips participants with the Leadership Mindset and capabilities required to intervene effectively in complex systems by aligning your stakeholders, navigating trade-offs, and driving meaningful, scalable change.

Programme Objectives

By the end of this programme, participants will be able to:

Understand the principles and the compelling economic logic of the circular economy and apply key frameworks such as “The 9Rs” and circular business models.
Analyse systems by using Systems Thinking tools, including Causal Loop Diagrams and System Mapping.
Identify leverage points for intervention in your specific complex organisational and industrial systems.
Apply leadership approaches specifically suited for systemic change, including Adaptive Leadership and Stakeholder Alignment.
Translate circular and systemic insights into actionable strategies within your unique organisational context.

Who Should Attend

This programme is designed for private and public sector professionals involved in Strategy, Sustainability, Operations, Innovation, and Transformation, including:

Board Members, Executives and all Senior Managers responsible for Sustainability or Strategy Transformation.
Engineers and Technical Specialists involved in Resource Management and Design.
Policy-makers and Advisors shaping Sustainability Frameworks.

Programme Structure & Curriculum

Day 1 – Circular Economy: From Linear to Regenerative Systems

In our first day, we will establish the conceptual and strategic foundation of the circular economy, positioning it as the only response strategy to the resource constraints, climate pressures, and economic inefficiencies you confront in your organisation.

The session will begin with an analysis of the limitations of the traditional linear “take–make–waste” model, including material losses, embodied carbon, and systemic inefficiencies across all value chains. Participants will explore how circularity reframes value creation, moving from waste management to performance and regeneration.

In the next step, we will introduce participants to the “The 9Rs” hierarchy, which highlights circular strategies from, for example, Redesign to Recycling. The discussion will move beyond theory by analysing trade-offs and prioritisation within hierarchies. Real-world case studies, and examples from the participants will illustrate how your organisation can best operationalise circularity.

Participants are then introduced to circular business models, drawing on established typologies defined by Unilever and Forum for the Future.

The day concludes with an introduction to value chain mapping, allowing participants to identify material flows, waste streams, and circular opportunities within their own unique circumstances.

Day 2 – Systems Thinking: Understanding Complexity and Interdependencies

The second day shifts from “what” to “how”, focusing on understanding the complexity of systems in which circular strategies must operate in your environment.

Participants are introduced to Systems Thinking Principles, including feedback loops, delays, non-linearity, and unintended consequences.

A central component of the day is Systems Mapping. Participants learn how to:

Develop Causal Loop Diagrams (CLDs) to visualise reinforcing and balancing feedback within their organisations.
Map stakeholders, material flows, and information flows within your organisation.

The concept of Leverage Points (building on Donella Meadows’ work) is explored in depth, helping participants understand where interventions in their organisation can create the strongest impact.

Participants will apply these tools to their own unique circular economy challenges, such as waste systems, supply chains, or urban systems, highlighting how poorly designed interventions can lead to negative rebound effects or system resistance.

Day 3 – Leadership for Systemic Change

The third day focuses on the human and organisational dimensions of transformation: specifically highlighting the role of Leadership in your organisation.

On this last day, we will help participants explore why many circular and sustainability initiatives can fail, despite strong technical foundations, thereby avoiding these pitfalls in your distinctive context. This discussion will highlight potential organisational inertia, misaligned incentives, and stakeholder conflicts.

Key Leadership approaches are introduced, including:

Adaptive Leadership for navigating uncertainty and complexity.
Systems Leadership for working across your organisational and sectoral boundaries.
Stakeholder Engagement Frameworks, including power-interest dynamics and salience model.
Empowerment, including the Snowflake Model.
“Incentive Mapping.” Why would a CFO hate a circular model? Why would a supplier resist?

The highlight of the three days is a final-day opportunity to make a presentation illustrating your own unique challenges and your proposed solutions. This offers you invaluable peer assessment and feedback from your fellow participants.

Summary

In a world of increasing VUCA, your ability to think and lead systemically is your greatest corporate – and also career – competitive advantage.

This training, “Circular Economy, Systems Thinking and Leadership: How to Drive Systemic Change in Your Organisation will equip you with the strategies and positive mindset to turn resource constraints into regenerative opportunities and overcome organisational inertia via into positive, collective action.

Workshop Fee

Standard: € 2,400.00 per person (9 – 11 September 2026, 09:00 – 15:00 CEST).

Note: The price includes the seminar room, lunches and coffee breaks but excludes accommodation and travel. However, MGT OPEN has reserved a small number of rooms on a first-come-first-serve basis at the host venue Hotel Miramare, Crikvenica. MGT OPEN can also organise for you an experienced tour guide for visits to nearby Krk Island or a tour of the Vinodol Valley. For more information, please visit our page about workshop location.

Refund Policy

Full refunds are available for cancellations made by 31 July 2026, in line with our venue’s booking terms. After this date, registrations are non-refundable, but you may transfer your place to another person from your organisation, or to one of our later 2026 programmes, at no charge.

So, are you ready to lead the inevitable circular economy shift and truly transform your system and thereby secure your organisation’s future?

Then register today!