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Circular Economy Magazine Events Impact Inspiration & Initiatives

Circling Back: Sparx Publishing Group’s Year in Review 2025

Welcome to 2026! Challenges abound, but hope thrives in even greater measure, and purpose, community, and authentic storytelling are poised to take on a starring role.

As we embark on this new phase in our purpose-driven marketing journey, we’re reflecting on everything that made our 2025 a tale worth telling.

Keep scrolling for a look at some of Sparx’s brightest moments from the past year, including the debut of Circular Economy Magazine, our biggest mission-aligned event circuit to date, exciting values-driven partnerships, and more.

Debuting Circular Economy Magazine

In April, we launched the inaugural edition of our brand-new publication, Circular Economy Magazine. Made in collaboration with Circular Economy Leadership Canada (CELC) and Circular Innovation Council (CIC), the magazine explores what’s possible for the circular economy in Canada and highlights the exceptional organizations, governments, and businesses driving its awareness and adoption.

Making its debut at the Canadian Circular Economy Summit 2025, the bilingual issue dives into the inspiring stories of Canada Plastics Pact, CERIEC, CSA Group, Debrand, Fondaction, Fashion Takes Action (FTA) and the Canadian Circular Textiles Consortium (CCTC), L’Oréal Canada, Reverse Logistics Group (RLG) and Reconomy, Twenifor, Ville de Montréal, and featured special editorials on megatrends and key enablers from guest authors Paul Shorthouse and Jo-Anne St. Godard.

Following the success of Circular Economy Magazine at the Summit, we’ve decided to expand, with the goal of producing two issues a year, every year. We see Canada’s adoption of the circular economy as an integral step toward safeguarding the future for the generations to come, ensuring long-term wellbeing for all, and making the world better. 

That’s why we’re excited to grow the community around the magazine, spark connections with sustainability leaders, and share stories that inspire, all with the aim of supporting the acceleration and adoption of a circular future.

We invite leaders who are passionate about building a circular economy to join us by reading the magazine, spreading the word, and purchasing copies to equip your team with zero-waste insights. And, for greater impact, for every 12 copies purchased, two copies will be gifted to a Canadian post-secondary institution to inspire tomorrow’s circular economy leaders.

Other ways to support accelerating a circular future include exclusive advertising and sponsorship opportunities; the magazine is an ideal vehicle to help organizations tell their story, advance circular economy initiatives, and support made in Canada content. 

We’re proud of the good being amplified through Circular Economy Magazine, thankful to all the organizations that helped make Issue 1 a reality, and we look forward to continuing our circular economy journey.

Participating in Mission-Aligned Events

In 2025, we expanded our mission-aligned events circuit, travelling across Canada to join forces with changemakers, share insights, and support important initiatives in sectors we’re passionate about, from social purpose to sustainability. 

Here’s a list of some of the events we attended, along with our highlights:

Purpose Connections

Our Sparx-hosted impact events stretched beyond external events; we also co-organized four Purpose Connections sessions with Tessa Vanderkop, Purpose Advisor, Trainer, and Community Builder. 

Purpose Connections is a free, online gathering that brings together social purpose leaders, professionals, and advocates to tackle topics related to the purpose economy and integration of purpose into core business strategy. Replays of each webinar are available to watch on demand. 

In 2025, we explored the following topics:

Purpose-Driven Events

As part of our ongoing initiative to amplify and unite changemakers in our local community and beyond, we continued to build out our Purpose-Driven Events website, helping individuals and organizations find learning and networking opportunities that will help reach their impact goals, grow their audience, and connect with other like-minded folks. 

Additionally, we continued to spotlight purpose-driven events happening in Canada and internationally via our quarterly event blogs.

Be sure to visit our website regularly to discover events taking place in 2026!

Establishing New Collaborations

When it comes to purpose-driven partnerships, 2025 was a banner year for Sparx! We were proud to collaborate with so many like-minded individuals and organizations to make a real impact. 

PNW Climate Week

PNW Climate Week is a regional, community-powered event series that shines a spotlight on the Pacific Northwest’s role in climate leadership and innovation, so it was a natural fit for us as a Vancouver-based marketing agency to be a marketing partner for this year’s edition. 

We’re proud to have helped contribute to this regional event’s success and 2025’s significant media growth by crafting a series of social media posts, including ones that promoted events at the start and end of the week.

Circular Innovation Council

Along with teaming up with Circular Economy Leadership Canada and Circular Innovation Council to produce the first issue of Circular Economy Magazine, we continued our partnership with CIC to share their insights and tell the story of Circular Economy Month, an initiative we’ve been fans of for a long time.

Coast Waste Management Association

Coast Waste Management Association (CWMA) began in 1995 as a collaborative effort between the Capital Regional District, the Comox Valley Regional District, and the Regional District of Nanaimo to discuss and find solutions for managing solid waste, particularly in the unique coastal environment of British Columbia. Today, CWMA has grown to be a highly regarded membership association, serving a network of thousands of industry professionals.

As a proud CWMA Heritage Preservation Partner at its Annual Conference in Victoria, we had the pleasure of speaking with four community members who have had a front-row seat to the progress CWMA has made and where it is heading. Plus, we had a blast attending this year’s ‘90s-themed conference!

Metro Vancouver and National Zero Waste Council

Anyone who’s followed Sparx for a few years is familiar with our history of attending and sharing insights from the Zero Waste Conference, presented by Metro Vancouver in collaboration with the National Zero Waste Council, an event focused on waste prevention, circular solutions, and climate. 

And in 2025, we were proud to be a partner for this game-changing event, to share the story of how it has evolved throughout the years, and to attend the 2025 edition alongside around 400 Canadian and international delegates.

Walking Our Talk

Beyond our efforts to collaborate with like-minded individuals and organizations, strengthen our connections at mission-aligned events, and amplify the important work of inspiring changemakers, we strive to “walk our talk” every day as a team and within our operations. 

Make The World Better Day 2025

Our annual Sparx team event, Make The World Better Day, was “better” than ever! We celebrated big wins, including onboarding purpose-driven clients and community building; dove into a team-oriented strategy session, where we worked together to tackle upcoming Circular Economy Magazine goals; and wrapped up the day at Food Stash Foundation, where we packaged over 100 fresh produce boxes in support of the front-of-house market team.

Donating to Important Causes

Another way we support the crucial work of world-changing organizations in our community and beyond is to contribute monetarily. 

To this end, we’re privileged to work with clients, such as the Canadian Securities Exchange, that host and participate in events that help fund various charities. This includes the CSE’s Summit on Responsible Investment (SoRI), which helps raise money for the Central Okanagan Food Bank via contributions from attendees; Bay Street Rides FAR, an initiative that the CSE team bikes every year, which raises money for Autism Science Foundation Canada; and the CSE Market Close With José Bautista for SickKids event, which united Blue Jays legend “Joey Bats” and the SickKids Foundation to raise money for a good cause—all of which we proudly supported both by contributing financially and boosting awareness.

Our 2026 Outlook

At Sparx, there’s so much we’re looking forward to in the year ahead!

We’ll be doing what we do best all year-long: using marketing to advance important causes, amplify the impact of values-driven brands, and make the world better.

Speaking of impactful storytelling, Issue 2 of Circular Economy Magazine is already in the works! Focused on a specific, game-changing theme, we’ve got a line-up of fascinating participants who will be sharing their inspiring stories. We can’t wait to publish the second edition and to continue exploring what’s possible for the circular economy in Canada and beyond.

We’ll also be co-organizing new Purpose Connection sessions and engaging in more collaborations throughout 2026.

Plus, we’ve started planning our event calendar for the year. Be sure to catch us at RCBC’s 2026 Circular Economy Conference: Connecting the Dots, Greater Purpose Conference West, Victoria Forum, the 2026 Canadian EPR Forum and more.

We’re excited to embark on 2026, find new stories to amplify, and make a lasting impact, together.

Write the Next Chapter of Your Purpose-Driven Story

Isn’t it time for your story to be heard? Sparx is here to amplify your impact and make your story shine. Let’s write the next purpose-driven chapter together. Contact us today for a free consultation.

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Events

15+ Purpose-Driven Events to Attend in January – March, 2026

A new year means plenty of new purpose-driven events to attend, offering fresh opportunities to drive positive change and spark connections with fellow changemakers across multiple areas of impact, including sustainability, DEI, social purpose, and more.

Here are 15+ learning, collaboration, and networking opportunities both online and in-person, in Canada and globally, to help you get started on your impact-driven resolutions.

Keep scrolling to learn all about the purpose-driven events happening this January, February, and March.

January

Brands for Better Meet-up – “People on a Mission” with Scot Sustad

Date: January 13, 2026
Location: Vancouver, BC

Description: Kick off 2026 with the Brands for Better purpose-driven community at an inspiring event focused on connection, collective action, and doing good.

An Introduction to Indigenous Governance

Date: January 20, 2026
Location: Online

Description: Strengthen your understanding of reconciliation and learn how to bring Indigenous governance principles into leadership and oversight with this session, organized by Cooperation Canada, in partnership with SevGen Consulting.

Building Ethical and Equitable Indigenous Partnerships

Date: January 20, 2026
Location: Online

Description: Hosted by the UN Global Compact Network Canada in partnership with the Muskoka Group, this 90-minute session will help Canadian businesses learn how to initiate and sustain meaningful partnerships with Indigenous communities.

JEDDI Seminar: Beyond Performative Allyship

Date: January 23, 2026
Location: Online

Description: This seminar addresses the systemic barriers and ideologies hindering meaningful progress on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) commitments, and how institutions can foster genuine change.

February

GreenBiz 26

Date: February 17, 2026
Location: Phoenix, AZ

Description: GreenBiz returns in 2026, providing changemakers with opportunities to connect with nearly 2,5000 corporate sustainability professionals and gain insights into advancing circular systems, what’s next in decarbonization and drawdown, change management, and more.

Global Standard Guidelines for Reaping the Benefits of DEI and Belonging

Date: February 18, 2026
Location: Online

Description: This workshop will empower businesses to dive into the world of diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies to foster belonging in the workplace using the ISO 30415:2021 Standard.

ECO IMPACT 2026 

Date: February 19, 2026
Location: Calgary, AB

Description: Connect with changemakers, explore emerging technologies, and gain green career insights at this event at the intersection of sustainability, innovation, and workforce development.

Inclusive Growth Summit

Date: February 24, 2026
Location: Vancouver, BC

Description: Participate in discussions about economic equality, empowering underrepresented entrepreneurs, and community development at this one-day summit designed to assist with inclusive portfolio development.

Clean Energy Summit

Date: February 25, 2026
Location: Burnaby, BC

Description: Join forces with leading voices from across Canada and beyond for three days of ideas, action, and collaboration, and explore how Burnaby is driving the clean energy conversation.

Waste to Resource Ontario 2026 Year Ahead AGM & Conference

Date: February 26, 2026
Location: Etobicoke, ON

Description: Gain insights into issues and opportunities facing the waste, recycling, and resource industry, and make connections at this event hosted by Waste to Resource Ontario (W2RO).

Connecting the Dots on Greener Events

Date: February 27, 2026
Location: Ottawa, ON

Description: Come connect the dots and discuss how events can become more sustainable through practical, achievable approaches to event design.

JEDDI Seminar: Understanding Reversals of EDI Initiatives

Date: February 27, 2026
Location: Online

Description: Attend this seminar to understand reversals of equity, diversity, and inclusion initiatives.

March

CCDI UNCONFERENCE 2026

Date: March 4, 2026
Location: Online

Description: Collaborate and share best practices with over 2,000 changemakers at this diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility conference presented by the Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion, and enjoy interactive workshops, experiential learning, and networking opportunities.

Blended Finance Summit 2026

Date: March 5, 2026
Location: Toronto, ON

Description: Gather with purpose-driven capital providers to drive meaningful environmental, social, and economic change across Canada at this summit presented by the Ontario Trillium Foundation, Thrive Impact Fund, and Spring.

International Women’s Day panel: Inspiration. Insight. Impact.

Date: March 10, 2026
Location: Online

Description: Tune in to this International Women’s Day webinar for a conversation celebrating women who are shaping the future of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in Canada.

Explore Circularity Day 2026

Date: March 19, 2026
Location: Calgary, AB

Description: Explore textile circularity and accelerate action with this one-day journey of shared learning and creativity, hosted by the Recycling Council of Alberta.

GFSI Conference

Date: March 24, 2026
Location: Vancouver, BC

Description: This global conversation, taking place in Vancouver, brings together over 1,000 decision makers to advance food safety and consumer trust worldwide.

Want More Purpose-Driven Events?

Check out our purpose-driven events website for regular updates on upcoming networking and learning opportunities taking place all year long. 

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