In this episode of Conversations with Agents of Change, Jacqueline Gibson, director at International Synergies NI, explains how industrial symbiosis turns other people’s waste into valuable local resources—saving money, cutting carbon, and strengthening supply chains. She frames the work as practical, human, and scalable: matchmakers who connect companies, measure cost and carbon savings, and spark creative reuse across sectors.
“We believe that there’s no such thing as a waste, but waste is actually just a resource in the wrong place.” -Jacqueline Gibson
Jacqueline’s commitment grew from a childhood split between West Africa and Northern Ireland—seeing both environmental fragility and the human impacts of resource extraction. That perspective fuels her belief that local circular action in developed economies can reduce pressure on global supply chains and deliver social as well as environmental value. Her style blends practical matchmaking, data-driven reporting, and a knack for getting diverse stakeholders into the same room.
Jacqueline’s approach makes the circular economy accessible and actionable for everyday businesses. Rather than waiting for sweeping regulation, she shows how simple changes—better segregation, local matchmaking, and creative reuse—deliver immediate cost savings, landfill diversion, and scope 3 emissions reductions. Her work demonstrates that sustainability can be both practical and profitable.
How Industrial Symbiosis actually works
- Scan and map: International Synergies visits sites, audits waste streams and procurement needs, and logs materials in a database.
- Match and facilitate: The program matches surplus materials (e.g., offcuts, sacks, pallets, machinery capacity) with local demand and facilitates introductions—more than an app, it’s hands-on matchmaking.
- Measure and report: They quantify cost savings, landfill diversion, virgin material avoidance, and carbon savings for both parties and report results to funders.
- Scale across sectors: Workshops bring together unexpected partners—construction, hospitality, manufacturing, social enterprises—because 90% of materials flow outside their original sector.
She also gave us real impact examples such as a recent three‑hour workshop with 22 organisations identified £14 million in potential savings. International Synergies has operated in 50+ countries and reports 50+ million tonnes of CO₂ saved (and notes this is likely underreported). Typical participants save on waste disposal, sometimes earn revenue from surplus materials, and gain more resilient local supply chains.
How you can act now
- For businesses: Start by mapping what you buy and what you discard. Ask: can that output be someone else’s input?
- For leaders: Bring finance and procurement into the conversation—savings only stick when decision‑makers are involved.
- For individuals: Small choices add up—reuse, refuse single‑use items, and champion reuse schemes at work.
Take the next step
- Learn more about Jacqueline’s work and the Industrial Symbiosis program: Visit International Synergies — https://international-synergies.com/
- Connect with Jacqueline: Follow her on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacquelinegibson/
- Listen to the full episode: Find the complete conversation on Conversations with Agents of Change to hear the full stories, workshop examples, and Jacqueline’s practical tips.
Apple Podcast
No responses yet