The New European Reuse Alliance (New ERA) has announced the first recipients of its Reuse Champions Award, a new annual recognition celebrating individuals whose leadership, persistence and measurable impact are helping make reusable packaging systems the norm across Europe.
Presented for the first time during the REuse Economy Expo in Paris on the 19th-20th of May, the award recognises individuals who have made outstanding contributions to advancing reuse systems through industry innovation, policy leadership, education, measurable impact or long-term commitment. Each year, up to three Reuse Champions will be appointed by NewERA’s Board of Directors, ensuring the title remains meaningful and prestigious. Past champions retain their status, becoming long-term ambassadors for the reuse movement.
The honor of having been appointed the first three Reuse Champions fall on:
- Catherine Conway, founder of Unpackaged, the world’s first modern zero waste shop and a pioneer of refill, reuse and zero waste retail.
- Boris Palmer, Mayor of Tübingen, Germany, recognised for introducing and defending a landmark city-wide tax on single-use takeaway packaging.
- Alexis Dusanter, founder of Bocoloco and operator of Go Réemploi, recognised as a next-generation leader helping build a national reuse model in France.
“Reuse systems do not scale by themselves. They are built by people who challenge the status quo, bring others together, and turn ideas into practical systems,” said Iara Beekma Reis, Head of Business Development at New ERA. “With the Reuse Champions Award, New ERA wants torecognise the individuals whose courage, creativity and persistence are making reuse visible,viable and scalable.”
Recognising pioneers, policymakers and system-builders
The 2026 Reuse Champions reflect the diversity of leadership needed to advance the reuse economy: entrepreneurship, local policy innovation, and system-level implementation.
Catherine Conway founded Unpackaged in 2006, the world’s first modern zero waste shop, and has been championing reuse ever since. Ten years ago, she brought together a team of experts to grow the initiative into GoUnpackaged, now the UK’s leading reuse consultancy. Through GoUnpackaged, Catherine and her team work with businesses, governments and NGOs to develop real-world reuse models and deliver evidence-based research that helps shape effective reuse policy. Catherine also contributes to the national policy landscape through her role on DEFRA’s Circular Economy Taskforce.
“Some people join a movement when it becomes popular. Some people join when the evidence is overwhelming. And then there are people like Catherine Conway, who start building themovement before most people even have the words for it,” said Jeannette Morath - New ERA Treasurer.
Boris Palmer, Mayor of Tübingen in Germany, has demonstrated how municipal leadership can directly accelerate reuse. Under his leadership, Tübingen introduced a city-wide tax on single-use takeaway packaging in 2022, applying a charge to disposable food and beverage containers, cutlery and straws. The measure led to a significant increase in businesses offering reusable alternatives, reduced the use of disposable packaging among local eateries, and generated revenue that could be reinvested into environmental initiatives. The policy was challenged in court by a McDonald’s franchisee and ultimately upheld by Germany’s Federal Constitutional Court in 2025, creating a landmark precedent for cities seeking to reduce single-use packaging and support reusable systems.“
Boris Palmer did not only introduce a reuse policy. He defended it, and won,” said Tobias Bielenstein - New ERA Vice President. “His work shows that cities can be powerful drivers of change when they are willing to act.”
Alexis Dusanter represents a new generation of reuse leaders focused on turning ambition into operational reality. Through Bocoloco and his work as operator of Go Réemploi, the project responsible for developing a national reuse model in France, he has built deep expertise in the practical implementation of reusable packaging systems. His work focuses on connecting stakeholders, overcoming operational barriers and creating the conditions for reuse to scale beyond pilots.
“Alexis Dusanter embodies the future of European reuse leadership,” said Célia Rennesson -New ERA Board Member, Founder and Director of Réseau Vrax France and of The Reuse Economy Expo. “He understands both the vision and the practical work required to build reusable systems that can operate at scale.”
Why Reuse Champions matter
New ERA launched the Reuse Champions Award to highlight that the transition to reuse is not only a matter of regulation or infrastructure, but also of leadership. Reuse requires entrepreneurs willing to build new models, policymakers willing to create the right conditions, researchers and educators who strengthen the evidence base, and system-builders who can connect actors across the value chain.
The award is aligned with New ERA’s broader mission to position reuse as a mainstream part of Europe’s circular economy. Reuse is not a niche or a symbolic solution: when scaled, it can reduce packaging waste, cut material consumption, lower greenhouse gas emissions, create jobs and support more resilient local and European value chains.
“Europe needs reuse systems that are practical, competitive and easy to adopt,” said Fernando Rodríguez-Mata, Director General of New ERA. “Catherine, Boris, and Alexis show that this is already happening, in shops, cities, national systems and policy debates. Their work proves that reuse is not a distant ambition. It is being built now.”