Reimagining the sharing economy for society through AI circularity & skills

A knowledge exchange workshop by the University of Bradford and ISO on rethinking socio-economic value in the sharing economy.
About this Event

The sharing economy has often been associated with digital platforms, peer-to-peer exchange, asset-sharing and new models of access over ownership. However, the field is now entering a new phase. Developments in artificial intelligence, the growing urgency of circular economy transition, the need for skills development, and the challenge of measuring social, economic and environmental outcomes all require a broader rethinking of the sharing economy’s role in society.

The workshop is intended as a forum for dialogue, evidence-sharing and agenda-setting among the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and it's Technical Committee on the Sharing Economy (ISO/TC 324), national standards bodies, industry, academia, civil society, consumer representatives, worker and professional bodies, local authorities and policymakers. It is designed to inform future standards work and identify practical pathways for trustworthy, inclusive and sustainable innovation in the sharing economy.

The workshop will explore how standards can help the sharing economy move beyond platform efficiency models towards broader public value: fairer access, stronger trust, better resource use, improved skills development, measurable circular outcomes, and more effective governance.

This workshop aims to:

• create a shared understanding of how AI, circularity and skills are reshaping the economic and societal role of the sharing economy;
• exchange evidence, case studies, use cases and standards perspectives from across sectors and regions;
• identify gaps, coordination needs and priorities for future work across relevant stakeholders (such as businesses, consumer, regulators);
• produce practical follow-up recommendations

Workshop audience

• ISO technical committee members, liaison organisations and working-group experts;
• Representatives of national standards bodies and standards policy leads;
• Platform businesses
• Representatives of local authorities
• Academics
• Representatives of consumer groups, worker and professional bodies, community organisations and social enterprises

The workshop will be facilitated by Prof. Vadim Grinevich, Dr Kuttimani Tamilmani and Prof. David Spicer and will feature keynote contributions, brief expert interventions, a panel discussion, and breakout conversations focused on key themes such as AI, circularity, skills, measurement and standards. The final part of the workshop will bring participants together to identify cross-cutting priorities, practical recommendations and opportunities for future collaboration.

Featured contributions:

Dr Diana Ivanova, University of Leeds, United Kingdom https://environment.leeds.ac.uk/see/staff/2625/dr-diana-ivanova

Dr Ilse Scheelinck, Free University Brussels, Belgium https://busi.research.vub.be/ilse-scheerlinck

Dr. Kernaghan Webb, Toronto Metropolitan University, Canada https://www.torontomu.ca/tedrogersschool/business-management/majors/law-and-business/faculty/kernaghan-webb/

Two types of tickets are available:

1. Select "Attendance in person" if you would like to join is in person
2. "Online attendace" is if you would like to join via MS Teams (a link will be sent out for this prior to the event.