Our vision for the circular economy goes beyond recycling: it requires an organisation to radically rethink its relationships with suppliers and end-users too, accessing new skills and developing new incentives, so that value is retained and regenerated as waste is avoided as much as possible and materials are re-circulated within the system.
For example, consumer furore around plastics has sparked a frenzy of activity in this space: improvements to recycling, inventing compostable alternatives, creating models for monetising and reusing plastic items like cups and bottles, spurring activism, such as the ‘plastic attacks’ rejecting packaging in-store, and cleaning up existing pollution, as well as a spate of business and government pledges. Yet, our failure thus far to translate the attention into meaningful, widespread change shows the importance of taking a step back, looking at the root of the problem, and asking how we can restructure the whole system.
If you would like any further information on our work on the circular economy please don’t hesitate to contact Principal Project Manager, Martin Hunt. His recent article on the built environment can be read here.
We're tracking this challenge live on the Futures Centre, head over to see what #signalsofchange we're spotting.
The #OneLess campaign has been leading the charge against ocean plastic pollution since 2016, focusing on the pervasive single-use plastic water bottle. Because everything we do touches the ocean. Read more
We undertook an investigation to understand how the automotive industry is exploring closed loop models, where are the opportunities, barriers and recommendations for a more sustainable automotive industry. Read more
A new Forum report shines a light on the huge untapped potential of fashion manufacturers to contribute to the fashion sector’s circular transformation and highlights the opportunity to recalibrate industry power dynamics as the industry emerges from the COVID-19 crisis. Read more
Promising convenience, affordability and choice for busy consumers, food delivery services have burgeoned in recent years, particularly in Asia. In 2015, the Asia Pacific region accounted for nearly half the total value of global home food delivery, and it’s expected to be the industry’s fastest growing region in the next 2 years. Read more
“The future of the building marketplace is one where traditional construction is a thing of the past, where reconstruction and redeployment are commonplace. A world where buildings can be flexibly changed, adapted, expanded and reduced according to demand or use. Read more