Plastics are fantastic! Those of you who’ve heard some of my ‘tree-hugging’ talks might think I’m being sarcastic…but plastics have transformed our lives for the better, in everything from transport to technology.
I want to persuade you that we should value plastic, and keep it circulating instead of chucking it away.
Small business can benefit from circular economy approaches. Peter Desmond outlines how you can get started by considering 6 P’s: Products, Processes, Policies, Peer to Peer sharing, Practice and Packaging.
Examining the constraints inhibiting progress towards a circular economy for mobile phones in South Africa
Article by Catherine, published in Intelligent Sourcing magazine, August 2017 In the endless quest to deliver value, innovative procurement teams are taking a different perspective. Systems thinking approaches are helping to ‘close the loop’ on resources and waste: reducing business risk, increasing resilience and creating long-term strategic benefits. Discussing the circular economy with procurement teams… Read More »The circular economy: a key tool in your procurement toolbox
Catherine’s article for a new UN publication examines the vital role procurement plays in driving sustainable development – both for today’s generation and the ones to follow. Read the full article in the Rethink Global blog. Here is an overview of the magazine… Procurement: Why new thinking is needed to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals… Read More »Rethinking procurement for a circular economy
This article explores how you can use procurement to make a social impact in manufacturing, agriculture and extractive industry supply chains, helping disadvantaged workers and communities.
Ready to take the first steps towards ‘closing the loop’ on your products and materials? Are you finding it difficult to spark interest with your colleagues? Or everyone is keen, but you’re not sure where to start. Maybe you have to reconfigure the office to make it Covid-secure? Why not start with easy-to-do, low risk changes – starting with office consumables and equipment.
The circular economy creates and captures new value for businesses, and adds extra dimensions to supply chains. It’s gaining momentum as a critical tool for future-fit businesses. Nike, M&S, Renault and many others are developing circular products and services. Circular start-ups are thriving. My book explores the drivers and benefits of the circular economy in… Read More »A supply chain revolution: how the circular economy unlocks new value
The United States, along with the rest of the ‘post-industrial’ world, faces complex issues: manufacturing jobs lost, real wages down, dependence on fossil fuels and imported goods.
Instead of making ‘sweeping statements’, newly elected President Trump could ‘sweep up’ waste to make new products, and grow remanufacturing (already worth US $45 billion each year).
The circular economy can help the US – and your business – thrive.
Researching for my new book, A Circular Economy Handbook for Business and Supply Chains, I found lots of forward-thinking businesses using the circular economy to create new products, open up new markets, and deliver new value for their stakeholders.