More and more, manufacturing companies are debating what is referred to as the circular economy, circular business models, or circular operations — transformative approaches where businesses create supply chains that recycle, recover and repurpose the resources used to create their products. The Independent Policy Institute Chatham House describes the circular model as ‘redefining the economy around principles of designing out waste and pollution, keeping products and materials in use for as long as possible.

This executive summary examines the need and opportunity for manufacturers to transform to more sustainable operations, creating new opportunities and revenue streams that also reduce global consumption and waste.