The Circular Economy is a "metaverse" with attractive business opportunities that only strategically dynamic and creative organizations will access. If we transcend the regulatory dimension of waste regulation, we will discover new business models of which no traditional sector is the natural owner.
It is true that circular practices are not in themselves a novelty. Materials recycling, driven by efficiency, regulation and decarbonization, is part of the operations of many industrial and consumer companies. On the other hand, separating household waste into fractions is part of our daily life.
But putting into practice the Circular Economy is much more than recycling. Thinking and acting circularly responds to a particular way of seeing the world as a set of finite resources that must be optimized through formulas such as sustainable design, responsible consumption, reuse or regeneration. These concepts are already invented, what is transformative is to consider them a priority vs. waste landfilling, the last option.
I observe that companies ahead of their time are finding innovative ways to take advantage of the new circular winds, such as:
- Taking strategic positions in the new solutions and value chains fostered by regulation.
- Collaborating with environmental partners to reduce their waste and share the benefits of a greater valorization of their resources.
- Promoting ecosystems that connect the supply and demand of reusable products.
- Adopting management systems, alone or in collaboration with other organizations, to maximize the utilization and useful life of their assets.
- Integrating employability of their senior collaborators as one of the criteria for designing and developing their professional careers.
Effectively integrating the principles of the Circular Economy into the strategy and operations of companies requires attitude, responsibility and common sense. Civil society provides the levers and technology turns them into solutions.