{"id":1977,"date":"2020-12-15T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-12-15T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/escp.eu\/thechoice\/?p=1977"},"modified":"2021-02-01T16:09:40","modified_gmt":"2021-02-01T16:09:40","slug":"circular-economy-understanding-the-issue-with-just-a-lookaround","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/escp.eu\/thechoice\/tomorrow-choices\/circular-economy-understanding-the-issue-with-just-a-lookaround\/","title":{"rendered":"Circular economy: understanding the issue with just a \u201cLook\u2019Around\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The circular economy is more than a buzzword. Over the last few years, the myth of the linear economy as the sole viable model has been deconstructed. And the possibility of a more circular, and as such, a sustainable economy increasingly promoted across business sectors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That said, do you still find yourself asking, what exactly IS a circular economy?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

To put it broadly, the linear economy is based on a traditional model of \u201ctake-make-waste\u201d, whereas the circular economy has a more \u201cproduct lifecycle\u201d approach. While recycling is often considered the figurehead of the circular economy, there are many other aspects to be taken into account. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTo make an economy fully circular, products have to be designed differently,\u201d conclude ESCP Professor of Environment and Economics, Sylvie Geisendorf, and PhD Candidate, Paul Wolf, in the ESCP Deloitte Chair\u2019s \u201cLook\u2019Around 2020\u201d<\/em><\/a>. \u201cThey have to contain materials that are available and unproblematic \u2013 ultimately only renewable ones \u2013 sourced in a non-destructive manner, in supportable amounts and assembled into compounds that can be disassembled after usage.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\u201cThe
\u00a9 Sylvie Geisendorf, Paul Wolf \u2013 \u201cThe circular economy: building an economy on the template of nature\u201d Look\u2019Around 2020\n<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

In his article titled \u201cThe circular economy: Four million business models and counting,\u201d<\/em> ESCP Professor for Corporate Sustainability Florian L\u00fcdeke-Freund explains that \u201cfor companies to create more circular production and consumption systems, they must develop and improve the reverse flows of their supply chains, and sooner or later that requires them to adapt their business models \u2013 for example, replacing non-renewable with renewable inputs, using recycled materials and creating products that are easier to refurbish or remanufacture.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this same article, Strategy Consultant at Monitor Deloitte, Dorian Bouveresse adds \u201cThe transition from a linear to a circular model involves indeed a complete change of mindset, a shared vision of the issues at stake and a risky initial investment phase. But it also requires to have a deep understanding of what a circular model actually means in practice.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Look\u2019Around: A collection of experts\u2019 articles on the circular economy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

To get a better overview and understand the stakes of the circular economy, the Deloitte ESCP Circular Economy chair<\/a> collected twelve articles by ESCP\u2019s professors and PhD students to create the \u201cLook\u2019Around 2020<\/em>“. Organized according to thematic entries and covering varied approaches, their contributions are enriched by the views and feedback of Deloitte experts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While each of the articles can be read independently, this bilingual report is built around three main themes: <\/p>\n\n\n\n