The circular economy is no longer a new concept, but a way companies must move forward.
Thus, the question is rather: Why, but How?
How could you promote Circular Economy in your organization?
How to get people in your organization to know about the Circular Economy.
Follow these steps to get your Circular Economy idea off the ground
Step 1: Introduction to Circular Economy
One thing to keep in mind is that not everyone in your organization knows about the Circular Economy. Some of them might not have even heard of the concept before. That is why this first step is very important to make sure everyone is on the same page before you start pitching your idea.
Note: Recycle more which has been around for half of century, but only 14% of trash is collected for recycling, and only 2% of them processing in a closed loop
Worth mentioning here is the difference between Circular Economy and Linear Economy and Recycling Economy.
Step 2: Draw the Circular Economy idea for your organization
There is no One-Size-Fit-All Circular Economy model.
Each organization/business will need to come up with its own way to embed the Circular Economy into their organization, which requires you to have a deep understanding of your organizational context, including within and outside the organization.
Hereunder are some priorities for different department/position within an organization.
Strategy/ Senior management | Operations/ Procurement | R&D / Innovation | Marketing |
Growth Reputation Disruption potential Competitors Regulation Cost saving | Cost reduction Waste avoidance Availability of raw material Efficiency | New products & service opportunities Product to service Packaging commitment Regulation | Addressing customers' needs & problems Maintain & reflecting brand purpose and position Attracting & retaining customers Unique communicating story |
As much as you can learn from other examples or benchmark your organization against others, you need to adapt it to fit for your organization needs/ capabilities.
Step 3: Write your pitch
The finally step for your pitch is getting people, especially leaders in your organization to buy-in your idea. Here are some tips you can practice on.
- Keep a clear structure and keep it simple so other people can understand. It will mean nothing if you have a beautiful idea, but nobody understands or supports it.
- Always keep asking questions and seeking feedback. Circular Economy model demands cooperation between different departments. Thus, you need to get insights from them to better sharpen your initiative. Furthermore, it is very common that a non-CE expert could have an amazing CE idea.
Reference:
- Ellen MacArthur Foundation
- Circular Economy, Recycling Economy or Material Economy.
- Twist & Turn: Why your circular business model needs more than just a push