Circular business models promise a genuine shift in how the industry creates and captures value. They aim to extend product use, decouple revenue from resource consumption and move the sector away from the linear take-make-waste model. They’ve become mainstream in brand strategies and cultural norms have evolved, but when it comes to sustainability, what role do they actually play?
Research shows that secondhand and new purchases often rise together. Many take-back and resale programs depend on incentives that encourage additional buying. Some rental schemes carry high transport footprints. Repairs risk becoming niche services rather than drivers of reduced production. As of yet, no circular business model offers a commercially viable alternative to the linear system. In some cases, they enable a moral license to consume more.
In this session we’ll hear from industry leaders on where circular models genuinely outperform linear approaches, where they fall short, and what it will take to scale beyond pilots for system-wide change.
What to expect from this type of session...
Main stage sessions, but not as you know them. Because we’re off-the-record, leading experts can speak candidly about their experience with what works, and what doesn’t. At least half the session is dedicated to audience insights and questions to ensure we tackle the big issues head on.
