Re: Design

Sustainable
Futures

Designing for circularity

In the face of continuous change and disruption, more businesses are attempting to fundamentally alter not only the way they work, but the way they think. Circular business models are one manifestation of this desire for change—and though they can’t be created overnight, the benefits they bring help people and the planet.

The positive impact of a circular economy

25%

Reduction in greenhouse gas emissions

$200bn

Saved each year

700,000

New jobs created worldwide

Source: UNEPFI

Key insight

“The linear business model that’s governed commerce since the Industrial Revolution has created fatal flaws.”

5 design thinking tips to help achieve a circular business model:

Think about the ecosystem

Traditionally, design teams develop a product to spec or from a brief. In a circular model they develop an ecosystem, of which the product is one part.

Rethink product and packaging

If you’re looking to go circular, designers and materials experts could rethink the product itself, and the way it’s packaged and shipped.

Reduce the need to produce

Create products with materials that will be maintained for as long as possible.

Design and test new models

Smarter distribution models can reduce the carbon footprint of transporting goods, but even more effective is to design and test new business models.

Use and reuse

Embed reuse and repair in the user experience. Consumers will embrace these behaviors if they’re designed to be accessible and rewarding.

Read more

Key insight

“Upending your business model is no simple task. The consequences of getting it wrong can be severe, which is why a design-led approach is so attractive.”

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Transitioning to a circular business model with design

“To implement a more circular model, a company should apply design talent and design thinking to its entire system.”

Read the article

What we’re reading

external-article-product-sustainability-@2x.jpg

McKinsey & Company

Product sustainability: Back to the drawing board

Read the article

external-article-addressing-challenges-plastic-waste-@2x.jpg

McKinsey & Company

Addressing the challenges of plastic waste: Circularity and leakage

Read the article

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