This primer, produced by the World Economic Forum and the Climate Governance Initiative in collaboration with Accenture, aims to equip board directors with a practical understanding of the circular economy and how it can be applied to help their organizations achieve climate and environmental commitments while generating new business value and resiliency.
The transition to circular business models is a key lever for companies to achieve their climate commitments. The existing linear economic model is resource-intensive with devastating environmental consequences. Changing how goods are produced and consumed will be key to reaching net-zero. The circular economy creates a system in which all types of waste are designed out and sustainable options are made available to consumers.
Given the role of board directors in steering their companies and the strategic transformation demanded by the circular economy, they need to be prepared to initiate and drive the circular agenda. This primer aims to equip board directors with a practical understanding of the circular economy – how circularity can be applied to help organizations decarbonize their supply chains while generating financial value and operational resiliency.