The circular economy
Jessica Vaughn with Marian BerelowitzJ. Walter Thompson
Executive summary
Among some of the world's top corporate leaders, there's a growing understanding that traditional business models—built on the presumption of unlimited and cheap natural resources— must be reworked for 21st century realities. The alternative model that's taking shape represents a substantial departure from the "take, make and dispose" mindset: The circular economy envisions a smarter, more restorative way to create, use and dispose of products that designs out waste.
This framework weaves together emerging practices like collaborative consumption and older ideas like recycling and remanufacturing. The overall...