The Circular Economy Show Podcast

This week, governments from United Nations member states are meeting in Nairobi to negotiate a legally binding UN Treaty on plastic pollution. This is an unprecedented opportunity to build on the already successful voluntary agreements towards a circular economy for plasticsThe time to act is now. With over two million people, almost 1000 civil society organisations, and over 100 global companies calling for a UN Treaty on plastic pollution, we must seize this opportunity.In this episode, Laura Franco Henao is joined by Eirik Lindebjerg, the World Wide Fund for Nature’s Global Plastic Policy Manager, who has been a key player in the campaign calling for the UN Treaty. Together, they explore what a successful treaty would look like.--Find out more about the Foundation's collaboration with the WWF on this campaignLearn more about the Ellen MacArthur Foundation

High street and online fashion retailer H&M Group has big ambitions — to be a circular business, designing all its products for circularity by 2025 and to achieve net-zero by 2040. But how is it going to get there?In this episode, Head of Sustainability, Leyla Ertur, explains how the company aims to design every product for circularity by working with its value chain to embed circular business models.She also talks about her personal journey, and the circular economy legacy she would like to leave at H&M.  --Learn more about a circular design for fashionRead H&M Group's circular strategyFind out more about the Ellen MacArthur FoundationFollow the Ellen MacArthur Foundation online:YouTubeTwitterLinkedInFacebookInstagram

How can we reimagine and rebuild our towns and cities? In this episode, we talk to Eric Corey Freed, Senior Vice President of Sustainability at CannonDesign and Co-Author of Circular Economy for Dummies, about a key circular economy topic — construction and the built environment.What’s wrong with the way we currently design and construct buildings? And what are the challenges in doing things differently? We discuss how we can learn from nature as a model for construction, and how buildings can regenerate nature as part of a circular economy. Eric explains that it’s time to change the paradigm from construction to prostruction, moving from harmful construction practices to an approach inspired by nature.-- Discover more about the work of the Ellen MacArthur FoundationExplore Circular Economy for Dummies Follow Eric on TwitterLearn more about prostructionFollow the Ellen MacArthur Foundation online:YouTubeTwitterLinkedInFacebookInstagram

“Some people say ‘business is big, that’s not good.’ On the other hand, I’d say that means we can drive scale, we can make meaningful change, and we have the resources to do it.”-Bea Perez, Senior Vice President and Chief Communications, Sustainability and Strategic Partnerships Officer, The Coca Cola CompanyOperating in more than 200 countries and territories around the world, serving over 1.9 billion drinks every day, The Coca Cola Company has been hugely successful in the linear economy.So what are the challenges in transitioning to a circular way of doing business?In this episode, Bea Perez explains how she joined Coke as a conflicted young adult, only to discover it was her dream job, and discusses the vital role of big business in the global transition to a circular economy.As the company’s first Chief Sustainability Officer, it has been Bea’s role to drive change at scale within the company for the past decade — and it’s not always an easy job. We discuss how her role has involved challenging the status quo, how the Covid-19 pandemic has curbed progress in reducing the use of virgin plastic, and how far the company has to go to meet its plastic targets.We’ll also learn more about the reusable Universal Bottle, first introduced in Latin America in 2018, and why Bea is optimistic about changing the business for the better.--For an in-depth look at the progress The Coca-Cola Company is making, explore its entry in the Global Commitment 2021 Signatory ReportLearn more about the Universal Bottle mentioned in this episodeFind out more about our work at the Ellen MacArthur Foundation

Big businesses hold the key to promoting action in building a regenerative future. When will we see this action though? In this episode, Seb Egerton-Read takes us back to COP26 where he was in conversation with two key players in the business world. Our guests today are Karrie Denniston, Senior Director of Sustainability at Walmart.org, and Jim Andrew, Chief Sustainability Officer at PepsiCo.Karrie tells us why she chose to pursue a career with Walmart.org in order to achieve that opportunity for impact. We will also tackle that question you’re probably asking now; how can a company thriving in the linear economy, possibly become regenerative? Jim will run us through how PepsiCo is much more than a one-product brand. We’ll also hear about the Pepsi Positive and the NFL Trash Talk campaigns that PepsiCo is working on.-- Discover more about the work of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation Catch up on COP26 highlights

Design is at the forefront of the transition from a linear economy to a circular one. But how can communication assist this change?In this episode Laura Franco Henao hears from two guests working in this space, looking at the business opportunities available as a result of circular design and also the power of social media in catalysing change.Rebecca Garner is Circularity Partner at ASOS, who talks us through the circular journey of ASOS, including their Circular Design Guidebook. Laura's also joined by Marina Testino, Creative Director and Artivist at Point Off View, Inc, taking a look at some of Marina's iconic campaigns, such as #OneDressToImpress and #YellowLikeALemon.Our two guests are both contributors to the Circular Design for Fashion book, launched by The Ellen MacArthur Foundation towards the end of 2021. Find out more about the book at https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/the-circular-design-for-fashion-book.Please note that this episode contains explicit language. -- Discover more about the work of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation   

In this episode, Laura Franco Henao explores the intersections between fashion, regenerative design, the importance of context and the power of storytelling.She’s joined by Josie Warden, the Head of Regenerative Design at the RSA and Rudo Nondo, the Creative Design Practitioner at The African Rack and Country Co-Ordinator of Fashion Revolution Zimbabwe, who also feature in the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s new book, Circular Design for Fashion.—Learn more about the Circular Design for Fashion bookExplore the RSA’s Regenerative Futures programmeFind out more about Fashion Revolution ZimbabweDiscover more about the work of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation 

In this episode, we take a look back at some of the conversations we had at COP26. We’ll be discussing how businesses are making the important link between the circular economy and climate change.These conversations are from November 2021, when Seb Egerton-Read went to the climate change conference in Glasgow to meet some of the leading individuals in the climate space.First, we'll hear from Johan Rockström, Director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, about where we are with the Planetary Boundaries, how optimistic he is and the role he thinks the circular economy can play in tackling climate change.We’ll also hear from Wouter van Tol, Head of Government, Community Affairs and Sustainability at DS Smith, and Stephen Jamieson, Global Head of Circular Economy Solutions at SAP.--Watch highlights from COP26Explore circular economy examples and case studiesFind out more about the Ellen MacArthur FoundationDiscover more about the companies featured in this episode:Planetary BoundariesDS SmithSAP

In this episode, we discuss the role of nature-positive food in providing a solution to global challenges such as biodiversity loss and climate change. The Ellen MacArthur Foundation recently published The Big Food Redesign, highlighting the critical role that food manufacturers and retailers can play in catalysing the shift to a regenerative food production system. We will be joined by Garbriela Hernandez-Galindo, Global Sustainability Director for Essential Dairy & Plant Based at Danone and Karen Cooper, R&D Program Manager for Climate Change at Nestle. They both share how their work is catalysing this shift to regenerative food production through redesigning product portfolios, developing iconic products and creating a new dynamic with farmers.-- Explore more circular economy examples and case studiesFind out more about the Ellen MacArthur FoundationDiscover more about the companies featured in this episode:NestleDanone

In this episode, we’ll hear how innovation is key to transitioning from a take, make, waste linear economy, to a circular economy where, through design, we can eliminate waste and pollution, circulate products and materials, and regenerate nature.During the recent COP26 UN Climate Change Conference, the Foundation’s Emerging Innovators Manager, Ella Hedley, hosted an innovation session showing how disruptive start-ups around the world are demonstrating viable circular economy business models.Ella spoke with Josephine Philips, Founder and CEO of clothing alterations and repair app Sojo, and John Atcheson, Founder and CEO of Sellalong, which works with retailers to keep products and materials in use. We’ll also hear from Morgan Stanley’s Chief Marketing Officer and Chief Sustainability Officer, Audrey Choi, Infinited Fiber Company’s CEO, Petri Alava, and Zalando’s Head of Circularity, Laura Coppen.--Watch highlights from this session at the New York Times Climate Hub, held alongside COP26.Explore more circular economy examples and case studiesFind out more about the Ellen MacArthur FoundationDiscover more about the companies featured in this episode:Infinited Fiber CompanyMorgan StanleySellalongSojoZalando