- Media watch
By L'Atelier des Matières

Summary of The Circular Economy Show, Ep 170
How can we move beyond pilot projects and the media buzz around ESG to scale up the circular economy? And how can businesses take the lead in this transition? In this episode, host Seb is joined by Lindsay Hooper, Executive Director of the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL), and Joe Murphy, Executive Lead of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Business Network.
THE NEED TO ACT IS MORE CRUCIAL THAN EVER
It is widely acknowledged that current markets often fail to reward the investments needed to transform businesses to meet society’s sustainable needs. As a result, leading companies increasingly face market constraints—whether due to consumers’ reluctance to pay more or shareholders’ hesitation to bear the costs of transition.
Consequently, businesses are confined to “win-win” solutions that fit within existing market frameworks, leaving out other essential initiatives. The cumulative impact of companies settling for what is affordable today will jeopardize the entire economic fabric.
Scientific evidence is clear, and risks are rising. Market forces impose limitations on the transition, placing businesses in a challenging position. Therefore, it is in their interest to actively advocate for market evolution, which requires a combination of:
- Démonstration de la faisabilité de l’innovation,
- Plaidoyer affirmé,
- D’un soutien politique et social plus large pour faire évoluer les marchés et atténuer la tension entre rentabilité et durabilité.
The core idea of the circular economy is to create new markets by designing an economic system that overcomes the limitations of the linear economy, fostering a more prosperous and resilient future. This involves establishing new value chains and markets.
THREE EXAMPLES ILLUSTRATING THREE TYPES OF ACTIONS:
- Philips – The company has set a target of generating 25% of its total revenue from circular economy-related products and services by 2025. To achieve this, it is shifting its business model by leasing scanners and MRI machines to hospitals.
- EMF and the Circular Jeans Project – A collective effort where 100 brands committed to setting guidelines for designing jeans suited to the circular economy. The brands agreed on a set of definitions and principles and then individually innovated to implement these changes. To date, more than 1.5 million pairs of circular jeans have been produced, with numbers increasing annually
- On March 9, 2023, the Aspen Institute, in collaboration with Amazon, Patagonia, and Tchibo, announced the creation of the Zero Emission Maritime Buyers Alliance (ZEMBA). This alliance aims to accelerate the deployment of zero-emission shipping solutions by bringing together businesses committed to decarbonizing the sector. By joining forces, ZEMBA members seek to drive demand for eco-friendly maritime freight services, strengthening investor confidence and clean fuel production. This initiative aligns with broader efforts to cut shipping emissions and promote renewable fuels.
The emergence of these new models requires significant effort and collaboration among multiple stakeholders to facilitate their deployment, build appropriate infrastructure, and implement technologies that enable businesses to undergo this transformation and make these solutions commercially viable on a large scale.
At L’Atelier des Matières, we support your transition to new business models through upcycling, eco-design, and project management.