Podcast
The Circular Economy Show Podcast
Hosted by Ellen MacArthur Foundation · EN
The Ellen MacArthur Foundation welcomes you to The Circular Economy Show, a podcast about a new way to design, make, and use things, and how we can build an economy that's fit for the 21st century.
39episodes
Episodes
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The critical minerals crunch: How do we secure the future of clean energy?
Jan 2000:17:15Tap to summarizeWen-Yu Weng, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Critical Minerals Lead, joins Lou to explain why critical minerals are currently taking centre stage in global political conversations. They explore:How we can create secure and resilient supply chains to close the gap on fast growing demandThe circular opportunities that currently lie in shaping supply chains to capture value right nowThe enabling factors that have opened windows of opportunity for immediate actionIf you enjoyed this episode, then please share with your colleagues, or leave us a review or comment on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or YouTube.
Transcribe →What’s next for the circular economy in 2026?
Jan 1300:16:04Tap to summarizeJoin Seb as he speaks to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s CEO, Jonquil Hackenberg about the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for the circular economy in 2026.What are your priorities for 2026? Let us know in the comments or on our LinkedIn page.
Transcribe →2025 in review: unlocking the circular economy opportunity
Dec 200:19:04Tap to summarizeIt's been a pivotal year for the circular economy, full of big ideas and practical breakthroughs.Before we fully dive into 2026, we’re hitting pause for a moment of reflection.Join Fin, Lou, and Pippa who have hand-picked their favourite, most insightful, and memorable moments from the conversations they’ve had this year.This episode may show condensed snippets, but it is packed with big ideas, practical breakthroughs, and the highlights that defined the circular economy in 2025.Thanks for listening to the Circular Economy Show from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. Help us grow our audience in 2026 by sharing your favourite episode with your friends and colleagues.Explore the episodes discussed in order of appearance:Ep 201: Why do circular business models fail to scale? Going it aloneEp 188: “It’s a no-brainer”: Arc’teryx on bringing repairs in-storeEp 197: Stop minding your own businessEp 179: How are small start-ups, SMEs, and large corporations working together to change the food system?Ep 185: How can marketers turn ideas into impactful action?Ep 174: Material security in a circular economy | Energy and competitiveness
Transcribe →Circular Snapshots | COP30 and progress in the circular economy
Nov 2500:06:38Tap to summarizeIt’s easy to look at the news headlines and feel like everything is going backwards, but in this episode we ask you to look a little deeper and see the story beneath the headlines. Progress is possible and happening everywhere from plastics to fashion to the automotive sector, and even at COP.Listen in to hear:Whether COP still matters, and if so, for what?Why Honda’s circularity center in Ohio is an important stepWhat we learned from Patagonia’s first ever environmental and social progress reportWhy many of the world’s biggest brands are backing a new agenda for plastics----Explore the articles Seb mentioned in this episode:1) Circular economy thematic day at COP30 (Circular Online)https://www.circularonline.co.uk/news/cop30-marks-first-ever-circular-economy-day-as-global-climate-talks-intensify/2) Honda opening its circularity center (Trellis)https://trellis.net/article/honda-recycling-ohio-plant-opens-circularity/3) Analysis of Patagonia’s environmental and social report (Trellis)https://trellis.net/article/patagonias-comprehensive-plan-counter-rising-emissions/4) Reuters on businesses supporting the Foundation’s 2030 Plastics Agenda for Businesshttps://www.reuters.com/sustainability/boards-policy-regulation/global-companies-push-regulation-plastics-reduction-report-shows-2025-11-04/
Transcribe →Why should retailers embrace the circular economy? | Conversations from Climate Week New York
Nov 1800:25:44Tap to summarizeRecorded live at Climate Week New York, in this episode we ask ‘why should retailers embrace the circular economy?’The global food system is responsible for a third of greenhouse gas emissions, and is vulnerable to supply chain shocks. Our guests discuss why circularity must be easier, more convenient, and more irresistible than the linear option, and why retailers and brands need to invest in shared solutions to scale a circular economy for food.Joining the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Executive Lead for Retail, Reniera O’Donnell, are:Nate Hurst, Chief Sustainability Officer at VisaBurgess Davis, Senior Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer for North America at PepsiCoScot Case, Vice President of Sustainability for the National Retail FederationLearn more about retail and the circular economySign up for the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s North America newsletterHelp us spread the word about the circular economy! If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with your colleagues, or leave us a review or comment on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or YouTube.
Transcribe →What's tech got to do with it? | Conversations from Climate Week New York
Nov 1100:23:25Tap to summarizeRecorded live during Climate Week NYC, this episode explores how technology can accelerate the transition to a circular economy, not as a bolt-on fix, but as a built-in business strategy. Host Danielle Holly, Executive Lead for North America at the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, is joined by Jen Huffstetler (Chief Sustainability Officer, HP), Jim Sullivan (Head of Product Management, SAP), and Vrushali Gaud (Global Director of Strategy and Operations for Net Zero, Water, and Circularity, Google).Tune in to hear:Why AI and digital growth make circular strategies essential to meet rising material and energy demandsHow companies such as HP and Google are embedding circular design and open data into products and servicesWhat it takes to move from ‘bolt-on’ fixes to ‘bolt-in’ circular systems across business and financeThe biggest blockers and how collaboration can help solve themWhy pragmatism and focused collective action are key to turning ambition into measurable impactListen back to the series on why circular business models fail to scaleSign up for the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s North America newsletter
Transcribe →Why do circular business models fail to scale? Going it alone
Nov 400:20:04Tap to summarizeThis is the fourth and final part of our mini series on the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s new report: How not to fail: Avoiding 10 common pitfalls when scaling circular business models.In this episode, the report’s lead researchers, Maddy Oliver and Ella Hedley, explain how success at scale demands more than a strong model – what really matters is who is empowered to deliver it and how well are they aligned.If you enjoyed this series, then please share with your colleagues, or leave us a review or comment on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or YouTube.
Transcribe →Food for thought | How do we fix our broken food system?
Feb 11, 202500:23:51Tap to summarizeThe food industry is one of the biggest drivers of biodiversity loss and accounts for a third of global greenhouse gas emissions. But what if food could be designed to regenerate nature rather than harming it? That’s the vision behind the Big Food Redesign Challenge. In this episode of The Circular Economy Show, our guest host Lucy Parker, Senior Partner and Sustainable Business Global Lead at Brunswick Group, explores how we can take learnings from the Challenge to create a food system that is better for people, nature and climate.We hear from:Jonquil Hackenberg, CEO of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, who shares insights about the Big Food Redesign Challenge and what it has helped achieveWendy Schmidt, President and Co-Founder of the Schmidt Family Foundation, who supported the Challenge, explores the power of philanthropy as a catalyst for innovationDouglas McMaster, Michelin-starred chef and owner of the world’s first zero waste restaurant, Silo, who was a participant in the Challenge, tells us why it’s important to ask the question ‘what if we could do the whole thing differently?’If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review or a comment on Spotify or YouTube. Your support helps us to spread the word about the circular economy.Learn more about the Big Food Redesign Challenge and explore products that keep nature in mind. Find out more about the Challenge participants, or watch a video version of this episode, on our YouTube channel.
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Circular design essentials: What every designer needs to know
Feb 4, 202500:16:48Tap to summarizeCircular design is a hot topic, but moving beyond the buzzwords to practical implementation can be a real challenge. In this episode, we go deep with Joe Iles, Head of Design Activation at the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, to unpack the essential principles and skills every designer should have in their toolkit.Joe shares a compelling perspective on circular design - it's not just about creating durable products, but rather reflecting the complex, interconnected systems that make up our world. He explores why circular design ideas often struggle to scale, despite the abundance of innovative concepts out there.He also shares the key design competencies that are crucial for driving the transition to a circular model, from systems thinking to prototyping and collaboration. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review or a comment on Spotify or YouTube. Your support helps us to spread the word about the circular economy.Links mentioned in this episode:The Circular Design GuideThe Jeans RedesignThe Circular Buildings ToolkitFrom ambition to action: an adaptive strategy for circular design
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What’s stopping Scotland from scaling a circular economy?
Jan 28, 202500:15:36Tap to summarizeIn this episode of the Circular Economy Show we meet Zero Waste Scotland, who are working with government, businesses, and communities to make the shift to a circular economy as easy as possible for all. We're joined by Peter McCafferty, Business Support Manager at Zero Waste Scotland, and Dr Michaela Hruskova from the University of Stirling. Together we'll discuss the barriers that are stopping businesses from adopting circular practices at scale, informed by the findings of their report: ‘Scotland’s Circular Economy Practices Ecosystem.’ If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review or a comment on Spotify or YouTube. Your support helps us to spread the word about the circular economy.Read the report ‘Scotland’s Circular Economy Practices Ecosystem'.
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