Share
Facebook Facebook icon Twitter Twitter icon LinkedIn LinkedIn icon Email

Brain Circuits

Are you ready for the circular business revolution?

Published 30 September 2024 in Brain Circuits • 2 min read

In today’s rapidly evolving market environment, businesses face growing pressure to move beyond the outdated ‘take-make-waste’ model. The future belongs to those who embrace circular, resource-efficient, and regenerative practices. But how can your organization turn this vision into reality? Here are five business model opportunities to help you lead the charge and unlock value for your business, people, and the planet. 

Optimize resource use 

Transform your operations by integrating green practices and sourcing secondary or bio-based materials. Not only will this enhance sustainability, but it also drives competitive advantages in cost, resilience, and market positioning. 

Capitalize on regeneration and restoration 

Revitalize your business through regenerative land-use practices. By investing in circular ecosystems, you can create premium products, add value through ecosystem services, and make the most of your available space. 

Valorize waste 

Don’t let waste go to waste. Capture untapped economic value by restoring technical and biological materials. Turn by-products into high-value assets and elevate your sustainability efforts. 

Monetize extended product life 

Extend your product’s lifecycle with repair services, “recommerce,” or by enabling a reuse ecosystem. This not only diversifies revenue streams but also deepens customer loyalty through long-term engagement.

 

Servitize products 

Shift from selling products to offering product-service bundles. By focusing on customer needs and embedding circular material systems, you deliver superior performance while advancing sustainability. 

Further reading 

Leveraging AI for smarter sustainability 

Circular economy: cooperation is the key to success 

Digital sustainability: It pays to be a leader, not a laggard 

How the stories you tell can have a real impact 

Women Leading the Way in Sustainability: Shaping a Greener Future 

Setting impact targets for nature: How business can be part of the plan 

 

Authors

Julia Binder

Julia Binder

Professor of Sustainable innovation and Business Transformation at IMD

Julia Binder, Professor of Sustainable Innovation and Business Transformation, is a renowned thought leader recognized on the 2022 Thinkers50 Radar list for her work at the intersection of sustainability and innovation. As Director of IMD’s Center for Sustainable and Inclusive Business, Binder is dedicated to leveraging IMD’s diverse expertise on sustainability topics to guide business leaders in discovering innovative solutions to contemporary challenges. At IMD, Binder serves as Program Director for Creating Value in the Circular Economy and teaches in key open programs including the Advanced Management Program (AMP), Transition to Business Leadership (TBL), TransformTech (TT), and Leading Sustainable Business Transformation (LSBT). She is involved in the school’s EMBA and MBA programs, and contributes to IMD’s custom programs, crafting transformative learning journeys for clients globally.

Related

Learn Brain Circuits

Join us for daily exercises focusing on issues from team building to developing an actionable sustainability plan to personal development. Go on - they only take five minutes.
 
Read more 

Explore Leadership

What makes a great leader? Do you need charisma? How do you inspire your team? Our experts offer actionable insights through first-person narratives, behind-the-scenes interviews and The Help Desk.
 
Read more

Join Membership

Log in here to join in the conversation with the I by IMD community. Your subscription grants you access to the quarterly magazine plus daily articles, videos, podcasts and learning exercises.
 
Sign up
X

Log in or register to enjoy the full experience

Explore first person business intelligence from top minds curated for a global executive audience