The Circular Economy Show Podcast

What if buying second-hand felt exactly like buying new? In this episode of the Circular Economy Show, we explore how IKEA is embedding circular principles into its core commercial strategy. Fin is joined by Conor Hill, Global Director for Circular and Sustainable Living at IKEA, who shares how the brand is delivering measurable impact, all while making circularity affordable and accessible for their customers. Watch the full episode to find out how implementing a Buyback & Resell model has enabled IKEA to: Allow their consumers to become active participants in the circular economy.  Use tailored marketing tactics to drive increased brand awareness and business resilience.  Use data to understand friction points, optimise loyalty strategies, and keep customers engaged. If you enjoyed this episode, then please share with your colleagues, or leave us a review or comment on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or YouTube. 

In a circular economy, products may not be sold just once, but multiple times. This enables businesses to generate more revenue from one item. As a result, businesses are shifting their metrics beyond short-term profit to embrace the long-term strategic advantages of circular business models. In this episode of The Circular Economy Show, host Fin is joined by Emily Hill, Director of Sustainable Transformation Practice at Kantar, to discuss measurement guidance that will allow marketing teams to support the shift to circular business models and behaviours at scale, while delivering on their key priorities. Emily explains how marketers can redefine success across four key areas: Commercial, Brand, Creative, and Consumer Insight. From building a compelling business case for pilots, to using creative campaigns to shift consumer behaviour, we explore how measurement can be a powerful tool to unlock resources for circular initiatives. If you enjoyed this episode, then please share with your colleagues, or leave us a review or comment on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or YouTube. Learn more about the measurement guidance, developed in collaboration with Kantar Explore 'The marketing playbook for a circular economy' Other episodes on the marketing playbook: Ep 176: Driving demand for circular economy: What marketers need to know | Kantar and Swapfiets Ep 185: How can marketers turn ideas into impactful action? Ep 186: How do we make circular behaviours irresistible?

Joss Blériot, Executive Policy Lead at the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, leads on circular economy policy and national roadmaps. He discusses a global surge in national circular plans and the shift of responsibility into economic and industry ministries. Conversation covers regional rollouts from Latin America to China, hurdles in international harmonization, and which policy tools deserve priority now.

Biodiversity loss is accelerating at an alarming rate, but could circular economy solutions help turn things around? In this episode of The Circular Economy Show, Lou speaks with Marianne Kettunen, Biodiversity Lead for Policy at the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, and Bianca Brasil, Programme Manager at the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity. They explore why around 90% of biodiversity loss is linked to the way we extract and process resources, how circular business models can support the targets of the Global Biodiversity Framework, and what needs to happen before the COP17 Biodiversity Conference to accelerate action. The conversation also looks at the growing role of businesses in biodiversity discussions, why circular economy and biodiversity strategies must be better connected, and how global supply chains could help scale solutions worldwide. Explore the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s recent policy paper, Scaling action for nature. Learn more about the Global Biodiversity Framework.

Over the past decade, leading businesses have shown that progress on plastic pollution is possible. And while individual company action has been successful, even the most ambitious businesses are running up against the same obstacles. As a result, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation has rallied leading businesses behind an evidence-based, ‘2030 Plastics Agenda for Business.’ In this episode of the Circular Economy Show, taken from a Foundation’s webinar, we explore that Agenda, and evaluate the plan and priority actions for business and policy to drive implementation at scale. If you enjoyed this episode, then please share with your colleagues, or leave us a review or comment on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or YouTube.  Learn more about the 2030 Plastics Agenda for Business and how your organisation can play a role. .

What do some of the more surprising stories of scale teach us about implementing the circular economy? In this episode of the Circular Economy Show, Fin is joined by Rachel O’Reilly, Global Human Sustainability Design Director at Accenture, to discuss their upcoming report. The report, titled ‘Circularity is Working’ provides direction on how to improve the consumer adoption of circularity. From musicians in Liverpool reinvesting savings from second-hand instruments, to informal sharing systems in Hamburg, the conversation explores businesses and communities where circularity is succeeding. Rachel shares insights into the hidden drivers of circularity and explains why they could be the secret to normalising, embedding, and scaling circularity.  If you enjoyed this episode, then please share with your colleagues, or leave us a review or comment on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or YouTube. The report will be attached in the show notes upon its release in Spring 2026.

Welcome back to The Circular Economy Show and another episode of Circular Snapshots, where we unpack the headlines shaping the transition to a circular economy.This month, Seb explores the EU’s upcoming Circular Economy Act and its shift toward positioning circularity as industrial strategy, not just environmental policy. We look at new global data revealing rapid growth in national circular economy roadmaps, and why implementation is now the real test.We also dive into the growing link between circular economy and critical mineral supply chains — from insights at the World Economic Forum to new analysis on EV batteries and material security. Finally, we examine a major UK industry push for a mandatory textiles Extended Producer Responsibility scheme, and what it could mean for transforming one of the economy’s most linear sectors.From policy to supply chains to industry coalitions, this episode highlights one clear trend: the circular economy is becoming central to competitiveness.Stories referenced in today’s episode:EU Circular Economy Acthttps://www.brusselstimes.com/1937610/europes-new-circular-economy-act-getting-the-basics-right-for-eu-competitivenessNational Circular Economy Roadmapshttps://www.unido.org/sites/default/files/unido-publications/2026-01/Stocktake%20CE%20Roadmaps%202025.pdfCritical minerals and the circular economyhttps://www.weforum.org/stories/2026/01/circular-economy-clean-energy-supply-chain-critical-minerals/Circular economy and EV batterieshttps://www.forbes.com/sites/jamiehailstone/2026/01/27/circular-economy-could-prevent-an-ev-battery-minerals-bottleneck-study-finds/Textiles and EPRhttps://resource.co/article/uk-textiles-industry-group-publishes-10-point-blueprint-mandatory-epr-scheme

Wen-Yu Weng, Critical Minerals Lead at the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, dives into the urgent world of critical minerals and their vital role in the clean energy transition. She discusses the shift from fossil fuels to materials-heavy energy solutions, spotlighting the need for resilient supply chains. Wen-Yu highlights innovative circular strategies, like recycling and second-life uses, while stressing the importance of collaboration across sectors. With a focus on upcoming reports, she urges immediate action to tackle EV battery waste before it escalates.

Jonquil Hackenberg, CEO of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, leads the charge on circular economy initiatives. She reflects on her first year tackling pressing issues like sustainable plastics, critical minerals, and the fashion industry's waste problem. Jonquil discusses innovation in electric vehicle batteries and the potential of repurposing second-life batteries, especially for the Global South. She emphasizes the need for local infrastructure and policy changes to make circular systems a reality, advocating for collaborative efforts to drive meaningful change.

Reflecting on 2025, insightful discussions highlight the need for leadership in scaling circular business models. Practical challenges in repair services emerge, focusing on operational barriers. The role of NGOs in market transformation is emphasized, promoting coalitions for effective solutions. Marketers discuss storytelling's power in making circular solutions appealing. Upcycling food is defined, showcasing its value. Copper recycling is highlighted as crucial for clean technologies. Exciting plans for future content are also teased.