Examples

Circulytics® | Examples 2

Circulytics
This example list provides concrete examples to illustrate indicators and response options in Circulytics. See the full indicator list here.

A broader case study library is available at: www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/case-studies.

Number Key word(s) Company/Project Example Link to Case Study

1c Strategy Solvay • Circular sourcing, operations and products solvay.com/en/sustainability/planet-

• Targets include: doubling the sales of products resources
made from renewable and recycled materials
and reducing waste by ⅓ by 2030

1c Strategy Desso Circular economy strategy informs ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/case-

• Business model studies/cradle-to-cradle-design-of-
carpets
• Design choices
• Energy usage

2b/2d Innovation - Tools DS Smith • Circular economy design guidelines dssmith.com/globalassets/corporate/

and metrics, user- • Circular economy key performance indicators sustainability/sustainbility-2020-reports-
centered, systems used to evaluate all innovation projects and-docs/ds-smith-2020-sustainability-
scope report-double-page.pdf#page=7
• Supply chain analysis used to inform
material selection

2c Innovation - Nestle • Multidisciplinary innovation teams with nestle.com/randd/news/allnews/nestle-

Collaboration company-wide foresight pilots-reusable-refillable-dispensers-
• External collaboration with a start-up reduce-single-use-packaging

2c Innovation - Renault, • Collaboration across the battery value chain to ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/news/

collaboration Solvay recover materials for reuse in new batteries groupe-renault-and-solvay-collaborate-
& Veolia • Feedback from maintenance activities to-create-a-circular-economy-for-ev
informs design
 Circulytics® | Examples 3

2c Innovation - Unilever • Research lab for development of new packaging unilever.co.uk/news/press-releases/2019/

Collaboration solutions unilever-pioneers-solution-that-enables-
• External collaboration with waste management black-plastic-bottles-to-be-recycled.html
sector to ensure scalability

3 People and skills - Arup • Circular economy training resources and events arup.com/careers/your-life-at-arup/
Circular economy tailored by region, function and seniority learning-and-development/arup-
training university

4a Operations - Brambles • Tracking of logistics assets through the supply bxbdigital.com/case-studies/

Digital, Systems chain before collection, repair and reuse.
• Data used to prevent bottlenecks, optimise
transportation methods and reduce waste

4a Operations - HP Inc • IoT enabled subscription model that increases emf.org/case-studies/bringing-printing-

Digital, Systems cartridge recovery and recycling as-a-service-to-the-home

4a Operations - Trove • Resale platform that enables brands to buy-back ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/circular-

Digital, Systems and resell used items examples/the-online-platform-for-
scaling-reuse-trove

4a Operations - Suez • Blockchain technology that provides reporting suez.com/en/who-we-are/innovating-

Digital, Systems on all wastewater treatment plant transactions for-the-future/circularchain-the-circular-
throughout the organic matter value chain, from economy-blockchain
production to its return to the soil.

4a Operations - Winnow • Smart waste bin tracks food waste, informing ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/circular-
Digital, Systems menu design and food preparation examples/winnow

4a Operations - Cohealo • Software tracking utilisation of hospital equipment cohealo.com/equipment-tracking/

Digital, Systems across a network, allowing greater patient
through-put and evening out supply and demand
 Circulytics® | Examples 4

4a Operations - Teemill Software platform for fashion brands ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/circular-

Digital, Systems • Enables real-time manufacturing examples/an-open-access-circular-
supply-chain-for-t-shirts-teemill
• Eliminates over production

4b Operations - Plant, Coca Cola Recycling infrastructure projects ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/case-

property and Enterprises • Facilitates reverse logistics studies/increasing-post-consumer-
equipment assets plastic-content-in-packaging
• Increases supply of recycled plastics to the market

4b Operations - Plant, Ostara Infrastructure that can be incorporated into emf.org/case-studies/closing-the-

property and wastewater treatment plants nutrient-loop
equipment assets • Allowing phosphorus and other nutrients to
be recovered from industrial and municipal
wastewater streams to produce fertiliser

4b Operations - Plant, Tarkett New recycling centres built adjacent to tarkett.com/en/content/closing-loop-

property and manufacturing plants increase supply of non-virgin circular-economy
equipment assets materials

4b Operations - Plant, HP Brazil & • Reverse logistics infrastructure ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/case-

property and Sinctronics • Innovative recycling processes studies/creating-a-reverse-logistics-
equipment assets ecosystem
• Increased volume of recycled materials in new
products

5a Engage suppliers Danish • Procurement of circular goods and services using ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/case-
Environmental policy criteria studies/denmark-public-procurement-as-
Protection Agency • Coalition across government bodies, increasing a-circular-economy-enabler
market impact

5a Engage suppliers Philips • Identified suppliers in water stressed areas and philips.com/a-w/about/sustainability/
required ‘risk suppliers’ to report on their water sustainable-planet/green-operations/
use, and management water.html
 Circulytics® | Examples 5

5a Engage suppliers The Courtauld • Collaboration across the food and drinks sector ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/case-
Commitment supply chain to reduce waste. studies/united-kingdom

5a Engage suppliers Nespresso SA • Increasing recycled aluminium content in coffee sustainability.nespresso.com/enabling-

capsules industry-wide-capsule-recycling
• Opened up recycling centres to competitor’s
capsules
• Suppliers certified by the aluminium Stewardship
Initiative.

5b Engage customers #WearNext • Collaborative communication campaign ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/

campaign encouraging New Yorkers to keep clothes in use case-studies/city-and-industry-in-
and out of landfills collaboration-to-save-clothes-from-
landfill

5b Engage customers BioPak • Collection and composting service increases ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/circular-

composting in practice examples/closing-the-loop-on-single-use-
food-packaging

5c Engage policymakers Dutch Phosphate Industry-government collaboration ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/case-

Value Chain • Addresses legislative barriers to producing studies/green-deal
Agreement secondary phosphate fertilisers
• Informs policy changes

5d Engage investors and DLL & JLG • JLG developed a new business model ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/case-
financiers • DLL financed a refurbishment facility to capitalise studies/financing-the-expansion-of-
on multiple life cycles for heavy machinery circular-business-models

5e Engage customers DS Smith Circular design guide to help packaging producers: dssmith.com/packaging/about/media/
• Design out waste and pollution news-press-releases/2020/5/ds-smith-
launches-circular-design-principles-to-
• Increase recyclability
drive-sustainability-in-packaging
• Create packaging suitable for recirculation
 Circulytics® | Examples 6

6a Material sourcing Urban Mining • Recycling the magnets in used electronics into ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/case-
(non-virgin) Company new magnets studies/finding-rare-earth-elements-
above-ground-not-underground

6a Material sourcing Itelyum Regenerative • Produce lubricants for automotive and industrial itelyum.com/en/regeneration-solutions-
(non-virgin) sectors from 100% non-virgin inputs en/

6a Material sourcing Hp Inc • Collection and treatment of post-consumer plastic garage.hp.com/us/en/impact/hp-haiti-

(non-virgin) waste for incorporation into new products recycling-washline.html

6a Material sourcing Circular Systems • Manufacture yarn for the textile industry circular-systems.com/
(non-virgin, • Material inflow from post-consumer plastic
sustainable) waste, agricultural waste, recycled cotton, and
sustainably produced virgin cotton

6a Material sourcing Ecovative • Compostable packing solutions ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/circular-

(by-products/waste • Made from mycelium grown in agriculture by- examples/packaging-from-mushroom-
streams) products plastic-ecovative

6b Material sourcing Pulp Pantry • Produce upcycled food products pulppantry.com/pages/impact

(by-products/waste • All materials processing waste is cascaded to
streams) produce animal feed

6d Circular design The Jeans Redesign • Designed for durability, material health, ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/the-jeans-
(during use) recyclability, traceability redesign
• Materials regeneratively/ sustainably sourced

6d Circular design Replenish • Refillable, durable spray bottles for cleaning ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/circular-
(during use) products examples/replenish
• Refills sold in concentrated form
 Circulytics® | Examples 7

6d Circular design Balbo Group • Regenerative farming of sugarcane ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/circular-

(during use) • Innovative harvesting techniques and organic examples/the-balbo-group
fertiliser programme

6d Circular design Gerrard street • Modular headphones that are easy to disassemble, ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/circular-
(end of functional life) facilitating repair, refurbishment and upgrade examples/gerrard-street

6d Circular design Caterpillar • Heavy machinery designed for remanufacturing ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/case-

(end of functional life) • Modular design and component recycling studies/design-and-business-model-
considerations-for-heavy-machinery-
remanufacturing

6d Circular design Maersk Line • Steel components in ships catalogued using ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/circular-
(end of functional life) product passports examples/using-product-passports-to-
• Improved recovery and reuse at end of life improve-the-recovery-and-reuse-of-
shipping-steel

6d Circular design DSM-Niaga • 100% recyclable furniture ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/circular-

(end of functional life) • Use of non-toxic, mono-material components and examples/redesigning-medium-life-bulky-
reversible adhesives products-from-scratch

6d Circular design Desso • Low material complexity carpets ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/case-

(end of functional life) • Recycled into new products via take-back scheme studies/cradle-to-cradle-design-of-
carpets

6d Circular design Notpla • Packaging that is edible and biodegrades within notpla.com/products-2/
(end of functional life) 4-6 weeks

6d Circular design Winnow • Smart waste bin collects data on food waste in ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/circular-
(downstream) commercial kitchens examples/winnow
• Informs menu design and food preparation,
reducing waste
 Circulytics® | Examples 8

6d Circular design IFIXIT • Replacement parts, tools and free online repair ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/assets/
(downstream) manuals for electronic goods downloads/ce100/Empowering-Repair-
• Increasing intensity of use and product life span Final-Public1.pdf

6d Circular design Ostara • Nutrient recovery process ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/case-

(downstream) • Phosphorus recovered from wastewater plants studies/closing-the-nutrient-loop
converted into fertiliser

6d Circular design Powervault • Smart energy storage units that provide grid powervault.co.uk/powervault-to-store-
(downstream) balancing services your-solar-energy/
• Reduces pressure on grid during peak times
• Increases use of renewable energy

6f Recirculation in the DLL Group & NHS • Refurbishment of ambulances to extend product ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/case-
technical cycle ambulances lifespan studies/how-refurbishing-can-work-even-
when-safety-and-performance-matter-
the-most

6f Recirculation in the Coca Cola • Recycling infrastructure projects ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/case-

technical cycle Enterprises • Increased recycled plastic content in packaging studies/increasing-post-consumer-
plastic-content-in-packaging

7a part 2 Circular Services Agency of Design • Design and prototype products for clients along ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/case-
(design out waste) circular economy principles studies/designing-for-a-circular-
economy-has-more-than-one-solution

7a part 2 Circular Services Teemill Software platform for fashion brands ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/circular-
(design out waste) • Enables real-time manufacturing examples/an-open-access-circular-
supply-chain-for-t-shirts-teemill
• Eliminates over production
 Circulytics® | Examples 9

7a part 2 Circular Services Mazuma Mobile • Secondary marketplace for mobile phones ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/case-
(keep products and • Collecting, refurbishing and reselling handsets. studies/collection-refurbishment-and-
materials in use) resale-of-mobile-phone-handsets

7a part 2 Circular Services Ahrend • Furniture as a service ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/circular-

(keep products and • Units designed for disassembly allowing easy examples/bringing-office-furniture-full-
materials in use) refurbishment and recycling circle

7a part 2 Circular Services FLOOW2 • Asset sharing platform ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/case-

(keep products and • Businesses share overcapacity of equipment and studies/business-to-business-asset-
materials in use) personnel sharing

7a part 2 Circular Services Stuffstr • Platform allowing companies to buy-back clothing ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/assets/
(keep products and from customers downloads/4_Products_Accessing_Mar19.
materials in use) • Resale and recycling pdf

7a part 2 Circular Services Danone-Evian • Organic waste collection scheme and anaerobic ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/case-
(regenerating natural digestion plant studies/watershed-protection-program-
systems) • Hazardous raw manure converted into builds-resilience-value-and-employment
regenerating fertilisers
• Reduced water contamination

7a part 2 Circular Services Terra Genesis • Supply chain consultant for sourcing terra-genesis.com/growers/
(regenerating natural regeneratively grown material
systems)

8a Procuring plant, San Francisco City • Cradle-to-Cradle certification screening for ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/circular-
property, and Government carpets purchased for city government buildings examples/cradle-to-cradle-carpets-for-
equipment assets city-buildings-san-francisco

8a Procuring plant, Land Rover Ben • Demolition and recycling of 100% of existing sppregions.eu/fileadmin/user_upload/
property, and Ainsley Racing concrete on site Resources/Circular_Procurement_Case_
equipment assets Headquarters • Used to produce foundations of new building Study_Collection.pdf
 Circulytics® | Examples 10

8b Plant, property, and Google data centres • Refurbishment, reuse, resale, and recycling of emf.thirdlight.com/link/b8mzcd8s1dc1-
equipment assets server components 5j9azt/@/preview/1?o
(end of life)

9a Water (demand) Esholt Wastewater • Reuse of water and cascading use of water nextgenwater.eu/wp-content/
Treatment Works • Partnership of industries, housing, and wastewater uploads/2018/10/Water_and_circular_
treatment plants economy-Co.Project_White_paper.pdf

9a Water (demand) Renault (Tangier • Recycling of 100% of industrial wastewater group.renault.com/wp-content/

plant, Morocco) • Water requirements reduced by 70% compared to uploads/2017/07/2017-groupe-renault-
a conventional plant tanger-wastewater-infographic.png

9c Water (resource VCS (Ebjy Mølle • Wastewater treatment plant using chemical nextgenwater.eu/wp-content/
extraction) treatment plant) and heat recovery to generate surplus heat and uploads/2018/10/Water_and_circular_
electricity economy-Co.Project_White_paper.pdf

9d Water (outflow) Koningshoeven • Industrial and municipal wastewater treated and ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/case-
reused on-site for irrigation and local aquifer studies/a-new-operating-system-for-
BioMakery & recharge urban-living-1
Biopolus
• Nutrient, heat and mineral recovery

10d Renewable energy Enel • 46GW of installed capacity for renewable energy enelgreenpower.com/en
production production

11c Financing (lending) Intesa Sanpaolo • Dedicated credit facility to support SMEs and group.intesasanpaolo.com/en/newsroom/
corporates with circular economy projects indepth/all-indepth/2020/the-circular-
economy-and-sustainability-in-intesa-
sanpaolo

11c Financing BlackRock • Dedicated fund investing in circular economy- blackrock.com/uk/intermediaries/...

(listed equity) aligned listed equities

11c Financing Circularity Capital • Private equity firm investing in growth-stage SMEs circularitycapital.com/
(private equity) that operate within the circular economy
Circulytics® | Examples 11