The circular economy: Moving from theory to practice

Cross-functional collaboration and customer-focused design thinking can help companies reap more value from the energy and resources they use.

Stylish, affordable clothing has been a hit with shoppers. Now companies are trying to reduce its social and environmental costs.

This report offers a vision for a circular economy in Europe, and argues that it is an inherently attractive alternative to our current “linear” development path, finding positive employment effects—0.6 percent additional annual growth, and 48 percent reduction of CO2 emissions by 2030.

Growing economic prosperity is rapidly increasing waste volumes in emerging countries. We discuss how governments can react to contain human and ecological health risks.

The overarching vision of the New Plastics Economy is that plastics never become waste. Instead, through alignment of design, production, and logistics with circular economy principles, they re-enter the economy for re-use as valuable technical or biological nutrients.

The French food and water company Danone has a history of environmental awareness. In this interview with McKinsey partner Clarisse Magnin, CEO Emmanuel Faber discusses his commitment to resource efficiency.