Ellen Macarthur Foundation. Rethink the future

We’ve got Cisco in our Systems

• by ReDesign Interns - Cisco
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• 14 Jul 2011
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Innovation, profit, and future are all words we have ringing in our heads from dawn until dusk this week. Our time at Cisco has really begun to focus our minds on putting a concept ‘the circular economy’ into practice.

The challenge of the week is to draw together a number of potential business ideas that may enable Cisco to carry on what they’re renowned for, changing the way the world communicates. The sheer size and value of this multi-billion dollar business (currently aiming to get from $32.4 billion to $100 billion in 3-5 years) has really opened our eyes as to how damaging the effect could potentially be if Cisco carries on operating with their current business model. Research into materials Cisco use in their products e.g copper (estimated less than 20 years left), quite clearly shows the urgency of the change that needs to take place before the inevitable happens.

As a team we have begun to rethink Cisco’s business model not necessarily in terms of changing the materials used in the products, but how to use the materials currently used by Cisco more sustainably. The overall aim is to at some point in the near future have a system whereby all products are made to be made again, where maximum material is recycled to be born again into another Cisco product, therefore materials won’t need to be as readily mined, saving non-renewable energy and resources.

The way to do this is to establish stronger relationships with component suppliers so that they can commission the type and source of materials used. If Cisco design products for rent only that are easy to assemble and disassemble Cisco will be able to guarantee a reliable flow of materials to partner e-waste processors. These will then sell back cheap recycled materials to the contracted component manufacturer and profitable secure circular economy emerges out of degrading linear system.

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