The Ellen MacArthur Foundation has announced a strategic shift to move from placing the circular economy on leaders’ agendas to driving implementation at scale globally by focusing on three specific missions.
For the past 15 years, the Foundation has put the circular economycircular economyA systems solution framework that tackles global challenges like climate change, biodiversity loss, waste, and pollution. It is based on three principles, driven by design: eliminate waste and pollution, circulate products and materials (at their highest value), and regenerate nature. on the global agenda and demonstrated its viability across industries, highlighting it as a vital solution to both economic and environmental challenges. More than 55% of businesses now have circular economy ambitions and targets, and there are 75 national circular economy roadmaps.
Now we are entering a new chapter — setting the agenda for circular economy implementation and focusing business and policy action on overcoming systemic barriers in the way of market transformation (e.g. lack of infrastructure).
We will be focusing on three missions - plastics and packaging, critical minerals, and retail - designed to respond to disruptive macro trends where the action is today and where the circular economy can make a difference to the urgent issues facing business leaders and policy makers.
To drive action at scale across business and policy, the Foundation will be investing in critical skills and experience including; technical subject matter and policy knowledge, global experience, and senior leadership.
We will also be focusing our organisation behind our three missions, meaning less broad based promotion and education around the circular economy, and working directly with fewer sectors.
This means that, sadly, there are roles at risk of redundancy. A 30-day consultation period will now take place before any final decisions are made. We recognise this is a difficult time and are committed to supporting those who are affected.
CEO Jonquil Hackenberg joined the organisation at the end of 2024 with the objective to lead the Foundation into its next chapter to bring the circular economy to scale as an implementation partner with business, policy and investors.
The Foundation has built an unrivalled network at the most senior level of global business and government. Now leading businesses are asking us to go to the next level and help them address the systemic barriers that block progress today. Everyone recognises that the playbook needs to evolve to meet the size of the challenge, but we are uniquely positioned to set the agenda for circular, at-scale solutions--and then activate it at pace--with our signature creativity and collaboration.
- Jonquil Hackenberg, CEO of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation.
Contact pressoffice@ellenmacarthurfoundation.org if you have any questions or queries.
