SunPower, Tarkett and Wal-Mart Stores Inc. have become the latest corporate members of the Circular Economy 100 USA (CE100 USA), a network of business leaders, academics, innovators, policymakers and city authorities with a shared objective of developing and implementing circular economy opportunities. The creation of the new CE100 USA network was announced last month, and it holds its launch workshop today in San Francisco.
The circular economy is gaining growing attention in the U.S. thanks to the opportunities it offers businesses willing to capture new value from existing operations and resources, for example by redesigning products and business models, building new relationships with customers, harnessing technology to increase the utilisation of assets, and switching to renewable energy.
The new U.S. network runs in parallel to the Foundation’s three year old international CE100 programme, and provides a national pre-competitive innovation platform addressing the specifics of the U.S. market. Like its international counterpart, CE100 USA provides member organisations with unique collaboration, capacity building, networking and research opportunities, to help them achieve their circular economy ambitions more quickly. The pre-competitive, collaborative nature of the platform gives members access to insights to help them overcome local challenges, and to explore circular opportunities, which they might not be able to capture in isolation.
The circular economy offers many quantified benefits, and provides a positive way forward for businesses wishing to hedge themselves from market volatility. Our 2013 report Towards the Circular Economy Vol. 2, featuring analysis by McKinsey & Co, highlighted the USD 700 billion opportunity in global consumer goods material savings from adopting circular economy practices. For organisations which embrace the opportunities offered by the circular economy, there are first-mover advantages available. The CE100 USA programme provides key insight to support organisations in their transition, and to help accelerate their rate of circular economy innovation.
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. joins both the international CE100 network, and CE100 USA as a new member. Tarkett and SunPower, both existing members of the international CE100 network, have chosen to additionally join the CE100 USA in order to access the programme’s unique North America-based and focused collaboration, capacity building, networking and research opportunities.
“Transforming business and industry in order to generate growth while having a positive impact is becoming a priority, and shifting to a circular economy is a profitable, effective way of achieving that goal. At SunPower, we are the first and only company to offer solar solutions that are as sustainable as the energy they produce by manufacturing Cradle to Cradle Certified™ Silver solar panels in facilities that are landfill-free and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified. We look forward to continuing our collaboration with influential organizations as a member of the international Circular Economy 100, and now here in the U.S. as a member of the CE100 USA, to create a truly regenerative economy.”
- Marty Neese, COO, SunPower
“Tarkett is fully committed to the circular economy model and as such is proud to work with the Ellen McArthur Foundation in Europe and now in North America. We hope to meet and network with like-minded companies in North America and fully engage in conversations around this new approach to business. It is an exciting journey that Tarkett started in 2011 and will continue to develop in the years to come.”
- Glen Morrison, president, Tarkett North America.
"Walmart is pleased to join Circular Economy 100 USA to share our learnings and learn more from other companies so that we can better engage suppliers and customers in these practices."
- Laura Phillips, senior vice president of sustainability, Walmart