Circular economy books, reports & publications

Leading the charge

Turning risk into reward with a circular economy for EV batteries and critical minerals

How not to fail: Avoiding 10 common pitfalls when scaling circular business models

This paper is designed to guide businesses towards understanding and overcoming common barriers to...

Scaling action for nature: How the circular economy can help deliver the Global Biodiversity Framework

The circular economy offers countries a practical route to tackling biodiversity loss at its source...

Breaking new ground: The Ellen MacArthur Foundation's annual impact report 2024

This year marked a shift from exploring and promoting the circular economy to implementing at...

Reuse in the Global South

This report, written in partnership with WWF, is filled with case studies from innovative companies...

Improving climate emissions accounting to accelerate the circular economy transition

We want to to ensure that emissions accounting for circular economy activities is ‘true and fair’.

The circular economy: a ‘triple play’ solution for achieving China’s climate objectives

This paper highlights the fundamental benefits of the circular economy for climate action in China.

The marketing playbook for a circular economy

Our marketing playbook for a circular economy is designed to help marketers navigate the challenges...

The Plastics Pact Network’s Six-Year Journey Towards Eliminating Plastic Pollution and Waste

Six years in, Plastics Pacts are a proven model for tackling plastic pollution.

Building prosperity: Integrating nature into thriving cities

This report demonstrates the opportunity of a nature-positive, circular economy that is ready to be...

We need Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) policy for textiles

A comprehensive circular economy approach is the only solution that can match the scale of the...

Navigating the circular economy reporting landscape

This paper is designed to help companies navigate circular economy reporting and stay ahead of...

An innovation pathway to decarbonization: circular economy solutions for policymakers and industry in the US

This report sets out the scale of the economic and climate opportunity presented by a circular...

The Global Commitment Five Years In Paper

The Global Commitment Five Years In: Learnings to Accelerate Towards a Future Without Plastic Waste...

The Big Food Redesign: Project

Rather than bending nature to produce food, food can be designed for nature to thrive

Unlocking a reuse revolution: scaling returnable packaging

A reuse revolution is critical to tackle the plastic crisis: this study shows the route to scaling...

Building a circular supply chain: Achieving resilient operations with the circular economy

This white paper explores how supply chain leaders can achieve resilient operations through the...

Towards a circular economy for plastics in China: Opportunities and recommendations

As the biggest manufacturer, user, and exporter of plastics in the world, China has a unique role...

The circular design for fashion book

It has been written in recognition of fashion’s huge potential to move towards a circular economy.

Rethinking business models for a thriving fashion industry

Circular business models for fashion, which are designed to make revenue without making new...

The Nature Imperative: How the circular economy tackles biodiversity loss

To halt and reverse biodiversity loss, we need to fundamentally transform the way we produce, use,...

Universal circular economy policy goals

A framework for national governments, cities and businesses to accelerate the transition para uma...

Upstream Innovation: a guide to packaging solutions

The Upstream Innovation guide tells how to harness the power of upstream innovation as a root-cause...

The circular economy: a transformative Covid-19 recovery strategy

This paper demonstrates how policymakers can pave the way to a low carbon, prosperous future.

Financing the circular economy - Capturing the opportunity

This report offers new analysis that highlights rapid growth in circular economy financing and...

Completing the picture: How the circular economy tackles climate change

Republication of a paper first published in 2019. How the Circular Economy Tackles Climate Change...

Reuse – rethinking packaging

This paper provides a framework to understand reuse models by identifying six major benefits of...

Cities and a circular economy for food

City food systems can demonstrate the benefits of a circular economy.

Artificial intelligence and the circular economy

This paper provides an initial exploration of the intersection between two emerging megatrends:...

The circular economy opportunity for urban and industrial innovation in China

The analysis shows that applying circular economy principles at scale could save businesses and...

Circular Consumer Electronics: An initial exploration

This paper offers an initial overview of how the principles of a circular economy could be applied...

The New Plastics Economy: Rethinking the future of plastics & catalysing action

This report provides a new way of thinking about plastics as an effective global material flow...

A New Textiles Economy: Redesigning fashion’s future

Fashion is a vibrant industry that employs hundreds of millions, generates significant revenues,...

Cities in the circular economy: An initial exploration

This paper outlines some of the challenges cities are facing in today’s linear economy, explores...

Urban Biocycles

This scoping paper focuses on the potential of the significant volume of organic waste flowing...

The Circular Economy: A Wealth of Flows - 2nd Edition

More than ever, the circular economy gives the direction of travel, and appears as a model for...

Achieving 'growth within'

A new report by SYSTEMIQ, in collaboration with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and sponsored by...

The New Plastics Economy: Catalysing action

This new research presents three strategies to increase reuse and recycling of plastic packaging to...

Circular economy in India: Rethinking growth for long-term prosperity

By embarking on a circular economy transformation, India could create direct economic benefits for...

Intelligent assets: Unlocking the circular economy potential

With up to 50 billion connected devices predicted by 2020, a pervasive digital transformation is...

The New Plastics Economy: Rethinking the future of plastics

A vision of a global economy in which plastics never become waste and concrete steps towards...

Towards a circular economy: Business rationale for an accelerated transition

This 20-page executive summary report sets out the organisation's latest insights and analysis on...

Delivering the circular economy: a toolkit for policymakers

This report provides an actionable toolkit for policymakers who wish to embark on a circular...

Growth within: a circular economy vision for a competitive Europe

Incorporating in-depth analysis of three of Europe’s largest basic needs, mobility, food, and the...

A New Dynamic 2: effective systems in a circular economy

The second book of the series A New Dynamic reflects on the necessity to develop a whole-system...

A New Dynamic: effective business in a circular economy

Upward trending, volatile materials and energy prices; difficult credit conditions and the myriad...

Towards the circular economy Vol. 3: accelerating the scale-up across global supply chains

Business leaders and governments both acknowledge that continued wealth generation requires a new...

Towards the circular economy Vol. 2: opportunities for the consumer goods sector

The report focuses on fast-moving consumer goods, which currently account for about 60% of total...

Towards the circular economy Vol. 1: an economic and business rationale for an accelerated transition

Using product case studies and economy-wide analysis, this report details the potential for...

Ellen MacArthur Foundation FILMS

69 episodes

The world’s leading circular economy network

Through our Network, businesses are coming together to turn the circular economy opportunity into...

Careers at the Ellen MacArthur Foundation

We work to accelerate the transition to a circular economy. We are proud to be the home of an...

Case studies

Our curated collection of case studies presents circular economy success stories from around the...

The Circular Economy Show Podcast

Experts discuss how the circular economy is being developed and scaled.