Insights from Sweden's Circular Economy Queen: Elin Bergman
Best Practices, Insights and Tips on How to be More Circular
In this edition of "This Week in Sustainability", we're honored to introduce Elin Bergman, also known as the "Circular Economy Queen of Sweden." Elin is the Chief Impact Officer of the Circular Economy Network CradleNet, Co-founder & Managing Partner of Nordic Circular Hotspot, and a LinkedIn Top Voice. As a prolific keynote speaker, she has dedicated her career to advancing the principles of the circular economy and mitigating climate change by transforming how we produce and consume goods.
Understanding the Circular Economy
The circular economy is a transformative approach to production and consumption, aiming to keep resources in use for as long as possible, extract the maximum value from them while in use, and recover and regenerate products and materials at the end of their life cycle.1
The circular economy proposes a radical shift from our current, wasteful practices to a system where there is no waste—only resources. It's about efficiency, innovation, and creating new business models that are profitable yet environmentally-friendly. Elin explains, "It's about doing more with less," emphasizing the potential for businesses to thrive while significantly reducing their environmental footprint.
The Relevance of the Circular Economy
The importance of the circular economy cannot be overstated. As Elin points out, it is not the sole solution to all our environmental challenges, but it is a "strong tool to meet the Agenda 2030 targets," particularly concerning climate change. The transition to a circular economy addresses the urgent need to reduce carbon emissions stemming from production and consumption.
“The beautiful thing about the circular economy is that you don't have to stop doing things as a business. It's more about how you can do things so much more efficiently, still make a lot of money, but without destroying the planet. Circular economy is really about understanding resource efficiency and optimizing processes. It offers a lot of positive new business models and new revenue streams.”
Elin Bergman
Best Practices in Action
Elin highlights inspiring examples of circular economy best practices within Sweden, showcasing the innovative work of companies like Accus and Foxway.
Accus, a sign-making company, has embraced circular principles by using second-hand materials, leasing signs to reduce waste, and even advising clients against unnecessary purchases. This approach not only conserves resources but has also proven to be a successful business model as Accus clients’ are now actively referring them new clients.
Foxway, an IT company, has built a thriving business on refurbishing and reselling electronic devices, demonstrating the profitability of circular practices in the technology sector. These examples illustrate the practical application of circular economy principles and their potential to transform industries.
13 Circular Business Model Strategies
For businesses seeking to integrate circular economy principles, Elin stresses the importance of 13 circular principles businesses can apply:
Research – what needs to be done and how do we do it the best way?
Refuse – is there an actual need to buy/produce/sell this?
Regulate – regulate the need and purchasing (policy too.)
Reduce – reduce the amount of purchases/materials used
Redesign – redesigning products/services, use of PaaS (Product as Service) business models
Repair – enable repair by adding it to the product service and design for repairability
Reuse – find new users for your products, again and again (PaaS)
Repurpose – find new/other uses for used products/materials
Regenerate – improve from the original state, for example growing food regeneratively
Renew – renewable energy and materials is a foundation of circular economy
Relate – collaboration and new relationships to become circular
Recycle – recycle is the last resort, since it uses a lot of energy and depletes materials
Remove – throw away/deposit or burn as a last resort to detoxify waste
Encouraging Circular Consumption
Elin argues that circular consumptions should come from a combined effort from businesses, policymakers, and the civil society.
“I always say that, private people are super busy and they have too much on their agenda. This is why we (CradleNet) are focusing on businesses. Private people are picking up kids from school, cooking food, or doing the dishes. To tell them to be a responsible customer, it's very slow, and it's going to take too much time; it's time we don't have. So, I always say, it would be much better if we had political leadership where it's impossible to go into a store and buy something that's not sustainable.”
Elin Bergman
Elin also champions the idea that circular solutions, such as sharing platforms (e.g. Airbnb) and Product-as-a-Service models (e.g. Netflix), can simplify our lives and reduce the clutter of possessions that often overwhelm us.
“Going into a circular future will actually make your lives easier. Just look at Netflix, for instance. Nobody wants to go back to buying a DVD, or go to the store, rent a film, and then return it. This takes a lot of big chunks of your life.”
Elin Bergman
This shift not only promises environmental benefits but also enhances our quality of life by focusing on experiences over ownership. There is no need to buy a house at your favorite holiday destination anymore when you can rent it on Airbnb.
Conclusion: A Call to Action
Elin's insights into the circular economy offer a hopeful yet pragmatic path forward in our quest for a more sustainable future. Her message is clear: businesses and governments should be in the driving seat of this transition.
She also argues that the circular economy should not be considered as a burden but rather as an opportunity to increase efficiently and optimize processes. The circular economy has so much to offer and it’s time to apply it in our business activities and daily lives more than ever before.
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https://www.europarl.europa.eu/topics/en/article/20151201STO05603/circular-economy-definition-importance-and-benefits#:~:text=The%20circular%20economy%20is%20a,cycle%20of%20products%20is%20extended.