Zero Waste Scotland (ZWS) report reviews its business-support initiatives and provides recommendations for Scotland to transition to a circular economy.
To transition to a circular economy, the report highlights the importance of outside investment channels to support businesses to adapt to circular business models; building circular economy skills into national planning, education and life-long learning systems; and government shaping markets and incentivising engagement with circular businesses.
The report found investment in people is important to attract and retain talent, communicating the value of circularity to customers and suppliers was both a challenge and an opportunity in competitive markets, and funding helped businesses turn ideas and strategies into “tangible and successful” pilots.
ZWS’ report also found that collaboration is “critical” to driving circular transformation and economic polycrises acted as a catalyst for businesses to adapt supply chains and consider “innovative” new practices.
The two business-support initiatives from ZWS are the Circular Economy Investment Fund (CEIF) and Circular Economy Business Support (CEBS) service.
Through CEIF, ZWS says it has invested around £12 million in over 60 circular Scottish enterprises, which has created over 70 jobs and reduced carbon emissions by an amount equivalent to taking 40,000 cars off the road for a year.
Through CEBS, ZWS says it has helped over 200 companies make improvements by introducing circular strategies such as circular design, resource recovery, and waste management.
The report says that transitioning from a linear to a circular model will require circular design, resource recovery, enabling technologies, product-as-a-service, reuse and repair, and remanufacturing.
