Editor’s notice: That is a part of a sequence on closing the sustainability expertise hole with the sources we’ve got obtainable proper now. Learn the earlier articles on this sequence, which cowl coaching on local weather literacy, scaling company local weather literacy, company sustainability technique, measuring and managing GHG emissions, local weather and net-zero technique and regenerative agriculture.
For those who studied sustainability at school or have even an off-the-cuff curiosity within the round economic system, you’ve nearly definitely heard of Interface, a carpet firm that has a 50-plus-year historical past of being on the forefront of each company sustainability and circularity. I’m courting myself a bit right here, however I vividly bear in mind the primary time I discovered about Interface and its completely radical (on the time) enterprise mannequin, which concerned treating flooring as a service as an alternative of a product in order that it might take carpeting again on the finish of its helpful life and reuse the supplies. It was the primary time I’d heard of something prefer it — and it’s what began me on my transition to working on the intersection of enterprise and sustainability.
Because of the Ellen MacArthur Basis and organizations prefer it, round enterprise fashions usually tend to be thought of crucial than radical nowadays. World corporations resembling Starbucks and Walmart are piloting reusable packaging packages in partnership with organizations resembling Loop and Upstream and, as this yr’s Reusies awards confirmed, there’s no scarcity of innovators engaged on the numerous items of the puzzle that make up a round economic system. There’s nonetheless work to be achieved to scale loads of these options, but it surely’s thrilling to see choices resembling Returnity’s reusable packaging system and Patagonia’s Worn Put on changing into extra mainstream.
There are an unimaginable variety of dimensions to the round economic system, so it may be considerably formidable to know the place to begin. For those who’re new to the fundamental ideas of the round economic system, there are 4 nice free or cheap choices beneath to get you began. For those who’ve obtained the fundamentals down, the round enterprise fashions part lists seven programs that may offer you step-by-step steering for growing and implementing a circularity technique at your organization, most of which have hyperlinks to much more instruments and coaching.
As you’ll be able to think about, circularity appears to be like totally different primarily based on the business — agriculture vs. vogue, for example — or supplies resembling plastic vs. steel. The third part presents three intensive programs in design, packaging and vogue, in addition to hyperlinks to a number of nice sources on the Ellen MacArthur Basis’s web site.
If all this coaching leaves you wanting extra, you should definitely subscribe to Circularity Weekly and save the date for GreenBiz’s Circularity 24 occasion Could 22-24 in Chicago to hitch the rising neighborhood of visionaries and practitioners shifting past incremental motion, catalyzing programs change and accelerating the round economic system.
As is usually the case with most of these lists, I’m positive I’ve missed some. In case your favourite providing isn’t included right here, I warmly invite you to be a part of the dialog on LinkedIn to inform me and your fellow readers about it. Thanks prematurely on your assist with bringing these sources out into the open in order that extra folks can get to work on advancing sustainable enterprise practices.
Round economic system fundamentals
These programs concentrate on instructing the basics of round economic system ideas resembling eliminating waste and air pollution, circulating merchandise and supplies at their highest worth, and regenerating nature. Whereas which will sound pretty easy, don’t confuse easy with simple; a few of these introductory-level programs require greater than 12 hours of effort.
Fundamentals of Round Financial system from Arizona State College
This course is a part of a set of free micro-courses for small companies and professionals from Sustainable Earth, a useful resource developed by way of a collaboration of scholars, employees and school at Arizona State College.
- Value: Free
- Time to finish: 1 to 2 hours
- Coaching format: On-demand movies
- Key subjects coated: What’s a round economic system; advantages and alternatives of a round economic system; the round economic system in the actual world; methods to get began with round pondering; examples of corporations taking round economic system motion
Round Financial system Pathway from Sustainability Unlocked
This assortment of quick programs introduces learners to the idea of the round economic system and its implications in order that they will implement circularity at their enterprise or into their day by day life. These movies are a part of a set of 1,000-plus video modules on the Sustainability Unlocked studying platform, which covers all kinds of company sustainability subjects.
- Value: Free with 30-day trial or included with paid subscription to Sustainability Unlocked, $150/yr
- Time to finish: 1 hour and quarter-hour
- Coaching format: On-demand movies, quiz
- Key subjects coated: What’s the round economic system; waste hierarchy and phases of circularity; implementing round economic system processes; round design and manufacturing in apply
Round Financial system: An Introduction from DelftX in partnership with the Ellen MacArthur Basis
This free course is led by TU Delft and was co-created with the Ellen MacArthur Basis and the Leiden-Delft-Erasmus Centre for Sustainability. It’s a part of a set {of professional} certificates obtainable from DelftX, together with a Certificates in Sustainable Packaging, a Certificates in Sustainable Engineering Design and a Certificates in Sustainable Useful resource Administration.
- Value: Free to audit; $99 to obtain a certificates of completion
- Time to finish: 7 weeks, 3 to six hours per week
- Coaching format: On-demand movies, non-compulsory examination
- Key subjects coated: What’s a round economic system; enterprise worth in a round economic system; longer lasting merchandise; remanufacturing; waste equals meals; pondering in programs
Round Financial system: The Large Concept from the Ellen MacArthur Basis
This course, delivered by the Ellen MacArthur Basis, offers a foundational understanding of the origins of the round economic system, the constraints of the linear economic system and the three ideas of the round economic system so that you could develop the mindset required to use these ideas to your work.
- Value: $99 for the person course or included with paid subscription to FutureLearn
- Time to finish: 3 weeks, 4 hours per week
- Coaching format: On-demand e-learning
- Key subjects coated: Utilizing programs diagrams to handle materials flows and their inherent worth; designing for a round economic system; round enterprise fashions and case research; insurance policies for accelerating the round economic system; speaking concerning the round economic system
Round enterprise fashions
These programs transcend the fundamentals to dive into extra nuanced subjects resembling methods to implement round enterprise fashions at a company or methods to use particular instruments or frameworks.
Round Financial system: An Interdisciplinary Strategy from Wageningen College
This course permits learners to research and develop advanced round programs utilizing a programs pondering method and instruments resembling life cycle assessments and agent-based modeling. The course will be taken independently or as a part of MicroMasters Program in Enterprise and Operations for a Round Bio-Financial system.
- Value: Free to audit, $149 to obtain a certificates of completion
- Time to finish: 6 weeks, 16 to 24 hours per week
- Coaching format: On-demand movies
- Key subjects coated: Introduction to the round economic system; round programs engineering; transition administration; life cycle evaluation; agent-based modeling
Round Financial system Program from Swivel Abilities
This course was designed to be taken in 15-minute increments to assist busy professionals simply discover the time to grasp the shift to the round economic system, the way it’s affecting companies, and what alternatives, points and approaches for round redesign and enterprise growth can be found. This program is an element of a bigger portfolio of company sustainability coaching choices from Swivel Abilities.
- Value: $550
- Time to finish: 4 to six hours
- Coaching format: On-demand movies, e-learning, studying, workout routines, quizzes
- Key subjects coated: The science behind the round economic system; challenges and alternatives; nutrient flows; product stewardship; industrial ecology; reverse logistics; round enterprise fashions and the enterprise case; design and redesign methods
Round Financial system Specialist Certification from the Round Financial system Institute
Learning for this skilled credential will educate learners methods to coordinate, implement, consider and audit round initiatives in private and non-private organizations. Rigorous assessments embrace two exams, a written evaluation of an organization primarily based on the upcoming ISO Worldwide Requirements on Round Financial system and a 10-minute video during which learners give simulated suggestions to an actual group. This certification is one among a number of obtainable from CEI.
- Value: $565
- Time to finish: 60 hours
- Coaching format: On-demand movies, studying, workout routines, assignments, exams
- Key subjects coated: Theoretical foundation of the round economic system; round enterprise fashions and actual life functions; obstacles and advantages; code of ethics {and professional} requirements; firm analysis primarily based on upcoming worldwide requirements
Round Financial system Supervisor Certification from the Round Financial system Alliance
This self-paced credentialing expertise has been designed to cowl deeper elements of the round economic system, together with the significance of strategic design, the notion of worth cycles, superior use of round economic system ideas and the significance of partnering and ecosystems within the transition to a extra round economic system. That is a part of a assortment of round economic system programs and certifications from the Round Financial system Alliance.
- Value: $800
- Time to finish: 30 hours
- Coaching format: On-demand e-learning, exams
- Key subjects coated: Round design; round enterprise fashions; driving circularity by way of coverage; round business 4.0; coaching for circularity; round provide chains; round and digital economies
Grasp Round Design from Circulab Academy
This cohort-based expertise teaches learners methods to analyze and design round enterprise fashions utilizing instruments developed by the consultants at Circulab together with the Worth Chain Canvas, the Accomplice Map and the Round Canvas. The academy additionally presents a free introductory course, Activate the Round Financial system, and a Round Enterprise Fashions course targeted on the Round Canvas and for learners fascinated by a shorter, on-demand possibility.
- Value: $1,600
- Subsequent begin date: Jan. 9
- Time to finish: 8 weeks, 6 hours per week
- Coaching format: Movies, reside on-line Q&A periods, workout routines
- Key subjects coated: Understanding and making use of programs pondering; analyzing a worth chain with circularity; facilitating cooperation between stakeholders; analyzing and designing round and regenerative enterprise fashions
Implementing the Round Financial system Masterclass from the College of Exeter Enterprise College, in partnership with the Ellen MacArthur Basis
This digital reside masterclass was developed for practitioners who need to discover ways to provoke and implement round economic system ideas at their group for long run worth creation. Course content material is delivered by consultants on the Ellen MacArthur Basis and the Exeter Centre for Round Financial system, launched in 2018 by Dame Ellen MacArthur.
- Value: $2,100
- Subsequent begin date: Jan. 22
- Time to finish: 6 weeks, 6 hours per week
- Coaching format: Stay on-line lessons, e-learning
- Key subjects coated: Managing the important thing phases in a company’s round worth journey; closing the implementation hole; making the case for change
Round Financial system: Transition for Future Sustainability from MIT Skilled Schooling
This course examines round economic system subjects by way of 4 lenses: materials science; applied sciences; institutional and financial constructions; and fairness. The course is obtainable individually or as a part of a Skilled Certificates in Sustainability.
- Value: $3,200
- Subsequent begin date: Dec. 2
- Time to finish: 9 weeks, 8 to 10 hours per week
- Coaching format: E-learning, assignments, non-compulsory reside on-line Q&A periods
- Key subjects coated: Know-how and materials science; quantifying circularity; methods for a extra equitable distribution of prices and advantages; institutional and financial constructions and insurance policies; the function of plastics and electronics recycling
Round matter deep dives
The Ellen MacArthur Basis’s web site presents incredible useful resource collections on methods to apply round economic system ideas to cities, design, vogue, meals and plastics. Beneath are a couple of programs that go into extra element on packaging, design and vogue. Regenerative agriculture can also be an vital element of the round economic system; for associated coaching, take a look at 14 coaching sources for regenerating the land by way of agriculture.
Sustainable Design & Manufacturing from UnSchool
This course teaches learners methods to take into account a product’s potential impacts from a life-cycle perspective, which helps to cut back or keep away from unintended unfavorable impacts within the manufacturing of their services. That is one among many choices from UnSchool’s intensive catalog together with Introduction to the Round Financial system, Introduction to Round Methods Design and Introduction to Life Cycle Considering.
- Value: $99
- Time to finish: 1.5 hours
- Coaching format: On-demand movies, studying
- Key subjects coated: Eco-design and round economic system methods and methods to apply them; methods to consider the environmental impacts of design and manufacturing; methods to use Life Cycle Evaluation for lowering the impacts of produced items and providers; design for disassembly, longevity, reusability, dematerialization and modularity
Sustainable Packaging for a Round Financial system from DelftX
This course is designed to show learners methods to enhance packaging programs with a view to recapture the estimated $80 billion of worth misplaced when plastic packaging goes to landfill. The course is obtainable individually or as a part of a Skilled Certificates in Sustainable Packaging.
- Value: Free to audit, $149 to obtain a certificates of completion
- Subsequent begin date: Jan. 17
- Time to finish: 6 weeks, 3 to 4 hours per week
- Coaching format: Self-paced e-learning, non-compulsory examination
- Key subjects coated: Sustainable packaging programs design, closed loop packaging programs; designing with renewable, bio-based supplies; enterprise methods that assist closed loop packaging
Round Style: Design, Science and Worth in a Sustainable Clothes Trade from WageningenX
This Huge Open On-line Course (MOOC) is a complete introduction to round vogue taught by about 30 consultants from each academia and business. It covers circularity in all steps of the style worth chain from new textile supplies and round design all the way in which to enterprise modeling.
- Value: Free to audit, $169 to obtain a certificates of completion
- Time to finish: 5 weeks, 4 to six hours per week
- Coaching format: On-demand e-learning, non-compulsory examination
- Key subjects coated: The function of circularity in vogue; the significance of design for disassembly and recycling; evaluating new biobased supplies for textiles and associated adjustments to the manufacturing course of; new types of worth creation
Be a part of the dialog
I hope this text has helped you discover no less than one nice new useful resource that can assist you incorporate extra round practices into your work. Remember to hold a watch out for future articles on this sequence and bear in mind, if I’ve missed one among your favorites or if you wish to inform me a few useful resource that may very well be related to a future article, please be a part of the dialog on LinkedIn. Till subsequent time!