The Circular Economy Show Podcast

Over the past decade, leading businesses have shown that progress on plastic pollution is possible. And while individual company action has been successful, even the most ambitious businesses are running up against the same obstacles.

As a result, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation has rallied leading businesses behind an evidence-based, ‘2030 Plastics Agenda for Business.’

In this episode of the Circular Economy Show, taken from a Foundation’s webinar, we explore that Agenda, and evaluate the plan and priority actions for business and policy to drive implementation at scale.

If you enjoyed this episode, then please share with your colleagues, or leave us a review or comment on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or YouTube. 

Learn more about the 2030 Plastics Agenda for Business and how your organisation can play a role.

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What do some of the more surprising stories of scale teach us about implementing the circular economy?

In this episode of the Circular Economy Show, Fin is joined by Rachel O’Reilly, Global Human Sustainability Design Director at Accenture, to discuss their upcoming report. The report, titled ‘Circularity is Working’ provides direction on how to improve the consumer adoption of circularity.

From musicians in Liverpool reinvesting savings from second-hand instruments, to informal sharing systems in Hamburg, the conversation explores businesses and communities where circularity is succeeding. Rachel shares insights into the hidden drivers of circularity and explains why they could be the secret to normalising, embedding, and scaling circularity. 

If you enjoyed this episode, then please share with your colleagues, or leave us a review or comment on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or YouTube. The report will be attached in the show notes upon its release in Spring 2026.

Welcome back to The Circular Economy Show and another episode of Circular Snapshots, where we unpack the headlines shaping the transition to a circular economy.
This month, Seb explores the EU’s upcoming Circular Economy Act and its shift toward positioning circularity as industrial strategy, not just environmental policy. We look at new global data revealing rapid growth in national circular economy roadmaps, and why implementation is now the real test.
We also dive into the growing link between circular economy and critical mineral supply chains — from insights at the World Economic Forum to new analysis on EV batteries and material security. Finally, we examine a major UK industry push for a mandatory textiles Extended Producer Responsibility scheme, and what it could mean for transforming one of the economy’s most linear sectors.
From policy to supply chains to industry coalitions, this episode highlights one clear trend: the circular economy is becoming central to competitiveness.
Stories referenced in today’s episode:
EU Circular Economy Act
https://www.brusselstimes.com/1937610/europes-new-circular-economy-act-getting-the-basics-right-for-eu-competitiveness
National Circular Economy Roadmaps
https://www.unido.org/sites/default/files/unido-publications/2026-01/Stocktake%20CE%20Roadmaps%202025.pdf
Critical minerals and the circular economy
https://www.weforum.org/stories/2026/01/circular-economy-clean-energy-supply-chain-critical-minerals/
Circular economy and EV batteries
https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamiehailstone/2026/01/27/circular-economy-could-prevent-an-ev-battery-minerals-bottleneck-study-finds/
Textiles and EPR
https://resource.co/article/uk-textiles-industry-group-publishes-10-point-blueprint-mandatory-epr-scheme

Wen-Yu Weng, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Critical Minerals Lead, joins Lou to explain why critical minerals are currently taking centre stage in global political conversations. 
They explore:
How we can create secure and resilient supply chains to close the gap on fast growing demand
The circular opportunities that  currently lie in shaping supply chains to capture value right now
The enabling factors that have opened windows of opportunity for immediate action
If you enjoyed this episode, then please share with your colleagues, or leave us a review or comment on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or YouTube.

Join Seb as he speaks to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s CEO, Jonquil Hackenberg about the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for the circular economy in 2026.
What are your priorities for 2026? Let us know in the comments or on our LinkedIn page.