Circularity.fm

What happens when businesses destroy the very resources they depend on to survive? In this episode, biologist and radio host Alexander Holm explains the biodiversity crisis and reveals how industries are systematically eliminating themselves through overexploitation of natural resources. Nature provides essential services like cleaning water, holding soil together, and pollinating crops that would cost trillions to replace. Holm shows how Amazon beef production is destroying the rainfall it needs, fisheries have collapsed from overfishing, and farms are degrading their own soil. His keynote explores what biodiversity actually means, the free ecosystem services nature provides, and practical solutions for sustainable resource use without reducing living standards. This episode is part of our series on the LOOP Forum 2025 highlights, bringing you the key ideas and insights from this year's leading Nordic event on circularity.

How can conversation become a real driver of circular transformation? In this episode, George Marshall explains why conversations are central to circular change and how to design them to build trust, reach across difference, and motivate action. Circular economy strategies often focus on systems and structures but lasting change only happens when people connect new behaviors to their own identity and values. Without shared understanding and engagement, technical solutions risk staying at the surface. Recorded live at the LOOP Forum 2025, his keynote explores how businesses can move beyond top-down messaging to create real dialogue that activates people at every level of an organisation. This episode is part of our series on the LOOP Forum 2025 highlights, bringing you the key ideas and insights from this year's leading Nordic event on circularity.

What does it take to build truly regenerative economies? Circularity is not just about recycling or material flows. It also requires transforming how we use land, manage ecosystems, and design business models that work with and not against the biosphere. In this episode, speakers explore how to move beyond technical fixes and address the broader environmental and economic systems that shape regeneration. Recorded live at the CIRCULAR REPUBLIC FESTIVAL 2025, the panel brought together Michael Obersteiner from the University of Oxford and Miki Yokoyama from Aurum Impact to share perspectives on what it takes to turn regenerative economy concepts into practical strategies. This episode is part of our CIRCULAR REPUBLIC FESTIVAL 2025 series, created in partnership with CIRCULAR REPUBLIC to bring you the key debates and insights from this year's festiva

Do we really understand the value of product passports? As regulations like the Digital Product Passport take shape, many companies are focused on compliance. But the deeper question is whether we are using product data strategically: across lifecycles, across systems, and for actual circular value creation. In this episode, speakers explore how data can move beyond reporting requirements to become a driver of innovation, competitiveness, and business model transformation in the circular economy. Recorded live at the CIRCULAR REPUBLIC FESTIVAL 2025, the panel brought together Susanne Kadner from CIRCULAR REPUBLIC, Tilmann Vahle from Quantis, Pascal Köhler from ebm-papst, and Caroline Cassignol from Siemens to discuss how data availability, transparency, and intellectual property concerns intersect with real circular impact. This episode is part of our CIRCULAR REPUBLIC FESTIVAL 2025 series, created in partnership with CIRCULAR REPUBLIC to bring you the key debates and insights from this year's festival.

Can robotics make large-scale disassembly a reality for the circular economy? Automated disassembly is emerging as a key enabler for circular strategies such as repair, remanufacturing, and high-quality recycling. But turning this vision into scalable practice requires technical integration, economic viability, and alignment across industries. In this episode, speakers from robotics, recycling, and research explore how automation technologies can extend product lifecycles, reduce waste, and unlock new efficiencies in resource use. Recorded live at the CIRCULAR REPUBLIC FESTIVAL 2025, the panel brought together Fridolin Franke from SOLAR MATERIALS, Rebecca Zhu from Circu Li-ion, Tobias Ortmaier from voraus robotik, and José Saenz from Fraunhofer IFF to discuss the role of robotics in enabling circularity through disassembly. This episode is part of our CIRCULAR REPUBLIC FESTIVAL 2025 series, created in partnership with CIRCULAR REPUBLIC to bring you the key debates and insights from this year's festival.

How can the chemical industry become a driving force for a circular economy? From molecular design to large-scale production, the chemical sector underpins nearly every material stream in the global economy. But transforming it for circularity means rethinking not just processes, but business models, regulation, and collaboration between industry and science. In this episode, speakers from startups, corporates, and research institutions share what it will take to reshape chemistry for a circular future across materials, markets, and supply chains. Recorded live at the CIRCULAR REPUBLIC FESTIVAL 2025, the panel brought together Manuel Häußler from Aevoloop, Gerben Meier from LyondellBasell, Christian Schiller from Cirplus, and Peter Seeberger from CTC. The discussion was moderated by Leonhard Nima from Studio Nima. This episode is part of our CIRCULAR REPUBLIC FESTIVAL 2025 series, created in partnership with CIRCULAR REPUBLIC to bring you the key debates and insights from this year's festival.

What does it really take to build a successful textile recommerce model? Product lifetime extension and recommerce are widely seen as pillars of a circular economy, but moving beyond pilot projects requires more than ambition. Brands must confront operational, financial, and customer-facing challenges to scale recommerce in a way that delivers both impact and profit. In this episode, speakers from fashion, outdoor gear, and platform services share practical insights on what works, what stalls, and what it takes to grow textile recommerce models at scale. Recorded live at the CIRCULAR REPUBLIC FESTIVAL 2025, the panel brought together Christina Rosenberg from HUGO BOSS, Carl Warkentin from CIRCULAR REPUBLIC, Jens Oellrich from Bergzeit, Matt Peterson from Gore, and Max Grosse Lutermann from Trove to explore the barriers and enablers of circular resale strategies. This episode is part of our CIRCULAR REPUBLIC FESTIVAL 2025 series, created in partnership with CIRCULAR REPUBLIC to bring you the key debates and insights from this year's festival.

Is circularity the next frontier for German engineering? From industrial automation to in-vehicle electronics, high-performance systems depend on complex, globally sourced materials. This creates serious challenges for sustainability and supply security - but also opens new opportunities for circular strategies that extend product lifespans and recover critical resources. In this episode, speakers from manufacturing, mobility, and tech explore how German industry can integrate circularity into core business functions including R&D, procurement, and governance. Recorded live at the CIRCULAR REPUBLIC FESTIVAL 2025, the panel brought together Ansgar Kriwet from Festo, Eva Riesenhuber from Siemens, Patric Tullio from BMW Group, Lukas Biedermann from SPARETECH, and Niclas-Alexander Mauss from CIRCULAR REPUBLIC to discuss what circular electronics and automation could mean for the future of German engineering. This episode is part of our CIRCULAR REPUBLIC FESTIVAL 2025 series, created in partnership with CIRCULAR REPUBLIC to bring you the key debates and insights from this year's festival.

How can Germany design a workable EPR scheme for textiles? With Extended Producer Responsibility approaching, the textile sector in Germany faces increasing pressure to develop systems that are both legally compliant and operationally feasible. But turning regulation into practice requires coordination across brands, recyclers, and service providers. In this episode, speakers from across the textile sector explore how to create an EPR framework that can function in real market conditions and deliver measurable impact. Recorded live at the CIRCULAR REPUBLIC FESTIVAL 2025, the panel brought together Steffen Gerlach of eeden, Julia Haas of Interzero, Marie Nawrocki of Decathlon, Sophie Herrmann of SYSTEMIQ, and Carl Warkentin of CIRCULAR REPUBLIC to discuss the legal, logistical, and strategic dimensions of EPR for textiles. This episode is part of our CIRCULAR REPUBLIC FESTIVAL 2025 series, created in partnership with CIRCULAR REPUBLIC to bring you the key debates and insights from this year's festival.

Are we truly shifting beyond the linear economy or just circling around it? Despite growing pressure on natural systems and the depletion of critical resources, the shift toward a circular economy remains slow and complex. While pioneering efforts have demonstrated circular potential, questions persist about whether we are replacing the linear model or simply repackaging it. In this episode, Sandrine Dixson-Declève, former Co-President of the Club of Rome, stresses the need for systemic change to address both environmental collapse and social injustice. Following her keynote at the CIRCULAR REPUBLIC Festival 2025, she joined Jocelyn Blériot, Executive Lead for Policy and Institutions at the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, for a panel discussion moderated by Niclas-Alexander Mauss. Together, they explored what is holding back the circular transition, from cost structures to deeply embedded incentives for extraction. This episode is the first in our CIRCULAR REPUBLIC Festival 2025 series, created in partnership with CIRCULAR REPUBLIC to bring you the key debates and insights from this year's festival.

Why is design still overlooked in Germany's circular economy events? Most circular economy events in Germany focus on engineering, technology and economic policy. But design, where 80% of a product's environmental impact is determined, rarely takes center stage. In this episode, Bernd Müller, Director of Relations and Sustainability at the German Design Council, explains why they created the Circular Design Summit to change that. He shares how the summit brings together companies, designers and other departments to work on circularity from the start of the product lifecycle. Bernd reflects on the value of collaboration, and why both design and business need to evolve together. He also points to upcoming trends like repair, resale and the search for scalable materials. This episode is part of Circular Design Summit in cooperation with the German Design Council.

This episode is a recorded panel session from the Circular Design Summit 2025 explores how design can accelerate the shift toward a circular economy by rethinking roles, materials, and systems. Moderated by Karel J. Golta, the conversation brings together perspectives from Kathie Morgenroth (Google), Steffen Erath (Hansgrohe), and Markus Kühlert (Wuppertal Institute). The panelists discuss the need for transdisciplinary collaboration, integration of compliance into early-stage design, and redefining what it means to be a designer in the context of sustainability. From hardware-software integration to product-as-a-service models, the discussion highlights how circularity requires embedding longevity, repairability, and desirability into the entire product experience. This episode is part of the Circular Design Summit series, a Circularity.fm series in collaboration with the German Design Council.

How can design help tackle the global e-waste challenge? In this episode, Katie Morgenroth, Head of Sustainable Design at Google, explains how her team works across hardware products like Pixel, Nest, and Fitbit to reduce environmental impact. She shares Google's approach to using recycled materials in metals and textiles, extending software support to make devices last longer, and developing 100% plastic-free packaging. Katie describes the collaborative work with engineers, materials scientists, and supply chain teams needed to redesign products for repairability and durability, and emphasizes the value of sharing design guides and learnings openly. She also talks about using storytelling and exhibitions to make circular design visible, and why embracing “progress over perfection” is essential for industry-wide change. This episode is part of the Circular Design Summit series, a Circularity.fm series in collaboration with the German Design Council.

Regeneration is gaining traction, but what does it take to finance and scale truly regenerative businesses? In this episode, Alessa Berg, founder of Top Tier Impact, explains why regeneration requires a systemic mindset, how financial instruments can support regenerative models, and what founders need to consider before taking funding. Alessa shares practical distinctions between debt, grants, equity, and blended finance, and advises founders to get clear on their long-term vision before choosing a path. She explains how regenerative VC funds differ from traditional ones in capital structure, return expectations, and alignment with impact. The conversation also highlights overlooked local opportunities for regeneration, especially in Europe, and challenges in shifting global supply chains.

What does it take to secure funding for asset-heavy, circular startups? In this episode, Jakob Röskamp, CFO at Traceless Materials, shares how customer validation builds investor confidence, why off-take agreements are key to de-risking CapEx-heavy models, and how combining equity, debt, and grants can reduce the cost of capital. While this series looks at how VCs select circular startups, it's equally important to understand how startups choose their investors. Jakob shares practical insights on what that process looks like from the startup side. He also talks about Traceless's approach to lifecycle assessments, as well as managing complexity when scaling a circular solution in the real world.

How can purpose-driven founders and investors work together to build the solutions our economy urgently needs? Many startups are building solutions that target the root causes of today's biggest challenges. But purpose-driven angel investors still have to evaluate each team individually, making it hard to fund impact at scale. In this episode, Tina Dreimann, founder of better ventures, explains how her network connects founders and investors to systematically change our economy towards impact and return. Tina also points out the principle of integral investing, where revenue and impact grow together. She shares how startups and established companies can form a symbiosis: combining entrepreneurial startup speed with corporate scale to shift entire value chains. Tina also advises founders to prioritise team strength and early customer validation. This episode is part of VC for Circularity - the Venture Capital Perspective on Circular Economy Startups.

What will it take to recover more critical materials when demand is growing and recovery systems aren't keeping up? With the growing deployment of solar panels, wind turbines, electric vehicles, and data centers, demand for metals and minerals is rising fast. But current systems for recovering and reusing these materials are limited, inefficient, or missing entirely. In this episode, Aly Bryan, Senior Member of the investment team at Closed Loop Partners' Venture Group, explains why critical materials have become a central topic in the circular economy. She introduces the concepts of small-loop and large-loop circularity, discusses the role of modular recovery infrastructure, and shares why relying on large, centralized processing facilities may no longer be the most effective approach. Aly also explores how circular startups can work within existing supply chains and why reverse logistics is essential to making recovery work at scale. This episode is part of VC for Circularity - the Venture Capital Perspective on Circular Economy Startups.

What does it take for circular and impact-driven startups to raise funding from VCs? In this episode, Charlotte Lafont, Principal at Ring Capital, explains how funds can integrate impact into every stage of the investment process, from evaluating impact intentionality to setting KPIs that are audited and tied to carried interest. Charlotte highlights what circular founders need to demonstrate to attract funding: strong product–market fit, alignment with existing value chains, and the ability to scale beyond niche markets. This episode is part of VC for Circularity - the Venture Capital Perspective on Circular Economy Startups.

What does it take to invest in circularity in construction - an industry defined by waste, emissions, and long scaling cycles? In this episode, Bengt Steinbrecher of Holcim MAQER Ventures shares how one of the largest building materials companies works with startups to decarbonise the sector. From reusing 10 million tons of demolition material to testing carbon-storing concrete across Europe, Holcim blends strategic relevance with clear circular KPIs. The episode explores how corporate venture capital enables circular startups to scale in the construction industry - through market access, operational integration, and long-term collaboration. This episode is part of VC for Circularity - the Venture Capital Perspective on Circular Economy Startups.

Decarbonising the economy is a political goal and a commercial opportunity. How can circular startups benefit as well? In this episode, Mark Windeknecht, Principal at World Fund, discusses the connection between decarbonisation and the circular economy. By examining the battery recycling startup Cylib, the food startup Planet A Foods and the consumer tech startup Faircado, Mark provides insights into the drawdown potential of different business models. As a considerable share of circular startups are asset-heavy, Mark touches upon the challenges and opportunities of financing the growth of these circular business models. This episode is part of VC for Circularity - the Venture Capital Perspective on Circular Economy Startups.

Ocean plastics are a danger to the environment and humans. Cleaning it up and avoiding it from happening is a business opportunity, though. In this episode, Ellen Martin, Chief Impact Officer at Circulate Capital, presents how the circular startups in their portfolio tackle the plastics crisis while running profitable businesses. With venture capital investments in Asia and Latin America, Ellen highlights commonalities and differences of markets in these continents. She illustrates the dependency of circular business models on local circumstances. This episode is part of VC for Circularity - the Venture Capital Perspective on Circular Economy Startups.

What is the better place to launch a circular statup, the US or Europe? In this episode, Maya Hassa, Principal at Circular Innovation Fund, discusses regional differences in circular business models and stresses the possibilities a fund can offer startups when working with corporate limited partners. This episode is part of VC for Circularity - the Venture Capital Perspective on Circular Economy Startups.

What happens when the local farmers refuse to work with you? You build your own vertical farming factory. In this episode, Anja Brachmüller, COO at Veganz, shares the company's remarkable 13-year evolution from a single supermarket to an innovative food tech powerhouse with three factories across Europe. Discover how a small cashew cheese operation transformed Veganz's business model, and learn about their groundbreaking vertical farming technology that grows protein-rich peas using just 5% of the water required for traditional agriculture - potentially solving food security challenges worldwide. This episode is part of the series about the CIRCULAZE Summit from November 2024.

Everyone says that the circular economy needs cooperation. But how is that supposed to work? In the KARE project, sixteen organisations are working to establish a regional competence centre for labour research into the circular economy of plastics. Companies of different sizes and degrees of maturity have to come together, as do competitors. In his talk at the CIRCULAZE Summit, Andreas Jenne, Head of Sustainability at REHAU Technologies, reports how the partners are coming together. It is only possible at eye level, with personal dialogue, simple KPIs and pragmatic R-strategies. This episode is part of the series about the CIRCULAZE Summit from November 2024.

The expansion of Solar energy is progressing rapidly. But how do we keep this new equipment in circulation? Pamela Ong presents a systematic analysis of the solar panel supply chain. It covers product design and stakeholder collaboration as well as supply chain incentives and regulation. Pamela's talk is based on a new report from Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership, E.ON Group Innovation and Institute for Manufacturing Engage, that explores the challenges and circular solutions associated with the expected increase in end-of-life solar PV waste over the coming years. This episode is part of the series about the CIRCULAZE Summit from November 2024."

The construction industry consumes the most new resources. At the same time, they have access to an enormous reservoir of materials: old buildings. But how can these urban mines be tapped? In his presentation, Matthias Heinrich uses the example of the Patrick Henry Village in Heidelberg to explain what is needed to reuse old buildings. You can find his presentation with illustrations on the episode's website. This episode is part of the series about the CIRCULAZE Summit from November 2024.

The circular gap is immense, even in the fashion industry. Why is it not possible to do business more circularly? Serena Bonomi cites several reasons: from emotionality to incentives to the question of the economic system. Hear for yourself how a pioneer in circular fashion outlines problems and solutions. This episode is part of the series about the CIRCULAZE Summit from November 2024.

Many family businesses are smart. That is why they look into circular business opportunities. But how can circularity be integrated into their corporate strategy? In this episode, Carl-Luis Rieger, unfolds the circular strategy of WEPA, a family business and European leader in producing hygienic paper. Looking into business development close to the core business, reducing and repurposing production waste and investing in startups close to the value chain. This episode is part of the CIRCULAZE Summit series from November 2024.

Championing circularity in a big company can be tough. But what if you could learn from someone who's already navigated the challenges? Let's uncover their key takeaways! In this episode, Nina Fechler, Director Global Circular Economy Program at Evonik, shares her three major learnings from the last years. They involve attitude towards the business, collaboration, and the right timing. This episode is part of the CIRCULAZE Summit series from November 2024.

Transforming a linear business into a circular one requires the support of many colleagues. But how do you win them over for a circular future? In this episode, Vojtech Vosecky, LinkedIn's Top Green Voice with more than 143k followers, gives an insight into his communication strategy. Whether for building new circular business models, circular product design or improving recycling rates, Vojtech's tips help circularity professionals with internal stakeholder communication. This episode is part of the CIRCULAZE Summit series from November 2024.

What insights do board members need to know, and what decisions must they make before starting a product-as-a-service proposition? Product-as-a-Service may look easy but is transformative for customers and the operating company. Being aware of the requirements and pitfalls helps to succeed. In this episode, Mailin Jappé, formerly Director Device-as-a-Service at Acer, and Patrick Hypscher look back at the fifteen episodes of PaaS Decoded and wrap it up for board members. This episode is the 16th in the series PaaS Decoded, 16 conversations about the fine details of product-as-a-service.

How can customers and operators benefit from Product-as-a-Service? By creating efficiency gains that both parties share. With its Pay-Per-Part model, TRUMPF developed a concept that forced the OEM to rethink major elements of its offering. In doing so, overall machine efficiency increased to a degree that customers and TRUMPF benefitted from. In this episode, Tom Schneider, Benedikt Braig, and Jörg-Andre Junker provide insights into efficiency gains and their requirements. This episode is the 15th in the series PaaS Decoded, 16 conversations about the fine details of product-as-a-service.

When customers operate their equipment poorly, the time has come for Product-as-a-Service. The cooling of large building complexes such as shopping centres, university campuses or offices is a case in point. In this episode, Dave Mackerness, Director at kaer, explains how Cooling-as-a-Service work. By optimising the equipment, connecting it and operating it much more efficiently, Cooling-as-a-Service can yield cost and emission reductions. This episode is the 14th in the series PaaS Decoded, 16 conversations about the fine details of product-as-a-service.

How integrated should a Product-as-a-Service proposition be in the core business? If an existing company starts a new as-a-service business, this question needs to be answered. In this episode, Rob Keulemans, Chief Commercial Officer at Royal Ahrend, describes the organisational journey of their Furniture-as-a-Service proposition. After a separate start, significant elements of FaaS are now part of core processes and systems. This episode is the 13th in the series PaaS Decoded, 16 conversations about the fine details of product-as-a-service.

A durable and long-lasting product is a promising starting point for circular activities. Yet organisational challenges remain. In this episode, Caroline Stern gives insights into Hilti Group's challenges when measuring and improving its circularity. It starts with logistics, spans over accounting, and includes selecting the right input data for ERP systems designed for a linear world. This episode is the 12th in the series PaaS Decoded, 16 conversations about the fine details of product-as-a-service.

Rental and Repair business models come with the promise of superior circularity. However, it is unclear if a specific company can deliver on this promise. In this episode, Dr. Marianne Kuhlmann, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Circularity, presents insights from the first market report of UNDRESS Circularity. UNDRESS Circularity provides a framework and practical guide to determine the impact of rental and repair business models. It is a collaborative industry project led by Circularity in collaboration with Fraunhofer IZM, Systemiq, and 12 industry partners (Assurant, circulee, Everphone, fixfirst, Foxway, Grover, Ingram Micro, rebuy, Recommerce Group, Reverse Logistics Group, Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone), further supported by Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt and Deloitte. This episode is the eleventh in the series PaaS Decoded, 16 conversations about the fine details of product-as-a-service.

Traditional reporting and accounting practices are designed for linear sales models.However, a circular product-as-a-service proposition requires a different logic and KPI. In this episode, Jonas Bulach, Project Manager Product-as-a-Service at Swiss Home Appliance Manufacturer V-ZUG, explains how V-ZUG creates transparency about the business and handles accounting challenges. This episode is the tenth in the series PaaS Decoded, 16 conversations about the fine details of product-as-a-service.

Every Product-as-a-Service needs a product in the first place. A well-designed product supports the success of the subscription proposition. The Cradle to Cradle school of thought paved the way for circular thinking in product design. Products should be designed so that their materials and components can be repaired, repurposed, or recycled indefinitely. In this episode, Nora Sophie Griefahn, Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Cradle to Cradle NGO connects circular product design with Product-as-a-Service. This episode is the ninth in the series PaaS Decoded, 16 conversations about the fine details of product-as-a-service.

Grover is a role model for debt-based asset funding. With nearly € 2bn of debt from various lenders in multiple rounds Grover has shown a way of separating startup and asset risk. In this episode, Mitja Sadar, former Senior Vice President Finance and Head of Debt Capital Markets at Grover, gives insights into Grover's approach. Mitja explains the various stages, pitfalls and the interrelation between the product portfolio and debt structures. This episode is the eighth in the series PaaS Decoded, 16 conversations about the fine details of product-as-a-service.

Do PaaS models reduce overall resource consumption? Enhancing circularity is one motivation for starting PaaS. But PaaS does not necessarily deliver on that promise. It requires monitoring consequences and benchmarking them with other behaviours. In this episode, Ankita Das, PhD Researcher on Circular Business Models at Circular X at Maastricht University, explains the origin and character of rebound effects. She does not stop there but shares common mitigation strategies and ways to implement rebound thinking in the early design process of a business model. This episode is the seventh in the series PaaS Decoded, 16 conversations about the fine details of product-as-a-service.

When is a business model considered circular? A fund with circularity in its name must answer this question. Andrew Shannon, Partner at Circularity Partners, gives us her answer. A benchmark market method is used to examine the behaviour of the portfolio company's customers. In addition, Andrew describes how the financing challenges of PaaS businesses can be overcome. This episode is the sixth in the series PaaS Decoded, 16 conversations about the fine details of product-as-a-service.

Funding the assets is a prominent challenge for PaaS businesses. Assets have to be prefinanced, as customers only pay a monthly few. Generally, three partners can provide support: venture capital investors, banks, and strategic partners, such as manufacturers. In this episode, Lennert van Mens provides a bank's perspective on a PaaS business, including the overall business model, the cashflow design and the value generation. This episode is the fifth in the series PaaS Decoded, 16 conversations about the fine details of product-as-a-service.

Running a Product-as-a-Service Business includes refurbishing products. It is not only a process in itself. It can also be another business model in itself. Philips created a symbiotic relationship between PaaS and Refurbishment. PaaS returns are refurbished and sold as refurbished products. And many more products that are not available as subscriptions can be bought as refurbished. In this episode, Boris Romero and Vincent van Lamoen from Philips give us insights into the refurbishment process, customer communication and the differences between the subscription and refurbishment propositions. This episode is the fourth in the series PaaS Decoded, 16 conversations about the fine details of product-as-a-service.

Consumers are looking to adopt a circular economy, based on renting and buying second-hand. Anna Balez, founder and CEO of Lizee, shares her insights about consumer preferences with us. Customers demand solutions for their problems. Subscriptions can be one solution, but they are not the only one. This interview looks at the differences between renting and second-hand from a customer, operations, and company perspective. This episode is the third in the series PaaS Decoded, 16 conversations about the fine details of product-as-a-service.

Never run out of ink - that is the promise of HP Instant Ink. This promise attracts millions of customers worldwide. Shuchir Bhatia, Global Product Manager for HP Instant Ink takes us on a journey to discover how HP runs this proposition on a global scale. Shuchir explains why HP chose a Pay-per-Month over a Pay-per-Use (or Pay per Page) plan and how the ink and the printer play together for HP Instant Ink. Connectivity is key, also for fraud protection. Additionally, we get insights into regional adaptation parameters and the go-to-market interfaces with the local sales organisation. This episode is the second in the series PaaS Decoded, 16 conversations about the fine details of product-as-a-service.

In this episode, Bert van Son, founder and spokesperson of MUD Jeans, presents the Lease-a-Jeans proposition. Launched already in 2013, this proposition is a key instrument for closing the loop. Bert shares the reasoning behind the proposition and explains major elements of it, like the one-time fee as a means to improve cash-flow. Moreover, we address key aspects and challenges of the circular economy , like the use of non-virgin material, the role of taxation on resources and labour, and the importance of a passion-driven brand. This episode is the first in the series PaaS Decoded, 16 conversations about the fine details of product-as-a-service.

This episode features Patrick Peter, Director at phiyond by adelphi. Patrick presents how phiyond supported Korozo in creating transparency about its level of circularity. The starting point was the change in the regulatory landscape. Patrick and his team needed to gather and process circularity data to meet upcoming reporting standards. He shares how the reporting effort triggered the ambition to improve the circular share. The episode concludes with the needs and opportunities for companies to become more circular.

This episode features Calle Medin, Vice President Sustainability at Husqvarna Group. Calle presents a process Husqvarna set up in 2019 to promote circular business ideas. The starting point is the strategic ambition of the management board. Calle and his team defined focus areas and decision criteria. He shares the different motivations of employees to submit ideas and how the selection committee was staffed. The episode concludes with reflections on the implementation of the ideas and success rates.

This episode features Angela Hultberg, Global Sustainability Director at Kearney. She discusses the critical role of circular economy strategies in achieving sustainable business practices. She emphasizes the necessity of rethinking business models, products, and services from the ground up to integrate circularity effectively. Angela highlights the challenges of changing consumer behaviors and the importance of collaboration within and outside organizations to foster a circular economy. She concludes by stressing the urgency of making significant decisions and taking action towards sustainability, despite the complexities of defining complete circularity.

This episode features Alexander Shevelov from Würth Group discussing their journey and strategies in integrating sustainability into business processes. Würth's approach is all about integrating internal and external stakeholders into the process, listening to their needs and giving them ownership. The conversation delves into the role of sustainability ambassadors, having top-management support and involving external partners. People: Alexander Shevelov, Strategy & People Lead Sustainable Value Chain Management, Würth Group Patrick Hypscher, Co-Founder of Green PO, Expert in Sustainable Business Models About Würth (from website): The Würth Group is the global market leader in the development, production, and sale of fastening and assembly materials. The Würth Group operates worldwide and currently consists of more than 400 companies with more than 2,700 branches and shops in 80 countries. In its core business, the manufacturing of assembly and fastening materials, the Würth Group is a firmly established market player. Further Links: Würth Group, https://www.wuerth.com/

Many investors and companies struggle to balance profit and impact. Should we go for one at the expense of the other? Or can we combine the two? And if so, how do we translate this ambition into tangible goals and make them work in day-to-day operations? In this episode, Axel Berger, Chief Sustainability Officer at Haniel, shares how Haniel has profit and impact targets.