Promoting a circular economy

This month, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation celebrates its 10 year anniversary. In that time, it has emerged as a global thought leader, tackling some of the biggest challenges of our time, such as waste, pollution, and climate change. The support from players of People’s Postcode Lottery has meant it’s been able to do so much more than it set out to achieve.

Founded in 2010 by Dame Ellen MacArthur, the Foundation has established the circular economy on the agenda of decision-makers around the world to help provide solutions for many global problems, such as climate change and resource waste.

A circular economy designs out waste and pollution keeps products and materials in use, and regenerates natural systems, creating benefits for society, the environment, and the economy.

The foundation develops and promotes the idea of the circular economy and players of People’s Postcode Lottery are supporting its learning programmes, including regular interactive online events that aim to shift mindsets and inspire action towards a
circular economy, and the development of a variety of multimedia content for an immersive
online Learning Hub - available to anyone, anywhere.

It engages - and inspires - key actors in the system. A new economic system requires a huge amount of collaboration - nobody can make this shift happen on their own. People’s Postcode Lottery players are supporting work with policymakers and governments at all levels, to enable the transition, and provide cutting-edge research and analysis to inform decisions.

Recently, this has included highlighting how applying circular economy principles across just five industry areas: cement, plastics, steel, aluminium, and food, has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 9.3 billion tonnes by 2050 - equivalent to eliminating current emissions from all forms of transport globally.

In order to address global challenges, rapid action is needed on a global scale. Players are helping to transform global industries including plastics, fashion, and food, by providing a platform for world-leading organisations to collaborate and innovate. Some highlights from major projects include:

• Plastics: More than 20% of the global plastics packaging market have committed to
  eliminate the plastic we don’t need
• Fashion: By the end of 2021, the brands and retailers we are working with will have
  produced over half a million pairs of jeans that are fit for a circular economy, reducing
  waste and pollution
• Food: We are working with cities all over the world to tackle climate change, create
  healthy communities, rebuild biodiversity, and create new business opportunities

Over the last decade, the foundation’s mission has been to help millions of people
worldwide understand the circular economy as a better way of doing things. To learn more,
visit the charity’s Learning Hub.