Circular economy principles minimize waste by “closing the loops” around systems of extraction, production, and consumption, whether via sourcing and design, recovery, reuse, recycling, or responsible disposal. CCSI works to inform and shape the innovation and transformation required to implement circular economy principles in business practices across sectors from mining to industrial goods.
Featured Publications
Market Assessment on Critical Minerals Innovation in Developing Countries
CCSI has developed a market assessment to strategically evaluate technological innovation in critical mineral value chains in developing countries. The assessment focuses on the midstream (processing and refining) and downstream segments (manufacturing, extraction from secondary sources, and end-of-life treatment). It navigates the nexus of stakeholders, policies, initiatives, financial mechanisms, technologies, and SDG impacts. Starting from an analysis of 30 countries, deep-dives were conducted in three from each developing region: Namibia, South Africa, and Zambia in Africa; India, Indonesia, and Türkiye in Asia and the Pacific; and Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico in Latin America and the Caribbean. The study was developed in partnership with Columbia Engineering, commissioned by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)'s Accelerate-to-Demonstrate (A2D) Facility, and funded by the UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ).
Heightened mineral demand could expand mining's environmental impact if not managed carefully. As global populations grow and digitalization increases, the need for minerals will rise. The mining sector's future success will depend on its ability to balance this demand with sustainable practices. This involves combining responsible extraction with circular economy strategies to ensure durable materials are continually reused. This research highlights how mining companies can enhance their circularity in processes and products to meet these challenges effectively.
Metals-as-a-Service (MaaS) is a servitization model based on granting customers the right to use a metal, while the ownership remains with one segment of the value chain. Although some exploration into transformational circular business models has been done previously by ICMM, MaaS is a potential catalyst to overcome the global metals value chain’s inherent cultural inertia to maintain the norm. CCSI and the Carbon Trust, with the support of the Quadrature Climate Foundation (QCF), look to lay an effective groundwork for this ambitious transformation by providing analyses of the economic benefits, ‘least risk’ business models, and policy and financial enabling environments associated with MaaS.
Circular Economy in the Industrial Goods Sector
Commissioned by Stewart Investors, this report evaluates the circular economy performance of industrial goods companies. Stewart Investors engages with its portfolio on sustainability and uses this report to assess and support companies' circular practices. It focuses on five key areas: 1) Designing products for durability, repair, and recycling; 2) Enabling the repair and recycling of products; 3) Collaborating with other firms to enhance circularity; 4) Contributing to circular economy standards and policies; and 5) Publicly reporting on circularity goals and progress.
Circular Economy: Mining Land Potential
This map serves as a vital tool for companies, researchers, academics, civil society, and government officials,. It offerings a visual guide to the potential uses of post-mining land. By transforming former mine sites from liabilities into assets, this tool can unlock economic opportunities, support sustainable development, and aid the transition to a net-zero economy. Each concept in the map includes links to resources—studies, articles, videos, and more—that demonstrate the feasibility of innovative post-mining land uses.