The Circular Economy Institute (CEI), a leading global community and training provider for circular economy professionals, today announced the launch of CEI Professional Membership. This strategic milestone marks a significant step forward in the CEI’s mission to drive systemic change across industries and economies through collaboration, training, and accreditation – enabling circular economies to thrive.

The programme is designed to empower professionals worldwide and accelerate the global transition to a circular economy.

Professional Membership combines world-class education with a vibrant community network to create a comprehensive career development pathway for circular economy practitioners. The new offering provides structured career progression, internationally recognised credentials, and global networking opportunities for professionals at every stage of their career.

The launch reflects the CEI’s growth and expanded vision, reinforcing its position as the global standard for circular expertise. Professional Membership is designed to equip existing and future generations of professionals with the critical practical skills needed to navigate the shift from a linear to circular economy, whilst formally recognising those who demonstrate competence, experience, and ethical practice in the field.

Three grades of professional membership

The membership structure supports professionals from the start of their circular economy journey through to experienced leaders:

CEI Trained — for those beginning their circular economy career, demonstrating foundational knowledge and commitment to the field.

CEI Advanced Practitioner — for experienced professionals implementing circular solutions and demonstrating practical expertise.

CEI Fellow — for recognised leaders driving circular economy transformation at a strategic level.

Katie Cockburn, Senior Director for Policy, Media and Education at the Circular Economy Institute, says: “We are thrilled to launch CEI Professional Membership. This is about progression and empowerment for the professionals at the forefront of the circular economy. Our membership grades serve as a mark of credibility and professional standing, signalling to employers, clients, and peers that members can be trusted to deliver to high standards. Professional Membership connects our global community and provides access to the critical knowledge, skills development, and collaboration opportunities needed to drive the essential circular shift.”

What members can expect

CEI Professional Membership provides members with access to a comprehensive suite of benefits:

Professional recognition — earn internationally recognised credentials that advance your career and signal your commitment to ethical practice and continuing professional development.

Global network — connect with professionals across 40+ countries driving circular change, facilitated by improved networking features and access to local Circular Economy Clubs.

Expert resources — access case studies, tools, webinars, articles, insights, and learning materials from industry leaders and circular thought leaders.

Continuing professional development — structured opportunities to maintain and enhance your expertise through comprehensive programmes that set the benchmark for circular economy proficiency.

The Circular Economy Institute believes that change starts with knowledge, and Professional Membership demonstrates the organisation’s mission to empower professionals across the globe with the tools and expertise to move the world beyond waste. By developing a global network committed to setting the best standards for the circular economy, the CEI aims to drive the transition from linear to circular models, reshaping economies and redefining sustainability.

Explore CEI Professional Membership and discover how we are powering a circular future: https://ceinstitute.org/membership/

More information

The Circular Economy Institute is a leading global organisation that sets the standard for circular economy expertise. It empowers professionals to drive the global shift from linear to circular economies through world-class training, accreditation, and a vibrant community network. The Circular Economy Institute includes the Circular Economy Club, a global network of over 10,000 members in more than 280 local clubs across 140 countries. This combined network serves a diverse membership of businesses, governments, and academic institutions, including clients such as the United Nations One Planet Network and the Harvard School of Design.

Are you designing for a world that can no longer support a linear take-make-waste model? Have you ever questioned the true lifecycle of your products, or felt that “sustainable design” often stops short of real-world recovery? If you find yourself overwhelmed by greenwash or are seeking the technical competency to make your work future-fit, you are not alone. The transition to a circular economy requires a fundamental shift in how we exchange knowledge between those who design and create products, and those who manage our resources.

The Circular Economy Institute has partnered with CIWM, Design Council, WRAP, and URGE Collective to deliver a pilot programme, Design Skills for Embedding Circularity. This programme explores practical methods for cross-sector skill exchange, bridging the gap between design and the waste and resource sector to drive systemic change in circular design.

The 2026 Programme

Throughout 2026, we are providing our participant cohort with exclusive access to the frontline of resource and waste management. Through immersive site visits and curated tours, designers will engage in collaborative discussions at materials recycling facilities, Energy-from-Waste plants, and specialist handling facilities. These experiences offer a rare, first-hand look at today’s material flows and the practicalities of resource recovery.

To support this, CEI and our partners are hosting facilitated workshops and expert-led sessions. These sessions explore the key principles and requirements of circularity, including reuse, repair, and recyclability. Alongside technical exploration into carbon and materials science, packaging innovation, and evolving policy and regulations. Participants will apply these insights to real end-of-life challenges, generating actionable concepts for circular innovation.

Professional Development and Impact

This initiative is designed to move beyond theory and into action-based learning. By connecting designers directly with the resource and waste sector, we are developing the collaborative insight needed for long-term resilient design.

The programme is also underpinned by the Design Council’s Skills for Planet Knowledge Transfer Methodology. This ensures that participants gain accredited, practical capabilities that they can bring back to their organisations, helping to accelerate the transition to a circular future.

Opportunities to Partner

We are currently seeking strategic partners, including waste sector organisations and circular business consultancies, to collaborate on the programme’s design sprint.

Interested in collaborating? For more information on the programme and partnership opportunities, please visit: https://www.urgecollective.com/design-skills-for-embedding-circularity/.

The circular economy transition isn’t on the way; it’s happening right now. These five industries are already transforming supply chains, reducing waste, and unlocking new economic value.

Fashion & Textiles – Closing the Loop on Clothing Waste

What circular looks like: Circular in textiles means designing clothes for durability, repair, and recycling, using regenerative or recycled materials, and keeping garments in use through resale, rental, and take-back schemes.

Why it’s happening now: The amount of textile waste humans produce has risen exponentially over the last twenty years. More countries are incentivising circular design choices in textiles, and customers are demanding more durable and sustainable purchase options.

Real company leading change: In 2023, Primark partnered with the Circular Textiles Foundation to deliver an advanced training programme on circular design principles for its Design and Product teams.

Construction – Building with Circular Materials

What circular looks like: The use of reclaimed building materials; modular and reversible design; material passports; reuse of demolition waste; removing waste from the site by design.

Why it’s happening now: There are many reasons why construction is becoming more circular, which include pressure from decarbonisation targets and embodied carbon in construction, but also supply chain disruptions, which make reuse more cost-efficient.

Real organisation leading change: Northumbria University secured £250,000 in research funding for a project to develop ‘AI-driven decision-support systems’ to help construction managers identify waste generation points, implement effective handling strategies, and assess project sustainability.

Food & Beverage – Eliminating food waste streams

What circular looks like: Circularity is all about preventing surplus food from being wasted, redistributing what’s edible, and turning inedible scraps into valuable resources like animal feed, compost, or energy through anaerobic digestion.

Why it’s happening now: Food loss and waste account for 8-10% of annual global greenhouse gas emissions. Reducing this waste stream is not only good for the planet, but it is a valuable resource that is being wasted. Food redistribution gives surplus food to those in need, and anaerobic digestion is an alternative to landfill that generates energy.

Real initiative leading change: The UK Food and Drink Pact aims to reduce food waste by 50% per capita by 2030, emphasising the importance of recycling and waste reduction strategies. 

Electronics – Designing for repair and reuse

What circular looks like: The circular economy in electronics means designing devices to last longer, be easily repaired or upgraded, and eventually disassembled for reuse or recycling.

Why it’s happening now: It keeps valuable materials – like metals, plastics, and critical raw materials – in the loop instead of being discarded, while enabling new business models such as device leasing, refurbishment, and take-back programmes.

Real company leading change: Trojan Electronics is a UK-based company specialising in electronics refurbishment, repair, and circular economy services. Parts that cannot be refurbished are responsibly recycled, recovering valuable metals and plastics for new products.

Cities & Infrastructure – Creating circular urban systems

What it looks like: Urban areas are adopting circular economy principles by integrating renewable energy, waste recycling, and sustainable infrastructure.

Why it’s happening: Urbanisation is increasing, leading to higher resource consumption and waste generation, which necessitates more sustainable urban planning.

Real city leading change: The City of Amsterdam has implemented a comprehensive circular economy programme aimed at reducing waste and promoting sustainable urban development. This initiative is part of their broader strategy to halve the use of new raw materials by 2030 and achieve a fully circular city by 2050.

Conclusion

These industries are not just adopting circular economy practices; they’re leading the charge towards a sustainable future. 

Ready to lead your industry’s circular transition? Explore CEI training certificates →

By 2025, circular economy professionals who master these five skills could earn 25% than their peers!

The transition to circular economy models involves integrating emerging technology with business practices. This presents unique challenges that demand both technical expertise and system thinking.

Don’t get left behind – develop your existing capabilities and build new skills  to stay ahead of the curve. This way, you can be the person setting trends in the circular economy sector, not scrambling to keep up with your colleagues.

The 5 skills you need:

1. Systems Thinking – See the big picture
2. Circular Design – Design out waste
3. Stakeholder Collaboration – Build partnerships
4. Business Model Innovation – Make it profitable
5. Data & Measurement – Prove impact

Systems Thinking – See the big picture

What it is: Systems thinking means understanding how all parts of the value chain – materials, supply, consumption, waste recovery, policy, infrastructure – work in harmony.

Why it matters: Systems thinking helps circular economy professionals see how materials, policies, supply chains, and consumer behaviour interact, so they can design solutions that fix the root cause of any problems rather than just their symptoms.

Real professionals doing it: Mark & Spencer has used systems thinking to manage complex sustainability challenges, calling it ‘practical and very relevant to sustainable business practice’.

Circular Design – Design out waste

What it is: Designing products and packaging so that waste is minimised or eliminated when the item reaches the end of its life. This is accomplished through reusability, repairability, modularity, and sustainable material choices.

Why it matters: How much waste a product produces at its end-of-life is decided during its design phase. The choices designers make can ensure every material that makes up a product has a second life, rather than ending up in landfill.

Real professionals doing it: According to a report by WRAP and OC&C Strategy Consultants, 60% of businesses assessed are designing products for durability or repairability – a sharp increase from previous years.

Stakeholder Collaboration – Build partnerships

What it is: Engaging across industries, government, communities, suppliers, and even competitors to align incentives, share resources, and co-develop solutions.

Why it matters: The circular economy transition is a once-in-a-generation shift in how we function as a society. It will require joined-up thinking and collaboration across all sectors. Being able to efficiently build partnerships will place you at the forefront of the circular economy industry.

Real professionals doing it: The Flexible Plastic Fund brings together Ecosurety, the charity Hubbub, major packaged food & drink brands (Mars UK, Nestlé, PepsiCo, Mondelez), local authorities, and regulators to improve the recyclability of flexible plastic packaging. They share knowledge, fund research and development, and pilot collection schemes.

Business Model Innovation – Make it profitable

What it is: Moving beyond linear ‘take-make-dispose’ models to new models like product-as-a-service, leasing, sharing, take-back, subscription, or buy-back, that align profitability with circularity.

Why it matters: As more countries adopt schemes that incentivise more sustainable business choices, like extended producer responsibility, there will be more opportunities to innovate existing business models to become more profitable, while adhering to circular principles.

Real professionals doing it: MUD Jeans is a Dutch denim brand that lets customers rent jeans for a monthly fee instead of buying them outright​. The pioneering ‘Lease A Jeans’ programme helps keep jeans in circulation for longer, while giving its customers more convenience. 

Data & Measurement – Prove impact

What it is: Using metrics, analytics, and lifecycle assessments to measure the environmental, social and economic impacts of circular initiatives.

Why it matters: Without credible data, claims of ‘circularity’ or ‘sustainability’ risk being dismissed, and even leave businesses open to greenwashing allegations. Being able to measure results also always helps you to optimise your activities to achieve better results.

Real professionals doing it: Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping recycling through route optimisation, smart bins and robotic sorting systems. One of the businesses driving innovation in this space is Greyparrot – an analytics platform that embraces waste intelligence to recover more resources.

Conclusion

In 2025, having just one of these skills in your tool belt could make you far more competitive. But professionals who can combine Systems Thinking, Circular Design, Stakeholder Collaboration, Business Model Innovation, and Data & Measurement are the ones who’ll lead the field.

These skills will place you in the best position to earn more, deliver a bigger impact, and shape a resilient, profitable circular economy. 

Are you ready to learn these skills? Learn more about CEI’s training courses and take the next step in your professional development.

A new report recently launched by CIWM Group, “Let’s Not Waste the Next Four Years”, highlights how the resources and waste sector can drive the UK’s transition to a circular economy and net zero. 

The report outlined ten recommendations for the sector and the UK Government to deliver on their mutual priorities of jobs, growth and investment, and to accelerate a resilient circular economy.

The summarised recommendations are:

1. The Circular Economy must become central to Government thinking, since there is clear evidence that it directly supports its ‘Plan for Change’.  
2. Cross-Government policy integration must be strengthened across the resources and waste, energy, industrial strategy and net zero spheres.
3. Skills England should broaden its focus to incentivise green skills initiatives and deliver more jobs.
4. Improved resource resilience should remain a focus for Government with clear long-term advantages in the context of global political and economic instability.
5. Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) should be applied for additional waste streams, including WEEE, batteries, textiles and mattresses, should remain a priority.
6. Reuse and repair needs further, and specific, policy support including the establishment of clear targets and responsibilities throughout the supply chain.
7. Dan Corry’s review of Defra’s Regulatory Landscape provides an opportunity for the resources and waste sector to work with regulators for improved outcomes.
8. The increased cost of EfW, arising from bringing it into the UK ETS, must be reflected in packaging EPR fees to fully apply the polluter pays principle.
9. The Resources & Waste Strategy 2018 reforms need to be fully implemented to ensure improved economic, social and environmental outcomes. 
10. Tackling waste crime needs more focus and additional resources as waste crime at all levels continues to be a £1 billion drag on the UK economy.

The review and recommendations can be found in our summary paper and the full paper can also be viewed online.

The Circular Economy Institute (CEI), a leading global community and training provider for circular economy professionals, today announced a comprehensive rebrand and the launch of our innovative new website, effective 1st September. This strategic shift marks a key milestone in the CEI’s mission to empower professionals worldwide and accelerate the global transition to a circular economy.

It sees the Circular Economy Club and the Circular Economy Institute merge into a single brand, combining world-class education with a vibrant community network to create a powerful new force in the circular economy.

The rebrand reflects our growth and expanded vision, reinforcing our position as the global standard for circular expertise. It’s designed to equip existing and future generations of professionals with the critical practical skills needed to navigate the shift from a linear to circular economy.

The refreshed identity and new digital platform provide direct support to members and learners in driving systemic change and building a more resilient, sustainable future.

Katie Cockburn, Senior Director for Policy, Media and Education at the Circular Economy Institute, says: “We are excited to launch our new brand on the worldwide stage. This key milestone is about progression and empowerment for the professionals at the forefront of the circular economy. Our new website is a dynamic hub, connecting global communities on the ground and providing access to the critical knowledge, training, skills development, and collaboration opportunities needed to drive the essential circular shift.'”

The new CEI website offers an intuitive and enhanced user experience that puts circular economy principles into practice, providing members with streamlined access to:

• High quality training, accreditation and skills development through comprehensive programmes that set the benchmark for circular economy proficiency.
• Knowledge sharing, with an expansive library of webinars, articles, insights, and best practices from circular thought leaders.
• Global community, connection and collaboration, facilitated by improved networking features to build circular clubs, local communities and cross-sector partnerships.

The Circular Economy Institute believes that change starts with knowledge, and this rebrand demonstrates our mission to empower professionals across the globe with the tools and expertise to move the world beyond waste. By developing a global network committed to setting the best standards for the circular economy, the CEI aims to drive the transition from linear to circular models, reshaping economies and redefining sustainability.

Explore the new Circular Economy Institute website and discover how we are powering a circular future: The Circular Economy Institute – Certifying circular economy expertise globally

More information

The Circular Economy Institute is a leading global organisation that sets the standard for circular economy expertise. It empowers professionals to drive the global shift from linear to circular economies through world-class training, accreditation, and a vibrant community network. The Circular Economy Institute now includes the Circular Economy Club, a global network of over 7,000 members in more than 280 local clubs across 140 countries. This combined network serves a diverse membership of businesses, governments, and academic institutions, including clients like the United Nations One Planet Network and the Harvard School of Design.

Supply chain sustainability is the strategic integration of environmentally and socially responsible practices into every stage of the supply chain. 

A supply chain is an entire system that is dedicated to producing and delivering a product or service. 

Suppliers provide raw materials or components, manufacturers make materials into products, distribution centres manage the product’s logistics and delivery, and then retailers sell the products. 

Over 90% of a company’s environmental impact is embedded in its supply chain. Conventional supply chains produce carbon emissions from transportation, manufacturing, and energy use. 

Virgin resources are extracted and depleted to maintain the supply of material necessary to keep manufacturing new products. Unsustainable packaging, overproduction, and a lack of recycling infrastructure increase the amount of waste that supply chains produce. 

A collaborative, sustainable supply chain is the cornerstone of resource resilience and operational efficiency. 

But how do you start embedding sustainability into your supply chain, and how can you ensure you’re choosing the right partners? 

In this CEI webinar, the expert panel explored key strategies for designing supply chain sustainability that help organisations build long-term resilience.

Supply chain sustainability refers to the management of environmental, social, and economic impacts throughout an entire supply chain. The goal is to create long-term value for businesses, society, and the planet. 

It means ensuring that the process of sourcing, producing, transporting, and delivering goods and services is done responsibly and ethically. 

Three methods to unlock improved supply chain sustainability are: 

Green logistics – Use renewable energy, optimise routes, and adopt electric or fuel-efficient vehicles to cut carbon emissions in transportation. Shortening supply chains by sourcing materials closer to production or markets will also lower transportation emissions. 

Waste reduction & circular design – Design products for reuse, recycling, or remanufacturing, reducing waste and dependence on virgin resources. Reverse logistics also involves building systems to collect, repair, or recycle used products, reducing landfill waste. 

Digital supply chain optimisation – Advancements in technology have unlocked opportunities to minimise overproduction by improving efficiency. AI, Internet of Things, and data analytics all have the potential to improve supply chain sustainability. 

Sustainability and supply chain management

Supply chain management (SCM) refers to the coordination of activities involved in managing the entire flow of products across all stages of production, processing, and distribution. 

Managing the flow of goods in distribution channels within the supply chain in the most efficient way not only ensures the process is sustainable, but it is also cost-effective.  

The most crucial part of SCM is the planning stage. This is where organisations forecast demand, set production schedules, and design delivery logistics. Being able to analyse this data determines how much raw material, labour, and production capacity will be required to meet market demands. 

Planning effectively has several benefits: 

• Efficiency: Reduce costs and waste by streamlining processes. 

• Speed: Ensure timely delivery to customers. 

• Quality: Maintain high-quality throughout the supply chain. 

• Flexibility: Adapt to changes in demand, supply, or external conditions. 

• Sustainability: Increase environmentally-friendly and socially responsible practices within the supply chain. 

Design is the framework for every product we use in our lives. Everything we use began as an idea, and the impact it has on the environment is decided before a single component is built. 

Circular design considers a product’s end-of-life to ensure its materials are easily recoverable, components are fixable, and the entire structure is built with disassembly in mind. 

Throughout the history of product design, end-of-life hasn’t been a big enough consideration. But now, there is an evolution of new industry professionals pioneering innovative circular design principles that aim to eliminate waste by keeping products, materials, and resources in use for as long as possible. 

In this CEI webinar, hear from experts in regeneration and regenerative design about how design can take a holistic approach to a circular economy that supports natural ecosystems.  

From material innovations to responsible business models and tackling resource access across global supply chains, hear the key takeaways about the role of designing for circularity. 

What is circular design?

Circular design is a sustainable approach that focuses on creating products and systems that minimise waste and maximise resource efficiency. 

It involves designing products to last longer, be easily repaired, reused, or recycled, and to avoid generating waste throughout their lifecycle. 

The goal of circular design is to keep materials in circulation and reduce a product’s environmental impact by designing with the full life of a product in mind. 

For example, an electronic item may include a replaceable battery, screws instead of glue for easy disassembly, and a recycled aluminium casing. 

Key circular design principles

One of the core principles of circular design is planning for longevity, which means making products that last longer and can be easily repaired or upgraded. 

Another key principle is designing a product that can be easily disassembled so its parts or materials can be reused or recycled. This keeps valuable resources in circulation and reduces environmental impact. 

Circular design also emphasises the principle of designing out waste. By using fewer resources, avoiding toxic materials, and creating systems where by-products are repurposed, designers can significantly reduce the amount of waste generated throughout a product’s lifecycle. 

Circular economy definition

Most of society is currently structured around a linear ‘take, make, throw’ economy. We take resources by extracting them from the earth, we use these resources to make products, and these products are eventually thrown away. 

A circular economy revolves around keeping the resources we extract in use for longer. When a product reaches its end of life in a circular economy, instead of throwing it away, it will be easily repairable, its components will be reusable, and everything else will be recyclable. 

In short, every material a product is made from remains in circulation for longer to reduce the need for the increased extraction of virgin resources. 

For the circular economy to become mainstream, every product needs to be designed with circular principles in mind. Circular design means a product isn’t made to be thrown away; it’s built to be a valuable source of resources way beyond its original lifecycle. It gives everything we use a second life.

Over the past few years, circular construction has emerged as a transformative and innovative approach to the built environment. 

Unlike traditional linear models of consumption, circular construction embraces the principles of the circular economy to reduce waste, extend material lifecycles, and create regenerative systems. 

In 2025, these methods are used not only for environmental reasons but also because they can reduce costs. 

But what does a circular economy in construction look like exactly? At its core, it is a system that keeps resources in use for as long as possible through reuse, remanufacturing, and recycling. 

Circular design can regenerate communities, not only ecosystems, through infrastructure projects rooted in sustainability. 

In this CEI webinar, two expert speakers break down real-world examples from the built environment of circular construction projects that reduce inequality, improve wellbeing, and build local resilience.  

Below, we explore five best practices in circular construction that industry leaders are adopting in 2025.

1. Designing for deconstruction

One of the pillars of circular economy construction is designing buildings that can be easily adapted, dismantled, and reused. 

Many architects and engineers are now prioritising modular designs, which makes it easier to remove components post-build without any damage. 

This approach ensures that materials retain their value and can be repurposed for future projects. 

2. Prioritising reclaimed and recycled materials

By choosing materials that have already been used and repurposed, businesses can significantly cut down on the extraction of virgin resources, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and divert waste from landfill. 

Prioritising reclaimed and recycled materials isn’t just good for the planet – it’s smart business. It can help construction companies reduce material procurement costs and waste disposal fees. 

3. Leveraging new technologies like material passports

Technology is driving the circular economy in construction. One of the best examples is material passports. These are digital records containing detailed information about a product’s composition, lifespan, and recycling potential. 

Combined with BIM (Building Information Modelling), these tools are fast, enabling transparency across the supply chain and simplifying reuse. 

4. Embedding circularity in procurement and partnerships

Circular construction is not just about materials; it requires systemic change. Collaborative partnerships between architects, contractors, and waste management firms ensure that circular practices are implemented throughout the construction process. 

Of course, changing the established business model in an entire sector isn’t easy, but circular construction principles have the potential to do so. 

5. Extending building lifecycles through maintenance and refurbishment

The most sustainable building is the one that already exists. In 2025, many firms are focusing on extending the lifespan of buildings through proactive maintenance and targeted refurbishments. 

According to a UN report, the construction sector accounts for 37% of global emissions, making it the largest sector for emitting greenhouse gases by far. 

Keeping structures in use for longer not only ensures buildings are more efficient but also reduces the environmental impact of each construction project. 

The road ahead

By designing for adaptability, reusing materials, leveraging technology, and fostering partnerships, the construction industry is moving closer to a future where waste is minimised and value is maximised. 

For businesses, embracing circular construction in 2025 is not just about compliance or reputation; it is about building resilience, efficiency, and long-term profitability in a rapidly changing world.