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Circular Economy

A false sense of abundance

For millennia, humanity thrived within nature’s limits, constrained by labor and local resource availability—allowing ecosystems to regenerate. The Industrial Revolution shattered this delicate balance, unlocking energy-driven exploitation at an unprecedented scale. As productivity soared, so did resource depletion and waste, outpacing nature’s ability to recover. What was once seen as progress has now accumulated into ecological debt, biodiversity loss, and climate instability.

Our economies were built on the flawed assumption of endless resources, fostering inefficient value chains that extract, consume, and discard without consequence. But nature has always borne the hidden cost—paying the price for the waste and externalities we fail to account for. It is time to break this cycle and rethink the way we value, use, and regenerate resources.

Reassessing our frameworks

Ignoring nature in financial systems has led to a deeply flawed economy, where unsustainable businesses gain a competitive edge by externalizing the cost of their destruction, while responsible solutions are penalized. To shift this paradigm, we must embed nature into economic frameworks, ensuring that every actor bears the true cost of their impact.

A system that rewards sustainability would turn waste into value, incentivizing circular models that maximize resource efficiency and regeneration. Moreover, integrating transparent value chain tracking solutions is essential. By implementing impact accounting standards and responsible value chain frameworks, we can foster a more transparent economy where businesses, governments, and individuals share the responsibility for sustainability. Redesigning our economy around these principles will transform sustainability from a burden into a competitive advantage—driving innovation, accountability, and resilience for the future.

Key numbers

2.75
2.75

If everyone on Earth were to live like the average Swiss resident, we would require the resources of almost 2.75 planets earth.

93
%
93
%

93% of material inputs to the Swiss economy— used to satisfy residents’ needs and wants—come from virgin sources.

19
t
19
t

Switzerland consumes 19 tonnes per capita - higher than the European average, at 17.8 tonnes per capita yearly.

By altering consumption patterns, Switzerland can combat climate change and environmental degradation both at home and globally.

Our strategy for Circular Economy

Our vision for a circular economy is built on the 4Rs: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and Rethink—a framework designed to maximize resource efficiency, minimize waste, and drive innovation.

Reduce encompasses solutions that optimize resource use, enabling industries and consumers to lower consumption without compromising efficiency. Reuse extends product lifecycles through conscious consumption and better design, ensuring materials remain in use for longer. Recycle focuses on reintegrating resources that have fallen out of processing cycles while advancing recycling technologies to create a circular material flow. Finally, Rethink drives the development of sustainable alternatives to high-impact processes and materials, including upcycling and new material innovations that transform supply chains into regenerative systems.

For us, circularity is more than waste management—it’s a systemic transformation that integrates technology, finance, and sustainability to reshape industries and build a future where economic growth and environmental responsibility thrive together.

Circular Economy projects

Explore our initiatives driving our vision into reality.

Biodiversity
Renewable Energies
Biodiversity
Renewable Energies
Circular Economy
Do you have an innovative idea to address a challenge within our core thematics?
We’d love to hear about it!
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