Circular Transformation of Industries The Art of Scaling Circular Supply Chains 2025

Design options: building circular operations that work3 Key takeaways –Design a supply chain structure: Decide whether to integrate circular flows with existing linear operations, separate them completely or use a hybrid approach – most successful companies combine elements of both. –Choose to do either in-house or through partnership: Focus internal capabilities on high-value, knowledge-intensive activities such as sorting and remanufacturing. Partner for scale-intensive tasks like collection and basic logistics. –Build the right operational skillsets: Develop skills in demand forecasting, reverse logistics, customer engagement, product triage and reconditioning. These are fundamentally different from traditional supply chain skill sets. 3.1 A design framework for circularity Integrated or separate? In-house or externalized? With partners or alone? Circular supply chains come in many forms. Once circular priorities are set, companies face choices when it comes to designing and operating robust circular supply chains. Should circular flows be integrated into existing operations or be separate from the main business? Should circular activities be developed in-house or outsourced? Should companies pursue circularity in partnership with other companies? In the 2025 survey, only 20% of businesses said they had an execution plan for their circular supply chain, while 70% said they were working on one. The framework below can help companies make the right choices to turn circular ambitions into operational reality. 16 Circular Transformation of Industries