Communicating Circular Economy: Balancing Strategy, Marketing and PR
The circular economy is the most promising opportunity of our time to future-proof businesses and organisations by increasing their resilience and efficiency, cutting costs and diversifying revenue streams, and lessening impacts on nature and biodiversity by reducing waste and emissions. Because of its promise as a solution that addresses both business and sustainability bottom lines, the circular economy has been a hot topic for years. For many, it is a welcome bridge between business strategy, material innovation, consumer behaviour and sustainable impact. It is also a concept with heavy expectations laid on it — making it often a grey area due to conflicting definitions and approaches.
Marketers and communicators have a key role in navigating these muddied waters. Through messaging and storytelling, we can activate the consumers' will to engage with the circular economy — to reuse, repair and refurbish. Through the correct data and presentation, we can mobilise boardrooms to prioritise circular solutions, efficient resource use, innovative operations and value chain responsibility. In this article, we explore the potentials presented by communicating circular economy and how to balance strategic communications with marketing and PR activities. We have a lot of ground to cover, so let’s get straight to it!
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Why Are Circular Business Models Different?
Circular business models, like reuse, repair or resale, differ from traditional linear models because they focus on creating business revenue without relying on the extraction of natural resources. Traditional businesses often generate value by producing and selling products, whereas circular models create value by extending product lifecycles, offering services over ownership, and designing products for repair, remanufacturing, or recycling. In this way, circular models prioritise resource efficiency, durability, reuse, and closed-loop systems that minimise environmental impact.
Circular economy thinking is not new — in fact, we could call it a counter-movement towards the modern-day ‘fast’ consumerism where products and materials are produced en masse only to be quickly discarded. Instead, many circular businesses adopt service-based models like leasing, product-as-a-service, or subscription systems instead of selling one-time-use products. This allows companies to maintain control over materials and ensure responsible end-of-life management. This also creates the need for very different customer relationships which value longevity, loyalty and trust.
The challenges of circular business models often lie in scalability, long profit horizons and consumers being unfamiliar with the circular options. It can also be difficult to provide the same level of functionality and convenience at the same price as traditional business models. This provides an opportunity for marketers to ensure that the circular products and services aim for a position in the market that is viable and also builds further brand value.
How to Communicate Circular Economy?
We can see circular economy communications as a subset of broader sustainability communications. Therefore, it adheres to some of the common principles that also drive our messaging when it comes to other sustainability topics. We know that businesses must communicate their sustainability efforts effectively to build trust, engage stakeholders, and differentiate themselves in the market. Strong communication strategies, marketing techniques, and public relations (PR) efforts can also help circular brands tell their stories in a way that resonates with consumers, investors, and policymakers.
However, there are also key principles of circular economy communications that are unique to it. Firstly, communicating circular economy requires the use of definitions. It is still crucial to explain our meaning of circularity, and the best way to do that while promoting the global adoption of circular economy is to adhere to international standards, such as the definitions provided in the ISO 59004:2024, which defines the circular economy as an:
economic system that uses a systemic approach to maintain a circular flow of resources, by recovering, retaining or adding to their value, while contributing to sustainable development.
Another commonly used definition of circular economy is provided by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and states:
a circular economy is restorative and regenerative by design, and aims to keep products, components, and materials at their highest utility and value at all times”.
Secondly, communicating circular economy requires a data-driven approach. In the face of the complexity of the circular economy, it is important that we ground our communications efforts in tangible facts and figures. Equally, it is our responsibility as communicators to tease out the simple, engaging messages from those facts.
Thirdly, effectively communicating circularity requires us to be curious, open-minded and innovative. Circular economy comes hand-in-hand with systems change — and a profound change in how we consume materials, view ownership and design our infrastructure. Because of this, communicating circular economy requires us to examine our own inherent biases and prejudices. The marketing messages we are used to relying on, rarely suit circular economy communications. Therefore, we as communicators and marketers need to be ready to step out of our comfort zones to explore new ways of communicating the circular economy and connecting with our audiences.
Why Circular Economy Communications Matter
The shift from a linear to a circular economy requires a fundamental change in how businesses operate and engage with their audiences. Effective change communication helps this transition along. Through circular economy communications, companies can:
Educate stakeholders about circularity and its benefits.
Build consumer trust by demonstrating transparency.
Differentiate their brand in a sustainability-driven marketplace.
Influence behavioural change and policy support.
Build long-term, value-driven relationships with their customer base.
Circular Economy for Marketers: Engaging and Educating Your Audience
The circular economy can be a powerful driver of brand value. It is currently gaining awareness and reach rapidly in search results, social media and professional communities. Leveraging this momentum correctly is an asset for circular companies and products. However, as with all sustainability communications, misusing circular economy marketing can have devastating consequences for the reputation of a company. Therefore, it is important to understand how circular your product or operation is before slapping the word on your label.
At the same time, marketers have the knowledge, skills and creativity to demonstrate the multifaceted value of a circular economy. This is what Claire Murphy from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation recently said about the role of marketing in the circular economy:
In a circular economy, the role of marketing expands well beyond the point of sale. It is about fostering long-term, value-generating relationships with customers. This includes post-sale services that maintain product use, like repair or resale, and encouraging customers to keep products in use at the end of their use by passing it on, whether that is back to the business, onto a partner, or to a peer.
In short, circular business models give marketers the opportunity to nurture long-term client relationships and brand loyalty in a way which is disappearing from traditional business.
Public Relations (PR) for Circular Economy Brands
A well-executed PR campaign can boost brand visibility and credibility, and right now there is a lot of space to do that in the circular economy sphere. PR helps circular brands position themselves as sustainability leaders, communicate their impact, and drive consumer behaviour change.
Why PR matter for circular economy brands? Here are a few reasons:
Helps educate consumers on circularity
Builds trust and transparency
Shapes the narratives surrounding sustainability and innovation
Drives engagement and brand loyalty
Circular brands need compelling stories that resonate with their audiences. PR efforts should focus on storytelling that inspires and educates, leveraging thought leadership and organic media, collaborations and strategic partnerships, as well as community engagement and advocacy. For circular economy brands, PR is more than media coverage — it’s a tool for education, trust-building, and industry influence. By dipping into the active and engaged circular economy community, brands can also leverage strategic collaborations and partnerships to extend their reach and grow their thought leadership position in the subject.
Conclusion
Effective circular economy communications require a strategic, transparent, and engaging approach. By aligning marketing, PR, and storytelling efforts with your circular brand or product, you can quickly gain a leading position in the global circular economy.
In the end, circular economy is a system bridging business profit and sustainable impact — and marketers and communicators can unlock this value.
Appendix: How to Build a Circular Economy Communications Strategy?
Many circular economy communications and marketing campaigns flop for two main reasons:
1. Your communications or marketing team does not have the required in-depth understanding of the circular economy and its principles, and
2. Your messaging lacks the clarity your audience needs to understand it and be activated by it.
So, in order to create a circular economy communications strategy, we recommend you start with these steps:
1. Define Your Core Message
Just because your product uses recycled material or aligns with another circular principle, does not make it in itself circular. Start by clarifying your brand’s circular economy positioning. Are you focused on circular design, alternative ownership models, waste reduction, product life extension, material innovation, or regenerative practices? Clearly articulating your focus areas ensures consistency across all communications.
2. Identify Your Target Audience
Understanding your audience is crucial for crafting the right message. Circular economy communications often must address multiple stakeholders:
Consumers – Educate and inspire them to make sustainable choices.
Businesses and investors – Showcase profitability and long-term benefits.
Policymakers and NGOs – Highlight how your initiatives align with regulations and sustainability goals.
3. Stakeholder Management in Circular Economy Communications
Effective stakeholder management is essential for the success of circular economy initiatives. This is especially true for circularity due to its dependence on cross-sectoral collaboration. Engaging both internal and external stakeholders helps to achieve alignment, collaboration, and long-term impact.
Internal stakeholder engagement:
Employee buy-in – Educate staff on circular principles and their role in achieving sustainability goals.
Interdepartmental collaboration – Ensure alignment between sustainability, marketing, operations, procurement and leadership teams.
Training and internal communications – Use newsletters, workshops, and internal reports to reinforce key circular economy messages.
External stakeholder engagement:
Supply chain and partners – Collaborate with suppliers to improve circular practices and communicate shared goals.
Customers and consumers – Provide clear, engaging, and educational content to foster brand loyalty and behavioural change.
Regulators and NGOs – Maintain open communication with policymakers and industry groups to align with evolving regulations and standards, as well as position your brand in the dynamic circular economy landscape.
4. Choose the Right Communication Channels
Different audiences require different approaches. Consider:
Website and articles – Establish authority with detailed case studies and insights.
Social media – Share bite-sized, engaging content to drive awareness.
Press releases and industry reports – Position yourself as a leader in circularity.
Webinars and events – Educate and network with stakeholders in real-time and participate in the active circular economy community that is out there
Partnerships and collaborations – Gain positive outcomes through teaming up with companies and organisations dedicated to making circular change.
Looking for help working out your circular brand story or messaging? Get in touch with our experts; we are happy to help you!
