The Circular Economy, William McDonough explains, is an economic system that provides continuous benefit for generation after generation through design that allows for regular—if not endless—reuse of materials. It’s a system that embodies a particular philosophy: that by looking toward the future, businesses can increase profits today.

 

“This is the largest business opportunity ever seen by our species, and the leaders of the economic future will be people who understand that by design, we can create perpetual assets and optimize them to create businesses that thrive and are enjoyed by people everywhere, all the time, forever,” says McDonough, Chief Executive of McDonough Innovation. “Why would we want to miss that?”

 

“For business people,” McDonough adds, “this is a one-minute decision.”

 

In this video produced for the 2016 World Economic Forum in Davos, McDonough, Chair of the World Economic Forum's Meta-Council on the Circular Economy, gives examples of how the system can work in various industries, then goes on to explain how managers can use their values to produce value:

 

McDonough addressed these concepts—and their investment implications—at the 2016 FOX Spring Global Investment Forum, April 6 in New York City. The next FOX Global Investment Forum will be September 15 in New York City.

 

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