14 Oct 2026
By Lisa Torrance, Circular Glasgow Network & Congress of Business (COB) Lead
What if the materials one business no longer needs became the raw materials another is looking for? And what if, by connecting the right people and rethinking how we use resources, we could create entirely new business opportunities and provide a source of income?
This is the potential of the circular economy. And it's an opportunity Glasgow is well placed to help shape, not just locally, but on a global scale.
I’ve just come to the end of a brilliant few weeks with our Circular Economy Leadership Programme, and I’m feeling both inspired and driven by the possibilities.
Delivered by Circular Glasgow at Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, with funding from Zero Waste Scotland and support from Circle Economy, the programme brought together business leaders to explore what circularity means for our businesses, our economy and our future.
And it was about so much more than recycling.
Just 6.9% of the materials entering the global economy are circular, and that figure is heading in the wrong direction. We continue to extract resources from systems that cannot sustain that level of demand. Floods, droughts and declining insect and pollinator populations are reminders of the consequences.
Where we are now is simply untenable. But I don't believe fear is what will move us forward. The business opportunity is what gets really interesting.
Circularity offers the chance to rethink how we create value: turning waste into revenue, keeping valuable materials in use, reducing costs, building more resilient supply chains and opening up new markets. It challenges us to see resources differently and to question business models we've taken for granted for decades.
We're not very good at being circular yet. But that's precisely where the opportunity lies.
Throughout the programme, we explored circular business models, the importance of finance and good design, and how leaders can bring their teams and supply chains with them.
We heard from an exceptional range of people: Ciaran McGuigan, Chief Executive, Zero Waste Scotland, Jo Chidley Founder of Beauty Kitchen and Reposit, Brian O’Reilly, Managing Director, EGG Lighting, Karen Trickett, Founder, Chief Executive, Fractionauts, Lesley Thomson Founder & CEO Nudge Innovations, Wendy Raynor Head of NHS Circular Economy Programme, Scottish Government, Gerry Dochert, Managing Director, Circulus, and Professor Jaime Toney, who leads GALLANT at the University of Glasgow. Each brought a different perspective on turning circular ambition into practical action.
We also saw circularity in action. At ACS Clothing, CEO John Cameron and Chief Sustainability Officer, Michael Cusack showed us how cleaning, repair, rental and reuse can extend garment life and create commercial value. At Scottish Leather Group, Dr Warren Bowen (Head of Innovation and Sustainability) and CEO Nichola Muirhead shared how an established, eighth-generation business is rethinking processes and finding value in materials that might otherwise be lost.
Our visit to BlueCity in Rotterdam introduced us to an ecosystem of circular businesses, while Circle Economy helped us explore what it takes to accelerate change at city-wide scale.
These experiences reinforced something important: Glasgow is not starting from scratch, nor does it need to look elsewhere for all the answers. We have exceptional expertise, pioneering businesses, research, creativity and entrepreneurial ambition. We have been leaders in the circular economy for over a decade. Our opportunity is to connect these strengths, learn from global leaders and contribute to the global transition.
What really stayed with me, though, was the group itself.
We brought together people with different experiences and perspectives, giving them time to think, question, share and challenge each other. Some of the best moments came from unexpected connections. All of the things that happen when you get the right people in a room and give them permission to think beyond their own business.
Leadership can be lonely, particularly when you're challenging established systems. None of us can solve these challenges alone. Collectively, though, we have an extraordinary amount of knowledge, creativity and ambition to draw on.
If we create the right enabling environment, bringing businesses, researchers, investors and unconventional partners together, backing bold ideas and making space to experiment, we can do more than help individual businesses become circular. We can reinvent how our city uses resources, creates value and builds prosperity.
The programme may have come to an end, but the collaborative work is only beginning. Circularity isn't a niche environmental agenda. It's a commercial opportunity and a fundamental part of building resilient, future-ready businesses.
A huge thank you to everyone who contributed, challenged us and shared so generously; to Professor Fiona Charnley from the University of Exeter for guiding us through it all; and to Zero Waste Scotland and Circle Economy for helping make it happen.
If there's one thing these past few weeks have reinforced for me, it's this: Glasgow is big enough to matter, but small enough to care.
We have the people, the connections and the collective ambition to make things happen. Now it's about putting that to work by creating opportunities here in Glasgow and helping shape a more circular future for everyone.
Want to be part of the conversation? Join Circular Glasgow for our next Circular Mixer on 30 October, and keep an eye out for upcoming events: Events – Circular Glasgow.
See our Circular Glasgow Leadership Programme in action. Hear from our participants and funder Zero Waste Scotland.
