circular economy

Circularity at the core of everything we do


As a world leader in recycling, we apply the principles of “reduce, recycle and regenerate” across our business.

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Circular economy

What is the circular economy?

It means shifting gears from a linear “take-make-waste” approach to a circular “reduce, recycle, regenerate” economy.

A global circular economy can enable us to fulfil people's needs while reducing the materials we extract and use—making human activity compatible with the safe limits of the planet.

Why is it so important to transition to a circular economy?

The world economy has grown to unprecedented levels, with global GDP now exceeding USD 96 trillion. With the global economy being just 7% circular, we are set to consume over two planets by 2040.

If we can embrace circularity in all walks of life, we can decouple our world’s growth from the consumption of Earth’s precious resources.

This is all the more important for the construction industry. The world is set to build the equivalent of New York City every month for the next 40 years, driven by rising population and urbanization. Over 40 billion tons of virgin materials are extracted from the planet every year to build. Making construction more circular is essential to stay within our planet's boundaries while we improve living standards for all.

By driving circular construction we unlock economic growth in a way that is climate-friendly, nature-positive and socially-inclusive.

 

READ MORE IN OUR CLIMATE REPORT

our circular initiatives


With GO CIRCULAR, we are sailing the world to preserve our oceans and accelerate the shift to circular living. In 2023, the GO CIRCULAR team joined The Ocean Race – a global climate-positive sports event that symbolizes Holcim’s net-zero journey.
 

SEE THE LATEST FROM GO CIRCULAR


We believe cities will play a critical role in shifting to a circular economy. We partnered with Bloomberg to create the Circular Cities Barometer – an insight into what the most innovative circular cities around the world are doing to accelerate the shift.
 

EXPLORE WHAT MAKES A CITY CIRCULAR


In partnership with One Earth One Ocean, Holcim launched the Circular Explorer. This first-of-its-kind 100% solar powered catamaran is designed to preserve vital marine ecosystems in a sustainable way through plastic waste recovery and an education program.
 

DISCOVER THE CIRCULAR EXPLORER

DRIVING CIRCULAR CONSTRUCTION AT HOLCIM

To become a net-zero company, we are putting circularity at the core of everything we do. We are rolling out a range of proprietary systems and solutions – like ECOCycle®, our circular technology platform that recycles construction and demolition materials into new building solutions.

Partnering to accelerate change


Cities are ecosystems where all sectors have a role to play in enabling the shift to a circular economy. Given the complexity of this shift, no single organization can get there alone.

To bridge the gap between what Holcim’s solutions and innovations can enable and what our markets are asking for, we are engaging with the most influential partners across our value chain to shift the paradigm together:

  • Government authorities: to evolve building norms and specify more low-carbon and circular solutions in their projects, from infrastructure to buildings
  • Investors: to support the world’s greening companies at the forefront of innovating and developing the technologies to build circular cities
  • Real estate and infrastructure developers: to specify low-carbon and circular solutions in their procurement and building standards
  • Architects, engineers and designers: to specify low-carbon and circular solutions in their design, in line with today’s sustainability certifications, from LEED to BREEAM
  • Companies: to innovate to develop new technologies, from recycling to digital material management and building their real estate parks with circular and green materials and systems
  • Citizens: to make circular lifestyle choices every day, from demanding greener and more circular homes to using recycling infrastructure systems