For years, the circular economy conversation has been dominated by a single word: recycling.

Recycling undoubtedly has an important role to play, but the reality is that we cannot recycle our way out of the environmental and resource challenges we face. The recently published Defra report, Progressing Beyond Recycling for a Circular Economy, reinforces an important truth: if we are serious about creating a sustainable future, we must move upstream. We must design products for longevity, enable repair and refurbishment at scale, maximise reuse, improve resource efficiency and focus relentlessly on measurable environmental outcomes.

This represents more than a shift in policy thinking. It is a call to action for businesses, governments, academics and innovators alike. The opportunity before us is significant. The UK has the talent, expertise, influence and ambition to become a global leader in circular economy innovation. However, this opportunity will only be realised through genuine collaboration and a willingness to challenge long-established linear models of production and consumption.

Moving from theory to practice

Throughout my career, particularly in the technology sector, I have witnessed first-hand the gap that often exists between good intentions and practical implementation. Many organisations support the principles of circularity. Far fewer have embedded them into procurement decisions, supply chain strategies and operational processes.

The challenge is rarely a lack of awareness. More often it comes down to trust, transparency, risk appetite and competing priorities. Creating circular systems is difficult because they require organisations to think differently. They demand longer-term planning and often involve adopting innovative approaches that may initially appear unfamiliar. Building confidence in these new models takes time.

Building transparent circular supply chains

One area where this evolution is becoming increasingly important is the recovery and reuse of critical raw materials. As demand for technology continues to grow, so too does demand for metals such as gold, copper, silver and rare earth elements. These materials are essential for economic growth, digital infrastructure and the transition to a low-carbon economy. However, extracting virgin resources carries substantial environmental and social impacts.

The future of the British circular economy will increasingly depend on our ability to create transparent, efficient and traceable secondary material supply chains. I have therefore been encouraged by conversations with organisations such as BT and other forward-thinking businesses that recognise this challenge. They understand that supply chain resilience is no longer simply about cost and availability. Increasingly, it is about provenance, transparency and environmental accountability.

Businesses are seeking greater visibility of where recovered materials originate, how they are processed and how circular solutions can contribute towards reducing Scope 3 emissions. These conversations are not straightforward. They require trust between partners, robust data, shared objectives and a willingness to explore innovative approaches that may not yet be fully established.

Perhaps most importantly, they require a mindset shift. Innovation is easy to celebrate once it has become mainstream. The harder task is supporting it during its early stages when outcomes are not yet guaranteed. Organisations willing to take that journey will ultimately be the ones that help shape the next generation of circular supply chains for the UK.

Collaboration is the missing multiplier

The Defra report rightly highlights the importance of moving beyond isolated activity and creating connected ecosystems of change. No single organisation can build a circular economy alone. Industry brings practical expertise and investment. Government creates frameworks and incentives. Academia provides research, evidence and challenge. Innovators introduce new technologies and business models. Civil society ensures outcomes remain focused on people and communities. When these groups work together, progress accelerates.

This is one reason why I have remained committed to my involvement with the Government Digital Sustainability Alliance (GDSA). Over many years, I have seen the positive impact that collective action can deliver. The GDSA has brought together stakeholders from across government, technology and industry to advance sustainable digital transformation and practical circularity initiatives.

Importantly, it provides the platform needed to turn ideas into action. The future will belong to organisations that are prepared to share knowledge, collaborate across traditional boundaries and focus on outcomes rather than ownership. Our biggest environmental challenges do not respect organisational silos. Our solutions cannot either.

Designing circularity from the start

While much of the circular economy discussion rightly focuses on reuse, refurbishment and recycling, we must also ask a fundamental question: where are the manufacturers in this conversation? The reality is that genuine circularity begins long before a device reaches its first user. It starts on the drawing board. Technology manufacturers including Dell, Lenovo, Apple and Microsoft have all made progress in sustainability commitments, recycled content and material recovery initiatives. Yet the next frontier is not simply what a device is made from, but how it is designed to live a longer life.

Imagine a future where every laptop, smartphone and server is designed to be modular, easily repaired, upgraded and modified. A future where batteries can be replaced in minutes rather than requiring specialist intervention. Where memory, storage and key components can be upgraded instead of forcing complete device replacement. Where dismantling products for refurbishment and material recovery is simple rather than complex.

This is the difference between designing products for consumption and designing products for stewardship. For too long, society has accepted a model where technology is treated as disposable despite containing valuable resources including gold, copper, silver and rare earth elements. Every premature replacement represents both wasted embedded carbon and lost economic value.

Manufacturers have a unique opportunity to accelerate circularity by embracing design principles that extend product lifecycles from three or four years to seven, eight or even 10 years where appropriate. Doing so would significantly reduce demand for virgin materials, lower emissions throughout supply chains and create entirely new growth opportunities in repair, refurbishment and remanufacturing.

Importantly, this is not a challenge that manufacturers can solve alone. Customers, governments and industry partners must be prepared to support procurement models that reward longevity, repairability and upgradeability rather than simply purchasing the newest product generation. The most sustainable device is often not the newest one. It is the one already in use that can continue delivering value for years to come.

The circular economy will not be won at the recycling plant. It will be won at the design table. Every screw, battery, circuit board and component decision made by manufacturers today determines whether a device becomes tomorrow's waste or tomorrow's resource.

Andrew Gomarsall MBE is Executive Chairman of n2s, a technology lifecycle management and IT recycling business.