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42Courses

The Circular Economy

8h

Three things you can count on.

A CPD-accredited Mini MBA.

Credit you can verify, learning you can feel. Signed, dated, and easy to track.

Marked by humans, not bots.

A real person reviews your work and comes back with comments, usually within 24 hours.

Personalised to your role.

Our AI reshapes each lesson around what you do at work, so you can actually apply it on Monday.


About this course

If we want the planet to keep thriving, the way we design, buy, and use products has to shift. No question about it.

For about the last century, we've mainly lived by a 'take, make, waste' rhythm. It's convenient, but it just can't continue forever.

That's where the circular economy comes in. It's a practical model, not just a buzzword.

In simple terms, it's a way to produce and consume goods more responsibly, so we use resources smarter and waste less.

In this online circular economy course, we've spoken with people and organisations already pushing this idea forward. Think Patagonia, Vinted, Olio, Queen of Raw, Terracycle, and lots more.

You'll get a clear handle on the circular economy model and learn hands-on ways to share, reuse, repair, and recycle what already exists. The aim is to stretch product lifecycles, cut down waste, and, yes, help protect the planet.

This isn't a 'just because it's nice' topic. It's the kind of skill we all need to get comfortable with now, because the consequences of not changing can be pretty serious for us personally, and for organisations, governments, and communities too.

You might be thinking, 'Sure, but I'm just one person. How would that matter?' The good news is, whether you're leading a big company or you're just getting started, you'll come away with realistic steps you can actually take.

When you finish the course, you'll receive a CPD-accredited certification.

If your goal is to understand how you, and your workplace, can lower your impact on the planet and help move things in a better direction, this course is for you.

Ready to begin?

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Learning with 42courses

We built this course with experienced professionals from the advertising and marketing world. Their input shaped a focused short programme on storytelling, and why it's such a big deal for every strong brand.

By bringing together videos from key contributors and highlighting Lion-winning work, we've made it easier to pick up the core principles of great storytelling, along with the practical techniques you can use straight away.

The learning experience is designed for modern digital learning. Each course is broken into short lessons you can fit into your day. At the end of every lesson, there's a quiz to check your understanding. As you go, you'll earn points and badges, so you can see your progress compared with other learners.

What level of learning is this?

  • Every course on 42courses focuses on the basics first, so you walk away knowing the topic and its main ideas, models, and best practices.
  • Throughout the course, real tutors review your progress and guide you if you hit a snag.

How long does it take to complete a course?

  • You should expect around 7-9 hours total. There's no fixed deadline, and the learning is split into short, manageable lessons.
  • Because it's on-demand, you can start and stop whenever suits you. No more waiting around for coursework to get marked.

What you'll learn:

  • Get to grips with the circular economy, including its main themes and key terms
  • Build business ideas that support sustainability
  • Explore different circular business models
  • Understand how society, the environment, and the economy connect

Who's it for

Designed with you in mind.

If you're a:

  • Anyone who wants a straightforward way to understand the circular economy
  • Person who genuinely wants to drive positive change in society
  • Business owner or team member interested in shifting your company toward circular practices

A peek behind the curtain.

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Inside a lesson

Short, story-driven lessons that don't drag. Each one is about 15 minutes, with video, writing that actually has a storyline, and a question to make sure you've taken the key idea on board.

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AI personalisation

Built around your day-to-day. Tell us what you do and what you're trying to improve. Then our AI reshapes every lesson with takeaways that fit your specific role. The structure and data stay the same; the examples are the part that becomes personal.

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Real feedback

You're not learning in isolation. Some questions are marked by a real person from our team. If you need a nudge, you'll get it. And if you feel stuck, we're happy to talk it through on a call.

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The certificate

A Mini MBA certificate you can actually show. CPD-accredited, signed, dated, and trackable. Plus, our completion rates are above 80%, compared to an industry average that's much closer to 10%.


42courses vs typical online courses.

Feature 42courses Typical platform
Marking & feedback by real people Within 24 hours Auto-quiz only
Personalised by role & sector AI rewrites every lesson Same content for everyone
Taught by working practitioners The people who wrote the book Often academics or actors
Average completion rate Over 80% 5 to 15% (industry average)
CPD-accredited Mini MBA certificate Every course Sometimes
30-day money back, no questions If you aren't happy, we aren't Usually a 7-day refund window

Questions you might be pondering.

You'll spend about eight hours going through the material, with each lesson kept to roughly 15 minutes. Most learners finish in around two weeks. There's no time limit though, and you can pause whenever life or work gets busy.
No prior study needed. We start with the foundations and build from there. Along the way, you'll get a fresh way of looking at the subject thanks to insights from some of the best minds in the space, whether you're brand new or you're already experienced and want sharper thinking.
Each lesson ends with a short question to check you've understood it properly. For the selected questions, real tutors mark your responses. If you need guidance, someone on our team comes back with notes to help you land the right answer. And if you'd rather talk something through or you get stuck, you can always book a call.
You've got 30 days from enrolment to request a full refund. No hassle, no awkward steps, and you don't have to explain yourself to anyone. We respond to refund requests within 24 hours, often faster. If you aren't happy, we'll sort it with you.
Reading books can give you the theory and the science. This course is focused on turning that into real application. It's customised around your role and goals, so each lesson ends with practical takeaways that actually fit your situation.
Yes. People have used this across tech, healthcare, retail, banking, government, charities, and education. Because our AI personalises each lesson to your role and goals, the examples and exercises shift to match your context.
Yes. Most learning and development budgets cover it without any drama. If you need an invoice that works for VAT, just ask and we'll provide one. Drop us a note at groundcontrol@42courses.com . For groups of 10 or more, check out Team plans .
It's a CPD-accredited certificate, accepted across the UK and internationally as evidence of continuing professional development. It's personalised with your name, signed and dated, and it's trackable too. Add it to LinkedIn, your CV, your performance review, wherever you keep your proof of progress.

Tools You'll Explore

Safia Qureshi

Safia Qureshi

Safia Qureshi is the Founder and CEO of CLUBZERO. She's an award-winning architect, innovation designer, and educator. In 2015, she launched Studio [D] Tale, creating projects with real social and environmental impact. Then in 2018, she incubated and launched CLUBZER', a returnable packaging system for food and beverage.

Tom Szaky

Tom Szaky

Tom Szaky is the CEO and founder of TerraCycle, a private company based in the US and headquartered in Trenton, New Jersey. TerraCycle transforms non-recyclable waste from both before and after use into raw materials that can be turned into new products.

Patagonia

Patagonia

Patagonia creates outdoor clothing and gear for 'quiet sport' activities like climbing, surfing, skiing, snowboarding, fly fishing, and trail running.

Cannes Lions

Cannes Lions

Since launching its first event in 1954, the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity has brought the creative communications industry together each year in Cannes to learn, network, and celebrate. For the first time, people around the world can learn from and get inspired by the very best, straight from the comfort of home. Website : canneslions.com

Burak Cakmak

Burak Cakmak

Burak Cakmak is the CEO of the Fashion Commission at Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Culture. He stepped into the role after working for five years as Dean of Fashion at Parsons School of Design. At Parsons, he focused on educating the next generation of fashion creatives, stressing the importance of environmental and social responsibility, including feminism and inclusivity, not just sustainability alone.

Stephanie Benedetto

Stephanie Benedetto

Stephanie Benedetto is a corporate attorney turned fashion tech and sustainability entrepreneur. She co-founded Queen of Raw, a no-code enterprise platform that intelligently resells and recycles unused inventory via Raw Chain, helping measure, report, and turn pollution into profit.

Barent Roth

Barent Roth

Barent Roth is a sustainable designer, educator at Parsons School of Design, activist, entrepreneur, and founder of Anthropocene.Design NGO and LLC. He's also a co-founder of CircularEconomyMfg.com. His work is focused on designing and manufacturing products and services for the circular economy, with the aim of drawing down greenhouse gas emissions and helping repair ecosystems.

Alison Mears

Alison Mears

Alison Mears is Co-Founder and Director of the Healthy Materials Lab. She brings both long-term academic leadership and hands-on architectural experience to address a serious, sometimes overlooked challenge: the health of the built environment. She's also co-Principal Investigator of the Healthy Affordable Materials Project (HAMP), a long-term collaboration between four organisations working to remove harmful chemicals from the spaces we live and work in.

Asheen Phansey

Asheen Phansey

Asheen Phansey is the CEO of Eleven Radius. He draws on his expertise in business models and technological innovation for a sustainable economy. With a creative, practical mindset and a wide network, he works with others to create shared value across internal teams and external stakeholders.

Angela Luna

Angela Luna

Angela Luna is a Parsons alumni and founder of ADIFF. She's an award-winning fashion systems designer and author, committed to solution-first design. Her work tackles important issues in fashion through creativity and innovation, pushing the boundaries of what design can do. She imagines new ways fashion can improve lives and support environmental and humanitarian initiatives.

Melissa Brody

Melissa Brody

Melissa Brody is a Parsons School of Design alumni and VP of Strategy & Insights at VaynerMedia. She partners with clients to develop human-centred business strategies, oversees CX/UX research, leads product development and innovation, and designs digital and physical brand ecosystems. She also trains and inspires multidisciplinary teams to help them bring out their best work.

Paula Singliarova

Paula Singliarova

Paula Singliarova is Head of Stewardship and Sustainability at Arabesque Asset Management. In this role, she works as a finance professional within a sustainable investment fund, helping move capital toward companies that are built for the future.

Sigita Zvirblyte

Sigita Zvirblyte

Sigita Zvirblyte is Sustainability Manager at Vinted. She drives organisational change using a data-led approach, helping a complex organisation move toward a fully sustainable and circular future at Vinted.


What we'll cover, in order.

An Introduction to the Circular Economy

An overview of the Circular Economy. What’s it all about? How popular is it? Where are we now?
What do we mean by a ‘circular economy’?
The history of the ‘circular economy’
Planned obsolescence and the throwaway culture
Why recycling isn’t the answer
The problem with GDP growth
Is 'circular' the same as 'sustainable'?
The factors contributing to the emergence of a circular economy

Key Themes in a Circular Economy

What are the key themes of the circular economy? We take a look at each in detail.
Closing, slowing and narrowing the resource loops
Regenerative design
Decoupling
Degrowth
Biomimicry
New materials
New technology

Challenges facing the Circular Economy

Any new approach encounters obstacles. Let’s take a look at the biggest ones facing the circular economy.
Consumer awareness and willingness to change habits
Financial impacts on businesses
Vested interests make change hard

Benefits of the Circular Economy

The circular economy offers a number of advantages which we explore here in more detail.
Combating climate change and reducing environmental impact
Opportunities for businesses to create value
Alignment with new regulation

A New Way of Doing Business

The circular economy is fueling business model innovation. We look at the different approaches and how you can chose the right one for your organisation.
Product (re)design
Business model innovation
How to choose the right strategy for your business
Getting your organisation on board

Embracing the Circular Economy

What can you or your organisation do to help speed up the transition? We take a look at ways to make meaningful progress.
What's driving the circular economy?
Re-imagining consumption
Getting your customers to adopt circularity
What does the future look like?

Case Studies: The Circular Economy in Action

Get inspired by some of the best examples of the circular economy in action. Learn how these companies are embracing a circular future.
Fairphone: A phone that’s better for the planet
Patagonia’s Worn Wear: Your old jacket might be on someone’s wish list
Whirli: A new way for children to play
Lush: Cosmetics without plastics
Olio: A neighbourly way to combat food waste
Second life EV: Giving batteries a second chance
The Fashion Cookbook: Making Your Own Clothes
MUD Jeans: Reducing the impact of Denim Production
Terracycle: Recycling the unrecyclable
CLUBZERØ: Reusable Packaging for Takeaways

Certification Process

1

Complete all the classes

Attend classes, ask questions, and finish your homework. We check your activity and support your learning journey every step of the way.

2

Get the Summary Notes

Receive high-quality supporting documents, summary notes, and recommended readings. Ensure you have access to all tools and resources.

3

Complete 100% Impact

Complete the final assessment to validate your learning. Earn your certificate and share your achievement with your professional network!

The Circular Economy
Free

This Course Includes:

Level Access
8h of Content
Certificate of Completion
English

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