Degrowth and the circular economy: Reflecting on the depth of business circularity

Discussions about the circular economy have taken place in parallel with, but largely independently of, dis-cussions about degrowth. The present paper brings into dialogue the two fields by contemplating what circularity in business could entail in the context of transformations towards degrowth societies. To this end, the paper relates to a recent, holistic reconceptualisation which views degrowth transformations in terms of both less and more on four planes of social being: material transactions with nature, social interactions between people, social structures and people's inner being. These planes signify depth of social being. The paper looks at business through the lens of this reconceptualisation before zooming in on circularity as an important manifestation of a sustainability practice in business. We argue that, in the context of degrowth, implementation of circularity as a principle and a practice should be deep. Relating circularity to each plane of social being, we focus particularly on the plane of people's inner being, the reason being that our mode of relating with the world would need to be significantly different to what it currently is, if deep circularity practices are to become more widespread.

Automated summary

This paper discusses the intersection between the concepts of the circular economy and degrowth, specifically focusing on the implications of circularity in business within the context of degrowth societies. The authors argue that in order to effectively implement circularity as a sustainability practice, it should be deeply integrated into various aspects of social existence, particularly in terms of individuals' inner being.