How Do Circular Business Models Create Financial Value

Does circularity actually pay? Research is split: some studies call it a win-win, others say reuse adds cost and complexity. And traditional metrics like ROI tend to make circular models look worse than they are. Companies need clearer evidence before they commit.

This Ghent University master's dissertation, written in collaboration with the Circular Value Institute, applies the Circular Value Index to five buy-back, rental, leasing and repair cases, including Wienerberger and JUUNOO. All scored above 1. It identifies six drivers, from design to ecosystem coordination, that make the numbers work.