Tackling Climate Change: Sustainable Business Models for a Circular Economy

Understand how businesses can help tackle the climate crisis

The climate emergency demands sustainable solutions. Circular economies and business models have been heralded by many as an important vehicle to achieve sustainable consumption and inclusive growth.

On this four-week course, you’ll gain a solid understanding of the circular economy and how businesses can transform how they operate and contribute to sustainability.

You’ll investigate the benefits and challenges of going circular using the mindset of systems to collaborate to face the climate crisis. With this knowledge, you’ll understand how circularity can help reduce our impact on the planet.

Unpack circular business models

Next, you’ll explore the core principles of a business model and how organisations can adopt a circular approach. You’ll delve into examples of different companies that have implemented circular strategies, learn how to identify opportunities for sustainable operations, and how to shift the mindset of consumers.

Discover how circularity reduces the environmental impact of a business

Finally, you’ll explore the benefits, limitations, and criticisms of the circular economy as well as the wider dynamics, including greenwashing and its impact on consumers.

With this knowledge, you’ll be able to navigate the challenges of going circular to help deliver a successful business model that reduces an organisation’s environmental impact.

Learn sustainable solutions from the specialists at The University of Glasgow

Throughout the course, you’ll be guided by the experts at The University of Glasgow who are passionate about sharing knowledge to help people and organisations to become positive change agents in the world.

By the end of the course, you’ll have the skills and confidence to communicate and implement circular strategies for a sustainable future.

This course is designed for those who want to learn more about how circular economies and business models enable sustainability.

It will be most useful if you already have an understanding of how business models work in practice.

• Sustainability and the circular economy
• Course welcome
• Week 1 overview
• Climate change: Understanding the imperative for sustainability
• Sustainability and the circular economy: Realising the societal goal to reduce the human impact on the planet and its environment
• Introducing Anne Veck, our case study for this programme
• Week 1 final thoughts
• How business models can create and contribute to a circular economy
• Week 2 overview
• What do we mean by a business model?
• Circular strategies for business models
• Identifying opportunities for more sustainable operations...
• Deep dive: Carbon footprints
• Circular solutions: Tackling salon waste
• Week 2 final thoughts
• Driving circularity and developing circular solutions
• Week 3 overview
• Product innovation to drive circularity
• Market innovation for circularity
• The role of consumers in driving circularity
• Leading the circular transformation
• Week 3 review
• Going circular - enablers, barriers, tensions, and debates
• Week 4 overview
• Exploring the consumer shift
• Barriers and enablers facing influencing organisations
• Circular business models and the circular economy: A critical perspective
• Engaging in the debate
• Week 4 final thoughts