Supply chain and the circular economy

To drive circularity, accept and leverage the complexities of the real world. In a vacuum, it isn’t hard to imagine circularity in food, power, or mobility. Although, in the real world, these and other systems touch, influence, and sustain one another, and they either drive or impede circularity together.

With this deeper understanding of true circularity comes profound opportunities and, fortunately, there are new tools to pursue them. Using a traditional lens, the complexity of interconnected systems is difficult to visualize, much less measure, influence, or manage. But emerging tools help make it possible.

Deloitte’s technologies and insights, such as the Optimal Reality approach to digital twins, our blockchain experience, and a leading understanding of the Internet of Things, where the digital and physical worlds intersect, can help advance circularity within organizations. In addition to their raw processing power, these technologies make it possible to share critical information among sectors, companies, and institutions in ways that promote connected thinking without compromising privacy or confidentiality.

Circularity requires more than satisfying benchmarks. This is about rethinking business models with a new approach that spans and aligns products, services, demographics, channels, business partners, and inputs into a comprehensive view of resource use.

Deloitte’s view of circularity, supply chain, and connected systems is based on our own deep experience, original research, and tech-driven insights that inform our recommendations to organizations looking to move with confidence as they reinvent themselves to thrive in the circular economy. Our Supply Chain Control Tower solution harnesses disconnected supply chain data to curate previously unworkable degrees of interoperability among various departments with differing data standards—a key to putting the principle of interconnectedness into action. And because circularity doesn’t stop at your door, operational awareness and risk management can’t either, which is why Deloitte offers Extended Enterprise Management Services to help you manage your third-party relationships.

Circularity can also help an enterprise improve efficiency, create more jobs, and spur product innovation. At the same time, these practices can help improve people’s lives wherever the organization has an impact. The corporate C-suite can benefit from a clearer vision across the enterprise and new ways to drive value. The resource-intensive regions where circularity begins can benefit from better stewardship. True circularity isn’t just a new way of managing a supply chain; it’s a new mindset for business.