1. Role in Circular Economy Transition
Set the strategic direction by embedding CE into the organization's mission, vision and values: Participants noted that CE must be part of the organization’s “structure” and carry weight equal to core functions like Finance or HR, reinforcing the need for top-down vision-setting.
Act as sponsors and champions, providing authority and funding for transformation: Participants emphasized leadership “conviction” and “sponsorship” as essential to cutting through inertia and enabling CE implementation.
Influence culture and priorities; CE must be treated like any other business-critical function: CE was explicitly compared to HR and Finance in terms of importance, signaling that it must be elevated to a leadership-level priority.
2. How FM Can Inspire Collaboration
Frame FM’s role in CE as a business enabler, aligning with growth and risk mitigation: Conversations emphasized the need for CE to support core business goals. FM can gain traction by showing how circularity improves efficiency, reduces exposure to risk and contributes to strategic objectives.
Position FM as a strategic partner capable of aligning CE initiatives with enterprise priorities: Although less explicitly stated, the tone of comments suggested that the C-suite will listen when FM demonstrates alignment with enterprise-wide concerns like operational resilience and cost control.
3. Tools, Training and Capabilities Needed
Dashboards and analytics that translate circular progress into strategy-aligned metrics: Participants requested scorecards linked to executive strategy and emphasized the need for dashboards to make CE progress visible at the top level.
Playbooks and templates for strategic alignment and communication: The implication from the C-suite comments was that they want consistent, strategic narratives backed by data and cross-functional playbooks.
Training to educate C-suite on circular business models, risks and opportunities: Comments noted that executives need a clear understanding of CE, highlighting a knowledge gap that could be addressed through tailored briefings and leadership education.
4. KPIs and Metrics
CE-informed ROI that includes social, environmental and risk-based value: There was a strong appetite for risk-adjusted ROI models, reflecting the need for broader definitions of value at the leadership level.
Progress metrics such as strategic alignment, cost avoidance and competitive differentiation: Several notes referenced tracking CE in terms that resonate with leadership performance indicators and business continuity.
5. Challenges and Barriers
Short-term pressures and unclear ownership: Participants raised concerns about short-termism in executive thinking, indicating the requirement for executive-level decision-making about accountability and prioritization.
Training to educate C-suite on circular business models, risks and opportunities: Comments noted that executives need a clear understanding of CE, highlighting a knowledge gap that could be addressed through tailored briefings and leadership education.
International Facility Management Association (IFMA) supports over 25,000 members in 140 countries. Since 1980, IFMA has worked to advance the FM profession through education, events, credentialing, research, networking and knowledge-sharing.
