The more you read about industrial sustainability and the circular economy the more you hear about corporate leaders who are readying their companies to take advantage of the transformational opportunities that will undoubtedly become available. All this has implications and opportunities for PLM. Most apparent is the need to embed the end of a product's useful life through the creation of innovative new products while at the same time supporting the full lifecycle. Those companies able to do this will be rewarded.

For more information take a look at CIMdata's Essential Reading List on this topic.

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A CIMdata Essential Reading List: The Circular Economy

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation
http://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/business/reports (registration required)
Towards the Circular Economy Vol.1: Economic and business rationale for an accelerated transition
Towards the Circular Economy Vol.2: Opportunities for the fast-moving consumer goods sector
Towards the Circular Economy Vol.3: Accelerating the scale-up across global supply chains

McKinsey & Company
http://www.mckinsey.com/~/media/McKinsey/dotcom/client_service/Sustainability/PDFs/Towards_the_circular_economy.ashx
Towards the Circular Economy 

ZeroWIN
http://www.zerowin.eu/
The main idea of ZeroWIN is that waste prevention has to be seen from a holistic perspective to make it work efficiently and effectively. 

The Guardian
http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/talk-point-circular-economy-systemic-change
Guardian Sustainable Business

Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circular_economy

Havard Business Review Blog
http://blogs.hbr.org/2013/01/is-your-company-ready-for-the/
Is Your Company Ready for the Circular Economy?

World Economic Forum
http://www.weforum.org/

China Circular Economy
http://www.iisd.org/measure/knowledge/national/china.asp

International Institute for Sustainable Development
http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/circular-economy
The circular economy hub

Europe 2020
http://ec.europa.eu/europe2020/index_en.htm

The Aldersgate Group
http://www.aldersgategroup.org.uk/asset/download/764/Report%20-%20Resilience%20in%20the%20Round.pdf

The Club of Rome
http://www.clubofrome.org/

The Guardian
http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/business-leaders-circular-economy-mainstream-davos
Business leaders in Davos keen to mainstream circular economy