Circular Economy Taskforce
The Circular Economy Taskforce is an independent expert advisory group established in November 2024 to support the government in creating a circular economy strategy for England.
Role of the taskforce
The Circular Economy Taskforce’s expertise will enable co-design of the first strategy to begin the transition towards a circular economy in England. The strategy will:
- facilitate economic growth
- create skilled green jobs
- promote efficient use of resources and retention of their value in the economy
- reduce the cost of living for consumers
- accelerate the transition to net zero emissions
The key objectives of the taskforce are to identify and assess mechanisms that can underpin a Circular Economy Strategy for England; through which the UK government, industry and civil society can:
- facilitate economic growth by stimulating investment in technologies, sectors and infrastructure that keep resources in circulation for longer
- create new jobs across the circular economy and bolster supply chains and economic resilience
- increase resource efficiency and productivity
- reduce emissions and accelerate to net zero
Members
The Circular Economy Taskforce comprises a diverse group of experts and leaders from various sectors. The members bring extensive knowledge and experience, to support the development of the government’s circular economy strategy.
The members of the Circular Economy Taskforce are :
- Andrew Morlet (Chair), Circular Economy Lead, Standard Chartered Bank; Senior Advisor, Circular Economy Impact Investing, Nordic Capital; Former CEO Ellen MacArthur Foundation
- Professor Paul Ekins (Deputy Chair), Professor of Resources and Environmental Policy, University College London
- Natasha Boulding, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Low Carbon Materials
- Colin Church, Chief Executive, Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (IOM3)
- Catherine Conway, Director & Policy Lead, GoUnpackaged
- Andrew Dove, Professor of Sustainable Polymer Chemistry, Birmingham University; Co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer, 4D Medicine Ltd
- Debbie Fletcher, Director – Climate, Zero Waste Team, Local Partnerships
- Shak Gohir, Former Strategic Programmes Officer, CPI; Founding Member, Society for Social-Ecological Systems
- Dr David Greenfield, Visiting Professor of Circular Economy, University of Brighton; Managing Director, SOENECS Ltd; Co-founder, Tech-Takeback Ltd; Vice President, Circular Economy Institute; President, CIWM; Founding Partner, etsaW Ltd
- Stuart Hayward-Higham, Chief Technical Development and Innovation Officer, SUEZ
- Professor Peter Hopkinson, Professor of Circular Economy and Co-Director, Exeter Centre for Circular Economy (ECCE)
- Wayne Hubbard, Chief Executive Officer, ReLondon
- Keith James, Interim Director Behaviour Change and Business Programmes, WRAP
- Hans Jensen and Chris Newsome (shared seat), Directors, UK Water Partnership Ltd
- Dr Greg Lavery, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Rype Office
- Libby Peake, Senior Fellow and Head of Resource Policy, Green Alliance
- Phil Purnell, Professor of Materials and Structures, Leeds University; Visiting Professor in Circular Economy, Royal College of Art
- Charlotte Williams, Statutory Chair in Inorganic Chemistry, University of Oxford; Founder and Chief Scientific Officer, Econic Technologies
Terms of Reference
Speeches
Read Environment Secretary Steve Reed’s Circular Economy speech (27 March 2025).