Building Circular Societies with People and for People Building inclusive circular societies requires more than technological solutions: it depends on new skills, sustainable behaviours, and concrete local actions that empower communities to drive change. At the European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform Annual Conference 2026, CSCP’s Rosa Strube hosted a session that centred around one core question: How can we make circularity work not only for systems and materials, but also for people? The session “Building an inclusive circular society – new skills, sustainable behaviours, concrete actions” brought together perspectives on a topic that is central to much of our work: the human side of the circular economy. “Circularity is often discussed through the lens of materials, business models, waste streams and value chains. All of these are essential. Yet the transition ultimately takes shape in daily routines, neighbourhoods, relationships and choices. This is where circular solutions become real — or remain out of reach. And that’s precisely why this topic is central to much of our work”, says Rosa, who leads the Sustainable Lifestyles team at the CSCP. The circular transition happens locally While discussing with key European actors, one aspect stood out: the circular transition happens locally. It happens when people find a repair café around the corner, a sharing initiative in their neighbourhood, a reuse option that is convenient, or a community space where circular solutions are not abstract ideas but practical, visible and accessible offers. Proximity matters. And when several circular services come together in one place, the impact becomes even stronger. Circularity becomes easier to understand, easier to try and easier to adopt. Read how we are driving circularity on a local level by supporting the Bergisch city triangle in Germany to become the country’s first FAB region! Information alone can’t change behaviours The discussion at the ECESP Annual Conference 2026 echoed what we have seen in our work for the past two decades: sustainable behaviour change is not only about information. It is about trust. This is particularly important when working with vulnerable groups or communities that have been underserved, overlooked or asked too often to adapt to systems not designed for them. Trust grows through consistency, respect, participation and human relationships. It cannot be downloaded as a toolkit. Find out more about our work in closing the intention-action gap with our flagship project, the Academy of Change! Circularity means different things to different people People join circular initiatives for different reasons. Some come for the community. Others look for affordable access to products, more convenient local services, practical solutions to everyday needs, or ways to act on sustainability concerns. This diversity matters. Communication around circular offers should not assume one single motivation. Instead, it should speak to the many reasons why circularity can be meaningful in people’s lives. Get inspired by our work in the CARE project, where we’re engaging 100 households across Germany, Finland, Sweden, Norway, and Estonia on circular economy! Rethinking circularity as social infrastructure Many circular initiatives create significant social value, yet struggle to cover their costs. A shift in perspective should happen. Instead of asking every circular offer to prove a narrow business case, what if we treated circularity as part of a basic social infrastructure? What if access to repair, reuse, sharing and sustainable options were understood as a kind of fundamental right in a future-fit society? How we’re moving the needle with partners and stakeholders Our work often sits at the intersection of systems, organisations and everyday life — translating ambition into practical offers that people can trust, access and use. “The session at the ECESP Annual Conference 2026 in Brussels confirmed one thing: circular systems need circular materials, yes — but they also need skills, trust, inclusion and people who feel invited to take part.”, concludes Rosa. The CSCP is a third-term member (2025–2028) of the ECESP Leadership Group, together with with the Rediscovery Centre and Generation Climate Europe, we co-host the Leadership Group “Enabling an inclusive circular society”. Our aim: anchoring the social dimension at the centre of circular economy efforts. Would you like to read more? Check out pur publication “Discussing the Social Impacts of the Circularity” or read about the social side of the circular economy! Is this something that interests you, too? Connect with Rosa Strube and join the effort!