About this publication
Methodology
Why these stories exist, who they are for, and how each one is built.
Why this exists
Beyond “who does what”: what actually works, and why
This publication does not focus on mapping which financial instruments are offered and which types of clients they serve. It explores how finance genuinely engages with circularity, offering explanatory insights into what works in practice, what does not, and why.
- How financiers define circularity for themselves, and what motivates them to target it in the first place.
- What kinds of CE initiatives financiers choose to fund, and at what sector, stage, and location.
- How research and innovation grants are actually structured in practice: size, timelines, and other support provided along the way.
- What financiers say they would need to fund more circular initiatives.
Who it is for
Four audiences, financiers first among them
Financiers
From philanthropic foundations, investment funds, multilateral development banks, development finance institutions, national development agencies to commercial banks. Each story closes with a concrete call to action for them.
Public authorities & international institutions
Policy-makers shaping the enabling environment for circular finance.
Business-support organisations
Intermediaries that help enterprises identify their target market, refine their circular business solutions, and become investment-ready.
Entrepreneurs & SMEs
The businesses on the other side of the table, seeking circular capital and insights into the investor's mind.
How each story is built
A shared narrative arc
Every story is a well-documented journey that follows the same five beats, so you can compare across very different institutions.
- 01
Institutional Profile
Who the financier is, scale, footprint, the figures that matter.
- 02
The Trigger
Why circularity is where the opportunity is.
- 03
The Strategy
How they reframed the problem into something fundable.
- 04
The Execution
The instrument, the deal, the obstacles, what they actually did.
- 05
Call to Action
The transferable lesson, addressed to other financiers.
How stories are chosen
A small, deliberately diverse set, spanning different sectors, types of financiers, financial products, and circular-design strategies that go well beyond “just recycling.” Each one captures how circularity took shape on the ground, the approach taken, the obstacles navigated, and the best practices that can inspire others, whether that is a tool, a guideline, a sector focus, or a form of public support.
How to read it
Direct, concrete, action-oriented, a call to action, not a theory paper
Good practice and pitfalls
Both, frankly. The obstacles each financier hit are as instructive as the wins.
Insight you can act on
Story-based lessons translated into practical takeaways tied to stages of the financing journey.
A realistic, scalable path
Evidence that circular finance is a viable practice today, not a distant, theoretical ambition.
The programme
This is a Knowledge Product publication of the EU Circular Economy Resource Centre (EU CERC), a five-year initiative (2024–2029) promoting the uptake of sound circular-economy policies and business models through peer-to-peer exchange between the EU and partner countries. It is funded by the European Union and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland, and implemented by Sitra, the Finnish Innovation Fund, and Enabel, the Belgian Agency for International Cooperation.