Circular Electronics Design Guide

A comprehensive resource guiding practitioners in the electronics sector in their circular design journey. Created by more than 60 experts from 25
organizations, this guide offers a detailed strategic framework to accelerate the circular transition of electronics.

The Circular Electronics Design Guide (CEDG) is a freely-available resource designed to guide practitioners across the electronic product value chain through the complexities of embedding circularity into design. Created by more than 60 experts from 25 organizations, this guide offers a comprehensive framework to accelerate the circular transition of electronics.

 

Why Circular Design Matters

The electronics industry is at a critical crossroads, with growing consumer and regulatory pressure to adopt more sustainable practices. As electronic consumption continues to rise globally, addressing the lifecycle of these products can significantly reduce waste, conserve resources and mitigate the adverse environmental impacts associated with electronic waste. However, many organizations lack the the holistic view, practical tools, and enabling conditions to fully integrate circularity into their design processes. The Circular Electronics Design Guide aims to bridge this gap, providing actionable strategies that help businesses navigate their circular transition with confidence.

By creating this Guide and helping practitioners use it across organizations, we address many of the challenges outlined in the Circular Electronics Roadmap, showing the power of design in accelerating the sector transition to circularity.

 

 

What You’ll Find Inside

At the heart of this guide is the Circular Innovation Process Blueprint – a comprehensive framework aimed at guiding electronic product manufacturing organizations through the transition to circularity. The Blueprint is a visualization of (a version of) the circular design process, structured into four main phases: Enable, Frame, Plan, and Implement, each with distinct blocks and activities that collectively facilitate the circular transition.

The Blueprint includes the full innovation process and extends beyond traditional design practices to include Product-Service-System (PSS) design and organizational culture. The definition of a designer is also expanded to include roles traditionally not linked with design, such as business leaders, program managers, and supply chain specialists, as all these roles are important for designing a circular system. The Blueprint further outlines the overarching enabling conditions that are crucial for successful circular design, like circular governance, culture and data schemes.

 

With this blueprint in mind, a transition map outlines the path from the current state to one that is closer to the Circular Innovation Process. The Transition Map is a model with three timelines (Organizational, Offering and Industrial Ecosystem) that guide the prioritization and scaling of circular initiatives. Each timeline represents a key area that organizations should consider to effectively manage their circular transition. The Guide explores in detail each of these interconnected timelines, the key challenges impeding the transition, and how design can help overcome them.

In its first iteration, the Circular Electronics Design Guide includes in-depth actionable insights on three key circular strategies: repair, refurbishment, and recycling. Each of these strategies presents unique opportunities and challenges, and the guide provides in-depth insights into how companies can effectively implement them.

Explore the guide and learn from real-world examples and case studies from leading companies who have successfully navigated circular transitions.

 

Who Should Use This Guide

This guide is designed for a diverse audience involved in the electronics value chain:

• Circular Designers and Engineers focused on developing products with disassembly, reuse, and recyclability in mind.
• Business Leaders and Sustainability Managers seeking to align circularity goals with business strategies.
• Operations Managers and Supply Chain Specialists responsible for integrating circular processes into their logistics and manufacturing.
• Marketing Specialists, LCA Analysts, and Policy Analysts looking to inform and propel the circular transition in their organizations
• Educators, Regulators, and Policymakers interested in fostering industry-wide circular transitions.

Download the publication

Circular Electronics Design Guide

Download the Circular Electronics Design Guide and gain access to a wealth of knowledge, including practical tools, case studies, and expert insights, to help your organization transition to circularity.

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    Developed by Practitioners, for Practitioners

    The Guide is the result of a collaborative project led by the Circular Electronics Partnership and the Circular Design Forum, supported by Accenture, with contributions by experts from 25 organizations, including Accenture, Bang & Olufsen, Danfoss, Ellen MacArthur Foundation, ERI, Fairphone, Fraunhofer IZM, Global Electronics Council, Globant, HMD, HP, iFixit, Logitech, Microsoft, Partners For Innovation, Pezy, Philips, Royal College of Art, Schneider Electric, Signify, Studio Elk, Synapse, TU Delft, Versuni

    This cross-industry collaboration ensures the guide is not just theoretical but rooted in actionable insights from experts in circular electronics.