91É«ÇéƬ

Creating more Social Impact in the Circular Economy

Why Australia’s circular economy should measure its impact on people as well as the planet.

Published on the 21 September 2026 by Dr Linh Nguyen, CSI 91É«ÇéƬ Lecturer
Two workers load wooden furniture onto a Bower Reuse & Repair Centre truck for reuse

Mentions

Dr Linh Nguyen looking into the camera for a headshot, taken in April 2023
Linh Nguyen

When we discuss the circular economy, the focus is often on waste and diverting more resources away from landfill. But what happens to the items that live a second life? And does their impact extend beyond just sustainability?  

As part of the course, I have come across an increasing number of social enterprises that are expanding their focus beyond the circular economy model to include more social impact.

A clear example is program that furnishes accommodation for people rebuilding their lives after homelessness, domestic and family violence, displacement, refugee settlement or crisis. This program uses donated furniture and household items that might have otherwise been thrown away and repurposes them to be used in emergency situations where people can benefit.

For me, this captures a bigger opportunity for Australia’s circular economy beyond waste reduction. It shows how the circular economy could be redesigned to include people and social impact as well.

Measuring the Circular Economy

Australia’s circular economy conversation, and many of the metrics used to compare progress internationally, remain focused on materials, typified by the ‘circularity rate’ (). However, and the both highlight the importance of innovation and new business models.

I think a stronger circular economy can also ask additional questions.
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Who benefits from the resources kept in circulation?

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What social value can also be created?

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And how can circular systems support people facing disadvantage or crisis?

These questions matter because the transition to a more sustainable economy should not be measured solely by environmental outcomes but also by whether its benefits are shared more broadly across society.

How to integrate social impact into the circular economy

Through teaching our Social Entrepreneurship Practicum course at 91É«ÇéƬ (where students get to work with enterprises), I have had the opportunity to collaborate with many social enterprises that are at the forefront of integrating social impact and waste reduction.  

For example:
Smiling people holding bottles of OzHarvest Ventures wine

Turns surplus produce into circular products such as the Conscious Drink and Life-Changing LemonAid. This reduces food waste while generating revenue for food relief. It also strengthens local and Indigenous supply chains and assists OzHarvest’s broad mission of helping people in need and addressing food insecurity.

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Two glass candle jars with white wax and twin wicks sit on a table, with a wooden lid beside one jar.

Candle containers can't be recycled, so CandleXchange keeps them in circulation. Their Return & Swap Program offers 30% off a new candle for every returned container. Their UpCandle Program refills used containers from any brand and donates them to domestic violence survivors.

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Reverse Garbage's brightly painted headquarters

Redirects thousands of kilos of commercial and industrial waste to schools and organisations for creativity and learning. It supports social impact and community participation through skill development and volunteer programs. 

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A ute, with a cage packed with bicycles, with Revolve ReCycling signage on it

Restores and sells old bikes at an affordable price, while donating bikes to remote Indigenous communities, refugee children, and young people in disadvantaged regions of Australia.

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A display of donated and reused toys at the Joy of Giving Sustainability & Toy Swap Hub.

Keeps thousands of pre-loved children's resources, such as toys and books, in circulation by extending their life while improving access to quality resources for children and families, including refugees, families affected by domestic violence, and remote Indigenous communities.

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Exterior of the Circle Paints store, with signage advertising discounted Dulux paints and environmentally conscious paint products.

Gives surplus paint a second life, reducing waste while making high-quality paint affordable and accessible to people on tight budgets, including schools, families, and community groups.

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These organisations do more than keep resources in circulation; they create pathways for participation and community well-being, reminding us that the value of circularity is not only about extending the life of products but also about improving the lives of people and the community.

What should Australia’s circular economy look like in the future?

sets out an ambition to double Australia’s circularity by 2035 with three key targets: reducing our per capita material footprint by 10%, increasing material productivity by 30% and safely recovering 80% of our resources. While important, these targets focus largely on materials and waste. goes further by recognising the social benefits of the circular economy, but it does not go as far as measuring its impact.

The social enterprises we collaborated with through the Social Entrepreneurship Practicum demonstrate how environmental, economic and social value can be created together.    

If we design the circular economy around people as well as resources, the same activities that reduce waste can also build employment skills, create jobs, improve access to resources, and empower disadvantaged communities.

For the circular economy to work for both people and the planet, social impact should be evaluated as one of its key outcomes. By 2035, Australia should be ambitious and aim not only to double its circularity rate but also to measure progress towards more social prosperity.

Reverse Garbage CEO, Kirsten Junor, speaks to CSI 91É«ÇéƬ students in a lecture theatre, with slides about the not-for-profit organisation displayed on large screens. © 91É«ÇéƬ 2026

CSI 91É«ÇéƬ Social Entrepreneurship Practicum students visit Reverse Garbage. © 91É«ÇéƬ 2026

Students turn discarded materials into something new during a hands-on workshop at Reverse Garbage. 
© 91É«ÇéƬ 2026

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