Metrics that matter: How marketers can influence circular business transformation

One thing is clear in our current economy: marketers are under huge pressure to drive growth and sales. But they also have the potential to influence change. 

There is no one-size-fits-all approach. A range of factors are at play when brands decide which teams are best placed to track progress, share insights, and drive action towards circular business transformation. 

Demonstrating the value of a circular economy transition is essential — and marketers have the knowledge, skills, and creativity to make circular products and services irresistible, highlighting their benefits and value. 

Our practical measurement guidance, developed in collaboration with Kantar, builds on familiar marketing performance indicators, evolving them to reflect how circular business models can deliver returns within the constraints of our current linear system. 

This is about picking the metrics that matter most to your business, whatever stage of the journey you’re on. 

In our last article, we shared four performance areas where marketers can take the lead in transforming business practice and consumer behaviour. 

However, there are other areas marketing teams may not own but in which they can play an influential role. 

Read on to learn more. 

1. Talent

Marketing departments rely on motivated, aligned teams to deliver brand goals.

Tracking how circular initiatives impact recruitment and retention helps marketing leaders evaluate and adapt their talent strategies to attract top talent. 

Some circular-born organisations, like French-based refurbish tech provider Recommerce Group, disclose their employee Net Promoter Score in their annual reports to ‘help gauge team morale, gather feedback, identify areas for improvement, and ensure a fulfilling work environment.’

2. Innovation

Marketers are storytellers. They can help ensure circular innovations meet real customer needs, creating authentic stories that inspire further action. But what does this look like? 

Measuring the level of collaboration between marketing and innovation teams can help evaluate and embed marketing thinking from the outset, rather than later on. 

One company making this happen is Diageo. In its sustainability team, every circular innovation project team collaborates closely with sustainable marketing experts to ensure circular innovations can be ‘a central engine of brand desirability and business growth.’  

3. Organisational transformation

Marketing teams connect an organisation with its customers, making them essential partners in circular transformation. 

By bringing marketers into the conversation with other teams measuring success, such as sustainability, supply chain, and finance departments, businesses can scale circular business models sooner than previously thought possible.

In the 2024 financial year, 260,400 customers across 28 countries used the IKEA Buyback service to give over 495,000 items a new chance (up from 430,000 items the previous year), following the Buyback Friday campaign and other cross-functional efforts to increase the recovery and resale of post-use IKEA items. 

4. Industry transformation

Marketers can drive cultural change, aspirations, and beliefs – not just sales.

Measuring and incentivising collaboration with other marketing and communications teams – both within companies and across industries – helps turn good intention into real action, encouraging more people to participate in the transition to a circular economy. 

One example of industry transformation in action is Back Market, which has joined multi-stakeholder platforms like Right to Repair in Europe or Repair.org in the US to advocate for access to repair parts and documentation, and reinforce public support for circular policies. It often embeds Right to Repair advocacy in marketing messaging and encourages its community to donate, sign petitions, and participate in repair events.

In a circular economy, marketing teams are given the freedom to invest their time in fostering long-term, value-generating relationships with customers, rather than chasing short-term wins. 

The journey from linear to circular is challenging, and no single team can do it alone. But with greater collaboration and by tapping into new avenues of influence, marketers can drive change further, faster.