Circular economy puzzle

On 24 November 2025, the workshop format „Puzzle of the Circular Economy“ by
The Circular Economy Mural at the FH of the BFI Vienna The event was organised on the initiative of the City of Vienna Endowed Chair for Circular Economy and Transformative Business Models and jointly hosted by Elena Stelzig and Benoit Sarrade moderated. The workshop was part of the international Circular Monday movement.

The „Circular Economy Puzzle“ gives participants a sound understanding of how today's linear economic system works and why it is reaching its ecological and economic limits. The aim is to convey a new, circular-oriented model of thinking that conserves resources, reduces waste and respects planetary boundaries.

The following key topics were covered in a total of three hours:

• Analysis of the linear „take–make–waste“ system
• Consideration of the impact on the environment, society and the economy
• Developing approaches for making value creation systems more circular

The format is based on scientific findings and is specifically designed to help teams and organisations get started with circular thinking. Inspired by climate puzzle methods, the workshop highlights challenges relating to resource consumption, waste generation and recycling.

Finally, participants developed concrete ideas on how business models and processes can be adapted to implement circularity in practice. The workshop clearly demonstrated the high level of interest in circular solutions and the importance of interactive formats in making the transformation understandable and applicable.