Turning circular economy theory into business practice

In this series of case studies, we tell the story of those who have successfully completed the Circular Economy Internship Scheme, helping businesses and employees develop the skills needed to deliver a circular Economy in Scotland, while also providing precious experience. 

Having studied Engineering with Architecture at the University of Edinburgh, Lucien had focused much of his academic work on sustainability. But while studying gave him a strong foundation, he was looking for a way to take those ideas beyond the classroom and into practical business settings.

That opportunity came through a placement with the Cairngorms Business Partnership, where he was tasked with developing a circular economy toolkit for more than 400 businesses operating across the Cairngorms National Park.

"It's quite unusual straight out of university to be given ownership of a project," says Lucien. "The internship gave me responsibility for designing, managing and delivering something from start to finish."

His role involved creating a practical guide to help businesses understand how circular economy principles could support their operations. But rather than focusing solely on environmental benefits, Lucien took a different approach.

"We didn't want it to be another checklist telling businesses what they should do," he explains. "The aim was to demonstrate how circular economy approaches could help businesses become more efficient, save money and create new opportunities."

To develop the toolkit, Lucien spent time speaking with businesses from a wide range of sectors, including hospitality, tourism, retail, food and drink and farming. Through interviews and research, he explored the challenges they faced, the circular practices they were already using and the opportunities available to build on them.

Those conversations helped shape a toolkit which was leveraged as a membership benefit for paying members. This included practical guidance, quick-win actions and local business case studies designed to make circular economy concepts relevant and accessible. Craig Mills, Chief Executive of the Cairngorms Business Partnership, says Lucien's contribution was invaluable to the project. "Lucien demonstrated initiative, organisation and professionalism from the outset. He quickly built strong relationships with colleagues and local businesses, and his ability to communicate complex circular economy concepts in a clear and engaging way was invaluable."

One of the most valuable lessons came from speaking directly with business owners.

"I realised that many businesses were already doing circular economy activities without calling them that," says Lucien. "Some people would say, 'Isn't this just what we've always done?' and, in many cases, they were right."

That insight helped broaden his understanding of circularity. Rather than seeing it purely as a set of environmental interventions, he began to recognise how entire business models can embody circular principles.

"A laundrette is a good example," he explains. "At first, I was looking at things like packaging and waste, but then I realised the business itself is inherently circular because people share access to a service instead of everyone owning their own equipment."

Alongside developing his knowledge of circular economy principles, Lucien built valuable professional skills. The project required stakeholder engagement, project management, research, communication and the ability to translate complex concepts into something businesses could understand and act upon. Craig says Lucien demonstrated these skills throughout the placement, independently researching and developing toolkit content while engaging directly with business owners across the Cairngorms.

Looking back, he believes the internship bridged the gap between university and professional life.

"When you're graduating, it's easy to wonder whether your knowledge and skills will actually translate into the workplace. The internship gave me confidence because it showed me that they could." 

After completing the placement, Lucien continued supporting the rollout of the toolkit while building connections across the sustainability and building industry sectors. Today, he works as an Energy and Carbon Consultant with Arcadis in New York, advising architects, engineers and developers on sustainable buildings and infrastructure.

The skills and experience gained during his internship continue to shape his work. At Arcadis, he now contributes to NYC sustainability and circularity-related projects, drawing on the same stakeholder engagement and systems-thinking skills he developed through the internship.  

His manager at Arcadis believes this experience has been particularly valuable in preparing him for client-facing sustainability work.

"Experience like Lucien's is incredibly valuable because it helps turn circular economy principles into practical business action. Having already worked directly with organisations to understand challenges, identify opportunities, and communicate workable solutions meant he joined Arcadis with skills that are highly relevant to how we support our clients in delivering sustainability and circularity outcomes."

The combination of technical knowledge and hands-on experience gave Lucien a strong foundation for helping clients identify practical opportunities to embed circular economy principles into projects and operations.

"The toolkit became something tangible that I could show employers," he says. "It demonstrated that I could work independently, engage with different stakeholders and deliver a real project." 

For Lucien, the experience showed how circular economy skills can create opportunities far beyond a single placement.

Craig describes Lucien's contribution as "outstanding" and believes the internship will have a lasting impact at the partnership.

"Lucien has continued to support the project even though his placement formally ended, volunteering his time and expertise to help with the toolkit's wider rollout and promotion. The toolkit will remain a lasting legacy of his placement and Lucien's enthusiasm and project delivery skills made him an asset to our team."

As businesses increasingly look for ways to use resources more efficiently, skills such as stakeholder engagement, systems thinking, project management and circular design are becoming ever more valuable. Lucien's journey demonstrates how developing those capabilities can open doors and help turn sustainability knowledge into meaningful action.