In this episode of All Things Circular, hosts Peter Evans and Vic D’Arcy sit down with Steve Carter and Dan Hall of Unipart, a global supply chain performance improvement partner operating across 22 countries. Together, they explore how circularity manifests in real, complex supply chains, where reducing waste, reusing assets, and designing smarter processes yield measurable financial and environmental benefits.
Steve and Dan break down why “reduce” is the most powerful and most overlooked element of circularity. They share how Unipart helped major UK telecom providers eliminate single-use plastics across field operations and warehouse networks, and how a simple process redesign removed five tons of paper per year by shifting dispatch notes to digital systems.
The hosts also dive into Unipart’s extensive reuse programs, including the repair of more than 40,000 printed circuit boards for an energy customer, saving over £3 million and avoiding the heavy embedded carbon associated with manufacturing new components. Dan highlights how rethinking mobile device trade-in packaging reduced cardboard use by two tonnes annually, cut 13 tonnes of carbon, and saved roughly £250,000 per year by consolidating
In one of the episode’s most compelling moments, Steve reflects on his early skepticism of circularity, once assuming it was “just a marketing word for recycling,” and how deeper exposure to embedded carbon, repairability, and full end-to-end supply chain thinking transformed him into a committed circularity advocate.
By the end of this conversation, listeners will understand how thoughtful reduction, scalable reuse, data-driven measurement, and collaborative design can turn any supply chain into a circular engine, one that lowers cost, avoids carbon, and strengthens long-term business performance.
Visit our website to learn more: allthingscircular.com
Connect with Peter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-c-evans-phd-217b8/
Connect with Vic: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoria-d-arcy-aa84b51/
Connect with Dan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-j-hall/
Connect with Steven: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevecarterprofile/
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Our podcast focuses mostly on: Circular Economy, Sustainable Living, Sustainability, Eco-Friendly, Recycling, Zero Waste, Environmentalism, Green Economy, Climate Change, Business Sustainability, Waste Management, Renewable Resources, Eco-Innovation, Supply Chain, Business, Circularity, Environmental Impact, Life Cycle Assessment, Upcycling, Downcycling, Closed Loop System, Sustainable Practices, Resource Recovery, Circular Strategies, Podcast, Alternative Materials, Reverse Logistics, ITAD, Lifecycle Services, Product Sourcing, and more!