Leveraging Circularity to Create Decent Work
This report presents the first-ever global estimate of employment in the circular economy, revealing that 121–142 million people — around 5 to 5.8 percent of the world’s workforce — are engaged in activities such as repair, recycling, second-hand trade, and waste management. Most of these jobs are concentrated in the Global South, with the Americas and Asia-Pacific reporting the highest shares. Strikingly, over half of circular economy workers — more than 74 million people — operate in the informal economy, often without protection or stable incomes despite their vital role in advancing sustainable development.
The report also shows that circular employment is dominated by a few sectors, led by repair and maintenance (46%), manufacturing (24.5%), and waste management (8%). It underscores the need for targeted policies to green other critical industries and to integrate workers’ rights and social protections into circular strategies.
Developed by Circle Economy, the International Labour Organization, and the World Bank Group —and supported by the Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE) and with expert guidance from an international advisory board this study sets a new global standard for measuring circular employment.
Related Links
- Watch Replay: Employment in the circular economy: Leveraging circularity to create decent work
- Accelerating Circular Economy Finance in Emerging Markets
- IFC's work in Waste Management and Circularity
- Global Study Shows Circular Economy Employs up to 142 Million Workers Worldwide
- International Report: Over 140 Million People Work in the Circular Economy Sectors Worldwide
