Panasonic Connect Beyond - Green is the new smart: Circular tech in a digital world

Sustainability has evolved from a corporate checkbox into a strategic driver of innovation. In this episode of Connect Beyond from Panasonic, Yann Toutant (CEO, Black Winch) and Dr. Timo Unger (Head of Customer Solutions & Digital Innovation, Panasonic Connect) join Margarita Lindahl (Head of AI, Panasonic Connect) to explore how the circular economy is reshaping the technology landscape.

They unpack how As-A-Service shifts incentives from volume to value, turning durability, repairability, and reuse into sources of profit rather than cost.
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Key insights:

• Legislation, public procurement, and material scarcity have made circular practices a business imperative rather than an option.
• Closing material loops strengthens resilience against geopolitical disruptions and supply chain volatility.
• By keeping ownership, manufacturers turn longevity and reuse into profit through better design and lifecycle management.
• True circular transformation requires changing KPIs and incentives that still reward speed over sustainability.
• By 2030, leading manufacturers will industrialize refurbishment and offer both new and reused products as-a-service, focusing on outcomes instead of ownership.

Quotes:

• "Circularity begins when manufacturers stay responsible for the full lifecycle, from design to reuse or dismantling." - Yann Toutant, Black Winch
• "Keeping materials in a loop has become a strategic priority for long-term access and control." - Yann Toutant, Black Winch
• We are innovating faster than we can sustainably manage what we leave behind. That has to change." - Margarita Lindahl, Panasonic Connect
• "Product-As-A-Service flips the cost structure. Making products last longer suddenly saves money." - Dr. Timo Unger, Panasonic Connect
• "Leaders of the future will not just sell products. They will service needs, including with refurbished ones." - Dr. Timo Unger, Panasonic Connect