Recycled content: trends and practices across industries

An episode of the Changing Conversations Podcast podcast, hosted by SGS, titled "Recycled content: trends and practices across industries" was published on September 9, 2025 and runs 52 minutes.

September 9, 2025 ·52m · Changing Conversations Podcast

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Summary

Recycled content is no longer just a “nice to have”, it’s becoming a critical pillar of every sustainability strategy. As global regulations tighten and consumer expectations rise, manufacturers, brands, and supply chain partners are under growing pressure to adopt circular practices that can be independently verified and trusted. But how can businesses navigate challenges like waste stream management, contamination, and scalability while ensuring transparency and avoiding greenwashing?In this SGS Live expert discussion, we explore the essential role of recycled content in driving the circular economy. Our experts, Eric Wang and Awa HE, bring decades of experience in sustainability, certification, and standards development to help you understand the regulatory landscape and what it means for your business today.You’ll gain practical insights into supply chain transparency, independent verification, and innovative digital traceability tools that are reshaping sustainable manufacturing. Plus, we’ll take a forward-looking view at how recycled content adoption will evolve in the next five years, and what companies must do to stay ahead.Whether you’re a manufacturer, brand owner, or sustainability professional, this episode offers clear guidance and actionable strategies to move from commitments to verifiable action. Listen now to discover how recycled content can strengthen your sustainability strategy and accelerate your role in the circular economy.👉 Tune in today and join the conversation on turning recycled content into measurable impact.(00:00:23)- Introduction(00:02:13)- Can you tell me a little about why is circularity and specifically the use of recycled content, becoming a critical focus across industries today?(00:06:45)- What regulatory pressures or voluntary standards are currently shaping how industries approach recycled content?(00:09:57)- How do you see independent verification and certification helping businesses navigate the complexity of these regulations?(00:12:42)- Greenwashing has been a concern in sustainability claims: how important is independent validation to ensure credibility with consumers and regulators?(00:20:50)- What role does transparency and traceability across the entire supply chain play in meeting both compliance requirements and stakeholder expectations?(00:26:03)- What are the biggest obstacles the industry faces when integrating recycled content at scale?(00:30:47)- How can cross-supply-chain collaboration help overcome these obstacles?(00:35:44)- What innovations & Solutions, whether in design, technology, or business models are enabling greater use of recycled content?(00:41:58)- Q&A(00:47:15)- What would success in recycled content adoption look like and how do we get there from today’s reality?

Episode Description

Recycled content is no longer just a “nice to have”, it’s becoming a critical pillar of every sustainability strategy. As global regulations tighten and consumer expectations rise, manufacturers, brands, and supply chain partners are under growing pressure to adopt circular practices that can be independently verified and trusted. But how can businesses navigate challenges like waste stream management, contamination, and scalability while ensuring transparency and avoiding greenwashing?

In this SGS Live expert discussion, we explore the essential role of recycled content in driving the circular economy. Our experts, Eric Wang and Awa HE, bring decades of experience in sustainability, certification, and standards development to help you understand the regulatory landscape and what it means for your business today.

You’ll gain practical insights into supply chain transparency, independent verification, and innovative digital traceability tools that are reshaping sustainable manufacturing. Plus, we’ll take a forward-looking view at how recycled content adoption will evolve in the next five years, and what companies must do to stay ahead.

Whether you’re a manufacturer, brand owner, or sustainability professional, this episode offers clear guidance and actionable strategies to move from commitments to verifiable action. Listen now to discover how recycled content can strengthen your sustainability strategy and accelerate your role in the circular economy.

👉 Tune in today and join the conversation on turning recycled content into measurable impact.

(00:00:23)- Introduction

(00:02:13)- Can you tell me a little about why is circularity and specifically the use of recycled content, becoming a critical focus across industries today?

(00:06:45)- What regulatory pressures or voluntary standards are currently shaping how industries approach recycled content?

(00:09:57)- How do you see independent verification and certification helping businesses navigate the complexity of these regulations?

(00:12:42)- Greenwashing has been a concern in sustainability claims: how important is independent validation to ensure credibility with consumers and regulators?

(00:20:50)- What role does transparency and traceability across the entire supply chain play in meeting both compliance requirements and stakeholder expectations?

(00:26:03)- What are the biggest obstacles the industry faces when integrating recycled content at scale?

(00:30:47)- How can cross-supply-chain collaboration help overcome these obstacles?

(00:35:44)- What innovations & Solutions, whether in design, technology, or business models are enabling greater use of recycled content?

(00:41:58)- Q&A

(00:47:15)- What would success in recycled content adoption look like and how do we get there from today’s reality?