Unlocking the Circular Economy Through Use

At BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions, our purpose is clear: we are committed to unlocking the circular economy to sustain the world we share.

This purpose reflects an ambition. It recognises both the urgency of environmental challenges and the responsibility of financial services to support more sustainable models of production and consumption. It guides our long-term direction and informs how we work with partners at a time when organisations are rethinking business models to balance performance, resilience and sustainability.

We are not claiming to have “solved” circularity. We are on a journey – working step by step with our partners to make circular practices more mature, more scalable and more impactful over time.

What the Circular Economy Means – and Why It Matters 

The circular economy offers an alternative to the traditional linear model of take, make, use, dispose. Instead, it aims to:

• reduce pressure on natural resources
• extend the useful life of products and components
• keep materials and assets in circulation for longer through reuse, refurbishment, remanufacturing and recycling

This transition is now a priority in Europe, notably through the European Commission’s Circular Economy Action Plan, which encourages longer product lifespans, improved end-of-life management, and the development of usage-based economic models.

Beyond environmental considerations, circularity also represents a significant economic opportunity. According to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, circular business models could unlock trillions of dollars of value globally, while helping rebalance resource consumption with ecosystem regeneration.

For businesses, this means rethinking not only how products are designed and manufactured, but also how they are financed, maintained, used and recovered.

Why Usage Matters More Than Ownership

At BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions, we see use rather than ownership as a practical lever for advancing circularity.

When assets are financed through usage-based models such as leasing or rental, responsibility for performance and value is shared across the lifecycle. This creates incentives to manage equipment more actively and sustainably.

In practice, usage models can help to:

• optimise asset utilisation through monitoring, servicing and structured maintenance programmes
• extend lifecycles by enabling repair, refurbishment and component replacement rather than premature disposal
• improve end-of-use outcomes by facilitating asset recovery for reuse or recycling

Crucially, usage models make it easier to keep assets within professional management frameworks, where their condition, performance and residual value can be actively managed over time.

Our Commitment in Action

Bringing our purpose to life means working collaboratively across the value chain.

Today, our focus is on:

• supporting partners in developing usage-based commercial offers
• integrating financing into asset lifecycle strategies
• helping to develop secondary markets and asset recovery processes

We recognise that progress depends on collective action. Circularity cannot be delivered by finance alone. It requires alignment between manufacturers, service providers, users, recyclers and policymakers. Our role is to help connect these stakeholders and remove financial barriers to more sustainable practices.

A Journey Towards a Sustainable and Shared Future

At BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions, we do more than finance equipment. We support businesses in moving towards more sustainable patterns of consumption – where value is created through performance and longevity, not volume and disposability.

We are still building capabilities. Many circular models remain at an early stage. Measurement frameworks, infrastructure and market maturity continue to evolve. There is more to do.

But by focusing on usage, partnerships and lifecycle management, we are laying practical foundations for progress.

Our purpose reflects this long-term commitment: to unlock the circular economy to sustain the world we share – step by step, together with our partners and clients.