The digital imperative is driving companies to seek new sources of value for their customers, but this mission is difficult within the often cloistered confines and bureaucracy of their headquarters. Seeking to foster a culture that is more akin to startups than the corporate motherships, many large enterprises are cultivating innovation in digital labs and incubators.

Lawrence Black sees the circular economy finally moving from theory and high-level strategy to practical applications in design, engineering, and marketing. He has a clear view of these changes as senior advisor to the Waste Management-McDonough Sustainable Innovation Collaborative, a partnership formed in 2013 to improve the recyclability of packaging and products.