This report proposes a manufacturing upgrade programme to support businesses in raising their resource efficiency, to help close the north-south productivity divide and to keep good jobs in the UK.

The British Chamber of Commerce, North West Business Leaders Team, TUC, Institute of Manufacturing and the Association for the Conservation of Energy have all signed a joint statement with Green Alliance urging the government to make this programme part of its industrial strategy.

This is the fifth report of the Circular Economy Task Force, a business led group convened by Green Alliance. It is a forum for policy innovation that aims to lead policy discussions with ambitious business thinking.