> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://4revs.gitbook.io/handbook/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://4revs.gitbook.io/handbook/chapters/daring-design/leadership-in-the-spotlight.md). # Leadership in the spotlight For this section, we will surprise you: we will not highlight a particularly virtuous company or a prevailing trend in the design industry. In the case of design, we want to shine a spotlight on those who make things easier for designers through free tools, consultancy, and training. In one example, we present a company:[ Material ConneXion](https://materialconnexion.com/). Materials ConneXion is a materials library; materials research; materials consulting one’s own materials expert; and they are a go-to source for understanding the latest on materials to use across the production sector. The four points they emphasize for the right material choice are: performance, aesthetic, budget, and sustainability. They see the design component of every project as crucial.That every project has a range of potential material solutions, but not all are ultimately the right option. Not all companies have the time or budget to have their own in-house materials R\&D - not to mention cover the wide range of materials possible. With this in mind, the ConneXion was born over 20 years ago as a one-stop-shop for clients, with their base in NYC. They work with some of the world‘s top brands such as Nike, Google, BMW, Johnson & Johnson, LG, Louis Vuitton, and more. Materials ConneXion addresses the issue of sourcing of material: How will this material work within our current production process? Which materials are best to address our sustainability goals? There is so much conflicting information out there, how do I know the information I’ve been given is credible? Material ConneXion stands out as they actively track more than 75 industries to provide cross-industry perspective on materials, trends, design, and sustainability. They have their own researchers that they attach to each project. Benefits of their acumen include access to their Materials Database, with over 10,000 material innovations from over 7,000 global manufacturers. Their international research team includes global offices and partners in Japan, Sweden, Denmark, Italy, Spain, Thailand, and South Korea; and additional satellite offices in Denmark, the US and Hungary. On the same line, another very interesting example of these databases is[ Materiom](https://materiom.org/), which we discuss in the chapter on Bio-based materials. The[ Circular Design Guide](https://www.circulardesignguide.com/) is worth examining as a leading practical approach to support the mindset shift of designers and companies. It is a guide conceived by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, focusing on redesigning objects by implementing the principles of the circular economy within processes. The guide refers to the concepts of eco-design and circular design, allowing companies to move away from analyzing the impact of individual products sold on the market. Instead, it takes a more holistic view, challenging the entire economic system. The Circular Design Guide represents a methodical approach based on the centrality of design, the drawing behind a project, since it is in the conception phase of a product that its future is shaped. This is when one can influence the economic and environmental sustainability, the life cycle, recycling, or reuse of a product. The Circular Design Guide even includes[ 24 practical working and design methods](https://www.circulardesignguide.com/methods) provided to companies aiming to shift their market logic and reevaluate the value of their products and services to enhance their worth. The guide also offers thought-provoking insights, targeting key figures in companies - entrepreneurs, organizational leaders, and managers - to encourage them to pose constructive new questions about potential new business models. The worksheets, one for each step and freely downloadable, serve as a tangible tool to initiate a company's conversion process toward a circular model. Following the phases of the Circular Design Guide can lead to a concrete alternative to the exorbitant costs of the linear economy, constraints related to raw material sourcing, and a business model filled with contemporary risks. In addition to the working methods, the guide, connecting design and the Circular Economy, also relies on concrete examples of those who have embraced change and succeeded.