Brought to you by Elena FERNANDEZ from UNITAR, Valentin Wever from TU Berlin, and Michelle Wagner from WEEE Forum
Task 1.2 of the CE-RISE project focused on mapping and analysing legislation, standards, product labels, and certification schemes for sustainability and circularity assessment. It examined these documents to extract information on RE- and SEE (Social, Environmental, Economic) – impact indicators and their calculation methodologies. 137 basic and 57 prioritised standardised factsheets were created compiling this information to help harmonise circularity and sustainability assessment methods.
More about the workshop
Supporting this task an online workshop was held in June 2024, aiming to provide participants with in-depth knowledge of protocols, techniques, and approaches for applying RE-Criteria in sustainability and circularity assessments.
During the workshop, participants were divided into groups to discuss prioritised factsheets, the first exercise involved assessing the impact and feasibility of different methodologies for circularity assessment, with groups comparing documents and verifying the contents of the factsheets.
In the second exercise, groups conducted a SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) on the most relevant methodology identified in the first exercise. These analyses provided insights for further developing indicators and standardising methodologies for circularity assessment.
The discussions, focused on circularity assessment, emphasised the need for a balanced, holistic approach that allows comparison between products, aiding consumer decisions and enabling OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) to showcase their sustainability efforts. Key areas of focus were the product’s lifetime socio-economic and environmental impact, its ability to remain in a circular value chain, and its durability.
Standardisation was identified as crucial, especially in data formats, assessment content, and methodologies, to ensure efficient and comparable assessments. Group discussions explored the feasibility and impact of different methods, highlighting that clear, flexible methodologies with manageable complexity and moderate data needs are most effective.
Participants also identified the importance of producing both detailed and simplified results for different users. While incentives can drive innovation, poorly designed approaches could hinder economic growth and sustainability progress.
Overall, the workshops highlighted strong interest in circularity assessment but also the need for better standardisation to avoid confusion and support innovation.