Global Circularity Protocol

The global economy is currently hardwired for a linear (take, make, waste) economic model, and science shows that most circular business models do not reach the market. The current national, international, and regional legislative frameworks, standards, international conventions, and harmonized product coding standards all support a linear economy. It needs rapid rethinking and repurposing to facilitate and accelerate the transition to a circular economy. This requires vital collaboration across sectors and stakeholders in all spheres to achieve the transition at the speed and scale we need. 

A circular economy creates value through redesigning products and services, reducing waste and pollution, and maintaining resource use within planetary boundaries. Businesses are seeking ways to drive strategic change towards sustainable business practices. Circular approaches are essential for increasing material efficiency (a.o. reducing GHG emissions) and mitigating resource risk. However, the current lack of a unified approach to corporate performance and accounting for circularity makes it difficult to measure, steer, disclose and compare. A second key perspective is the policy and regulatory environment. Evaluating and adjusting policies, regulations and standards is drastically needed to create a level playing field that incentivizes the transition to a circular economy.

Launched In 2023 by WBCSD in collaboration with the One Planet Network, the Global Circularity Protocol aims to become the go-to framework for companies to assess, measure, set science-based targets, report, and disclose progress on resource efficiency and circularity information consistently and comparably. The initiative is structured as a multi-year and multi-stakeholder process engaging cross-sectoral and policymakers and aims to address accountability and policy gaps currently impeding the scaling of circularity through developing a comprehensive corporate performance and accountability system (CPAS) for Circularity and laying the basis for a policy framework for circularity.