In the contemporary landscape of sustainability, the concept of ‘circularity’ has become an essential pillar. It is constantly cited in association with values such as resource regeneration, corporate responsibility, systemic competitiveness and value resilience. However, there is a real risk that circularity will remain confined to a ‘lexical bubble’, an evocative label but one lacking in operational substance.
For circularity to translate into a real competitive advantage, we need to ask ourselves a fundamental question: how can we transform a principle into a measurable and objective variable?
The regulatory push: towards the Ecodesign Regulation
The current European legislative scenario is forcing a decisive change of gear. The new Regulation EU about Ecodesign (ESPR – Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation) marks the end of the era of generic declarations. The standard introduces stringent requirements on sustainable and circular design, including through the Digital Product Passport (DPP): the tool through which companies will have to demonstrate their environmental performance with data in hand.
We are no longer dealing with voluntary adherence, but with an obligation of transparency that requires a radical cultural shift. Circularity is not declared: it is measured and communicated.
Quality vs quantity: methodology as a strategic compass for decision-making
The debate on measurement revolves around the distinction between qualitative and quantitative approaches. Although the former is essential for inspiring and building an overall vision, only the latter allows processes to be governed:
- From storytelling to validation: where quality describes an intention, quantity certifies a result.
- From inspiration to planning: numerical data allows you to establish precise KPIs (Key Performance Indicators), transforming sustainability into a measurable business objective such as turnover or EBITDA.
- From compliance to strategy: an analytical approach allows different design scenarios to be compared (Life Cycle Thinking), choosing the one that maximises material efficiency and minimises impact.
Adopting a quantitative perspective means equipping yourself with the tools to respond to the challenges of the global market. Measuring means critically analysing how each component, from raw materials to end-of-life management, contributes to the creation of shared value. It is a challenge that cuts across the organisation, involving R&D, procurement, marketing and logistics.
A good starting point for companies is to begin conducting a Gap Analysis ESPR to understand the state of the art and evaluate the next steps to be taken.
Towards a universal grammar: the technical regulatory framework
To avoid fragmentation, the market is converging towards international standards that guarantee data interoperability and performance comparability.
- UNI TS 11820: The Italian national method that provides a comprehensive set of indicators for measuring the circular use of resources in organisations.
- ISO 59020: The international standard that establishes requirements and guidelines for measuring and evaluating circularity in economic systems.
- ISO 59040 (Product Circularity Data Sheet): Currently being defined, this standard will be fundamental in structuring the exchange of information on circularity throughout the supply chain.
Conclusions: towards cultural evolution before technical evolution
Circularity is not a static goal, but a process of continuous evolution. True systemic change will occur when companies stop viewing regulations as mere bureaucratic compliance constraints and start interpreting them as levers for innovation. Measuring circularity ultimately means learning a new language to decode the complexity of our times and design products and business models capable of lasting into the future to safeguard the resources we use.
