Circle Economy
Updated on 27.01.2026
Circle Economy is driving the transition to a new economy. In this circular economy, we help businesses, cities, and nations leverage business opportunities, reduce costs, create jobs and inspire behavioural change. As a global impact organisation, our international team equips business leaders and policymakers with the insights, strategies, and tools to turn circular ambition into action.
Circle Economy has been at the forefront of the circular economy since 2011. Our annual Circularity Gap Report (CGR®) sets the standard for measuring progress and we manage the world’s largest circularity database, encompassing data from over 90 nations, 350 cities, and 1,000 businesses.
Activities on circular economy
Circle Economy, an international impact organisation based in the Netherlands, helps businesses, cities, and nations turn circular ambitions into action through strategies, training, and practical tools. We build the evidence base and capacity of stakeholders to accelerate the uptake of circular solutions across industry and government globally. We deliver multi-stakeholder programmes that encompass research, strategic roadmapping and capacity-building activities for decision-makers.
Circle Economy operates across multiple domains, including jobs, metrics, data, finance, digital, textiles, and the built environment, with expertise in consumer goods (including plastics, manufacturing, food systems, mobility, and the energy transition. Our team has vast experience guiding countries, regions, cities, and businesses through evidence-based circular innovation processes, resulting in circular roadmaps, strategies, lighthouse projects, and policy recommendations.
Target territory
With over a decade of experience, Circle Economy’s extensive track record includes collaborations with over 970 businesses and organisations, 360 cities, and 90 nations, training over 4,200 individuals. Our work has helped influence and advance 22 circular policies, strategies, plans, and bills globally.
Countries
Circle Economy currently has worked with more than 20 countries, a large number of which are part of the European Union.
Sectors
- Textiles
- Electronics and ICT
- Agrifood and bioeconomy
- Plastics and Packaging
- Built environment
- Critical raw materials
Key services provided for the circular economy
- Measure & report:
- Circularity Gap Reports for countries, regions, and industries, plus deep dives into jobs, finance, textiles, and more
- Carbon and material flow analysis, impact modelling, and progress tracking to inform strategy
- Research that shapes regulation, funding priorities, and circular economy roadmaps
- Strategise & act:
- Roadmaps for circular transition across supply chains
- Strategic guidance tailored to governments and businesses, plus hands-on workshops and coaching
- Circular reporting aligned with CTI, GRI 306, ESRS E5, and CSRD
- Learn & scale:
- Advisory and train-the-trainer programmes to empower local experts with circular skills
- Facilitation of coalitions and communities of practice alongside project development support to enhance investment readiness
- Scalable online learning and tools
List of relevant material
- Circularity Gap Report
- Resources & Publications
- Knowledge Hub: the largest online repository of over 4 600 case studies from more than 100 countries on circular projects, policies and solutions, with over 90 000 users.
- Circular Jobs Monitor: an online tool to map jobs that drive circular activities globally, examining material use and identifying which sectors will be affected by the transition to a CE.
- Ganbatte: an online platform delivering data-driven, circular insights, metrics, solutions, and actionable case studies from around the world.
- Circularity Academy: a gamified e-learning platform, to build awareness, knowledge and skills for a CE.
- Circular Assessment Tool: an online tool that has helped over 200 organisations with practical and scalable best practices on the definition and potential of the CE, and empowers them to adopt CE strategies.
Description of future collaboration with CCRI-CSO
- Bilateral cooperation between the Circular Cities and Regions Initiative (CCRI) and Circle Economy that involves no overlapping in activities.
- The CCRI will help Circle Economy in moving away from a project basis, towards a systemic basis, making Circle Economy’s methodology much more effective and efficient, in order to accelerate the transition to a CE.
- Share lessons learned and methodology on support to CSS.
- Exchange of information on methodologies and technical knowledge on CE at local and regional scales.
Additional information
- Circle Economy is a Lead organisation of the European Investment Bank’s (EIB) Circular City Centre (C3). C3 supports EU cities in their circular economy transition by offering guidance documents and tools, webinars and workshops. It also provides two advisory programmes that help cities advance towards impactful circular projects ready for financing and implementation.
- Circle Economy is part of the “Jobs in the Circular Economy” joint initiative with the International Labour Organization and the World Bank Group. It aims to create evidence and tools to unlock the potential of the circular economy for promoting innovation, sustainable enterprise, and ensuring decent work for all.
- Circle Economy is a project partner of various consortiums under the Horizon Europe-funded CCRI programmes:
- Circle Economy is also a project partner for EU’s Circular Economy Resource Centre (EU CERC) Business Lab
large 500 000-200 000, medium 200 000-50 000, and small cities 50 000-5 000
