The ZW&CE Diagnosis Tool is a useful self-assessment tool for companies (in particular SMEs) that helps them to investigate opportunities for circular economy and zero waste solutions in their specific context. The company can identify the most effective opportunities for improvements in terms of circularity as well as the overall sustainability performance, and choose the most effective leverage points and feasible measures leading to both an improvement in circularity and efficient allocation of its limited resources.In order to optimize improvement measures and actions, it is important to review the whole system of a business in a consistent way; therefore, all levels of a company are assessed in a systematic way, including the physical level (products, production processes), as well as the governance level (business strategy, stakeholder relations and status of collaboration).
In order to capture all opportunities, as well as the recommended practices for decreasing waste generation and increasing the circularity of processes, products and businesses in general, the Diagnosis Tool Model was created, consisting of two sections.
First section: Internal opportunities, referring to:
Second section: External opportunities, referring to:
You can download the Diagnosis Tool user manual as well as a practical example:
An offline excel version is also available with related documentation. The whole package can be downloaded hereafter:
The company has a dedicated person (waste manager) responsible for waste management practices including waste prevention and minimisation and circularity aspects.
The company sets waste management and/or circularity-related targets, and regularly monitors, analyses and evaluates them.
The company has technological planning and maintenance programmes to reduce the mass of waste and minimise defects and losses.
The company uses alternative input materials (e.g. sustainably-sourced renewable materials, secondary materials, recycled water, renewable energy, etc.).
The company has introduced a „first in first out“ rule and regularly tracks expiration dates of material resources stock.
The company investigates how the generated waste could be used either internally or by another company as a by-product.
Automation and control as well as suitable IT and digital systems are in place to support waste minimisation and circularity of the company.
The company regularly trains employees to increase their awareness in waste minimisation, waste separation and circularity aspects.
Company's products are designed in a way to optimise their lifetime (e.g. durable materials, timeless design, modularity, upgrades, strong product-user relation).
Company's products can be easily maintained and repaired (e.g. easy dismantling, availability of spare and affordable parts and repair services, use of standard tools, choice of connecting elements).
Company's products are designed for reuse (durability, no fashion dependency, value), refurbishment (see previous line) or remanufacturing (stable technology, upgradeability, reverse logistics).
Company's products are designed in a way that they can be easily recycled/composted at the end of their lifetime (variety and compatibility of materials, no contaminants, easiness of dismantling, etc.)
The company considers circularity aspects of logistics and packaging (e.g. reusable packaging, reverse logistics, transport efficiency through proper dimensioning of the product).
The company evaluates (and minimises) consumption of materials related to the whole product life cycle (e.g. no oversizing, reduced or no packaging).
The company evaluates (and minimises) consumption of energy related to the whole product life cycle.
The company evaluates (and minimises) consumption of water related to the whole product life cycle.
The company has a circular economy implementation plan.
The company offers circular economy related training.
Company's business model considers circular products (i.e. products designed for end-of-life by making them easy to maintain, repair, upgrade, refurbish or remanufacture).
The company delivers long-product life with high levels of guarantees and service and a high upfront price.
The company provides consumables, spare parts and add-ons to support the lifecycle of long lasting product.
The company delivers product access instead of the product itself, while retaining ownership of the product. This could be a combination of product and services, meaning single user uses the product (leasing, renting).
The company recaptures components and materials and use them in its processes.
The company transforms waste into raw materials? Additional revenue can be created through pioneer work in recycling technology.
There are internal initiatives to identify circular solution reffering to processes, products or business model.
There are initiatives in sharing company's assests and resources with neighboring companies.
The company collaborates with R&D units or experts to identify circular solutions reffering to processes, products or business model.
The company collaborates with end-customers or corporate customers on circular economy topics.
The company explores the customers interest in circular economy solutions for its products.
The company engages with suppliers to increase sourcing based on circular economy principles.
The company engages with external investors/financiers on circular economy topics.
The company engages with policymakers to support the transition to a circular economy.
In this table is evaluated the balance between your current performance in qualitative parts and the importance of a particular aspect you provided. Color coding gradually evolve from red to green according your result. High importance in an aspect should match with a Good performance in the related qualitative part, and vice-versa. In the case they don't match, the user can pass the mouse pointer over the result and be informed about why it is unbalanced.
You can download the summary of your input as well as the output on a PDF format by clicking on the "Download PDF" button. The PDF is automatically generated based on your selection from previous tabs, you can therefore submit multiple form and get the summary report for each of them