August 18, 2026 · Water & Circular Economy · 3 min read
Is it possible to express how "circular" a business operates — that is, how efficiently it uses resources and how much it reduces waste — with a single score? In this guide, we explain the 100-point score model based on the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's Material Circularity Indicator (MCI) principles, and what your own score actually means.
The traditional "linear economy" model works on an extract-produce-use-dispose logic. The circular economy, by contrast, aims to keep materials in the economy as long as possible, turn waste into a resource, and design products from the outset to be repairable and reusable. This both lowers resource costs and indirectly reduces carbon footprint (because producing new raw material is generally far more emissions-intensive than using recycled material).
→ Bibliography: full data tables in the Water & Circular Economy section
| Component | Weight | What It Measures |
|---|---|---|
| Output Recycling Rate | 25% | How much of your production output is recycled |
| Recycled Raw Material Input | 20% | How much of your raw material is already recycled material |
| Reuse Rate | 20% | The reuse rate of your products/components |
| Repairability | 15% | How much of your products are designed to be repairable |
| Packaging Reduction | 10% | The reduction rate achieved in packaging material |
| Waste Reduction Program (yes/no) | +5 points (bonus) | Whether you run a formal waste reduction program |
| Supplier Assessment (yes/no) | +5 points (bonus) | Whether you assess your suppliers against circularity principles |
The first 5 components are entered as a percentage between 0-100 and multiplied by their own weight; the last 2 components are simple yes/no bonus points. All contributions are summed, and the result is capped so it cannot exceed 100.
The platform automatically divides the calculated score into four maturity levels:
| Score Range | Level | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| 75 – 100 | Best-Practice (A) | Circularity principles are at the core of your operation; you're at a level that can be held up as a sector benchmark. |
| 50 – 74 | Good Level (B) | You have a solid foundation; there are opportunities for improvement in specific components (e.g. repairability). |
| 25 – 49 | Developing (C) | Some circularity practices have begun but aren't systematic; a concrete roadmap is recommended. |
| 0 – 24 | Starting Level (D) | Circularity practices are still at an early stage; the highest-impact first step is usually increasing the output recycling rate (the highest weight, 25%). |
The bonus points (waste reduction program + supplier assessment) are worth 10 points in total and are usually the FASTEST points to obtain — preparing a policy document can be done in far less time than raising percentage rates by 10-20%. This is why the first practical step for businesses starting from a low score is usually to secure these two bonuses.
For a business with 80% output recycling, 60% recycled raw material input, 50% reuse rate, 40%
repairability, 70% packaging reduction, a waste reduction program in place, and NO supplier
assessment:
80×0.25 + 60×0.20 + 50×0.20 + 40×0.15 + 70×0.10 + 5 + 0
= 20 + 12 + 10 + 6 + 7 + 5 + 0 = 60 points → Good Level (B)
Calculate your own circular economy score
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