Do we need a Global Circularity Protocol?

Circular world - Photo by Peter Olexa on Unsplash

The Global Circularity Protocol for Business (GCP) is a new international framework designed to help organisations measure, manage and communicate how “circular” their operations are, rather than following a traditional “take-make-waste” model. It was launched in 2025 and aims to bring consistency to an area that has historically been fragmented, where companies used different definitions and metrics for circularity, making comparisons and progress tracking difficult.

At its core, the protocol provides a structured, five-stage process: framing objectives, preparing assessments, measuring performance, managing improvements and communicating results. Instead of focusing only on recycling rates, it encourages organisations to look at full value chains, material flows and broader impacts such as climate, biodiversity, social outcomes and business performance.

The idea is to move circularity from a marketing concept into a measurable, decision-making tool embedded in corporate strategy.

The protocol is being led primarily by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) in collaboration with the One Planet Network, which is hosted by the UN Environment Programme. Development involved input from dozens of organisations and experts across industry, academia and policy to ensure global alignment.

Importantly, it is designed to be interoperable with existing sustainability standards and reporting systems such as GRI, ISO frameworks and climate-related disclosure standards, rather than replacing them.

For businesses, the impact could be significant. Companies may gain clearer metrics to guide investment, product design and supply-chain decisions, while investors and regulators get more comparable and credible data.

Early analysis suggests the protocol could help organisations identify large material savings and emissions reductions over time. However, adoption will require stronger data collection, cross-department collaboration and strategic interpretation - it is not a plug-and-play checklist.

In practice, businesses that adopt the GCP are likely to treat circularity less as a sustainability side project and more as a core competitiveness issue - influencing procurement, innovation, risk management and long-term resilience in a resource-constrained economy.

“We’re living in a material world…”

Madonna, 1984

Main shortcomings raised so far are that the GCP is voluntary, so critics question whether adoption will be wide enough or strong enough to change behaviour. Some analysts also say it is complex and data-heavy, which could be difficult for SMEs or companies without mature sustainability systems. Others note that frameworks alone don’t drive change - businesses still need clear incentives, internal capability and leadership commitment.

Business reaction is broadly positive but cautious. Supporters describe it as a much-needed common language for circularity that can improve comparability, disclosure and supply-chain decision-making. Many see it as helping reduce material risk and improve resilience.

Implementation of the protocol will be the real test - concerns about reporting workload, data quality and whether regulators or investors will align around it quickly enough to justify the effort will be measures of success.

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