Article / Report

Producing and providing business and consumer goods and services

Goods and Services

Deliver products through business models that ensure maximum value

Product business models

Designing to reduce waste during production and use

Design out waste

Employ technologies to gather and analyse data to provide insights on resource use

Data and insights

Legislation

**Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation**

![9..JPG](https://goldilocks-images.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9_aa8da1d9c6.JPG)

The manufacturing industry’s recovery from COVID-19 remains incomplete and uneven: some high-income regions achieved record-high manufacturing value added per capita in 2022 but levels in LDCs were not much higher than the 2015 baseline. 
In the aftermath of the pandemic, data show that higher-technology industries recovered faster and proved to be more resilient, pointing to the need to promote innovation and technology transfer in a way that benefits all countries. 

Inclusive and sustainable industrial development has been incorporated, together with resilient infrastructure and innovation, as Sustainable Development Goal 9 in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

To achieve Goal 9 by 2030 it is essential to support LDCs, invest in advanced technologies, lower carbon emissions, and increase global mobile broadband access.

This goal's target includes:
- develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure, including regional and transborder infrastructure, to support economic development and human well-being, with a focus on affordable and equitable access for all;
- promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and, by 2030, significantly raise industry’s share of employment and gross domestic product, in line with national circumstances, and double its share in least developed countries;
- increase the access of small-scale industrial and other enterprises, in particular in developing countries, to financial services, including affordable credit, and their integration into value chains and markets;
- by 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes, with all countries taking action in accordance with their respective capabilities;
- enhance scientific research, upgrade the technological capabilities of industrial sectors in all countries, in particular developing countries, including, by 2030, encouraging innovation and substantially increasing the number of research and development workers per 1 million people and public and private research and development spending;
- facilitate sustainable and resilient infrastructure development in developing countries through enhanced financial, technological and technical support to African countries, least developed countries, landlocked developing countries and small island developing States;
- support domestic technology development, research and innovation in developing countries, including by ensuring a conducive policy environment for, inter alia, industrial diversification and value addition to commodities;
- significantly increase access to information and communications technology and strive to provide universal and affordable access to the Internet in least developed countries by 2020.

Sources: [https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal9](https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal9)
[https://sdgs.un.org/topics/industry](https://sdgs.un.org/topics/industry)

large_Sustainable_Development_Goal_9.png

medium_Sustainable_Development_Goal_9.png

small_Sustainable_Development_Goal_9.png

thumbnail_Sustainable_Development_Goal_9.png

Sustainable_Development_Goal_9.png

9. Industry, innovation and infrastructure  

Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation

**Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts**

![13..JPG](https://goldilocks-images.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/13_26b36d59ff.JPG)

The science is clear: our climate is heating rapidly. The average global temperatures have increased by 1.2 degrees Celsius since 1880, particularly in the late 20th century. The concentration of atmospheric CO2, the GHG that contributes more than 2/3 to global warming, is at its highest level ever. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) steadily points out that human activities have warmed the atmosphere, ocean and land, producing widespread and rapid changes in the atmosphere, ocean, cryosphere and biosphere. 

Without transformative action starting now and within this decade to reduce greenhouse gas emissions deeply and rapidly in all sectors, the 1.5°C target will be at risk and with it the lives of more than 3 billion people. 
According to IPCC, warming beyond 1.5 degrees could have irreversible and irreparable consequences. However, effective and equitable adaptation and mitigation actions can significantly reduce vulnerability and contribute to climate resilience. To limit global warming to well below 2, preferably 1.5 degrees Celsius, compared to pre-industrial levels, countries came together to hold themselves accountable under the Paris Agreement. 

Failure to act leads to intensifying heat waves, droughts, flooding, wildfires, sea-level rise, and famines. Emissions should already be decreasing now and will need to be cut almost by half by 2030 - a mere seven years from now. 


To combat climate change and its impacts by 2030, urgent and transformative action is needed to meet the commitments under the Paris Agreement across mitigation and adaptation efforts.

Sources: [https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal13](https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal13)
[https://sdgs.un.org/topics/climate-action-synergies](https://sdgs.un.org/topics/climate-action-synergies)

thumbnail_13.png

13.png

13. Climate action

Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts

Cycle strategies aim to cycle and reuse materials at their highest value: they maximise the volume of secondary materials re-entering the economy, ultimately minimising the need for virgin material inputs and therefore also narrowing flows. Of course, virgin materials will always be needed to a degree: all materials degrade and can’t be cycled infinitely, use energy, and require blending with virgin materials to maintain strength and functionality.

Cycle

Designing products of multiple parts that can be easily disassembled

Design for disassembly

Utilise bio-based, reusable, non-toxic and non-critical materials

Regenerative materials

Enacting measures that optimise material use such as 3D printing, etc.

Material efficiency

Employ online platforms to connect and improve information sharing between stakeholders

Digital platforms

Engage with the local community where facilities or offices are located

Community collaboration

Designing products that can easily breakdown and degrade in the environment

Design for bio-degradability

Replace energy sources with less impactful alternatives and enact energy efficiency measures

Regenerative energy

Using <a href="https://echa.europa.eu/information-on-chemicals" target="_blank">materials that are not toxic or hazardous</a>.

Non-toxic materials and inputs

Integrate principles of circularity into primary, secondary and tertiary curriculum and conduct workplace trainings

 Education and Curriculum

Account for the systems perspective during the design process, to use the right materials, to design for appropriate lifetime and to design for extended future use

Design for the future

Selling parts of modular products that can be exchanged or replaced

Sale of exchangeable parts

Enacting measures that optimise energy use

Energy efficiency

Working together with stakeholders and parties in other unrelated industries to implement circular economy strategies and opportunities

Cross-industry projects, pilots

Recover waste energy or generate fuels and energy from waste streams

Energy recovery from waste

Converting fossil fuel based operations to electric

Electrification

Collection programmes that process products and parts for reuse or recycling within the same industry

Closed loop collection

Designing to enable multiple uses and lifecycles of a product and its materials

Design for cyclability

Engaging in discussions with government bodies and policymakers to push for regulations that support the circular economy

Advocacy for circular economy policy

Using renewable energy like solar, wind, etc. or renewable fuels like biomass, etc.

Renewable energy, fuels

Selling high quality, long-lasting products

Sale of durable, long-lasting goods

Designing products of multiple parts that can be easily exchanged

Design for modularity

Employing artificial algorithms and robotics to identify, enable and/or implement circular strategies (eg. effective resource use & logistics planning, circular business models & design)

Advanced robotics, artificial intelligence

Working together with industry peers to engage in business activities or exploratory projects that advance the circular economy

Joint industry ventures, projects, pilots

Connecting products and services into the internet of things to identify, enable and/or implement circular strategies (eg. effective resource use & logistics planning, circular business models & design)

Internet enabled, connected operations

Utilise waste streams as a source of secondary resources and recover waste for reuse and recycling

Use waste as a resource

Providing products through sharing between consumers, customers, etc.

Peer to peer sharing

Developing or utilising online platforms to enable circular economy opportunities through information, product or service offering

Online platforms

Transforming waste products into materials and lower value products within other industries

Open loop downcycling

Putting in place purchasing guidelines for procurement departments and evaluating suppliers on circular economy principles

Circular procurement

Providing DIY repair kits or spare part programmes for enabling self-repair

Self-repair, spare part service

Providing upgrade programmes or upgrade services for products or parts of products

Product upgrade

Transforming waste products into materials and lower value products within the same industry

Closed loop downcycling

Engage and guide customers and consumers to ensure circular use of products

Customer / consumer collaboration

Designing products to increase consumer’s emotional attachment and ensure longer use

Design for product attachment, emotional durability

Transforming waste products, materials for reuse within the same industry

Closed loop upcycling

Allowing customers to alter and modify certain features of the product

Customisation

Facilitate discussions and meetings between internal team members to identify circular opportunities

Dialogue with internal stakeholders

Generating energy from waste through processes such as anaerobic digestion, gasification, incineration, etc.

Generating energy from waste

Use digital, online platforms and technologies that provide insights to track and optimise resource use, strengthen connections between supply chain actors, and enable the implementation of circular models



Incorporate digital technology

Replace freshwater with less impactful alternatives and enact water efficiency measures

Regenerative water

While resources are in-use, maintain, repair and upgrade them to maximise their lifetime and give them a second life through take back strategies when applicable

Stretch the lifetime

Industry peers to industry peer collaboration to create joint value and identify synergies

Industry collaboration

Preserving and conserving biological products such as food, forests, etc.

Preservation, conservation

Working together with the community and engaging them in the company operations

Joint product development

Reuse, repurpose, and recycle waste streams within the same industry

Valorise waste streams - closed loop

Providing repair services or maintenance services for products or parts

Product maintenance, repair

Ensure renewable, reusable, non-toxic resources are utilised as materials and energy in an efficient way

Prioritise regenerative resources

Ensure that biological products are properly managed and preserved

Maximise lifetime of biological products

Consider opportunities to create greater value and align incentives that build on the interaction between products and services

Rethink the business model

Replacing freshwater use with rainwater, fogwater, seawater, etc.

Alternative water use

Developing or utilising online marketplaces to enable the peer-to-peer exchange of products and services

Peer-to-peer online marketplaces

Initiatives with disadvantaged communities, minorities, people distanced from the labour market

Give-back programmes

Processing waste streams into fuels such as biogas, biofuels, pellets, etc.

Processing waste into fuel

Using bio-based materials such as bioplastics, mushroom-based materials, etc.

Alternative bio-based materials and inputs

Engaging in discussions with industry stakeholders to share circular economy best practices and push the industry towards greater circularity

Guidance, dialogue with industry stakeholders

Using waste materials that have been processed and recycled to produce new products within other industries

Using open loop recycled materials

Designing products so they produce as little waste as possible during production

Design for minimal waste

Takeback and return of products from customers after end-of-use

Takeback programmes

Recovering and reusing waste heat, gas, etc. for energy

Recovery and reuse of waste energy

Participating in government programmes that support and advance the circular economy

Government programmes

Selling parts of modular products that can be refilled

Sale of refillable parts

Designing products to be reused for the same or different purposes in multiple lifecycles

Design for reuse

Designing products to resist damage and wear, and serve a long and useful life.

Design for physical durability

Transforming waste products, materials for reuse within other industries

Open loop upcycling

Using waste materials that have been processed and recycled to produce new products within the same industry

Using closed loop recycled materials

Upgrade, repair, and maintenance while in-use

Maximise lifetime of products in-use

Using <a href="http://ec.europa.eu/growth/sectors/raw-materials/specific-interest/critical_sv" target="_blank">materials that are not considered critical</a>.

Non-critical materials and inputs 

Designing products with a single material type to more easily recycle them after use

Design for recycling - mono-materials

Managing and enriching biological products such as soil, land, etc.

Management, enrichment

Designing products so they use as little materials, water, energy, etc. as possible during use

Design for resource efficiency

Working together with customers to jointly create products fit for them

Co-creation

Provide guidance or professional training to educate employees to use circular economy principles

Training on the circular economy

Providing services through a subscription plan with regular payment schemes

Subscription-based services

Enacting measures that optimise water use

Water efficiency

Designing products that are made to last and to ensure longer use

Design for durability

Installing sensors to gather data from products and services to identify, enable and/or implement circular strategies (eg. effective resource use & logistics planning, circular business models & design)

Sensors, monitoring systems

Decentralised services that rely on the power of the crowd or the community

Crowd-based services

Utilising data and models to to identify, enable and/or implement circular strategies (eg. effective resource use & logistics planning, circular business models & design)

Data analytics, modelling

Specific programmes or initiatives to help customers become more circular 

Customer programmes

Marketplaces or services that enable the second hand sale of products

Second-hand sale, distribution

Work together throughout the supply chain, internally within organisations and with the public sector and communities to increase transparency and create joint value

Team up to create joint value

Engage internally to guide employees and facilitate greater knowledge sharing between internal divisions

Internal collaboration

Collection programmes that process products and parts for reuse or recycling within other industries

Open loop collection

Activities to clean, decorate, and restore products back to working condition for original or new purposes

Refurbishment, remanufacturing, renovation

Engage with the government on circular policies and programmes

Government collaboration

Deliver services through business models that ensure maximum value

Service business models

Engaging in discussions with customers to educate and raise awareness of the circular economy and explore circular opportunities together

Customer dialogue, marketing 

Providing services where customers are charged only when they use it

Payment per use

Key elements of the circular economy

Digital Product Passports (DPPs) are emerging as game-changers as the circular economy gains traction. With the&nbsp;<a href="https://commission.europa.eu/index_en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">European Commission’s&nbsp;</a>plans set for 2026, companies will soon need to ensure their products come with comprehensive, verifiable, and authentic data via these digital passports. In our latest white paper, we explore this evolving landscape and highlight the immense potential of DPPs. We break down the “Why, What, When, and How” of DPP development, providing insights into regulatory contexts and uncovering new business opportunities that DPPs bring.