Circularity, Systemiq and Fraunhofer IZM kick-off of major collaborative industry project to assess the impact of circular business models.
Berlin, April 15, 2024 - In an ambitious move to promote the development of a sustainable circular economy, Circularity, in collaboration with Systemiq and Fraunhofer IZM and supported by Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt and Deloitte, is excited to announce the kick-off of the "Undress Circularity" project. Over the following year, the partners will jointly develop a methodological framework and practical guide to assess the environmental impact of rental, repair and second-hand business models in the consumer electronics sector.
The project is underpinned by the collaboration of 12 core industry partners, namely Grover, rebuy, everphone, Telekom, Vodafone, Assurant, Foxway, Reverse Logistics Group, Ingram Micro, Recommerce Group, circulee, and fixfirst, who will contribute proprietary data and ensure the development of a robust framework based on real industry insights. Associated partners, including ETH Zurich, WWF, Circular Electronics Partnership, DIN, Energy Impact Partners LP (EIP) and Circularity Capital provide a broad stakeholder perspective and expertise.
"The key strength of Undress Circularity is the collaborative approach with pioneering stakeholders, who bring in deep expertise and ensure practical relevance and alignment with actual stakeholder needs.” says Marianne Kuhlmann, Co-Founder & Lead of Circularity.
The project focuses the use phase of products and assesses potential changes induced by new access and use options, thus filling a crucial gap in understanding the environmental repercussions of circular business models. With the electronics industry serving as core case to build a robust framework and develop concrete insights, the methodology will be set up to be transferable to other industries and regions. The project will culminate in the publication of two practitioner reports: a Market Report in Q3 2024 and an Industry Practitioner Report in Q1 2025.
“Undress Circularity is not just an industry project, but a key step towards meaningful innovation, aiming to set an aligned impact measurement approach that guides businesses towards more sustainable decision-making, enhances sustainable consumption practices and strengthens the advancement of a sustainable circular economy.” adds Paul Woebkenberg, Co-Lead of Undress Circularity.
Stay tuned for updates as we embark on this exciting journey and let us work together to shape a sustainable future. For more information, visit www.circularity.me/undress/
