Frequently asked questions
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The Circular Benchmark Tool (CBT) is an effective assessment to understand, visualize and compare the transition towards a circular economy for regions and provinces.
One of the key objectives of the new Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP) is to make circularity work for people, regions and cities and lead global efforts on circular economy. The Circular Benchmark Tool (CBT) provides regions with an instrument to assess their performance on Circular Economy. Also it inspires regions to improve their performance by allowing them to compare their results with those of other regions. By doing so knowledge and best practices can be exchanged.
Regional administrator authorities and their stakeholders as they enjoy a wide range of responsibilities, including the development of infrastructure and provision of services (e.g. water, transport, healthcare, education, infrastructure, environmental production). Examples include provinces, metropolregions, districts, NUTS level II, etc.
The role of regional administrator authorities are constantly expanding as economic, political and social conditions are changing on global and European levels. As mandates of regional administrator authorities differ per country.
The CBT tool has been proven effective for cities, even though it's designed for regions (due to differences in mandate). Please share a request to contact@circularbenchmarktool.eu if you are interested to use a tool specifically designed for cities.
In the current version one CBT account per region can be created. The functionality to set-up multiple users per regional account will be designed in the next version.
Service providers can request an account via our homepage. Access to the tool will be provided after the approval flow by the CBT team. Approval is provided if the service provider is directly linked to a region and/or is able to implement CBT in a region.
You can get access to the CBT manual with the following link: Circular Benchmark Tool Manual.
You can easily sign up via our website homepage. After the user account is created you can easily access the tool via this link.
You can easily request a new password here.
Please note that your results are saved once:
- You navigate in the tool, so moving from the first indicator to the second, etc.
- You specifically press 'save results' in the top right on the screen.
If both saving options described above do not apply to your session and you are automatically logged out from the tool after (30 minutes) the results are not saved.
The CBT can be executed on all kind of devices. However due to the large amount of statements to complete spread out over 6 overarching indicators, it is recommended to use a large screen in order to be able to understand where you are in the process.
In the free version you can access and complete the CBT tool. You are able to request a PDF report with your results and respective feedback on your results.
You can choose between two types of paid accounts.
1. Reflect & Improve
2. Exchange & Learn
See all details of the account types here.
There are six overarching indicators assessed in the CBT:
1. Circular Procurement
2. Access to funding
3. Circular Society
4. Value chain activation
5. Good Governance
6. Integral Policy Framework.
For an overview of the definitions of these indicators, refer to this link.
The six overarching indicators are based on extensive research of 57 best practices and 47 research papers. After careful assessment based on the user-, input- and output demands of the tool 197 metrics remained which could be categorized in six overarching indicators. The extensive research is used to set-up the statements per indicator. Note that periodical updates of the indicators take place to ensure the tool stays relevant.
The CBT is designed for self-assessment purposes and knowledge exchange. Each answer can be backed up with a document (in Word, PDF, Excel format) to prove the answer provided. This is not mandatory and purely set up for knowledge exchange purposes.
There are two other options to answer to the CBT statements, namely 'partly' and 'future intention'. Both of the other options will not grant any points for the final score but are set-up for regions to indicate current efforts and or future intention for the mentioned activities. In this way, regions can be easily matched to team up and avoid reinventing the wheel solely.
There are five maturity levels used in the CBT.
1. Circularity Mapping: Mapped and analyse the baseline situation
2. Planning: Establish objectives and processes required to deliver the desired results
3. Doing: Perform according to the plan from the previous step: Activities are being performed
4. Checking and Acting: Results are monitored, evaluated , and ongoing improvements are made
5. Leading by example: Best practice in and across regions
The CBT is designed in a qualitative manner, hence it is not competing with existing instruments focused on quantitative parameters (e.g. material, waste). The tool is simple and easy to use and apply. It is considered an instrument for knowledge exchange, not competition. Indicators are assessed in a way which can be directly influenced by the region. The results of the assessment are easy to compare results with other regions.
The CBT does not need to be completed at once. There is a functionality built in the tool to save your results during the assessment, enabling the user to finetune answers with co-workers.
In case the answer is 'yes', one point is provided. In case the answer is 'no', ‘partly’ or 'future intention' no points are provided.
There are two types of results benchmarked against all other regions that completed the tool:
- Maturity score: The valuation criteria where for the first time ‘no’ is provided as an answer within an indicator.
- Average score: The average total amount points within an indicator as a whole (despite in which valuation criteria).
After completing the CBT your results will be benchmarked in comparison to an average of all other regions that completed the tool. This functionality is built in and freely to use for all users.
The functionality to specify one (or more) regions/ countries of your preference is possible in the following accounts: Reflect & Improve and Exchange & Learn. For more information check our Pricing page or please reach out to contact@circularbenchmarktool.eu
After completing the CBT, a report with results can be generated from this page. The report consist of an intro, a summary of results (spider charts with benchmark) and your answers provided on the questions per indicator. The content of the report is compiled based on your provided answers. Based on your answers feedback is provided to assist you in further accelerating a global circular economy.
Please refer to our privacy policy here.
Please contact us via this form or reach out to contact@circularbenchmarktool.eu
You can get access to the CBT manual with the following link: Circular Benchmark Tool Manual.