X SOSTENIBILIDAD
The transition towards a circular economy demands much more than just claims about environmental sustainability. In order for the change in our economic model to be real and effective, we need to be able to take measurements to check advances, correct failures, design strategies, and communicate results transparently.
Why measure?
Indicators lay the groundwork for translating sustainability and circularity concepts into objective data. Thanks to these, it is possible to evaluate if a strategy works, if resources are being in the most efficient way and if we are really reducing our environmental impact. In addition, they allow for comparisons between different actors or territories and create trust when the results are communicated openly. Put simply, measurement turns good intentions into verifiable evidence.
Two ways of looking at measurement: territories and businesses
The circular economy should be analysed at different levels given that it's not the same thing to evaluate the transformation of a territory in its entirety as observing the individual functions of a business.
Territorial or systematic focus (also known as macro)
Indicators aim to reflect the overall situation in a region, municipality, or country. Here a wide range of aspects are analysed such as the reduction of emissions, the level of recycling achieved, the efficiency of the use of materials, or the extent that renewable energies are being used. Methodologies such as the SDG Index allow for comparisons between countries, while european initiatives like the Monitoring Framework for the Circular Economy from the EU Commission offer metrics to know how ciruclarity is broadly evolving, invluding material productivity, the creation of green jobs, or impact on climate. This type of focus works as a 'collective X-ray' that helps governments and citizens to understand the trajectory of territories and to design policies that can meet challenges.
EBusiness, or 'micro' focus
Measurement is focused on the ability of every organisation to apply the principles of circularity in its products and services. Here methodologies such as the Material Circularity Indicator (MCI) from the Ellen MacArthur foundation, which evaluates the extent to which a product or process is really circular considering factors such as the reuse of materials, durability, or recycleability. Sustainability reporting frameworks such as the GRI(Global Reporting Initiative)or the recommendations of the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), which facilitate transparent reporting of environmental and climate impacts.
These tools are joined by new standards such as the USI 59000, a combination of international stanadards that offer a common framework of reference for the management of the circular economy in businesses. These standards don't just define general principles and terminologies, but also establish directives to integrate circularity into corporate strategies, measuring their level of implementation and reporting results in a way that is comparable and veriifiable. In practice, ISO 59000 brings with it a common language that facilitates internal evaluation as well as external communication, and serves as a bridge between business sustainability and public policies.
Alongside these, the ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) framework has gained prominence, widely adopted in financial markets. ESG criteria make it possible to assess a company’s performance not only in environmental terms but also in its social and governance management, creating a bridge between sustainability and responsible investment. In practice, this means measuring how the company manages its carbon emissions, energy efficiency, impact on labour rights, and the transparency of its corporate governance.(Environmental, Social and Governance)), ampliamente adoptado en los mercados financieros. Los criterios ESG permiten evaluar el desempeño de las empresas no solo en materia ambiental, sino también en su gestión social y de gobernanza, estableciendo un puente entre sostenibilidad e inversión responsable. En la práctica, esto significa medir cómo la empresa gestiona sus emisiones de carbono, su eficiencia energética, su impacto en los derechos laborales o la transparencia de su gobierno corporativo.
Indicators of the degree of innovation towards the green transition
A specific section among business indicators are those that are directly linked to innovation. These indicators show how businesses advance towards sustainability via the incorporation of new practices, technologies, and impactful projects. In the case of the Región de Murcia, for example, metrics related to the Business Innovation Support have gained relevance, which reflects the number of support packages conceded to drive innovative measures in climate sustainability. In the same way, the Energy Efficiency in the Industrial Sector Support are a thermometer of the commitment of industries towards the optimisation of their energy consumption.
Another relevant indicator is the participation of companies in Horizon Europe projects focused on sustainability, which not only measures the number of collaborations but also the economic return obtained through funding for innovative projects with a positive environmental impact. Finally, the number of organisations registered in the MITECO carbon footprint registry, across its different scopes (1, 1+2, and 1+2+3), becomes a key indicator for assessing the real level of commitment to emission reduction and climate transparency.
These types of indicators reinforce the idea that the green transition in business is not merely a regulatory obligation, but also a driver of growth and an opportunity for innovation, competitiveness, and strategic positioning for companies leading the shift toward a more sustainable model.
Indicators as strategic tools
At all levels, indicators carry out the same strategic fucntion: the allow for advances to be tracjed, they permit the simplification of complex information for different audiencies and they help to prioritise more effective actions. They also serve to value policies that are being implemented and help to decide if they should be maintained, reinforced, or redesigned. Their utility doesn't reside in their ability to just measure, rather it comes from their ability to guide action and create a framework of trust and transparency.
Measuring to understand, understanding to transform
Circularity is built on evidence. The combination of territorial and business perspectives provides a comprehensive view that supports decision-making through the use of robust tools to assess progress and guide strategies toward a more resilient, innovative, and planet-friendly economic model. To measure is to understand, and understanding is the essential condition for transformation.
Find out more
We invite you to explore other publications related to the Circular Economy in the news section of this website.