A new protocol for a circular world

Recognising the urgency, the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and United Nations Environment Programme One Planet Network created the Global Circularity Protocol for Business (GCP). 

With Deloitte colleagues from the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland and UK playing a critical early role, the aim was to establish it as the framework that helps businesses transition to circular models. This means reducing environmental impact by minimising waste and keeping materials in use for as long as possible by designing products to be durable, repairable and recyclable.

The GCP will define what circularity means for business, create a shared language across industries and introduce clear boundaries and consistent measurement tools. It will also help companies link circularity to financial benefits, making sustainability not just the right choice, but the smart one.

The GCP can help decouple economic activities from resource consumption by promoting business circularity, leading to an additional reduction in material footprint. As referred to in the Global Circularity Protocol for Business Impact Analysis, the estimated additional reduction in material consumption is, on average, 4% to 5% per year from 2026 to 2050, or on average an additional 4 to 5 billion tons per year, compared to a no GCP scenario.  

“We’re extracting materials at an exponential rate while also throwing away, or worse, burning valuable resources. To preserve humanity and ensure wellbeing for everyone, we need to shift to circular models,” says Dieuwertje Ewalts, Director, at Deloitte Netherlands.

“But companies don’t always understand what circularity is or what it encompasses. Most think it’s recycling, but that’s the final step.”

To help understand the bigger picture, the Deloitte team analysed the global circularity landscape to look at corporate performance and identify gaps in best practice. They also developed the Global Circularity Protocol for Business Impact Analysis, modelled the potential benefits of the GCP and established design principles to ensure the protocol is scalable and actionable for global businesses.

Their work revealed that, as well as cutting material consumption, the estimated additional CO2eq reduction could be by on average 6% to 7% per year between 2026 and 2050 compared to Scenario B with no GCP. This equates to a potential emission reduction of, on average, 3 Gt CO2eq per year, representing a substantial contribution to global climate action.   

The Deloitte team was from Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland and UK. They worked alongside subject matter experts, business and scientific advisory committees, as well as the 60-plus organisations that make up the GCP’s Technical Working Group. 

Together, they crafted an impactful, data-driven case study for why the world needs the GCP now. 

The GCP also offers important social benefits.

It has the potential to improve job creation, health and social equity by embedding social considerations into circular business decisions. It could also support business growth by addressing supply chain risks and resilience, and guide policymakers in developing a supportive regulatory environment.

“If we push to reduce material use, we must ensure that low-income countries still have the resources they need to develop and improve their citizens’ wellbeing,” says Dieuwertje. 

“We also need to consider the jobs people rely on in a circular economy. This is not just about sustainability, it is about reducing costs, de-risking investments, increasing resilience and strengthening supply chains and identifying new business opportunities.” 

The first iteration of the GCP was launched at the UN Climate Change Conference – or COP30 – in November 2025. While its tools, language and accountability mechanisms are industry-wide, sector-specific standards will be developed in the future. 

“There is no sustainability without efficiency, efficacy and sufficiency. A truly circular economy can deliver all three”, says Ines dos Santos Costa, Circularity Lead at Deloitte Portugal.  

Deloitte continues to help WBCSD in their contributions towards the GCP, given it is considered as the global standard and go-to action framework for the circular economy.  

“It's extremely exciting to be part of something like this,” continues Dieuwertje. “The GCP can have an enormous impact and I'm very happy to have been able to contribute.”

This project has been recognised through the Deloitte NSE Impact Awards, an internal recognition programme which celebrates the impact our people and teams make on clients, people and society.