Circular value creation with Circle4Value

Circle4Value investigates how circular value creation emerges, functions, and scales within global innovation networks. The project explores how companies establish circular mindsets, align products, processes, and business models with R-strategies, and generate value from them. To this end, the consortium combines systems analysis, digital platforms, method development, and knowledge transfer formats.

Circle4Value pursues three objectives. First, the project generates systems knowledge on circular value creation, connects it with R&D findings from EUREKA consortia, and contributes to academic discourse. Second, the consortium is establishing a networking platform that provides methods, research results, matchmaking functions, and configuration tools. Third, a learning network transfers this knowledge to companies, employees, and small and medium-sized enterprises.

The challenges range from resource scarcity, climate change, rising waste volumes, and geopolitical dependencies to new requirements for data flows, recycling chains, transparency, and cooperation. Logistics connects production, use, and recycling. It must link material flows with data flows so that circular value creation networks can function. Reliable assessment methods, international networking, new skills, and sustainable platforms and business models are crucial. One thing is clear: a linear approach is not enough.

We support you in establishing circular value creation systems

• Structure and expand your knowledge of the circular economy
• Use a networking platform with matchmaking and configuration tools
• Apply life cycle assessment methods to logistics processes
• Conduct cost-benefit evaluations of digital product passports
• Develop circular business models at the network level
• Use learning networks, online courses, continuing education, and short videos
• Design knowledge-transfer formats for SMEs, associations, and regional hubs

Contact the Circle4Value team

“Circular value creation requires a profound redesign of logistics processes and data flows. Logistics links material flows, digital product information, and return chains so that circular economy concepts become measurable, comparable, and scalable.”
Volker Fennemann, Dipl.-Ing., Head of Department "Sustainability and Circular Economy" at Fraunhofer IML

Circle4Value is developing a support model that combines research, monitoring, digital networking, and knowledge transfer. The project consolidates findings from the EUREKA consortia, systematically organizes them, and makes them accessible to companies, research institutions, associations, and other stakeholders. The goal is to establish robust system knowledge for circular value creation systems.

The networking platform forms digital infrastructure. It makes project results visible and brings stakeholders together in a targeted manner. Matching functions, working groups, configuration processes, and knowledge spaces help identify suitable partners, methods, application scenarios, and synergies. In this way, Circle4Value supports the transition from individual research activities to networked innovation ecosystems.

Methodologically, the project combines innovation field analysis, SWOT analysis, target scenarios, trend analyses, impact analyses, life cycle assessments of logistics processes, and a cost-benefit evaluation of digital product passports. The learning network complements this work with webinars, continuing education courses, and hands-on formats. This creates a structure that collects, evaluates, and translates knowledge into practical application.

The Circle4Value platform brings people, projects, and knowledge together. The networking platform supports matching, exchange, and working groups among EUREKA consortia, companies, and other stakeholders. The learning network provides practical knowledge on the circular economy, digital product passports, return chains, and circular business models. 

• Find partners for circular innovations
• Apply methods and project results
• Contribute your own needs, experiences, and ideas
• Take advantage of continuing education, webinars, and learning modules
• Develop new value creation concepts together

Request a collaboration now

A key use case involves networking EUREKA consortia within the CircularGlowUp funding initiative. To this end, Circle4Value is developing a methodology that systematically maps and configures application scenarios for circular value creation concepts. The methodology is based on a morphological box, which captures characteristics such as sector, perspective, technology, methodology, concept, and R-strategy.

This approach highlights cross-references, interfaces, and synergies between consortia. During networking meetings, the projects discuss cross-cutting topics, share results, and identify innovation potential. The insights gained from these discussions are incorporated into impact analyses, policy briefs, a synthesis of results, and an R&I roadmap.

This creates structured access to collaboration opportunities for companies, research institutions, municipalities, and intermediaries. The platform supports matching, working groups, and knowledge transfer. In this way, global value creation can be addressed as a networked field of innovation, rather than viewing individual solutions in isolation.

Circle4Value is developing a methodology for the systematic cost-benefit evaluation of digital product passports. This use case is aimed at potential users, particularly companies and policy makers. The methodology examines the extent to which digital product passports can support sustainability goals. It assesses the potential for recovery, reparability, disassembly, recycling, and circular business models based on relevant product data.

The methodology compares the expected sustainability and efficiency gains with the costs of implementation and ongoing operation. This provides companies with a basis for evaluating digital product passports from both an economic and environmental perspective. This approach is crucial for logistics because product information must remain available throughout use, return, and further processing.

This use case demonstrates how data ecosystems support circular value creation systems. They create transparency and comparability while supporting sound investment decisions in circular processes.

Another use case concerns the life cycle assessment of logistics processes. Circle4Value is developing a documented LCA methodology that makes it possible to assess and compare the environmental impacts of products, logistics systems, and services. It is based on existing and upcoming standards and specifications, including VDI 4075, DIN EN ISO 14040 and 14044, ISO 14064f, DIN EN ISO 14083, and the GHG Protocol.

The approach supports the methodologically sound conduct of environmental assessments within the project. It establishes a common basis for identifying emissions, resource consumption, and environmental impacts along logistics processes and product life cycles. This provides companies with insights into where circular measures can have environmental benefits.

The methodology enhances comparability. It helps classify logistics-related technologies, services, and circular economy concepts according to defined criteria and link them to R-strategies.

Fraunhofer IML coordinates the “Monitoring, Analysis, and Impact” work package and contributes its expertise in logistics, supply chain management, platform solutions, life cycle assessment, and sustainable transformation. Within the project, our institute is developing the requirements analysis for the networking platform, designing the digital support structure, and establishing processes for monitoring, knowledge transfer, matching, working groups, and key performance indicators.

In addition, Fraunhofer IML is developing a life cycle assessment methodology for logistics processes and a cost-benefit methodology for digital product passports. This work addresses key questions in logistics: How can material flows, product data, return logistics, and environmental assessments be integrated so that circular concepts become actionable?

We also support science communication, the learning network, knowledge transfer to small and medium-sized enterprises, and the synthesis of results. In this way, our expertise in logistics systems is integrated into the platform, the methodologies, and the practical formats.

Circle4Value combines the circular economy, logistics, the platform economy, and skills development. The focus is on R-strategies such as Refuse, Rethink, Reduce, Reuse, Repair, Remanufacture, Repurpose, and Recycle. The project examines circular value creation from three perspectives: business models and smart services, systemic aspects of value creation, and people in circular processes.

This gives rise to methods, platform functions, and learning formats that support companies, research institutions, and networks in establishing circular value creation systems—ranging from life cycle assessment and digital product passports to matching, working groups, and knowledge transfer to small and medium-sized enterprises.

Funded by the program “Global Value Creation: Rethinking and Perspectives for a Circular Future (CircularGlowUp)”

Funded by the program “The Future of Value Creation”