In collaboration with the Danish Chamber of Commerce, we’ve developed a prototype of some of the existing legal requirements targeted at ambitious companies working with their circular and sustainable transition. 

The prototype: What you get

1. The prototype mapping provides a snapshot of the European legal requirements that promote the circular transition, from areas within strategy, legislation, and regulations, to action plans and directives.
2. The mapping shows the political framework that Danish companies and organizations must operate within when working to become more circular.
3. The primary purpose of the mapping is to roughly outline the many new conditions, such as new product requirements and reuse and recycling rates, which require Danish companies to adapt to a circular economy.
4. The mapping provides a visual overview of the legal requirements and distributes the legal requirements into fractions (e.g., electronics or plastics) and over a value chain.

Visit the mapping in Danish here and in English here.

The challenges: Legislation must not become an obstacle

To design an irresistible circular society, we must work proactively, ambitiously, and purposefully to implement the European legal requirements that promote the circular transition. But many legal requirements can be challenging to understand and act on for the individual company and the value chain.

We need the overview – across businesses and authorities – to create the framework for how legislation provides the foundation for new circular business models, products, and processes. We have a shared responsibility to help companies (especially SMEs) with the enormous task they face.

This analysis shows that companies that work to become circular encounter new and often more regulatory barriers than other companies. Legislation must help ambitious companies and their desire to change – not hinder them in taking action.

The process: How we did it

The prototype has been tested on various stakeholder groups, such as Danish authorities, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, and Danish companies.

The prototype has been well received thus far, and it is our clear experience that there is a demand and need. Companies need places to get this kind of information and overview.

We continue to work on the mapping, so if you have input, we are happy to receive it. Please reach out to Gry or Julie.