Sustainable is whoever can prove it
Transparent. Independent. Cost-effective.
We’ll prove your sustainability—starting in September 2026, the EmpCo Directive will make this mandatory for all manufacturers.
// The only standard based on all EU taxonomy objectives
// Easy to implement and economically attractive
// EmpCo-compliant and greenwashing-proof
// Independent and externally audited by accredited auditing firms
A standard for comprehensive sustainability requirements
The EU Taxonomy, CSRD, ESG reporting, the EmpCo Directive, and the Green Claims Directive are raising the bar for products and sustainability communications. However, clear and robust assessment frameworks are often lacking.
CircularSkills provides a structured framework for product-specific sustainability assessment and makes the circular economy verifiable for manufacturers—based on all six EU taxonomy objectives, independently verifiable, and applicable across industries.
We help companies evaluate their sustainability performance in a structured, transparent, and comparable manner. Using a standardized approach, we systematically collect and analyze relevant criteria. This creates transparency, makes progress measurable, and enables meaningful comparisons across the entire supply chain.
All environmental objectives of the EU taxonomy and minimum social standards combined in a single approach.
Climate Protection
Climate Adaptation
Water Protection
Circular Economy
Environmental Protection
Biodiversity Conservation
Independently certified by accredited testing organizations
TÜV Rheinland, our current certification partner, conducts the independent audit for the product-related assessment. As the standard owner, we collaborate with accredited testing organizations. In this way, we establish a reliable foundation for maximum credibility and international recognition.
The CircularSkills Standard
The starting point for any discussion of credibility is the question of where the evaluation criteria come from. CircularSkills does not define sustainability on its own, but rather follows the EU Taxonomy—a binding set of rules established by the European Commission and its Technical Expert Group. What is considered sustainable is not determined by CircularSkills, but is prescribed by law. CircularSkills does not reinterpret these requirements, but rather makes them measurable and applicable.
This allows CircularSkills to integrate directly with CSRD, EmpCo, ESPR, and the Digital Product Passport. New regulatory requirements can be integrated without changing systems—you make a one-time investment and create a foundation that grows with your business over the long term.
One foundation. All requirements.
- EU Taxonomy Regulation 2020/852
- CSRD & ESG Reporting Ready
- Compliant with the Green Claims Directive (EmpCo Directive)
- REACH/SVHC as an exclusion criterion
- EPBD 2024 taken into account
„
Trust in a sustainability standard does not arise from motives, but from mechanisms.
Product and Company. Both. In a single approach.
CircularSkills is the only standard that evaluates both products and companies—based on the EU taxonomy, compliant with EmpCo, and independently audited by TÜV Rheinland. This provides you with a comprehensive foundation for your sustainability communications: with customers, buyers, investors, and auditors.
One standard. Every industry. Every product.
CircularSkills evaluates products and companies across a wide range of industries—including construction, composites, fastening technology, chemicals, and packaging. The standard adapts to your product, not the other way around.
Construction
Industry
Chemistry
Process & Services
From Public Data to Clear Sustainability Assessments
CircularSkills makes sustainability requirements easy to understand and compare. We analyze publicly available information about your product, review the results with you, and establish a clear foundation for assessment, communication, and certification.
The most cost-effective way to conduct a robust sustainability assessment—quick to get started, without lengthy project efforts or external resources.
CircularScan
Structured evaluation of products and companies according to the CircularSkills Standard.
AI handles the analysis. Your effort remains minimal.
- Analysis of existing product and company information, as well as a transparent presentation of missing documentation and outstanding data points.
- Development of the CircularSkills Scorecard, which translates complex EU taxonomy requirements into understandable terms.
- Assessment based on six environmental dimensions and minimum social standards as an exclusion criterion. An individual score and an overall score are calculated for each criterion.
- Climate Protection
- Adaptation to Climate Change
- Use and Protection of Water and Marine Resources
- Prevention and Reduction of Environmental Pollution
- Protection and Restoration of Biodiversity and Ecosystems
- Transition to a Circular Economy
- Integration of existing certifications, such as EcoVadis, Cradle-to-Cradle, Blue Angel, or various ISO standards.
- Deriving specific recommendations for action and prioritized transformation steps.
- Assessment of taxonomic capability and potential certification.
Result: A clear scorecard showing the status of your product. A transparent presentation of the results during an evaluation workshop, as well as a customized transformation roadmap.
Customized Transformation Plan
The Path from Scan to Certification
CircularScan precisely identifies which supporting documents are missing. During the transformation process, we obtain exactly those documents—from LCA to hazardous substance analysis—and optimize the product specifically for the targeted certification level.
- Generation of key reports directly through CircularSkills.
- Management of external audits and specialized partner services.
- Documentation of risks relevant to taxonomy and identification of appropriate adaptation measures.
- Responsibility for the process through to certification readiness.
Result: A robust set of documentation and corrective actions that addresses the identified gaps and prepares the product for the targeted certification level.
What CircularSkills Provides Directly
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)
A complete life cycle assessment of your product—including all relevant life cycle phases, from raw material extraction to disposal.
- Cradle-to-Gate and Cradle-to-Grave Analysis
- Climate Impact, Resource Consumption, Water Use
- Compliant with ISO 14040/14044
- Ready for use with EU Taxonomy Objectives 1 & 2
Your result
Verifiable GHG emissions data and environmental impact—as the basis for certification, ESG reporting, and customer communication.
Environmental Product Declaration (EPD)
Standardized product documentation in accordance with ISO 14025 and EN 15804, including external verification and database entry.
- EPD in accordance with ISO 14025 and EN 15804
- Verified by an accredited testing laboratory
- Listed in international EPD databases
- Ready for use in requests for proposals and CSRD
Your result
An EPD that buyers, architects, and planners around the world accept—and that can be incorporated directly into your customers’ CSRD reports.
Corporate Carbon Footprint: Scopes 1, 2, and 3
Complete greenhouse gas footprint—from our own production to the entire value chain.
- Scope 1: Direct Emissions
- Scope 2: Energy — Electricity, Heat, Cooling
- Scope 3: Upstream Supply Chain & Use Phase
- GHG Protocol & CSRD-compliant
Your result
Comprehensive, CSRD-compliant carbon footprint — as the basis for EU Taxonomy Goal 1 (climate protection) and credible climate communication.
Evidence Collection
Review of existing documents and identification of missing supporting documentation to ensure a complete basis for evaluation.
- Inventory of All Existing Certificates
- Mapping to the 6 EU Taxonomy Environmental Objectives
- Identify Missing Evidence in a Targeted Manner
- Optimization Path for Maximizing the Certification Level
Your result
No duplication of effort—existing documentation is fully utilized. Only what is truly missing is obtained anew.
Location Risk Analyses
Assessment of physical climate, water, biodiversity, and environmental risks at your production sites.
- Assessment of Climate, Water, and Biodiversity Risks
- Analysis of site-specific environmental and natural risks and their potential impacts
Your result
Transparent risk assessment of your sites as a basis for investment decisions and sustainability reporting.
Independent Audit and Certification
Once all supporting documentation has been submitted, a CircularSkills Advisor initiates the independent audit and oversees the handoff to an accredited certification partner.
- Audit Preparation: Review and compilation of all relevant documents for the external audit.
- Document Submission: We will submit your documents to an accredited certification partner, such as TÜV Rheinland or a comparable partner.
- Audit Support: Providing support during the audit and addressing any outstanding questions that arise during the audit process.
Result: Your final certificate, which is recognized internationally and builds trust with banks, investors, and buyers.
The CircularSkills Scorecard
Everything at a Glance
All 6 environmental goals plus minimum social standards.
Transparent, measurable, comparable—regardless of industry or product.
The following illustration refers to an example product.
An overall score of 4.3 or higher qualifies a company for independent TÜV Rheinland certification. The CircularSkills Certified seal provides externally verifiable credibility with banks, investors, Tier 1 customers, and international buyers.
Certification Levels
Sustainability Performance Clearly Categorized
The CircularSkills certification levels transparently show the extent to which a product meets the requirements of the EU taxonomy and how sustainable it is.
CircularSkills | Certified
Holistic Product Sustainability: All 6 environmental goals at Level 4+, overall score > 4.3, and passed the TÜV Rheinland audit.
In practice:
- Externally audited and thoroughly documented—widely accepted by banks, investors, and international buyers.
- TÜV Rheinland-certified CircularSkills seal—usable for requests for proposals, ESG reports, and customer communications.
CircularSkills | Aligned Plus
Significant contribution to each environmental goal (Level 5/5).
In practice:
- Your product meets the requirements for a significant contribution within the CircularSkills assessment framework.
- Demonstration of a significant contribution to the EU taxonomy—useful for CSRD reports and financing discussions.
CircularSkills | Aligned
All requirements met (Level 4/5 for all objectives).
In practice:
- Full compliance with the EU Taxonomy—documented and ready for use in ESG, CSRD, and financing processes.
- Strengthens your position in bids and with architects, planners, and public clients.
CircularSkills | Potential
Generally suitable; meets all DNSH requirements.
In practice:
- First reliable assessment of taxonomy readiness—with a transparent classification of the current product status.
- A clear roadmap with specific recommendations for action—without the need for a time-consuming new analysis.
Is Your Sustainability Data Ready for AI?
In the future, sustainability information won’t just be read by people. AI systems are already helping with product research and evaluation. This requires structured, traceable, and reliable data. CircularScan provides exactly this foundation. First and foremost, it shows you: What does AI find out about your product and your company—and what remains hidden?
Real-world experiences
As a manufacturer of high-performance technical textiles, we’re used to dealing with complex requirements. What really impressed us about CircularSkills was that, for the first time, we saw how our product is perceived from the outside—and which sustainability messages actually get through. It was a real eye-opener.
Christian Beckmann
CEO · SAERTEX GmbH & Co. KG
Technical Textiles · Composite Materials
Sustainability considerations are becoming increasingly important to retailers, planners, engineers, and construction companies, and are playing an ever-greater role in procurement and project decisions. CircularSkills helps us present the performance of our products in a transparent and traceable manner and further strengthen our competitiveness in a changing market.
Ingo Kuschel
CEO · TOGE Duebel GmbH & Co. KG, part of the Würth Group
Fastening Technology · Construction Products
The team behind the CircularSkills Standard
Born from real-world experience. Designed for real-world challenges.
A pioneer in the sustainability industry since 1991. Author, speaker, and networker with decades of experience in strategic product development, digital business models, and circular economy concepts.
Peter Bachmann
Founder, Communications, Strategy, and Management
Fabian Wiesler
Founders, Methodology, Standards, and Technical Development
A business professional and entrepreneur, she brings her many years of experience in organization, process optimization, and sustainable development across various industries to her work at CircularSkills.
Bettina Bachmann-Heubach
Back Office and Strategy
Your Next Step
starts here.
Sustainable is whoever can prove it! Those who can't prove it leave themselves open to criticism.
Would you like to have your product evaluated or learn more about the CircularSkills Standard? Talk to us about your next steps.
- CircularSkills GmbH
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5 Strandbadstraße
79822 Titisee-Neustadt
Deutsch 
English (UK)