ISO 59020:2024 sets out the requirements and guidance for measuring and assessing circularity performance within a defined economic system. It goes far beyond calculating a recycled-content percentage: it requires setting system boundaries, mapping inputs, outputs and losses, selecting indicators, controlling data quality, and interpreting the results alongside environmental, social and economic impacts.
How it fits into the ISO 59000 family
- ISO 59004: vocabulary, principles and implementation.
- ISO 59010: transition of business models and value networks.
- ISO 59020: measurement and assessment.
- ISO 59040: product circularity data sheet.
- ISO 59014: traceability of secondary materials.
ISO 59020 measures; on its own, it does not design a full circularity strategy.
Defining the system in scope
The system under assessment can be:
- an organisation;
- a product;
- a plant;
- a value chain;
- a region;
- a network of companies.
Whatever the focus, you must document:
- the purpose;
- the intended audience;
- the physical and time boundaries;
- the processes;
- the flows;
- the actors;
- the exclusions;
- the functional unit, where relevant.
Changing the boundaries changes the result, so they must stay stable or, if amended, be explained.
Purpose of the assessment
Before measuring anything, decide why you are measuring it. Typical goals include:
- reducing the use of virgin material;
- extending useful life;
- improving repairability;
- recovering products;
- reducing losses;
- comparing alternative designs;
- responding to customer requirements;
- prioritising investments.
The purpose determines which indicators are used and to what level of precision.
Flow map
A core requirement of the standard is mapping every flow in the system:
| Flow | Examples |
|---|---|
| Inputs | raw materials, components, water, energy |
| Useful outputs | product, co-product, service |
| Circular outputs | reuse, repair, remanufacture, recycling |
| Losses | waste, dispersion, scrap, unrecovered energy |
| Stock | product in use, inventory, infrastructure |
Each flow must record mass or unit, origin, destination, quality and evidence.
Input circularity
It's worth distinguishing precisely between material that is:
- virgin;
- recycled;
- renewable;
- reused;
- remanufactured;
- certified.
A supplier’s declaration is not enough: you need a technical specification, a certificate, or documented traceability. “Recyclable” does not mean recycled.
Output circularity
Likewise, the actual destination of outputs must be assessed:
- reuse;
- repair;
- refurbishment;
- remanufacture;
- recycling;
- composting;
- energy recovery;
- disposal.
The hierarchy and quality of the destination matter: energy recovery is not equivalent to keeping material in high-value cycles.
Indicators
ISO 59020 includes mandatory and optional indicators depending on context; organisations should consult the purchased text of the standard for the exact formulas. Indicator types include:
- circular content of inputs;
- circular destination of outputs;
- losses;
- durability;
- repairability;
- utilisation;
- water recirculation;
- value retention.
The standard does not call for building a single opaque index that blends all of the above.
Data quality
Every data point feeding the assessment must record:
- source;
- period;
- coverage;
- unit;
- method;
- whether it is an estimate;
- uncertainty;
- data owner;
- verification.
Primary data takes priority over approximations, and any approximation used must be declared as such.
Mass balance
Inputs must reconcile with outputs, stock and losses within a reasonable tolerance; any discrepancy must be investigated. The mass balance stops organisations from claiming circularity on the visible part of the system while hiding waste or losses elsewhere.
Durability and utilisation
A circular economy is not just about recycling: it keeps product value alive over time. That's why it's worth measuring:
- useful life;
- actual time in use;
- utilisation rate;
- maintenance;
- repairs;
- spare-parts availability;
- the product’s second life.
A highly recyclable product that's discarded early can score worse, in terms of real circularity, than a durable one.
Impacts and sustainability
Increasing circularity can create trade-offs: more transport, more energy, more substances used, or a higher social cost. ISO 59020 requires interpreting results in context and allows complementing them with life cycle assessment (LCA), footprint calculations, cost analysis and social assessment. You cannot claim that more circularity always reduces impact without evidence to back it up.
Value chain
Measuring a system's circularity requires data from suppliers, customers, waste managers and repairers. Contracts and agreements with these parties should define:
- the data format;
- the frequency;
- traceability;
- audit rights;
- confidentiality;
- how changes are managed.
When value-chain data is unavailable, that gap is recorded as uncertainty, not ignored.
Baseline and targets
You need to select a representative year or period as the baseline. From there, targets must be:
- specific;
- measurable;
- assigned to an owner;
- backed by resources;
- time-bound;
- compatible with the product's or service's quality and safety requirements.
A typical example: increasing secondary content in a product family without lowering the required technical specifications.
Report
The circularity report must include:
- the system and its boundaries;
- the purpose of the assessment;
- the methodology applied;
- the indicators used;
- the data sources;
- the exclusions;
- the uncertainty;
- the results;
- the complementary impacts considered;
- the comparability of the results;
- the actions derived from it.
Any public circularity claim requires internal review and supporting evidence.
Integration with ISO 14001
Circularity measurement can be built into the environmental aspects, objectives, procurement, design and performance of an environmental management system certified to ISO 14001. ISO 59020 provides the measurement method; ISO 14001 provides the management system it integrates into. Circularity can also connect to VSME reporting, to carbon footprint and to sustainable procurement.
12-week plan
Weeks 1-2
Defining the system, the purpose and the stakeholders.
Weeks 3-5
Flow mapping and data collection.
Weeks 6-7
Indicator calculation and mass balance.
Weeks 8-9
Impact analysis, handling uncertainty and setting the baseline.
Weeks 10-12
Setting targets, drafting the report and final review.
Common mistakes
- Measuring only recycling.
- Confusing “recyclable” with “recycled”.
- Not setting system boundaries.
- Ignoring losses.
- Mixing different periods in a comparison.
- Using percentages without a mass reference.
- Not assessing durability.
- Ignoring sustainability trade-offs.
- Building a single opaque index.
- Making public claims without evidence.
Checklist
- System and boundaries defined.
- Purpose and audience established.
- Complete flows mapped.
- Data collected with documented quality.
- ISO indicators selected.
- Mass balance verified.
- Durability and utilisation measured.
- Complementary impacts considered.
- Baseline and targets set.
- Report and claims reviewed.
Frequently asked questions
Is ISO 59020 a certification?
It's a standard with measurement requirements and guidance; the specific type of verification or assessment must be agreed with the relevant third party.
Does it only measure products?
No. It can be applied at organisational, inter-organisational, regional and product levels.
Does more recycling mean more circularity?
It's just one dimension. Durability, reuse, repair, losses and value retention matter too.
At Summum Calidad we can help you define boundaries, indicators, data quality and integration with ISO 14001 to measure the real circularity of your organisation, product or value chain.