Despite global attention on sustainability, circular economy, and responsible consumption, 93% of the materials we consume still end up as waste (Circularity Gap Report 2025 – Circle Economy Foundation). We live in a world full of good intentions but short on reliable information. Whether it’s a washing machine we throw away for lack of a manual, or a company accused of greenwashing because its claims aren’t verifiable, the result is the same: when information is missing, sustainability fails.
The real challenge isn’t technology; it’s data.
Circularity, repair, and reuse all depend on one invisible infrastructure – standardised, understandable, and verified information. Only then can sustainability move from ideas and promises to measurable, trusted results.
When information is missing, everything becomes disposable
Take a simple example: a broken washing machine.
In most cases, it could be repaired easily – if only we had access to the right information. But without repair manuals, spare part references, or details on materials, the simplest option becomes replacement. Not because the product is finished, but because the data needed to extend its life doesn’t exist.
The same pattern repeats across industries: electronics, construction, furniture, and vehicles. Even products that are fully reusable become waste when information is missing. This is why circularity often fails – not for technical reasons, but for informational ones.
As I argued in my MBA research project at UMIO, “circularity without data is like navigation without a compass.” To make sustainable systems work at scale, data must become part of the product itself.
Speaking a common language: standardisation for impact
Today, companies face a paradox. They collect more sustainability data than ever, but in incompatible formats. Each uses its own definitions and metrics. The result? Complexity, confusion, and mistrust.
Standardisation changes that.
Frameworks such as the Product Circularity Data Sheet (PCDS), now formalised as ISO 59040, create a common language to describe products in a clear and machine-readable way.
They allow each actor – from manufacturer to recycler – to access consistent, comparable information: materials used, reparability, recycled content, lifespan, and end-of-life options.
This is not administrative red tape; it’s an enabling infrastructure. When everyone speaks the same language, sustainability can finally scale.
The PCDS also lays the foundation for Europe’s upcoming Digital Product Passports (DPPs) – the future system to track sustainability and circularity information across entire value chains.
Turning complexity into action by making data understandable
Standardisation only works if data is understandable.
The goal isn’t to create another layer of complexity, but to make information usable for decision-making – whether you are an engineer, a buyer, a policymaker, or a consumer.
Clear, structured, and accessible data helps us move from generic claims (“eco-friendly”, “recyclable”) to actionable facts (“spare parts available for 10 years”, “mono-material packaging”, “repairability score 8/10”).
These attributes can be interpreted by both humans and digital systems – simplifying circular design, procurement, and compliance.
In this sense, data literacy becomes a new form of sustainability skill. A company that understands, structures, and communicates its data clearly gains not only efficiency, but also credibility.
Trust through verification: from claims to proof
One major reason why sustainability communication remains cautious is the fear of greenwashing.
Many organisations prefer to say little rather than risk being accused of exaggeration.
Verified data provides a way out of that dilemma. When product information is backed by recognised standards and independent verification, it turns sustainability from a moral claim into a strategic advantage.
Verified data means:
- measurable transparency for clients and regulators;
- accountability for investors and supply chains;
- and, most importantly, trust from citizens and customers.
As I often say: “a product without data is waste – and a sustainability claim without verified data is just marketing.”
The operating system of circularity
Of course, data alone is not enough.
We still need incentives that reward repair and reuse, logistics for reverse flows, and policies supporting long-term value. But none of that can function without a reliable informational backbone.
Data is what reveals where resources are, how they circulate, and what can be improved.
It enables governments to design smarter regulations, companies to measure their real impact, and consumers to make informed choices.
In short, data is the operating system of the circular economy.
When information becomes standardised, understandable, and verified, sustainability stops being a narrative and becomes a measurable, accountable system – one that unites environmental, industrial, and social progress.
Clarity, cooperation, and verified data: the path to real sustainability
If we want sustainability to move beyond slogans, we must make responsible choices easy, transparent, and trustworthy.
That journey starts with information – not more of it, but better information. Because only verified, shared, and standardised data can bridge the gap between intentions and impact.
A sustainable world won’t be built only by new technologies, but by clarity, cooperation, and proof. And in that sense, verified data isn’t bureaucracy – it’s our most powerful tool for progress and tangible actions.
This article was written by Jérôme Diericx, Director of Terra Matters, a Luxembourg-based company operationalising the Product Circularity Data Sheet (ISO 59040) to enable trustworthy sustainability data. He works with European institutions, industries, and experts to make circularity measurable and verifiable through standardised information. An MBA graduate from UMIO | Maastricht University and MaastrichtMBA, Jérôme contributes to European standardisation committees (CEN/CENELEC JTC24, TC350, TC473) and advocates for credible, data-driven sustainability across sectors.
