Circular Economy and Sustainability Training Course

Duration 10 days 16 modules · 65 contact hours
Level Intermediate Certificate on completion
Who attends Sustainability Managers, Environmental Managers and others
Fee from USD 2,200 KSh 190,000 for Kenyan organisations
Where 52 cities + online See dates by city
Next start 16 Nov 2026 Course code SD-SC-054

Before you join: Participants should have working experience in sustainability, environment, procurement, operations, product development, facilities, supply chain management or corporate responsibility.

Dates & prices

Two start dates a month in every city, and live online on weekdays or weekends. Fees are per participant; classroom fees include tuition, materials, lunch and refreshments, and the certificate.

Suggest a date or city

Showing the next six months. Later dates, other cities and private deliveries for your team are available on request.

Course overview

Linear production models expose organisations to material price volatility, waste disposal costs, supply disruption, regulatory pressure and stakeholder scrutiny. Circular economy strategy addresses these issues by keeping products, components and materials at their highest practical value for longer. It requires decisions across product design, procurement, operations, logistics, customer service, finance and reporting—not simply better recycling. Professionals need to identify material flows, set credible targets, assess environmental trade-offs and build business cases that can withstand operational and financial review.

This course develops the practical methods used to design and implement circular economy and sustainability strategies. Participants examine circular business models, life cycle thinking, material flow analysis, product life extension, circular procurement, reverse logistics and industrial symbiosis. They use recognised approaches including ISO 14040/14044 life cycle assessment principles, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation circular economy framework, the waste hierarchy and greenhouse gas accounting concepts. The course also addresses sustainability governance, performance indicators, supplier engagement, investment appraisal and credible communications.

Teaching combines focused instructor briefings with sector cases from manufacturing, consumer goods, construction, healthcare, public services and financial institutions. Participants work with material-flow data, supplier scenarios, product portfolios and investment proposals, then apply the methods to a selected organisational challenge. By the end of the course, each participant leaves with a reviewed circular economy strategy pack containing a baseline assessment, priority interventions, implementation roadmap, performance measures and an executive business case.

The course is suited to managers and specialists responsible for environmental performance, sustainable procurement, operations, product development, facilities, supply chains, corporate responsibility or sustainability reporting.

What you will be able to do

  • Map material flows and value losses using material flow analysis
  • Assess product and service impacts using life cycle assessment principles
  • Design circular business model options using recognised circular economy frameworks
  • Prioritise circular interventions through environmental, operational and financial criteria
  • Develop circular procurement requirements and supplier engagement plans
  • Prepare investment cases for reuse, repair, remanufacturing and resource-efficiency initiatives
  • Define circular economy KPIs, governance arrangements and reporting controls
  • Present a complete circular economy strategy and implementation roadmap

Benefits of attending

For you

  • Build a defensible circular economy proposal for a current work priority
  • Apply life cycle and material-flow methods beyond waste management
  • Lead cross-functional discussions on reuse, repair and recovery options
  • Assess supplier and product claims with clearer technical criteria
  • Present circular investment cases to operational and executive decision-makers

For your organisation

  • Identifies material cost, disposal cost and supply-risk reduction opportunities
  • Improves circular procurement specifications and supplier performance discussions
  • Creates a structured basis for reuse, repair and recovery programmes
  • Strengthens evidence behind sustainability targets, disclosures and stakeholder communications
  • Produces implementation roadmaps with ownership, measures and investment priorities

Course modules

16 modules over 10 days

Participants can explain circular economy principles and identify their strategic implications for an organisation.

  • Linear throughput risks: material scarcity, volatility, waste liabilities and emissions
  • Circular economy principles: eliminate waste, circulate products, regenerate natural systems
  • Technical and biological cycles distinguished through material characteristics and recovery routes
  • The waste hierarchy applied to prevention, reuse, recycling and disposal choices
  • Ellen MacArthur Foundation framework used to classify circular value opportunities
  • Circularity linked to climate, biodiversity, resource security and resilience objectives

Participants can produce a material flow baseline that identifies priority losses and recovery opportunities.

  • System boundaries defined for products, sites, services and supply chains
  • Material flow analysis maps inputs, stocks, outputs, losses and recovery routes
  • Mass-balance checks reconcile purchasing, production, waste and inventory records
  • Sankey diagrams communicate material flows and priority intervention points
  • Data-quality assessment records completeness, accuracy, timeliness and ownership limitations
  • Baseline material intensity calculated per product, customer, service or revenue unit

Participants can use life cycle thinking to compare circular options and avoid burden shifting.

  • Life cycle stages mapped from raw materials through end-of-life treatment
  • ISO 14040 and ISO 14044 principles for life cycle assessment
  • Functional units define fair comparison between products, services and systems
  • Hotspot analysis identifies dominant impacts, processes, materials and life stages
  • Burden shifting tested across carbon, water, toxicity, land use and waste
  • Screening LCA supports early decisions without claiming comparative certification

Participants can identify design changes that improve durability, repairability and material recovery.

  • Design for durability addresses failure modes, maintenance and expected service life
  • Repairability criteria cover access, fasteners, diagnostics, parts and manuals
  • Modular architecture supports component replacement, upgrades and disassembly
  • Design for disassembly separates materials without damage or contamination
  • Material selection considers recycled content, toxicity, scarcity and recyclability
  • Product passports record composition, repair instructions, ownership and recovery information

Participants can develop circular business model options matched to customer and organisational needs.

  • Circular business model canvas identifies partners, activities, costs and value
  • Product life extension models include repair, refurbishment and remanufacturing
  • Product-as-a-service structures shift revenue from ownership toward performance
  • Sharing platforms increase asset utilisation through managed customer access
  • Resource recovery models capture value from by-products and returned materials
  • Customer value propositions test convenience, cost, quality, trust and outcomes

Participants can specify circular procurement requirements and plan supplier engagement activities.

  • Category spend analysis identifies material-intensive and high-waste purchasing priorities
  • Circular specifications address durability, repair, take-back and recycled content
  • Total cost of ownership compares purchase, use, maintenance and disposal costs
  • Supplier questionnaires test material traceability, recovery capacity and improvement plans
  • Contract clauses define take-back obligations, data provision and performance remedies
  • Supplier segmentation focuses engagement on spend, risk, influence and opportunity

Participants can design reverse-flow arrangements for returns, repair, reuse and material recovery.

  • Reverse logistics maps collection, consolidation, inspection, sorting and redistribution flows
  • Return-channel design compares retailer, postal, collection-point and direct collection models
  • Product grading determines reuse, repair, remanufacture, recycling or disposal routes
  • Closed-loop supply chains retain materials within defined product and supplier systems
  • Chain-of-custody records support traceability, quality control and regulatory compliance
  • Recovery economics evaluate transport, handling, yield, resale value and contamination

Participants can identify operational resource-efficiency and industrial symbiosis opportunities.

  • Waste-stream characterisation identifies composition, contamination, volume and treatment costs
  • Lean material efficiency reduces scrap, rework, overproduction and avoidable packaging
  • Root-cause analysis uses five whys and fishbone diagrams for waste losses
  • Industrial symbiosis matches by-products, heat, water and materials with users
  • By-product classification distinguishes waste, co-products and secondary material streams
  • Resource-efficiency registers assign actions, owners, savings assumptions and review dates

Participants can define circular economy measures that support decisions and accountability.

  • KPI design links strategic objectives, operational drivers, measures and targets
  • Material Circularity Indicator assesses restorative flows and product utility
  • Recycled-content metrics distinguish post-consumer, pre-consumer and mass-balance claims
  • Waste diversion rates separate prevention, reuse, recycling, recovery and disposal
  • Repair, return and recovery rates reveal circular system performance
  • Data governance assigns sources, calculation rules, assurance and reporting ownership

Participants can connect circular actions with climate and nature-related environmental objectives.

  • GHG Protocol scopes identify emissions affected by materials and product use
  • Avoided-emissions claims tested against baselines, boundaries and substitution assumptions
  • Circular strategies reduce embodied carbon through reuse, recycled inputs and longevity
  • Nature impacts considered through land use, extraction, water and pollution pathways
  • Science-based targets examined for relevance to material and value-chain interventions
  • Trade-off registers document climate, nature, cost, quality and safety consequences

Participants can prepare financial evaluations for circular economy projects and business model changes.

  • Business case structure defines problem, options, costs, benefits, risks and recommendation
  • Capital expenditure and operating expenditure mapped across implementation and operation
  • Net present value compares circular investments with business-as-usual alternatives
  • Sensitivity analysis tests material prices, return rates, yields and demand
  • Cost avoidance captures disposal, compliance, procurement and disruption reductions
  • Non-financial benefits record emissions, resilience, customer retention and reputation evidence

Participants can identify regulatory and reporting requirements relevant to circular economy programmes.

  • Extended producer responsibility assigns collection, treatment and reporting obligations
  • Product stewardship schemes allocate responsibilities across producers, importers and retailers
  • Waste classification affects storage, transport, treatment and reporting controls
  • GRI 306 guidance structures waste disclosures, impacts and management approaches
  • ESRS E5 addresses resource use, circular economy and waste information
  • Claims substantiation prevents misleading statements about recyclability and environmental benefits

Participants can establish governance and engagement arrangements for circular economy implementation.

  • RACI matrices assign accountable owners for circular strategy delivery
  • Risk registers assess operational, financial, legal, safety and reputational exposures
  • Cross-functional steering groups align procurement, operations, finance and product teams
  • Stakeholder mapping identifies affected groups, influence, interests and engagement approaches
  • Materiality assessment prioritises circular issues for management and external reporting
  • Change plans address incentives, capability gaps, resistance and communication requirements

Participants can select circular interventions suited to different sector operating models.

  • Manufacturing cases examine remanufacturing, spare parts and production scrap recovery
  • Construction cases address design reuse, material passports and demolition planning
  • Healthcare cases consider reusable devices, infection control and regulated waste
  • Consumer goods cases test refill, take-back, packaging and repair models
  • Public-sector procurement applies whole-life value and circular tender evaluation
  • Financial institutions assess circular lending criteria and financed resource risks

Participants can build a phased roadmap with actions, ownership, resources and review mechanisms.

  • Opportunity prioritisation scores impact, feasibility, cost, urgency and stakeholder support
  • Roadmap sequencing distinguishes quick wins, pilots, scale-up and transformation actions
  • Pilot charters define hypotheses, scope, measures, resources and decision gates
  • Implementation plans assign milestones, dependencies, budgets and accountable owners
  • Benefits-realisation plans track expected savings, impacts and evidence requirements
  • Management review cycles govern corrective action, escalation and strategic adjustment

Participants can build, review and present a complete circular economy strategy for a defined organisational challenge.

  • Problem statement defines system boundary, strategic drivers and material priorities
  • Material baseline summarises flows, hotspots, data limitations and value losses
  • Circular interventions compare design, procurement, operations and recovery options
  • Option appraisal evaluates environmental, financial, operational and stakeholder criteria
  • Implementation roadmap specifies governance, milestones, resources, risks and KPIs
  • Executive presentation communicates recommendation, business case and approval requirements

Exercises and examples are adapted to each cohort's sectors and roles.

What you take back to work

  1. Material flow analysis template
  2. Circular opportunity assessment matrix
  3. Circular procurement specification checklist
  4. Reverse logistics process map
  5. Circular economy KPI dashboard template
  6. Circular economy strategy and implementation roadmap

Who should attend

  • Sustainability Managers — responsible for translating sustainability commitments into operational programmes
  • Environmental Managers — seeking resource, waste and lifecycle performance methods
  • Procurement Managers — setting circular specifications and supplier requirements
  • Operations Managers — reducing material losses, waste costs and production dependency
  • Product Development Managers — designing products for durability, repair and recovery
  • CSR and ESG Professionals — connecting circular initiatives with disclosures and stakeholder reporting

Skills and tools covered

Material flow analysisLife cycle assessmentCircular business modelsCircular procurementSustainability KPI designImplementation roadmapping

Tools and standards

ISO 14040/14044 Life Cycle Assessment, Ellen MacArthur Foundation Circular Economy Framework, Material Circularity Indicator, GHG Protocol

How the course runs

Training methodology

The course uses short instructor briefings to introduce frameworks, standards and decision methods, followed by case analysis, facilitated group work and structured simulations. Participants examine realistic product, procurement, waste and supply-chain scenarios, including data limitations and competing commercial priorities. Each module contributes to an individual application pack, with peer review and instructor feedback at key stages. Discussion focuses on decisions participants can take within their own functions, from material baseline development through investment approval and implementation governance.

Requirements and prerequisites

Participants should have working experience in sustainability, environment, procurement, operations, product development, facilities, supply chain management or corporate responsibility. Familiarity with basic environmental terminology, organisational reporting and business planning is helpful. Participants should be able to interpret simple operational data such as purchasing volumes, waste records, energy use or supplier information. Prior experience with life cycle assessment software, environmental accounting, engineering design or formal sustainability reporting is not required. The course does not require advanced mathematics; calculations use practical templates and clearly explained assumptions.

A typical training day

08:30 – 10:30First session
10:30 – 10:45Refreshment break
10:45 – 12:30Second session
12:30 – 13:30Lunch and networking
13:30 – 15:00Third session
15:00 – 15:15Refreshment break
15:15 – 16:30Workshop and daily review

Live online deliveries follow the same structure in East Africa Time, with shorter screen blocks and longer breaks.

What the fee includes

  • Instruction by a practitioner facilitator
  • Full course workbook and materials
  • Exercise files, templates and case studies
  • Refreshments and lunch on classroom deliveries
  • Certificate of completion
  • Post-course application plan

Frequently asked questions

You should have practical exposure to sustainability, environment, procurement, operations, product development or supply-chain work. Formal LCA training, engineering qualifications and prior reporting experience are not required.

Bring a laptop if possible and details of a material, product, waste, procurement or supply-chain issue relevant to your role. Useful information includes purchasing data, waste reports, supplier concerns or existing sustainability targets, but these are not mandatory.

It is designed for managers and specialists who need to convert circular economy ambitions into operational actions. It is particularly relevant to sustainability, environmental management, procurement, operations, product and supply-chain teams.

General sustainability courses often focus on reporting, stakeholder expectations and broad environmental topics. This course concentrates on material flows, product lifecycles, circular business models, procurement, recovery systems and implementation decisions.

Participants develop a material baseline, opportunity assessment and implementation roadmap around a defined organisational challenge. The templates can be used to prepare internal proposals, supplier discussions, pilot plans and management reviews.

Training days run from 08:30 to 16:30 and provide approximately 6.5 contact hours each. The first week establishes analysis and design methods, while the second week develops finance, governance, implementation planning and the final strategy capstone.

Questions about this course?

Ask about dates, fees, group bookings or running it for your team. Our training team replies by email.

Ask on WhatsApp info@skillsetdevelopment.com

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