2024 In Review

As we bring in 2025, it’s clear that 2024 marked a pivotal moment for waste management and the circular economy, particularly for businesses operating in the EU. Groundbreaking regulations, such as new eco-design requirements and the upcoming ban on unsold clothing destruction, are setting higher standards for corporate responsibility. At the same time, technological innovations—from automated waste feedback systems to Digital Product Passports—are reshaping how industries approach sustainability and transparency.

In this edition, we’ll reflect on the major milestones from 2024, highlight innovations that are transforming industries, and explore the opportunities for businesses to drive the next phase of circularity. Let’s dive in.

???Circularity Insights: What lies ahead

The business case for sustainability grows stronger each year, yet 2024 made it clear that truly committing to sustainability is more complex than ever. Consumers are becoming savvier, quickly identifying hollow claims, while businesses face mounting challenges in navigating this multifaceted landscape. The question is no longer whether to embrace sustainability, but how to do so authentically and effectively.

• ????Rising environmental pressure: This year marked unprecedented global flooding, with over 45 countries affected. These climate realities underscore the urgency for businesses to rethink waste management and adopt circular practices. Read more.
• ???Businesses see the value in circularity: 79% of German businesses claim that circularity was more important in 2024 compared to 5 years ago. Read more.
• ????Increasing consumer pressure: 34% of customers say they are willing to pay more for sustainable products and even more for Gen Z and Millennials. Read more.
• ???Plummeting consumer trust: Consumer trust in corporate sustainability claims has plummeted by more than 50% over the last 2 years. Read more.
• ???Increasing pressure from the employment market: Over 70% of employees claim their employers’ sustainability initiatives influence their decision to stay long-term. Read more.

???Regulations and compliance: A Catalyst for change

The EU solidified its position as a global leader in advancing sustainability and circularity through progressive regulations in 2024. While these measures are crucial steps toward a more sustainable future, they have also highlighted a growing challenge: many businesses are struggling to keep pace with the evolving regulatory landscape. In fact, companies are now spending 43% more on compliance efforts, diverting resources that could otherwise fuel innovation.

Below, we explore some of the most significant regulations introduced this year.

• ??? Eco-design Requirements: New measures mandate improved durability, energy efficiency, and resource use in certain products. Learn more here.
• ?? CSRD: The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive got into full swing , with most major businesses being required to submit reports for the 2024 fiscal year. Watch this video for more information.
• ?? EU Packaging Waste Directive Updates: Explore new requirements for sustainable packaging and recycling quotas. More information here.
• ?? Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR): Highlight the growing role of EPR schemes in holding manufacturers accountable for end-of-life product management. Learn more here.
• ?? WEEE Directive Revisions: New targets for electronic waste recycling and recovery in the EU. More information here.
• ?? Digital Product Passports (DPPs): Under the EU's Eco-design for Sustainable Products Regulation, DPPs will enhance transparency and traceability, starting with the fashion sector. Details here.
• ?? Ban on Unsold Clothing Destruction: Starting in 2025, large businesses must eliminate the destruction of unsold garments, fostering sustainable practices in the fashion industry. Read more here.

These policies have moved the circular economy forward in the EU this year and will continue to do so in 2025.

?? Innovation: Transforming Circularity and Recycling

At Resourcify, innovation is at the heart of everything we do. Our mission is to challenge the status quo and empower businesses to make impactful, data-driven investments in sustainability. Surprisingly, only one-third of companies currently leverage data from their sustainability efforts to drive operational improvements. To better understand the roadblocks, we asked our team to shed light on the key challenges businesses are facing.

• Senior Data Scientist, Roberta Sgariglia , explains the challenges behind measuring scope 3 emissions particularly with regard to waste management. Watch here.
• Product manager, Jung Hahn , sheds some light on the importance of collaboration between operational teams and sustainability departments. Watch here.
• CPO, Freddy Friedman , sheds some light on the importance of automating operations in waste management. Watch here.

There were also some great advancements in technology in 2024, enabling businesses to more easily embrace sustainability and circularity. Here are some of our highlights:

• ?? AI-driven waste sorting improvements: Artificial intelligence is increasingly playing a bigger role in how waste will significantly help businesses reach their sorting targets. Find out more.
• ?? Diamond Powered Batteries: Circularity isn’t just about recycling, it’s also about generating less waste by building longer-lasting products. These new diamond batteries have the potential of lasting thousands of years. Watch our video to learn more. Watch here.
• ?? Single-use device recycling: We’re so excited to see our partner Johnson & Johnson MedTech leading the way to a more sustainable future in the medtech industry with innovative take-back programs on single-use surgical devices that save valuable materials from incineration. Learn more here.

??? Our sustainable business tip for 2025:

As we close the chapter on 2024, one theme stands out: the era of incremental progress in sustainability is over. This year demonstrated that the path to true circularity requires businesses to balance the weight of regulatory demands, the pace of technological innovation, and the growing scrutiny of consumers and employees alike. The challenge is clear, but so are the opportunities.

In 2025, the question for businesses will no longer be whether they can comply with rising sustainability standards—it will be how they can lead. Can companies harness data, automation, and collaboration to turn compliance into a competitive advantage? Will they embrace innovation not just to adapt, but to shape the future of their industries? And, perhaps most critically, can they bridge the gap between ambitious goals and authentic, measurable action?

?? This year’s breakthroughs show what’s possible. The next step is turning possibility into practice. Let’s make 2025 the year that businesses step into their roles as trailblazers for circularity and a sustainable future.

Stay tuned for more insights, and let’s turn sustainable practices into profitable realities—no time to waste! ??