For many companies, 2026 will be defined by strategic development.
Volatile supply chains, rising costs, and increasing regulatory requirements make one thing clear: managing critical raw materials is no longer merely an operational issue — it is a core element of corporate strategy.

A key lever is often closer than expected: existing circular systems.
Returns, end-of-life equipment, second-life streams, and the systematic recovery of materials offer companies the opportunity to reduce dependencies while safeguarding value creation.

This leads to two closely interconnected guiding questions:

• How can critical raw materials be secured from existing circular systems without creating new structural dependencies?
• How can companies ensure regulatory certainty so that these circular models can be implemented in a compliant, predictable, and scalable way?
  
  

Circular Economy as a Strategic Instrument

The circular economy is often discussed primarily from a sustainability or ESG perspective. In practice, however, it is increasingly becoming a key instrument for resilience, competitiveness, and regulatory stability.

Companies that systematically keep products, components, and materials in circulation:

• reduce the use of primary raw materials
• increase their strategic room for maneuver
• and create transparency across material flows and obligations

What matters most is a holistic approach:
not “recycling at the end,” but designing the entire product lifecycle—from market entry and compliance to take-back, reuse, second life, and controlled recovery.

Where Practice Falls Short: Uncertainty Rather Than Lack of Will

Many companies have ambitious sustainability goals. Yet in implementation, a recurring pattern emerges: the challenge is not a lack of commitment, but a lack of orientation and certainty.

In practice, similar hurdles appear repeatedly:

• Which take-back obligations apply in which markets—today and tomorrow?
• How do national and international EPR and product compliance requirements differ?
• Which operational steps are required to meet these obligations?
• How can companies prepare for upcoming regulatory changes?
• Which take-back and recovery models are both economically viable and regulatorily robust?

Especially in an international context, one thing becomes clear:
without regulatory clarity, circular models remain fragmented, difficult to scale, and risk-prone.

Key Building Blocks for Robust Circular Strategies

Successful circular economy models emerge where strategy, regulation, and operational feasibility are brought together.

1. Strategic Advisory
Everything starts with clear decisions: objectives, scope, business case, responsibilities, and governance structures. Without this foundation, any circular model remains fragile.

2. Regulatory Certainty & Foresight
International circular models require continuous legislative monitoring, risk assessments, and robust compliance frameworks (e.g., EPR, product compliance). Regulation is not a barrier—it is a prerequisite for scalable solutions.

3. Integrating Take-Back into Product and Market Design
Take-back obligations must not be an afterthought. They need to be integrated early into product design, market entry, and go-to-market strategies—both nationally and internationally.

4. Operational Feasibility in Everyday Business
Circular systems only work if they are simple, reliable, and scalable—for customers, partners, and internal organizations.

5. Second Life & After-Sales
Before materials are recycled, the most value-preserving options should be assessed: reuse, second life, spare parts, and lifecycle management. Material recovery comes last.

How 1cc Supports Companies in the Circular Economy Context

As an external environmental department, 1cc GmbH supports companies as a strategic partner for international compliance and sustainability solutions. With strategic foresight and strong operational execution, we guide companies safely through the complex requirements of global environmental regulations.

We provide regulatory certainty and help companies fulfill their environmental responsibilities efficiently, realize cost savings, and create economic value at the same time. Through tailored consulting, global legislative monitoring, and operational support in meeting regulatory obligations, we navigate companies through the jungle of environmental and compliance requirements.

Together with our sister company, TechProtect GmbH, we help close the loop. TechProtect is your specialist for the implementation of international take-back solutions for end-of-life products. We make room for new opportunities and promote the reuse of raw materials.

2026: From Circular Projects to Circular Strategy

If the circular economy is to deliver real value in 2026, it will require less symbolism and more structure: clear responsibilities, robust concepts, regulatory certainty, and systems that work in everyday operations.

2026 can be the year in which the circular economy evolves from a project into a strategy—ecologically sound, economically viable, and sustainably effective.