Regenerative, circular economy approaches as framework for Industry 5.0 implementation
1/20. A colleague asks you about the role of IoT in circular economy. What do you say?
2/20. Your team is analyzing waste management options. What approach should they take?
3/20. You are designing a new product line. What design principle should guide your work?
4/20. You’re planning a new facility. How should you approach material sourcing?
5/20. You’re designing an educational workshop on Industry 5.0. What focus should you prioritize?
6/20. Your CEO wants to introduce new KPIs. What sustainability metric is most strategic?
7/20. You want to create a new business strategy. How should circular economy principles guide you?
8/20. You're developing a company-wide sustainability policy. How should you think about energy use?
9/20. Your company's warehouses have rising energy costs and still rely heavily on non-renewable energy. You believe it's time to transition toward renewable solutions. Management is concerned about initial investment costs and wants a solid plan. How do you move forward?
10/20. The engineering department at your construction company resists adopting recycled materials for new projects, citing concerns about supply stability and client perceptions. Sustainability leadership asks you to propose a strategy to increase adoption without alienating key staff. How do you approach this challenge?
11/20. After an internal audit, it’s clear your cafeteria generates high levels of food waste daily. Management wants to move toward zero waste but doesn't know where to start. You are assigned to create a plan. How will you begin?
12/20. A large client has requested detailed lifecycle data for one of your bestselling products as a condition for renewing their contract. Your company has little experience with Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) processes. Leadership turns to you for advice. What do you propose?
13/20. In response to new sustainability targets, your company plans to overhaul its packaging to reduce waste. However, some managers from the logistics department resist, citing concerns about costs, packaging durability, and customer complaints. You are tasked with making a recommendation to the leadership team. What’s your approach?
14/20. Your company has recently implemented a smart production planning system that uses IoT data to optimize resource use. However, after several months, workers on the production floor have raised concerns. They report that the system sometimes recommends unrealistic batch sizes and causes material shortages. As complaints escalate, management assigns you to assess the situation and suggest improvements to regain efficiency and employee trust. How do you respond?
15/20. As part of your circular economy strategy, your company considers offering repairs on old products. However, sales managers express fear that promoting repair services could cannibalize new product sales. Leadership wants your recommendation. How do you proceed?
16/20. You are involved in developing a new product line of smart devices. The product team suggests minimizing upfront production costs, even if it results in products that wear out faster and can't be easily repaired. Sustainability leadership asks for your opinion. What’s your advice?
17/20. Which of the following statements best reflects the integration of circular economy principles within Industry 5.0?
18/20. What is the main difference between the traditional sales model and the product-as-a-service (PaaS) model?
19/20. Which of the following uses best reflects the role of Material Flow Analysis (MFA) in sustainability?
20/20. Which strategy is a key element in the design and management of circular supply chains?
Your result: /100
You have achieved a Low Readiness Index. Your approach to circular and regenerative economy is still at an early stage. You tend to treat sustainability as an optional or secondary issue, focusing mainly on traditional linear models such as “take, make, dispose”. In many areas, you overlook opportunities to reduce waste, extend product lifecycles, or integrate renewable energy. Your supply chain remains largely linear, and you have not yet embedded systemic thinking into your strategy.
Steps to be taken to improve your Readiness Index:
- Introduce waste reduction and recycling policies supported by staff training.
- Begin integrating renewable energy and basic circular design principles.
- Establish partnerships with suppliers and clients who share sustainability goals.
You have achieved a Moderate Readiness Index. Your responses show an awareness of the value of circular economy practices and some initiatives already in place, but implementation is inconsistent. For example, you may use recycled materials or promote repair in certain areas, yet other parts of your business remain dependent on conventional, linear practices. Energy efficiency and waste reduction are considered, but not systematically embedded across the organisation.
Steps to be taken to improve your Readiness Index:
- Adopt a company-wide circular economy strategy aligned with lifecycle assessments.
- Expand business models to include repair, rental, or subscription services.
- Strengthen collaboration across departments and use digital tools to track resource efficiency.
You have achieved a High Readiness Index. Your results indicate strong integration of circular and regenerative principles into your business practices. You design products for durability, repairability, and recyclability, and your supply chains reflect collaboration, transparency, and material reuse. You demonstrate commitment to renewable energy, energy efficiency, and systemic waste reduction, while also adopting innovative business models such as product-as-a-service and collaborative consumption. This readiness level confirms you are well prepared to lead in Industry 5.0 by combining advanced technology with sustainability.
Steps to be taken to improve your Readiness Index:
- Pursue certifications such as Cradle to Cradle to validate achievements.
- Scale up regenerative practices that restore ecosystems and communities.
- Share best practices and invest in advanced tools to forecast and optimise circular performance.
EQF level alignment
According to your results, your current competence level can be estimated as %EQF%.