Global Zero Waste at Go Circular Germany 2026

Standardisation, competitiveness and clear rules to guarantee the transition of the plastics industry towards the circular economy

The circular economy for plastics is at a decisive moment. Europe has raised the regulatory bar with Regulation (EU) 2025/40 of 19 December 2024 on packaging and packaging waste, which entered into force on 12 February 2025, and with the strengthening of Extended Producer Responsibility for textile products. The current debate, however, is no longer about how much regulation there is, but about how coherent and applicable it is.

The question that dominates the sector today runs deeper: can the European circular system be competitive without losing technical rigour?

These themes will shape the 7th edition of the GO CIRCULAR business summit, to be held on 25 and 26 March 2026 in Mannheim, Germany, under the title “Driving plastic clarity: connecting policy, technology and consumers”.

Transparency and traceability in standardisation processes are the key

In the panel “Global perspectives: a level playing field”, our Founder and CEO Sandra Pinzón will present the experience of implementing the Global Zero Waste Standard, with an approach based on standardisation, measurement and technical verification.

Real cases of textile and packaging waste management implemented in different countries in the region will be shared, such as Falabella, a leading company in retail, e-commerce and financial services, operating mainly in Chile, Colombia, Peru, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico and Uruguay; and Darnel Ajover, a multinational in plastic packaging with production plants in Colombia, Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, the United States, Spain and Türkiye.

As the leader of the Global Zero Waste Standard, Sandra will bring to Mannheim a technical approach centred on the evolution of material and waste management systems towards structured models that are measurable and internationally comparable. The presentation will highlight how methodologies such as the Zero Waste Management System, based on performance indicators, compliance criteria and independent third-party verification, make it possible to ensure traceability, methodological consistency and transparency across the whole material cycle.

For their part, Sabine Theobald, strategic relations coordinator and expert on the Global Zero Waste team, will bring a perspective focused on the operational implementation of these standards in different regulatory settings. The session will analyse how standardisation can adapt to diverse regulatory frameworks without losing technical rigour, showing that methodological consistency is an enabler of competitiveness and an essential condition for building systemic trust in the circular economy.

From technological innovation to measurable implementation

For years, the conversation about plastics centred on technological innovation, the quality of recovered material, the efficiency of mechanical versus chemical recycling and the processing capacity of new plants. Today the challenge is different: ensuring that whatever is presented as circular can be demonstrated under technical criteria.

When standards are not aligned, ambiguities arise, real costs are distorted and the confidence of investors and buyers is weakened. In a context of volatility and international competition, operational clarity about how things are measured, who certifies and under what criteria is decisive.

The circular economy has entered a phase of maturity. It is no longer just about declaring commitments, but about building systems that make it possible to measure performance, recognise equivalences and sustain competitiveness.

Along these lines, Global Zero Waste, an organisation leading international circular economy standards, and Cercarbono, an expert body in climate change mitigation mechanisms, have built a strategic partnership to develop the Voluntary Circular Economy Program. This programme is a robust market instrument that facilitates material recovery across the whole value chain through the trading of Circular Credits, which finance environmental services of reduction and recirculation. The integrity of this ecosystem rests on the technology platform of EcoRegistry, which uses blockchain technology to guarantee transparency, traceability and security in the registration of projects, preventing double counting and allowing the international transfer of credits with full confidence for investors and buyers.

Join the conversation that will define the next decade

GO CIRCULAR will bring together regulators, investors and leaders from the main industries transforming and managing materials in the textile sector and the plastics industry, to move towards a verifiable circular economy.

Be part of the conversation. See you in Mannheim!