Unlocking 1mln tonnes of valuable critical materials by design: Cradle to Cradle Certified® joins the C2C Electronics Initiative
As a new member of the C2C Electronics Initiative, the Institute presented Cradle to Cradle Certified® at IFA in Berlin as a framework uniting circular design and third-party verification to keep valuable materials in circulation
We are pleased to share that the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute has joined the C2C Electronics Initiative, a collaborative platform bringing together business ( e.g. Miele and Liebherr), academia and civil society to accelerate the transition towards circular, resource-positive and future-fit electronics. The initiative focuses on keeping electronics, materials and valuable raw materials in the loop by advancing practical solutions, scalable business models and shared knowledge across the sector.
As part of this engagement, Nienke Steen joined IFA in Berlin to explore the world of innovation and technology, connect with leading voices in the electronics industry and present Cradle to Cradle Certified® as a key circular electronics standard and certification framework. C2C NGO offered a platform at IFA to discuss how the sector can move from linear product models towards electronics that are designed for safe use, repair, reuse, recovery and continuous material cycling.
Her presentation highlighted how Cradle to Cradle Certified® can help electronics companies respond to current market needs by combining circular design with credible, third-party verification. For electronics brands, this means looking beyond end-of-life recycling alone and addressing the full product system: safer material choices, design for circularity, responsible production, climate performance, water and soil stewardship, and social fairness. The growing community of certified products, including e.g. Bang & Olufsen, Lautsprecher Teufel, Liebherr Group, &Tradition, shows that circularity is not just an ambition, but something that can be measured, verified, and brought to market. In a fast-moving market shaped by consumer expectations, supply chain volatility and increasing demand for transparent product data, certification can help companies turn ambition into measurable and comparable proof.
The discussion also connected directly to the growing legislative momentum around circular electronics in Europe. The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (WEEE) continues to push for better collection, treatment, reuse and recycling of electronic waste; the Right to Repair strengthens the need for products that are easier and more attractive to repair; and the Critical Raw Materials Act underlines the strategic importance of recovering and keeping valuable materials in circulation. Together, these developments show that circular electronics are no longer a niche ambition, but an emerging regulatory and business imperative.
By joining the C2C Electronics Initiative, the Institute is helping to build bridges between certification, innovation and regulation. Our involvement supports a shared goal: to make circular electronics practical, credible, and scalable. With Cradle to Cradle Certified® as a framework for verified product circularity, electronics companies can take meaningful steps towards products and systems that are better for people, business and the planet — and better prepared for the circular economy now taking shape.