Frequently Asked Questions

This FAQ page gives you an overview of the most common questions we get from people who are curious about learning more about the Circular Economy Alliance.

CERTIFICATIONS

Why choose a certification from CEA?

To make Circular Economy ideals possible, we must empower workforces, leaders and institutions with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed. That’s why the Circular Economy Research Centre (CERC) is embarking on an educational journey with one primary mission: enhancing educational efforts to close the gap.

The certification program also responds to the European Commission’s ‘Pact of Skills’ initiative. Launched in November 2020 under the European Skills Agenda, the plan aims to upskill and reskill workforces across Europe for the future.

The CEA’s offering is driven by research and dedicated to shifting towards a Circular Economy, committed to providing knowledge, education, and awareness through a systematic approach. Greenwashing can take away from the mission at hand – that’s why credible data, advanced research, and valuable accreditations fuel what we do. We see people like you – the next generation – as a crucial part of the shift toward a Circular Economy.

Our certification program is the all-inclusive solution to closing the skills gap, increasing employability, and spreading sustainable ideals.

What are the certifications for?

Circular Economy Alliance and the Circular Economy Research Centre have created a unique selection of certifications with one primary goal: to educate global workforces for the future. The curriculum is research-driven and incredibly diverse, developed by both organizations for maximum impact. 

Becoming a Circular Economy requires knowledge, awareness, and skills that most of Europe’s current workforces do not have access to. Our diverse curriculum and extensive body of expertise close that gap with targeted, short, and flexible training opportunities. You can expand your understanding, broaden your skillset and gain valuable certifications for the future from the comfort of your own home and on your schedule.

Our certifications are designed to level up competency and employability while providing foundational knowledge for a more sustainably-minded workforce.

What are the benefits of getting certified?

Getting certified with us is an incredible opportunity to harness new knowledge, skills and awareness – all contributing to a greener, brighter future. It’s ideal for individuals to progress in their careers, employees to significantly upskill and leaders to implement a circular approach. 

After passing your certification, you’ll possess an advanced understanding of Circular Economy concepts related to business, governance, and industry. You’ll be able to promote new business models and lead the transformation process. You’ll apply the techniques and tools you’ve learnt to identify circular approaches, advancing circularity and sustainability.

The certification aims to enhance your knowledge of Circular Economy – whatever that looks like for you. After accessing our exclusive body of knowledge, you’ll be able to promote the common language of circular ideals and join a global community of changemakers driving the transition. If you want a unique competitive edge as we enter a greener future, our certifications are the key to achieving it.

Which certification should I get?

Each certification is made up of different elements of the curriculum, expertly chosen to match varying demands and degrees of knowledge. 

There are four certificates on offer for you to choose from:

Certificate of Completion (CoC)

Our Certificate of Completion is ideal for people interested in learning about a specific area of Circular Economy principles or who have little knowledge of the subject.

You’ll get the chance to enrich your awareness of a particular domain while achieving a fundamental overview, enhancing your capabilities as an individual. Each chapter looks into one specific domain or discipline, sparking interest in the links between each topic and the broader Circular Economy framework. 

The Certificate of Completion is perfect if you want to upskill, reskill, or further your knowledge to navigate the sustainability landscape better.

Circular Economy Professional (Foundational)

Our Circular Economy Professional certification is designed to suit young people emerging from traditional educational settings and early-career professionals. 

As part of this certification, you’ll get access to the first four courses of our body of knowledge. After completing them independently, you’ll feel empowered with a wide selection of knowledge and skills for your future career. It’s a great starting point for anyone interested in lifelong learning and sustainable approaches to work. You’ll learn to decouple economic growth from resource use, eliminate waste, and reach net zero by 2050. 

If you want to develop a sound understanding of Circular Economy business principles and understand how to implement them for maximum impact, this is the ideal course for you. 

Circular Economy Manager (Advanced)

Our Circular Economy Manager certificate is intended to advance the knowledge and skills of young and mid-level professionals across a broad spectrum of Circular Economy principles. As part of this certification, you will get access to the eight courses of our Body of Knowledge. 

This certification is ideal if you’re looking to make a long-term impact. You’ll get to grips with how to identify outdated systems and address challenges, all while coming up with productive and practical circular solutions. Overall, it will enhance your ability to define change requirements and spot business transformation opportunities. 

Circular Economy Specialist (High-Mastery) 

Our Circular Economy Specialist certificate is our most in-depth option, which involves an in-depth analysis of all the major Circular Economy domains. It’s ideal for learners who are already informed with some experience in the field and ready to do what it takes to accelerate the transition. As part of this certification, you will get access to the eight courses of our Body of Knowledge. 

As part of the program, you’ll get a comprehensive view of our body of knowledge, understanding the full implications of the systemic changes we advocate. While strengthening your ability to manage the magnitude and pace of transition, you’ll discover how to make a meaningful and long-lasting impact on your work. 

If you want to unlock the mindset, tools, and skills required to lead integration and put Circular Economy concepts into practice, this certification is for you.

Who is the Circular Economy Professional certification best suited for?

The Circular Economy Professional certification is for students and recent graduates with limited work experience.

Who is the Circular Economy Manager certification best suited for?

The Circular Economy Manager certification is for mid-level employees, managers, consultants and executives.

Who is the Circular Economy Specialist certification best suited for?

The Circular Economy Specialist certification is for anyone interested in gaining a high-mastery certification and in-depth knowledge of the Circular Economy.

How will certification help me?

Our Circular Economy certifications are designed to help you develop the knowledge and skills required to drive your career progression and the world around you forward.

With your new learnings in tow, you’ll be able to take advantage of limitless opportunities and explore personal interests while implementing circular solutions. As a result, you’ll be a leader of change – someone capable of identifying and solving challenges faced by your organization and wider society.

While certifications are carried out independently, you’ll get to join a community of like-minded Circular Economy professionals striving for one ultimate goal. By sharing experiences, proactively networking and collaborating with other forward-thinking changemakers, you will be part of something bigger. After passing, you’ll be able to make impactful contributions to your organization and community, raising awareness for Circular Economy and adopting circular practices.

You have the potential to be the competitive edge your industry needs while driving real innovation and change – our certification will give you the tools you need to get started.

Can I register for multiple certifications at one time?

No, you can only register for one certification course at one time.

Can I register for multiple individual courses at one time?

Yes, you can register for one or more courses simultaneously.

Do you offer a free trial session?
We do not offer a free trial for our certification programs and courses. 

You can learn more about the certifications learning journey in this video.

I’m unsure which course or certificate I want to choose. Do you offer support?

Yes, we offer consultation calls. Please feel free to contact us at
support@circulareconomyalliance.com

Do you offer one-on-one sessions with course authors?
We don’t offer one-on-one sessions at this time.
What is the eligibility criteria for a certification or individual courses?

There are no eligibility criteria requirements.

Are there any prerequisites for each course or certification?

There are no prerequisites required for our courses or certifications.

How will I be evaluated?
Each Certification program is evaluated by respective exam completion after each module. Each exam contains 10 multiple-choice questions which cover only the content you have been studying throughout the module. The exam passing score is 70% and you have three attempts.

There is no exam requirement when purchasing individual courses to achieve a Certificate of Completion.

How will I be assessed for the certification?

Our certifications are validated by completing a timed multiple-choice exam that tests how much of the learnings you have retained and assimilated. A minimum score of 70% is required to validate each module. As soon as you have completed the exam, your results will be available immediately and shown on the screen. Whether or not you are particularly good at exams, the format has been created in a way that is very accessible, is very straightforward (no sneaky tricks or ambiguous language), and only covers the module content you have just reviewed. There is no exam requirement when purchasing individual courses to achieve a Certificate of Completion (CoC).

How much time do I have to complete my certification?

Our certifications have been designed for anyone and everyone to complete at their own pace. We understand that you will not always know how your schedule might look ahead of time or how much time you will be able to dedicate to your certification. That is why our certification schedules are incredibly flexible, allowing you to decide how much time you need to complete. We suggest you take the exam immediately after completing the content of each module. However, all certification programs must be validated within the respective time frame of the initial registration based on each certification program and individual course:

  • Circular Economy Professional (Foundational) – two (2) months
  • Circular Economy Manager (Advanced) – four (4) months
  • Circular Economy Specialist (High-Mastery) – six (6) months
  • Individual course – two (2) weeks

 

Do the Certifications have an expiry date?
The initial certification period is valid for one calendar year following the successful completion of your Circular Economy Professional (Foundational), Circular Economy Manager (Advanced), or Circular Economy Specialist (High-Mastery) certification program. After this initial period, you will need to maintain your certificate with a 50€ annual renewal fee to ensure your certification remains valid and that you retain your active status as part of the Circular Economy Alliance certified members directory. If for whatever reason, you decide not to renew your certification, your certification will expire and your membership in Circular Economy Alliance certified members directory will be revoked. You will be required to redo the certificate in the future if you wish to reinstate it. There is no requirement to re-validate any certifications unless the membership has expired for less than one calendar year. As we drive the transition to a Circular Economy forward, our global directory of Certified Professionals must keep their knowledge as fresh as possible. By renewing your membership each year, you will maintain access to exclusive benefits and opportunities to further your skillset for the future.
How will getting certified impact my career?

It will scale up your knowledge and best practices on the Circular Economy Business model and all the specific skills that will enable you to master, lead and execute circular solutions. It will also ensure job stability in the rapidly changing landscape due to the upcoming green transformation.

Who is this certification program for?

CEA certification programs are open to anyone looking to be part of the transition to a more sustainable reality. CEA certification will give you the knowledge to act effectively at the desired level of impact, whether for you, your company, your community, or the planet. The Circular Economy is the future of work and business, so the CEA certification program offers certifications for leaders, managers, consultants, working professionals, graduates, and students.

Is the learning journey flexible?

Study on your terms, anytime, anywhere. It is fully flexible, and you can manage it as you like in a way that fits your schedule. You can start, pause, or continue anytime and whenever you want. 

CEA certifications offer targeted, short, and flexible training to upskill and reskill for a greener future. Each course is structured in short sections focusing on a key aspect of the Circular Economy, including illustrative case studies and examples. After each section, brief quizzes help ensure that you have assimilated the content and learnings. 

The course includes dynamic multimedia content designed to make learning enjoyable and effortless. The online and on-demand learning model makes it easy for even full-time professionals to complete and validate the material. Access the courses and materials from your desktop or smartphone at your own pace, whenever and wherever.

Where can I find articles or blogs where you share content related to Circular Economy and the courses?
You can find all the resources needed in the knowledge center.
How can I access my Certificate?

In serving the reliability and credibility of our credentials, CEA has partnered with Accredible to issue our credentials in the most secure and verifiable manner. All our credentials are digital and verifiable through blockchain technology. You will be awarded a digital Certificate upon successfully completing any Certification program. You will receive a dedicated email with your unique link to access your certificate, share it on any social media pages, download it and/or print it for your records. Within your certification page, you will be able to see the course information and the verification button, which will confirm the validity of your certificate.

WIll I get a hard copy of the certificate?

We do not offer hard copies of certificates. All the certificates are digital with the option to be printed. 

At CEA, we encourage you to avoid printing documents as it is resource intensive.

How can I subscribe to your newsletter?

To subscribe to our newsletter, please click here.

MEMBERSHIP
As an individual, how can I become a member of CEA?
After completing our certification, you’ll be automatically registered as a member of the CEA certified members directory.

As a certified member, you can expect to: 

  • Receive regular updates and access to new resources and research. 
  • Get exclusive invites to community events, conferences, presentations, and workshops.  
  • Access relevant and productive networking opportunities.   
  • Receive early bird and loyalty discounts on all future educational and training products developed by CEA and CERC.  
     

CEA and CERC are committed to updating the Circular Economy curriculum and our body of knowledge in line with the latest developments. As a certified member, you will be notified of these changes to keep your Circular Economy expertise up to date.

How much does a CEA membership cost?
An annual membership for the CEA costs a yearly fee of 50€. Membership costs help to ensure the validity of your certifications and secure your place in Circular Economy Alliance certified members directory. 

Only those with a valid and active certification can be members of the registered Circular Economy Alliance certified members directory. Annual membership is included with the initial certification fee for one year and the annual renewal fee of 50€, required to maintain certification and active member status after that. 

Unfortunately, despite many requests, we do not intend to accept external, that is, non-certified professionals, as part of the Circular Economy Alliance certified members directory.

Maintenance of certification only applies to the Circular Economy Professional (Foundational), Circular Economy Manager (Advanced), and Circular Economy Specialist (High-Mastery) and not to the Certificate of Completion that is issued for individual courses. Members should also note that there is no requirement to retake any assessment or exam, except if you allow your membership and certification to expire for more than one calendar year without renewal.

Why become a member of the Alliance?
As a member of the CEA certified members directory, you will continuously be in the loop as you help with your actions to slow, narrow, and close it! You will receive regular updates, continuous access to new research-based knowledge on the Circular Economy, and invitations to events, conferences, presentations, workshops, and networking opportunities. As the field of Circular Economy evolves, so will the best practices, strategies, and skills necessary for adopting it successfully. CEA and CERC are committed to regularly updating the Circular Economy certificate curriculum and Body of Knowledge to include the latest developments. Certified members will be notified of changes to maintain the relevance of their Circular Economy expertise. In addition, you will receive ‘early bird’ and ‘loyalty’ discounts on all future educational and training products developed by CEA and CERC.
As an organization, how can i join your network?
To join CEA’s network, please click here: Join Our Network
Where can I access content resources related to the Circular Economy?
Please feel free to check out the knowledge center to access our abundant resources on the Circular Economy.
How can I unsubscribe from the newsletters?
You can unsubscribe from the newsletters from the option “unsubscribe” at the end of a newsletter email you have received
Where can I find a list of all certified individuals?
You can find a list of all certified individuals on this page: https://circulareconomyalliance.com/network-directory/ 

JOBS AND INTERNSHIPS

How can I submit a job application at CEA?
You can submit a job application at CEA on the following link: https://circulareconomyalliance.com/join-our-team
Where can I find the status of my application?
If you have applied for one of CEA’s vacancies, please contact our Human Resources Department at hr@circulareconomyalliance.com

Suppose your application is for another organization’s vacancy from our job board. In that case, you will have to contact that specific organization’s HR Department or any other responsible person stated on their job posting.

Do you offer internship opportunities?

Yes, we do offer internship opportunities in the education field.  

Often, our internships are unpaid. Interns are compensated with knowledge and education for the duties and responsibilities that they take on with their role. 

Please note that CEA is under no obligation to provide interns with a position as an employee or on any other basis.

Do you offer traineeship opportunities?
Yes, we do offer traineeship opportunities. CEA considers applications from EU Nationals and non-EU Nationals. Our traineeship contracts start as a 6-month contract, and can be extended for another 6.

  • Full-time trainees train an average of 38 hours per week and have ongoing employment.
  • Part-time trainees train regularly; the training should be no less than 15 hours per week.
What is the difference between an internship and a traineeship?

The main difference between internships and traineeships is that most of the time, an internship is unpaid. 

A traineeship is always a paid and usually full-time position.

Can students apply for internships?

Yes. Internship opportunities are available to students over the age of 18. 

If you are a student and wish to strengthen your resume and gain new skills and experience, we encourage you to apply!

Do you offer scholarships?
We do not offer scholarships at this time. 

PAYMENT AND REFUNDS

What payment methods do you accept?
Credit and Debit Cards. We also accept Apple Pay and Google Pay. All Charges for Services are calculated in EURO and your credit card will be charged in EURO. You are responsible for any taxes imposed on the Services except in cases where legislation requires C.E.A. CIRCULAR ECONOMY ALLIANCE LTD to collect the taxes.
What do I do if my credit card is not accepted?
In case of an unsuccessful charge to a credit card, try to use another one. In case of a technical or system failure, you are kindly requested to contact us at Circular Economy Alliance Support support@circulareconomyalliance.com Meanwhile, C.E.A. CIRCULAR ECONOMY ALLIANCE LTD will automatically suspend paid features of your account until your payment can be processed.
How do I pay for the courses?
Payment is processed at the registration phase and must be completed before starting any course(s) or certification. Costs are always displayed clearly for each product and the calculation of possible taxes, such as VAT, is displayed at the checkout.
Can I get a refund?
C.E.A. CIRCULAR ECONOMY ALLIANCE LTD provides Digital Content and Digital Services, and as such content is immediately viewable and usable after signing up and accessing the respective content. Therefore, all sales are final. However, C.E.A. CIRCULAR ECONOMY ALLIANCE LTD strives to provide the best customer service and is always happy to resolve matters on a case-by-case basis. If you believe you should be eligible for a refund, please contact C.E.A. CIRCULAR ECONOMY ALLIANCE LTD at: CEA Operations info@circulareconomyalliance.com.

If you decide not to complete a course or certification that you have paid for, C.E.A. CIRCULAR ECONOMY ALLIANCE LTD may be able to refund your payment depending on the situation. This refund is subject to verification that you have not made any use or interacted with the digital material which consists of the course including but not limited to the course book, the e-learning course, and the exam questions. In accordance with EU guidelines relative to “buyer’s remorse”, if you pay for a Course or a Certification bundle, you can request a refund within 2 weeks (14 days) after your payment.

Once you have already initiated the delivery of the digital content of the course, including but not limited to downloading the respective Course or initiating the digital delivery of the e-learning course, and/or earned your Certificate, you are no longer eligible for a refund, even if you earn your Certificate within the two-week refund period. No refund will be issued, if you breach the provisions of any of the Terms and Conditions Agreement or applicable laws.

What if I withdraw from the certification?
You have the right to cancel your order within fourteen days without giving any reason. However, your right to cancel expires as soon as you access C.E.A. CIRCULAR ECONOMY ALLIANCE LTD content or services. To be eligible for a refund under your right to cancel, you must have not accessed the services and content provided.

The withdrawal period is fourteen days from the day of the conclusion of the contract. In order to exercise your right to cancel, you must, by means of a clear declaration notify us of your decision to revoke the provisions as these are stated in all Terms and Conditions Agreements of C.E.A. CIRCULAR ECONOMY ALLIANCE LTD. To comply with the withdrawal period, it is sufficient for you to send the notification of the exercise of the right of withdrawal before the expiry of the withdrawal period. If you decide to withdraw, we will refund all payments we have received from you, without delay and at the latest within fourteen days of the day on which we received notification of your withdrawal from this contract.

Does my subscription automatically renew?
You do not have to explicitly cancel your subscription to paid services. Auto-renewal will not take place.
Will I be notified if the cost of the services you provide increases?
C.E.A. CIRCULAR ECONOMY ALLIANCE LTD may introduce new or cancel existing paid services and features at any time, which may result in an adaptation of its charges. You will be informed about any of the changes at least one month in advance via email and/or through the adaptations to the Website.