"Standards are a valuable ally in the transition to a circular economy"

"Why do we use standards at Colruyt Group? Two good reasons are safety and cost efficiency. But in addition , standards also guide us in the transition from the linear to the circular economy." Muheeb Al-Obaidy, sustainable building materials project manager at Colruyt Group, explains how standards play an important role within different areas of his life.

"In the story of standards, I wear different hats. I am an active user of standards in my position as project manager of sustainable building materials at Colruyt Group. But in addition, I am a doctoral student at the University of Liege. There I research standards and contribute to their development. Both for new standards and the adaptation of existing standards. Why do we sometimes adapt them? The world is constantly changing. Norms have to conform to that changing reality."

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Why are standards so important?

Muheeb: "The European Commission has a clear strategic vision. It's targeting a climate-neutral economy by 2050, which means we are facing some major challenges in the coming decades: protecting the environment and dealing with the climate crisis. In this respect, the shift from a linear to a circular economy is crucial. And standards can help us with that transition. Following standards translates into less waste less and fewer carbon emissions. They help us save resources by guaranteeing sustainable operations."
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In what ways do you work with standards?

Muheeb: "I am actively involved with standards in different ways: both during my doctoral studies and during my work at Colruyt Group. There we use standards in our operations, but I also actively participate in the development of standards. I approach standards from two angles: theory and practice. There is a clear interaction between the two. Norms set the basis and the rules. We work within a theoretical framework. However, that can be influenced by practice. After all, with feedback from users, we polish standards and develop them further. As a doctoral student, I am delving into various standards with an eye on the circular economy. I am researching how we can adapt standards to the circular story. Standards are the foundations, but they are not sacred. If daily operations reveal that something is lacking, then standards must evolve based on that feedback. That is just as much a circular process.

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