Circular Economy Institute

What Circular Economy Institute does

The Circular Economy Institute (CEI) is a UK-based education and certification body that delivers online training programs and professional credentials focused on circular economy practice. Its core offerings span a foundational CEI Trained course (£349), an Advanced Practitioner tier (£549), and a portfolio of sector-specific Specialist certifications covering Fashion and Textiles, Construction and Built Environment, Resources and Waste Management, Circular Supply Chains, and Circular Cities, supplemented by £15 micro-learning modules. The platform is built on a standard e-commerce stack with self-paced online course delivery, and the curriculum is positioned as aligned with the upcoming ISO Standard on circular economy, developed in conjunction with domain experts.

The company operates a hybrid revenue model combining one-time course purchases with a recurring Professional Membership subscription and an enterprise membership tier. Distribution is primarily direct-to-consumer through ceinstitute.org, amplified by a global network of 70+ independently operated Circular Economy Clubs across 21+ countries (marketed under the Circular Economy Connect / Circular Economy Club platform) and by an annual flagship event, Circular Cities Week. Named certified professionals include individuals from Google, CIMB Berhad, Ware Malcomb, InnoTech Solutions, and various startups, indicating adoption across fashion, financial services, manufacturing, and built environment verticals.

Since January 2024, CEI has been a wholly owned subsidiary of the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM), a Royal Charter charity, following CIWM's acquisition of the predecessor Spanish entity Circular Economy Institute S.L. and incorporation of the current UK entity (company number 15232864). The organization employs 51–100 staff from its headquarters in Northampton, UK, and is GDPR- and CCPA-compliant, but discloses no revenue, funding, or AI/technology capabilities beyond its learning content.

Name

Circular Economy Institute

Legal name

Circular Economy Institute Limited

Website

https://ceinstitute.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2024

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Circular Economy Institute is a UK-based education and certification body delivering online circular economy training courses, specialist credentials, and a global community of 70+ clubs across 21+ countries, operating as a subsidiary of CIWM.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Training & Certification

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (611430)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Circular Economy & Resource Efficiency (BPADALAM)

Keywords

• Circular economy training
• Sustainability certification
• Professional development courses
• Online education programs
• Waste management training

Headquarters

HQ city

Northampton

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Training Course Sales: One-time purchase of individual online training courses and certifications including CEI Trained (£349), Advanced Practitioner (£549), and Specialist specialisms (£477.60). Micro-learning courses available at £15.
2. Professional Membership: Annual membership program providing ongoing access to resources, networking, and member-exclusive benefits.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Circular Economy Institute sells online, self-paced certification courses and a professional membership program for individuals and organizations seeking credentials in circular economy. Core offerings include the CEI Trained foundational certification (£349), CEI Advanced Practitioner Training (£549), specialist sector certifications in Fashion and Textiles, Construction and Built Environment, Resources and Waste, and Circular Supply Chains (£202.98–£477.60), short Circular Cities micro-courses (£15), and an annual Professional Membership subscription.

Product overview

The Circular Economy Institute (CEI) offers an online training certification platform comprising core foundational courses and specialist sector-specific certifications. The core offerings include CEI Trained (foundational knowledge) and CEI Advanced Practitioner Training (strategic transformation), while specialist certifications cover Fashion and Textiles, Construction and Built Environment, Resources and Waste Management, and Circular Cities (also available as micro-learning). All courses are delivered online with self-paced learning options, and pricing ranges from £15 (micro-courses) to £549 (advanced practitioner training).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Circular Economy Club (CEC): Non-profit international circular economy network of local clubs operated under CEI's umbrella, with 70+ clubs worldwide in various cities.

Products and services

• CEI Trained Entry-level online certification providing foundational circular economy knowledge for professionals new to the field or those seeking to integrate circular thinking into their current roles. Priced at £349 as a one-time purchase with lifetime access.
• CEI Advanced Practitioner Training Advanced online certification for experienced professionals ready to lead circular economy implementation and drive strategic transformation within organisations. Priced at £549 as a one-time purchase.
• CEI Micro Course – Circular Cities Short-form online micro-learning course focused on circular economy principles for urban environments and city planning. Priced at £15.
• CEI Specialism – Circular Supply Chains Online specialist certification addressing circular economy applications in supply chain management. Priced at £202.98 as a one-time purchase.
• CEI Specialism – Construction and Built Environment Online expert-level certification for circular economy implementation in construction and built environment sectors. Priced at £477.60 as a one-time purchase.
• CEI Specialist – Fashion and Textiles Online professional certification for applying circular economy principles to fashion and textile industries. Priced at £477.60 as a one-time purchase.
• CEI Specialist – Resources and Waste Online certification focused on circular economy approaches to resource management and waste reduction. Priced at £477.60 as a one-time purchase.
• CEI Professional Membership Annual subscription membership program providing ongoing access to resources, networking opportunities, and member-exclusive benefits for circular economy professionals and organizations.

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• CIWM (Chartered Institution of Wastes Management)coreOthers · 9 January 2024The Circular Economy Institute Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of CIWM (Chartered Institution of Wastes Management), a company incorporated by Royal Charter. CIWM is registered in England (No RC000777) and is a charity registered in England, Wales, and Scotland. The acquisition of the original Circular Economy Institute S.L. assets was completed on 9 January 2024.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Ellen MacArthur Foundation: Leading circular-economy advocacy organisation publishing circular-economy educational content and curriculums. Comparable in subject-matter focus (circular economy) but not a credentialing body.

Direct peers

• Carbon Literacy Project: UK-based charity delivering carbon-literacy training and certification to individuals and organisations. Comparable in offering affordable, self-paced sustainability credentials with community dissemination.
• Institute of Environmental Management & Assessment (IEMA): UK-based chartered professional body offering environmental and sustainability credentials. Closest direct peer in geography, professional-certification model, and target buyer (UK/EU sustainability practitioners).
• B Lab: Non-profit operator of the B Corp certification, with adjacent training, community, and standards-based credentialing. Comparable in mission-driven professional/business credentialing in the sustainability domain.
• Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI): Operator of LEED and TRUE Zero Waste certification programmes. Comparable in selling structured, tiered sustainability credentials to professionals and enterprises globally.
• International Society of Sustainability Professionals (ISSP): Global membership body for sustainability professionals offering the SEP credential and training programmes. Comparable in targeting individual practitioners pursuing recognised sustainability certifications.
• International Sustainable Development Professionals (ISDP) / Sustainability Academy: Provider of online sustainability training and certification programmes to working professionals. Comparable in online, self-paced sustainability certification delivery model and target learner.

Broad incumbents

• Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL): University-affiliated executive education and leadership programmes on sustainability. Comparable in target audience (sustainability leaders) but operates at higher price points and via degree/exec-ed format.
• Global Reporting Initiative (GRI): Standards body for sustainability reporting with associated sustainability training and credentialing for reporters and practitioners. Comparable in standards-aligned professional training for ESG/sustainability roles.

Others

• Green Growth Knowledge Platform: Multi-stakeholder knowledge platform on green growth and sustainable development, including capacity-building resources. Adjacent in thematic area but operates as a knowledge/research platform rather than a credentialing business.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Circular Economy Institute