public sector communitycircular economyextended producer responsibilitylife cycle assessmentmaterial flow analysis
Complete evaluation framework
What to assess and how to score it
Review the evidence signals before interviewing. Then use the anchored descriptions—not instinct alone—to choose the score that best matches each answer.
01
Evaluation factor
Outcomes that landed
30% weight
Ask what circularity initiatives they took from pilot to rollout: take-back schemes, reuse or refill programmes, recycled content targets, with diverted tonnage or landfill reduction figures.
Evidence to listen for
Names programmes or initiatives that were adopted, funded, or delivered
States their own role rather than the department's
Gives measured reach or impact
Distinguishes work that landed from work that stalled, and explains why
Five-point scoring guide
1
Poor
No delivered work; describes intent and process only.
2
Needs Improvement
Involved in initiatives but cannot say what resulted or what they owned.
3
Satisfactory
Real delivery with adequate ownership; impact described loosely.
4
Very Good
Named outcomes with clear personal scope and some measures.
5
Excellent
Names specific programmes with measured outcomes, for example tonnes diverted, recycled content percentage lifted, or closed-loop supplier contracts signed.
02
Evaluation factor
Stakeholder facilitation
25% weight
Probe how they aligned procurement, product designers, waste contractors and municipal authorities; look for evidence of moving reluctant suppliers onto reuse or design-for-disassembly commitments.
Evidence to listen for
Brings a real contested case, not a philosophy of engagement
Names the competing interests and the resolution method
Uses concrete engagement formats and can point to input that changed a decision
Treats every group as legitimate
Five-point scoring guide
1
Poor
Diplomacy-speak with no case attached, or contempt for one group.
2
Needs Improvement
Recalls conflict but no method; engagement is a box to check.
3
Satisfactory
Real case and workable approach; resolution thin on specifics.
4
Very Good
Names the tension and method; cites engagement that shaped the outcome.
5
Excellent
Describes concrete negotiation with suppliers, waste haulers and internal design teams, and explains how resistance was converted into signed commitments.
03
Evaluation factor
Regulatory and policy command
25% weight
Test command of EPR schemes, the EU Circular Economy Action Plan, Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation, Digital Product Passports, WEEE, packaging waste rules and CSRD resource-use disclosures.
Evidence to listen for
Names the statutes, funding rules, and processes they have worked under
Explains how those requirements sequenced their work
Owns the compliance thinking rather than deferring it entirely
Knows where the discretion sits
Five-point scoring guide
1
Poor
Outsources all regulatory thinking; cannot name a framework.
2
Needs Improvement
Generalities about compliance; no sequencing or named rules.
3
Satisfactory
Knows the main frameworks; sequencing described loosely.
4
Very Good
Names relevant frameworks and how they shaped a timeline.
5
Excellent
Cites the specific regulations binding their sector, including reporting deadlines and fee modulation rules, and how compliance shaped design decisions.
04
Evaluation factor
Evidence and reporting
20% weight
Check how they quantify circularity: LCA tools (SimaPro, GaBi, OpenLCA), material flow analysis, Material Circularity Indicator, and how they handled data gaps in supplier inputs.
Evidence to listen for
Uses data to choose between options, not to justify a decision already made
Names the sources and methods behind their numbers
Reports to funders, councils, or the public in terms those audiences can use
Tracks whether the intervention worked
Five-point scoring guide
1
Poor
No use of evidence; decisions are assertion.
2
Needs Improvement
Cites data but cannot explain its source or limits.
3
Satisfactory
Uses evidence competently; evaluation after the fact is thin.
4
Very Good
Evidence drives choices and is reported clearly to lay audiences.
5
Excellent
Explains system boundaries, data sources and assumptions behind their footprint or circularity numbers, and flags where evidence was weak.
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