What is the Circular Behavior Index (CBI) and how does it work?
When we talk about shifting to a circular economy, we often focus on big industry changes. But real change starts with everyday habits and choices. To help young people understand where they stand in this transition, the CirculYOUNG project uses a practical tool called the Circular Behavior Index (CBI).
Available in English, Italian, Greek, and German, the CBI is a simple self-assessment designed to help educators, youth workers, and young people themselves look at their daily relationship with sustainability.
Where does it come from?
The CBI was originally developed during the Erasmus+ CLAY (Closing the Loop Along with the Youth) project where our Italian partner, Training 2000 participated.
For CirculYOUNG, we adapted the index to make sure it is accessible and relevant to young people from all kinds of backgrounds, including NEET youth and those with migratory backgrounds who are navigating new language and cultural settings.
Instead of a formal test, the CBI consists of a series of statements about daily choices. Participants simply reflect on how closely these statements match their own awareness, habits, and attitudes toward resources and waste.
The main goals of the CBI
For trainers and participants, the index serves a few very practical purposes:
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It maps out existing habits and perceptions before any training begins, so we know what topics to focus on.
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By checking in at different times, young learners can see how their own habits and mindset have shifted over the course of the project.
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The results help educators see where a participant might need a bit of extra guidance or encouragement.
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It gives participants a clear look at their current footprint, categorizing their score into three simple, encouraging levels:
This table shows how you can assess your level of understanding based on your score from the CBI
If you are curious to test your level of circular behavior, you can access it directly on the Online Learning Platform, by clicking on “Circularity Index - Test your current knowledge beforehand” and then on “Let’s start!”.