Building Evidence That Converts Sceptics

The circular economy is a fertile space for optimism. Many ventures are founded by people who passionately believe in systemic change and can inspire others with their vision. But belief is not enough. A familiar pattern emerges when we look at why stakeholders hesitate to commit. They do not lack enthusiasm; they lack proof.

UK consumers are among the most sceptical in Europe. Research from the Competition and Markets Authority found that 40% of green claims made by businesses could be misleading. No surprise then that more than 40% of consumers distrust environmental messaging. The same pressure applies to investment. ESG funds have grown rapidly, but investors now demand evidence of measurable impact, not simply attractive positioning. In this climate, circular businesses cannot rely solely on inspirational storytelling. They must build credibility systematically.

The numbers are stark.

YouGov research found that only 4% of UK consumers completely trust sustainability logos on products. That is the lowest in a 17-market survey. Another 13% do not trust them at all. The remaining 42% sit somewhere in between, unconvinced.

An estimated 95% of products marketed as green contain some form of greenwashing. 40% of green claims lack verifiable proof. The fashion industry, a key sector for circular innovation, ranks among the least trusted for sustainability claims.

This scepticism is not irrational. It is learned. Decades of exaggerated claims have taught consumers to doubt. For circular businesses, this is the starting point.

Evidence in circular economy marketing is not a luxury or an afterthought. It is the foundation that determines whether stakeholders are willing to engage. Yet many ventures treat it as a secondary task, focusing first on storytelling, branding, or community engagement. The result is a credibility gap.

This is where the idea of evidence architecture becomes vital. Just as a building needs a foundation and supporting structure, a communication strategy needs proof at its core. For an investor, that might be financial modelling that demonstrates how resource efficiency drives long-term returns. For a corporate partner, it could be scenario analysis showing reduced supply chain risk. For consumers, it might be an impact calculator that translates sustainability into tangible personal benefits. Regulators expect compliance and traceability, while technical partners need the specifications that allow integration.

Without this architecture, communication becomes inconsistent. Each stakeholder hears an inspiring vision but cannot see how it connects to their priorities. With it, the message is not just coherent, but persuasive.

Lifecycle assessment provides a systematic method for evaluating environmental impacts. It covers everything from raw material extraction to end-of-life.

For circular businesses, verified LCA data does something that claims cannot. It provides numbers. Carbon emissions. Water use. Waste generated. These can be audited, compared, and reported.

LCA forces a holistic view. It prevents cherry-picking positive attributes while hiding trade-offs elsewhere in the chain. This is precisely what distinguishes credible communication from greenwashing.

The output can feed into Environmental Product Declarations, which allow transparent communication to customers, investors, and regulators in a standardised format.

Some UK organisations are beginning to put this principle into practice.

Circular Computing provides a powerful example. Its entire proposition is built on independently verified data. According to BSI-certified figures and research by Cranfield University, each remanufactured laptop is claimed to avoid more than 300 kilograms of CO2 compared with buying a new one, while also cutting water use and resource extraction. These numbers are shifting the conversation with IT buyers. Instead of a vague green option, the company offers measurable carbon savings that procurement teams can build into corporate disclosures.

Celsa Steel UK shows how evidence can reframe an industry. The company reports producing around 1.2 million tonnes of steel each year, largely from recycled scrap metal. This demonstrates that circularity is not a niche experiment but a core part of the construction supply chain. The message is less about furnaces or technical detail, and more about resilience, reliability, and the ability to deliver low-carbon steel at scale.

The Royal Mint illustrates how independent validation can strengthen credibility. Working with researchers and clean-tech partners, it has tested and scaled a process for recovering precious metals from electronic waste. Public data suggest gold recovery rates of over 99%, and the opening of a major facility in South Wales has helped transform the project from a novel idea into a bankable innovation, opening the door to commercial partnerships.

M&S highlights the power of transparency. Through its long-running Plan A commitments, the company publishes detailed progress data each year, including when targets are missed. This willingness to share both successes and setbacks has built stakeholder trust over time, demonstrating that honesty often carries more weight than polished but unverified claims.

IKEA launched a furniture buy-back and resale programme globally in 2020. In its first year, the company reportedly resold over 120,000 pieces and diverted an estimated 15,000 tonnes from landfill. The numbers gave the programme credibility that a press release could not.

Dell runs a closed-loop recycling system for electronics. By tracking and publishing material recovery rates, it builds trust with corporate customers who need to demonstrate supply chain sustainability.

Philips offers ultrasound equipment on a subscription rather than a sale basis. The model works because the company can quantify value: reduced upfront cost, continuous upgrades, and end-of-life take-back. The proposition is measurable.

One of the most effective ways to build credibility is through transparency. But transparency must be structured carefully. It is not about releasing endless data or overwhelming audiences with detail. It is about tailoring information to the right level for each group.

For consumers, accessible educational content and simple dashboards can make the impact visible without drowning them in complexity. For investors, the same dashboards can include quantified carbon savings and resource efficiencies tied to financial outcomes. For partners, detailed technical documentation ensures they can integrate circular processes effectively. For regulators, compliance reports and traceability systems show that requirements are met.

This tiered approach avoids both greenwashing and greenhushing. It makes information available at the right depth and in the right format.

As scrutiny intensifies, some businesses respond by saying less. This is greenhushing.

The logic is understandable. If any claim invites attack, why claim it at all? But silence has costs. It stifles progress. It cedes the conversation to competitors willing to take risks. And it leaves stakeholders uninformed.

The solution is not silence. It is structured honesty. Acknowledge what you have achieved. Be clear about what remains in progress. Explain the challenges. M&S has shown that reporting missed targets alongside successes builds more trust than curated perfection.

Scepticism is not irrational. It is a learned behaviour shaped by decades of exaggerated claims and environmental promises that went unfulfilled. That is why independent validation is so important. Certification schemes, third-party audits, and recognised standards provide credibility that internal messaging cannot deliver on its own.

Third-party certifications carry weight. B Corp, Fairtrade, FSC, and ISO standards. These signal that an external body has verified claims.

The key is choosing certifications relevant to your sector and stakeholders. Then communicate what they mean in plain terms. A logo alone is not enough. Explain the standard it represents and why it matters.

In the UK, WRAP has shown how collaborative validation can transform entire sectors. Through initiatives like the UK Plastics Pact, it convenes retailers, brands, and policymakers around common goals. Shared evidence frameworks allow individual companies to demonstrate progress within a trusted collective structure. This not only reassures stakeholders but also reduces the cost and complexity of proving impact.

The Global Reporting Initiative. Science Based Targets. These enable credible benchmarking and public disclosure. They resonate with B2B partners and regulators because they are recognised and comparable.

For circular businesses, aligning with these frameworks signals sophistication. It tells investors the business takes measurement seriously and can be held accountable.

One mistake many circular organisations make is assuming sceptics are an obstacle to be overcome. In reality, they are a critical audience. Believers will follow because they share the vision. Sceptics will engage when they see credible evidence that aligns with their risk tolerance, compliance requirements, or financial priorities. Winning them over is what drives adoption at scale.

The UK market provides ample illustration of this. Consumers may admire bold sustainability pledges, but what shifts behaviour is evidence that choices make a measurable difference. Investors may applaud mission-driven founders, but what secures capital is robust modelling of returns. Corporate partners may admire innovation, but what convinces procurement teams is proof of reliability and compliance.

Respecting scepticism means recognising it as a rational demand for evidence. When marketing acknowledges this, it does not diminish the vision of circularity. It strengthens it.

Research suggests 72% of B2B buyers are more likely to purchase from companies that perform well on issues they consider important. But the proof required varies.

Investors need financial projections and risk assessments. Procurement teams need compliance documentation and operational reliability. End consumers need simple, verifiable claims.

The most effective circular businesses develop evidence packages tailored to each group. The same underlying data is presented in formats that address specific decision criteria.

The circular economy is not short of inspiring ideas. What determines which ventures thrive is their ability to move from belief to proof. The organisations that succeed are those that build credibility into their communication systems, making evidence a strategic asset rather than a reluctant add-on.

The lesson for marketing is clear. Do not treat evidence as something to assemble after the story has been crafted. Build the story on evidence from the beginning.

Audit your current claims. For each, ask: What is the evidence? Who verified it? Can a sceptical procurement manager find proof within two clicks?

If the answer is unclear, that is where the work begins.

In Part 3, we explore how to turn this strategy into execution: phased engagement, resource allocation, and metrics that matter. Missed Part 1?