Which region and which sector leads the circular economy? CEBIX, a multivariant index based on business actions

The circular economy encompasses a sustainable economic model based on a production, consumption, distribution and maintenance process that reuses as much as possible. In this research, the two-step composite Circular Economy Business Index was created, based on 17 environmental practices that companies have implemented to reduce the generation of waste and emissions and to increase the reuse and efficiency of materials and energy, among other actions. The use of a sample of 26,783 companies from 49 countries and 10 sectors for the period 2014–2019 allowed the aggregation of these initiatives at the country and industry levels. In this sense, our results show less progress in the circular transformation worldwide and can be used in the design of policies aimed at promoting changes in production and consumption systems in specific geographic or industrial contexts. •We propose a composite index to gauge national/industrial circular economy progress.•Companies implement circular economy strategies according to their activity.•Only 26% of firms have implemented a circular economy initiative.•European countries and Japan are leading the circular transformation.•The institutional environment in Europe and Japan promotes circular transformation.