LearnWorlds Course Architecture — ESRS E5
Course: ESRS E5 – Resource Use and Circular Economy
Course Code: ESRS-E5
Part of: ESRS Masterclasses series
School: [ECOWORLD] Sustainability Academy
Facilitator: [FACILITATOR NAME] (Bjarne NJ Pedersen, CEO)
Delivery: 100% online, self-paced with optional live sessions
Languages: English primary, auto-translated to all EU languages
Total duration: ~6.5 hours (full-day equivalent)
Assessment: 10-question module quizzes (80% pass) + 40-question final exam (80% pass)
Course narrative (what the learner experiences)
The learner enters the course knowing that "circular economy" is a buzzword and that ESRS E5 is "the waste one." They leave understanding that E5 is about a company's entire relationship with the physical materials it depends on — and that reporting on it well is a strategic exercise, not a compliance chore. The 11 modules walk them from first principles (why this matters, what the EU is actually asking for) through each Disclosure Requirement in order, with two deep-dive splits on the most substantive DRs (E5-4 inflows and E5-5 outflows), and close with financial effects and how to put it all together.
Structure overview
SCHOOL: [ECOWORLD] Sustainability Academy
└── COURSE: ESRS E5 – Resource Use and Circular Economy
├── Section 0: Welcome & Orientation
├── Section 1: Module 1 — Why E5 Matters (Foundations & Context)
├── Section 2: Module 2 — Circular Economy Principles & The ESRS Lens
├── Section 3: Module 3 — E5-1 Policies on Resource Use and Circular Economy
├── Section 4: Module 4 — E5-2 Actions and Resources
├── Section 5: Module 5 — E5-3 Targets
├── Section 6: Module 6 — E5-4 Resource Inflows (Part A): Quantities & Critical Raw Materials
├── Section 7: Module 7 — E5-4 Resource Inflows (Part B): Recycled & Bio-based Content
├── Section 8: Module 8 — E5-5 Resource Outflows (Part A): Products & Services
├── Section 9: Module 9 — E5-5 Resource Outflows (Part B): Waste
├── Section 10: Module 10 — E5-6 Anticipated Financial Effects
├── Section 11: Module 11 — Putting It All Together: Reporting, Integration & Next Steps
└── Section 12: Assessment & Certification
Section 0 — Welcome & Orientation (~15 min)
| # | Lesson type | Title | Description |
|---|
| 0.1 | Video | Welcome to ESRS E5 | 3-min welcome from [FACILITATOR NAME]. Sets expectations. |
| 0.2 | Ebook/PDF | Course roadmap | Extract from Participant Workbook (Section 0). |
| 0.3 | Video | How to use this course | Navigation, quizzes, downloadable tools, certificate. |
| 0.4 | File download | Participant Workbook | File 03 — learner takes it through all modules. |
| 0.5 | Assignment | Self-assessment: Where is your company today? | Pre-course reflection. 5 short prompts. |
Section 1 — Module 1: Why E5 Matters (~30 min)
Learning objectives: Explain why resource use and circularity matter to business, the climate, and EU competitiveness; locate E5 within the ESRS architecture.
| # | Lesson type | Title | Duration |
|---|
| 1.1 | Video | The material footprint of a European company | 8 min |
| 1.2 | Ebook/PDF | Chapter 1: Why E5 (Participant Workbook pp. 8–14) | 12 min |
| 1.3 | Assignment | Exercise 1.1: Map your top 5 material dependencies | 8 min |
| 1.4 | Quiz | Module 1 Quiz (10 Q, 80% pass) | Untimed |
| 1.5 | File download | Reference reading list — Module 1 | — |
Section 2 — Module 2: Circular Economy Principles & The ESRS Lens (~30 min)
Learning objectives: Define the core circular economy principles (rethink, reduce, reuse, repair, refurbish, remanufacture, repurpose, recycle, recover); map them to ESRS E5 disclosure logic; understand how E5 interacts with E1 (climate), E2 (pollution), E3 (water) and E4 (biodiversity).
| # | Lesson type | Title | Duration |
|---|
| 2.1 | Video | The 9Rs explained in 7 minutes | 7 min |
| 2.2 | Ebook/PDF | Chapter 2: Circular Economy Principles | 13 min |
| 2.3 | Assignment | Exercise 2.1: Apply the 9Rs to one of your products | 8 min |
| 2.4 | Quiz | Module 2 Quiz | Untimed |
| 2.5 | File download | The 9Rs Reference Card (from Workbook) | — |
Section 3 — Module 3: E5-1 Policies on Resource Use and Circular Economy (~35 min)
Learning objectives: Specify what a compliant E5-1 policy must contain; draft policy language; avoid common pitfalls (vague commitments, no scope, no accountability).
| # | Lesson type | Title | Duration |
|---|
| 3.1 | Video | Anatomy of a good E5-1 policy | 9 min |
| 3.2 | Ebook/PDF | Chapter 3: E5-1 Policies | 12 min |
| 3.3 | Assignment | Case Study A: The AlpenFood policy rewrite | 12 min |
| 3.4 | Quiz | Module 3 Quiz | Untimed |
| 3.5 | File download | File 05 — Resource Use & Circular Economy Policy Template | — |
Section 4 — Module 4: E5-2 Actions and Resources (~30 min)
Learning objectives: Describe the actions a company takes to prevent, manage and improve resource use; identify the resources (CapEx, OpEx, people) required; link actions to targets.
| # | Lesson type | Title | Duration |
|---|
| 4.1 | Video | From policy to action: building the action plan | 8 min |
| 4.2 | Ebook/PDF | Chapter 4: E5-2 Actions and Resources | 12 min |
| 4.3 | Assignment | Exercise 4.1: Build a 3-action, 12-month plan | 8 min |
| 4.4 | Quiz | Module 4 Quiz | Untimed |
| 4.5 | File download | Action Plan Worksheet (from Workbook) | — |
Section 5 — Module 5: E5-3 Targets (~30 min)
Learning objectives: Define SMART targets aligned with E5-3 requirements; distinguish absolute vs. intensity targets; baseline and timeline conventions.
| # | Lesson type | Title | Duration |
|---|
| 5.1 | Video | SMART targets for circular economy | 7 min |
| 5.2 | Ebook/PDF | Chapter 5: E5-3 Targets | 12 min |
| 5.3 | Assignment | Exercise 5.1: Convert a vague commitment into a SMART target | 8 min |
| 5.4 | Quiz | Module 5 Quiz | Untimed |
| 5.5 | File download | Target-setting cheat sheet | — |
Section 6 — Module 6: E5-4 Resource Inflows (Part A) (~40 min)
Learning objectives: Quantify key material inflows; identify critical and strategic raw materials exposure; understand the new datapoint introduced in ESRS 2.0.
| # | Lesson type | Title | Duration |
|---|
| 6.1 | Video | Measuring what comes in: inflow quantities | 9 min |
| 6.2 | Ebook/PDF | Chapter 6: E5-4 Part A — Quantities & CRMs | 14 min |
| 6.3 | Assignment | Case Study B: NordTech's CRM exposure | 12 min |
| 6.4 | Quiz | Module 6 Quiz | Untimed |
| 6.5 | File download | File 08 — Resource Use & Circularity Questionnaire | — |
Section 7 — Module 7: E5-4 Resource Inflows (Part B) (~35 min)
Learning objectives: Measure and report recycled content and bio-based materials; understand marine resources as a new inflow category; connect inflow data to GHG reduction (ESRS E1).
| # | Lesson type | Title | Duration |
|---|
| 7.1 | Video | Recycled content and bio-based: what counts? | 8 min |
| 7.2 | Ebook/PDF | Chapter 7: E5-4 Part B — Recycled & Bio-based | 12 min |
| 7.3 | Assignment | Exercise 7.1: Calculate recycled content for one SKU | 10 min |
| 7.4 | Quiz | Module 7 Quiz | Untimed |
| 7.5 | File download | File 09 — Circular Economy Maturity & Resource Risk Tracker | — |
Section 8 — Module 8: E5-5 Resource Outflows (Part A) — Products & Services (~35 min)
Learning objectives: Describe products and services in terms of durability, reparability, recyclability; understand the ESRS 2.0 terminology change from "products and materials" to "products and services"; design for circularity.
| # | Lesson type | Title | Duration |
|---|
| 8.1 | Video | Designing outflows: durability, reparability, recyclability | 8 min |
| 8.2 | Ebook/PDF | Chapter 8: E5-5 Part A — Products & Services | 13 min |
| 8.3 | Assignment | Exercise 8.1: Score one product on the 3 design dimensions | 9 min |
| 8.4 | Quiz | Module 8 Quiz | Untimed |
| 8.5 | File download | Product Circularity Scorecard | — |
Section 9 — Module 9: E5-5 Resource Outflows (Part B) — Waste (~35 min)
Learning objectives: Categorise waste streams (hazardous, non-hazardous); measure diversion, disposal and recovery; link to the waste hierarchy; avoid reputational pitfalls.
| # | Lesson type | Title | Duration |
|---|
| 9.1 | Video | Waste data that stands up to audit | 8 min |
| 9.2 | Ebook/PDF | Chapter 9: E5-5 Part B — Waste | 13 min |
| 9.3 | Assignment | Case Study C: BalticBev's waste disposal dilemma | 12 min |
| 9.4 | Quiz | Module 9 Quiz | Untimed |
| 9.5 | File download | File 10 — Circular Economy Monitoring Dashboard | — |
Section 10 — Module 10: E5-6 Anticipated Financial Effects (~30 min)
Learning objectives: Explain why E5-6 is centralised in ESRS 2; identify risks, opportunities and expected financial effects of resource and circularity issues; quantify at least order-of-magnitude.
| # | Lesson type | Title | Duration |
|---|
| 10.1 | Video | From circularity to euros: financial effects | 8 min |
| 10.2 | Ebook/PDF | Chapter 10: E5-6 Financial Effects | 12 min |
| 10.3 | Assignment | Exercise 10.1: Estimate one risk and one opportunity | 8 min |
| 10.4 | Quiz | Module 10 Quiz | Untimed |
| 10.5 | File download | Financial effects template | — |
Section 11 — Module 11: Putting It All Together (~40 min)
Learning objectives: Assemble a full E5 disclosure narrative; integrate with other ESRS standards; design an internal reporting cadence; know where to go to deepen expertise.
| # | Lesson type | Title | Duration |
|---|
| 11.1 | Video | From data to disclosure: writing your E5 narrative | 10 min |
| 11.2 | Ebook/PDF | Chapter 11: Reporting, Integration, Next Steps | 12 min |
| 11.3 | Assignment | Exercise 11.1: Draft the opening of your E5 disclosure | 12 min |
| 11.4 | Quiz | Module 11 Quiz | Untimed |
| 11.5 | File download | File 06 — E5 Regulatory Disclosure Narrative Template | — |
| 11.6 | Ebook/PDF | Further reading — curated resources | 6 min |
Section 12 — Assessment & Certification
| # | Lesson type | Title | Description |
|---|
| 12.1 | Quiz | Final Exam (40 Q from all module groups, 80% pass) | Unlimited retakes, 24h cooldown after 3rd |
| 12.2 | File download | File 07 — Certificate of Completion | Auto-issued on pass |
| 12.3 | Video | Closing remarks from [FACILITATOR NAME] | 3 min |
Assessment settings (LearnWorlds configuration)
| Setting | Value |
|---|
| Module quiz questions | 10 |
| Module quiz pass threshold | 80% |
| Module quiz retakes | Unlimited; 24h cooldown after 3rd attempt |
| Final exam pool | All 11 module groups (110 questions total) |
| Final exam questions | 40 drawn randomly |
| Final exam pass threshold | 80% |
| Certificate validity | 12 months |
| Renewal requirement | Q4 refresher |
Quarterly refreshers (4 × 45 min)
| Quarter | Topic |
|---|
| Q1 | Sector deep-dive: circularity in manufacturing, retail, and services |
| Q2 | Regulatory update: Omnibus I, ESRS 2.0 changes affecting E5, EU CRMA developments |
| Q3 | Case study review: what went wrong in 2025/2026 E5 disclosures |
| Q4 | Annual disclosure review — required for certificate renewal |
| File | Title | Unlocked in |
|---|
| 00 | LearnWorlds Architecture | (internal/admin only) |
| 01 | Quiz Bank (human-readable MDX) | (internal/admin only) |
| 02 | Facilitator Guide | (internal/facilitator only) |
| 03 | Participant Workbook | Section 0.4 |
| 04 | Case Studies A/B/C | Embedded in Modules 3, 6, 9 |
| 05 | Resource Use & Circular Economy Policy Template | Section 3.5 |
| 06 | E5 Regulatory Disclosure Narrative Template | Section 11.5 |
| 07 | Certificate of Completion | Section 12.2 |
| 08 | Resource Use & Circularity Questionnaire | Section 6.5 |
| 09 | Circular Economy Maturity & Resource Risk Tracker | Section 7.5 |
| 10 | Circular Economy Monitoring Dashboard | Section 9.5 |
| 11 | LearnWorlds Quiz Bank XLS import | (internal/admin only) |
Accessibility & localisation notes
- All videos should include English closed captions and downloadable transcripts (enables auto-translation).
- PDFs/ebooks produced from DOCX source files; DOCX originals delivered for any future edits.
- XLSX tools written with English labels and cell formulas — LearnWorlds AI translation handles surface-level UI but formulas must not reference localised strings.
- Certificate template uses
{{USER_NAME}} placeholder pattern compatible with LearnWorlds auto-population.