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Certify your Zero Waste competencies
Certify your Zero Waste competencies
Your Future Rule

How to get certified

The certification process consists of a few easy steps. you can expect the whole process to take about 4-6 weeks. You will be working together with two assessors to certify your competences and get valuable feedback from them about your skills. 

In order to gain the required competences for Zero Waste Trainer Certification, you’ll need to follow these steps:

  • Attend one of our open Zero Waste Trainer trainings, which we organise with partners at least once a year
  • Do the required analysis task, based on your training work (the form with specific questions will be given by our assessors)
  • Attend an interview with 2 of our assessors

In case you are not able to attend our training, or believe you already have the needed competences, it’s also possible to apply for the certificate with these additional tasks:

  • Proven Experience: A minimum of three years of hands-on work in the fields of zero waste or circular economy, including practical implementation, policy development, community engagement, or consultancy.
  • Training Delivery: Participation in at least three full-day training sessions co-delivered with a certified Trainer Assessor. At least one of these trainings must include core Zero Waste Trainer topics, such as addressing common misconceptions around zero waste practices.
  • Lead Training Role: In at least one of the above training sessions, the applicant must have taken the role of lead trainer for specific sessions, demonstrating the ability to independently guide learning and facilitate participant engagement.

These requirements ensure that each trainer not only has solid subject matter expertise, but also the practical teaching experience to inspire and equip others in the transition to zero waste.


Note: The next certification opportunities will take place during the first two weeks of June in 2025. You will have an opportunity to choose the specific date and time. If you wish to join , please be in touch by the end of April 2025. We will close the registrations then.
Start the process

After confirming that you have the needed competences for the certification, fill in the relevant contact form to book the competence verification. Immediately after submitting, you will receive an instruction email to gather the right materials to submit for the assessors.

Payment and admin

After max 5 working days you will receive an invoice for the certification via email. Paying it will fully kick start the certification process. Within 5 days of receiving the payment, one of our assessors will be in touch via email with you to give you access to your personal certification folder and to organize time for the interview.


Make sure to submit your learning assignment into the folder at least one week before the interview date. The assessors will assess the assignment before the interview.


The costs for the certificate are:

400€ + VAT if you get the certificate at the first certification opportunity after your training

450€ + VAT if you get the certificate at any other organized certification opportunities

550€ + VAT if you want to get certified outside of the offered certification opportunities


The next certification opportunities will take place during first two weeks of May in 2025. You will have an opportunity to choose the specific date and time.

Assessment

Join the online interview at the dedicated time and answer the questions the best you can. You will meet with two of our assessors in the meeting.


After the interview, the assessors will conclude the cerification and report the results to Zero Waste Europe. Zero Waste Europe will make the final decision on the certification.

Results

Within 30 working days of receiving the results of the assessment, Zero Waste Europe will be in touch with you via email. If the result is positive, you will receive your certificate and follow up instructions at the same time. If negative, you will receive instructions on how to improve for re-certification.


At the same time, you will also be asked for basic information to feature you on the page of Zero Waste Experts. It's a great way to boost your credibility. You'll be also added to our community of experts and will receive regular tips, opportunities and networking events. Should you not wish to participate, there is also an option for that.

Being certified

Keep up the good work as Zero Waste Trainer! We hope you get a lot of value out of it. We also hope to see you in our events, catch ups and mailing list. Please don't hesitate to connect with your fellow experts and be in touch with us, too.

Renewing the certificate

3 months before the expiry of your certificate, you will receive a notification that your certification is about to expire. The email will include instructions for its renewal but generally, the re-certification process is very similar, albeit lighter that the first certification.

Are you ready to certify your trainer skills?

Book Trainer certification