Back in 2013, AERESS launched its first impact calculator. The idea was simple but powerful: anyone could enter the number of items they donated or bought second-hand and instantly see the difference their choices made.
Simplicity is the calculator’s greatest strength, turning impact into tangible visuals. For instance, kilograms of CO₂ avoided are translated into the number of trees needed to absorb that carbon. Water savings are exemplified in familiar terms, such as how many showers have been saved.
Through the calculator, users begin to see the hidden water footprint behind a single t-shirt or pair of jeans – everyday items that most of us have in our wardrobes. On top of environmental savings, it also highlights the number of work hours created and the economic value returned to society. Alongside the figures, users encounter real stories – brief portraits of the people working in insertion jobs and how new opportunities through AERESS members have changed their lives. In this way, the calculator becomes a bridge between data and lived experiences.
One of the biggest surprises for AERESS has been how far this tool has travelled. Thanks to strong collaborations within the RREUSE network, the calculator has been adopted and used by organisations across Europe, extending its reach well beyond its original context.
Listening closely to feedback, AERESS continually improved the calculator. In 2026, it unveiled a new, intuitive design and a downloadable “impact ticket" summarising results. This makes sharing and reflecting on their impact easier.
The most significant change is that the environmental and social calculators are now combined into a single tool. This makes the experience smoother and better reflects how these impacts are intertwined in real life. The outcomes of circular social enterprises are not separate. They are closely connected, just like people and the planet. The new calculator helps users see this broader picture right away.
The development of, and updates to, the calculator have been made possible thanks to the collaboration and financial support of the Spanish Ministry of Labour and Social Economy and the CEPES-EFESO Program.
