Climate change, trade wars, supply-chain disruptions, and geopolitical uncertainty - one may characterize the post-COVID era as such. The Circular Economy, with its focus on a circular production process, is a framework that addresses exactly these drivers of heightened uncertainty. We propose...

The circular economy (CE) is increasingly recognized as a financially material dimension of corporate sustainability, complementing and in some respects surpassing traditional Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) metrics. Building on prior evidence of a negative relationship between...

This conceptual paper introduces the theory of Digital Resource Leverage (DRL) to explain how social entrepreneurs transform resource scarcity into digital opportunity within the context of sustainable economic systems. Building on and extending the Resource-Based View and bricolage theory, the...

Large volumes of e-waste collected under formal schemes in high-income countries are still processed informally in developing ones, despite continuous policy efforts to reverse this trend. This paper shows that the persistence of informal e-waste processing is a consequence of how global waste...

Within the framework of the circular economy, extending the lifespan of electrical products through repairing them is a promising approach, particularly against the backdrop of growing e-waste levels. Consumers play a key role in facilitating repair and multiple studies have suggested their...

Plastic pollution poses a critical environmental challenge, driven by excessive consumption and inadequate waste management, particularly in agri-food systems. Mismanaged municipal solid waste contributes to severe ecological degradation as plastics accumulate in terrestrial, aquatic, and...

Photovoltaics play a key role in the United Kingdom (UK) meeting its net-zero targets. In this analysis, we draw on governmental datasets and projections, technical data from across the photovoltaic (PV) manufacturing industry and technoeconomic research to determine the UK's waste processing...

Sustainable fashion consumption can be promoted only by understanding the motivation behind consumers' decision to purchase sustainable clothing. This study explores the determinants of consumers' purchasing intentions for two clothing items with different functions, characterized by different...

The research develops an open innovation roadmap which enables Latvian regions to use carbon dioxide. The research combines stakeholder collaboration with spatial analysis and performance evaluation, environmental impact assessment, and economic feasibility studies. The roadmap evaluates several...

The escalating environmental crises have led to the emergence of strategic alliances as a pivotal open innovation mechanism driving circular transitions. This study pioneers an investigation by systematically examining how strategic alliances enhance the green total factor productivity (GTFP) of...

Digital technology innovation has become a key driver of sustainable development, but its impact on the circular economy has been little explored theoretically or empirically. This study uses panel data from 279 cities in China from 2011 to 2022 to measure the circular economy development index...

Despite growing interest in circular economy (CE) practices, the mechanisms for improving financial performance in micro and small enterprises (MSEs) remain underexplored, especially in developing economies. This study examines how CE practices enhance financial performance, both directly and...

This study examines how circular business models (CBMs) and industry 4.0 technologies (I4.0Ts) can connect in the specific context of local subsidiaries. The study adopted a case study methodology, involving twelve semi-structured interviews with key board members of Schneider Electric. Multiple...

The European Union's circular economy (CE) policy aims to foster closed-loop systems that reduce waste and resource use, yet its practical implementation remains limited. Open innovation (OI)-the cross-organizational sharing of knowledge and collaborative problem-solving-offers a promising but...

Background: The transition to renewable energy is intensifying demand for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), thereby increasing the need for sustainable lithium sourcing. Traditional mining practices pose environmental and health risks, which can be mitigated through efficient end-of-life recycling...

The circular economy (CE), or circularity, is a concept widely embraced by researchers and policymakers to enhance sustainability in marketing innovation. This approach emphasizes recycling, reusing, and reducing waste, catering to the needs of eco-conscious consumers while improving companies'...

The rise of green startups transformed the role of entrepreneurship by integrating sustainability into business models, fostering economic growth while addressing urgent ecological concerns. This review explores the role of green startups in economic development, analyzing their contributions to...

The Swiss-Ghana Amendments to the Basel Convention mark a significant milestone in global e-waste (electronic waste) management, requiring Prior Informed Consent (PIC) for all transboundary movements of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE), regardless of their hazard classification....

This paper presents an advanced human-centric circular supply chain optimization framework that integrates economic, environmental, and behavioral dimensions into a unified multi-objective model. By jointly optimizing selling price, product quality, warranty duration, and production cycle time,...

The main report provides an integrated narrative, examining the central and vital role that the climate and natural environment play in ensuring health, resilience and prosperity for people, anchored in the EU’s vision for a sustainable Europe by 2050.

In the automotive sector, excess inventory increases costs and prevents progress toward Sustainable Development Goals, particularly those related to Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure (SDG 9) and Responsible Consumption and Production (SDG 12). This study introduces an innovative approach...

Despite broad support for sustainability, the transition from linear to circular economic models remains slow and fragmented across industries. Digital technologies such as the metaverse present new opportunities for enabling circular economy (CE) practices, yet their strategic integration...

Objective:The article is devoted to the readiness of manufacturing enterprises to introduce the assumptions of the circular economy (CE). The purpose of the study is to see if there are statistically significant differences between the declared readiness to adopt the principles of the circular...

Circularity has advanced to a key strategy for transforming our society: closing the loop is expected to enable economic profits independent of resource consumption and its associated environmental impacts (Blomsma & Brennan, 2017; Bocken et al., 2021; Circle economy, 2023; Ellen MacArthur Foundation, 2019;...

This article explores the role of cities in advancing the circular economy (CE), drawing on insights from experts in five mid-sized European cities. While cities contribute significantly to global pollution, they also have the resources and influence to drive impactful CE initiatives. Key...

BASF pioneers circular economy initiatives in the chemical industry, aiming to replace fossil-based materials with bio-based and recycled alternatives. Encouraging a positive "can do" mentality through its Circular Economy Co-funding program, the company fosters innovation and collaboration...

Organizations face increasing pressures to address climate change, disruptive technologies, resource scarcity, and shifting stakeholder expectations. These factors require them to reassess their strategies, societal roles, and approaches to innovation. At the same time, transitions toward...

Circular Economy embraces opportunities and risks from an ethical perspective informed by human rights. From an ethical standpoint, the aim is to enjoy the human rights-upsides and avoid the human rights-downsides. At the same time, a conceptual compatibility characterizes the relationship...

Current growth-oriented efforts to build economies are not on a sustainable and inclusive path: the well-being of the entire population of the planet remains unattainable while planetary boundaries are exceeded. Thus, instead of focusing on economic growth, a more holistic approach to building...

This study critically examines the circular economy (CE) concept through two systematic literature reviews, conducted across general management and economics (28 articles) and operations and supply chain management (45 articles). The research addresses two key questions: how CE criticisms can be...

Companies are currently facing the challenge of having to transform their linear approach to product design into a circular one in order to remain competitive. The reason for this is the increasing pressure in the supply of primary resources, consumer and employee expectations, as well as...

The chemical industry, often referred to as the "industry of industries", plays a crucial role in the Circular Economy, an economic model aimed at closing material loops and minimizing harmful environmental impacts. However, the sector in Europe is currently facing unprecedented economic...

Influencers who advocate for environmentally friendly and ethical practices play a crucial role in promoting the principles of the circular economy, including the 4 Rs: repair, reuse, recycle, and reduce. This paper investigates the business models utilizsed by sustainability influencers and...