No full-text available
To read the full-text of this research,
you can request a copy directly from the author.
Closed-loop production systems - A sustainable supply chain approach
Abstract
Closed-loop production systems strive for sustainability by improving economic and environmental goals simultaneously. We note that many negative environmental impacts, such as waste, energy consumption, transport processes and packaging, can be avoided if companies establish closed-loop production systems. In this contribution we outline the concept of sustainable supply chain networks (SSCN) as a suitable means of designing closed-loop production systems. The implementation of SSCN allows the process links between the companies in a supply chain to close, which facilitates the transformation from a flow economy into a circular economy. A circular economy improves sustainability and ultimately leads to improvements in economic and environmental performance.
... This suggests room for more conceptual development and reviews of research in this literature. For example, Winkler (2011) [63] introduced the sustainable supply chain network (SSCN) concept by moving from isolated applications of waste management in the production process to a closed-loop production system in which interacting companies work together to create a network for collecting and conditioning waste to be reused as resources. Winkler (2011) [63] emphasized that companies within an SSCN should involve those outside the same industry who can benefit from waste and use it as materials, as well as those providing know-how, technologies, and services in collecting, conditioning, or exchanging waste material. ...
... For example, Winkler (2011) [63] introduced the sustainable supply chain network (SSCN) concept by moving from isolated applications of waste management in the production process to a closed-loop production system in which interacting companies work together to create a network for collecting and conditioning waste to be reused as resources. Winkler (2011) [63] emphasized that companies within an SSCN should involve those outside the same industry who can benefit from waste and use it as materials, as well as those providing know-how, technologies, and services in collecting, conditioning, or exchanging waste material. As the proposed network is built within the circular economy context, the supply chain network is extended to the end-of-life stage when products are recovered effectively from customers for reuse, remanufacture, or recycling [63]. ...
... For example, Winkler (2011) [63] introduced the sustainable supply chain network (SSCN) concept by moving from isolated applications of waste management in the production process to a closed-loop production system in which interacting companies work together to create a network for collecting and conditioning waste to be reused as resources. Winkler (2011) [63] emphasized that companies within an SSCN should involve those outside the same industry who can benefit from waste and use it as materials, as well as those providing know-how, technologies, and services in collecting, conditioning, or exchanging waste material. As the proposed network is built within the circular economy context, the supply chain network is extended to the end-of-life stage when products are recovered effectively from customers for reuse, remanufacture, or recycling [63]. ...
Since the mid-2010s, the circular economy has emerged as a key conceptual lever in corporate efforts to achieve greater environmental sustainability. Corporations have increasingly drawn upon the circular economy perspective in efforts to rethink sustainable supply chain management practices. This new corporate approach to sustainable supply chain management is evident in an emerging literature that has yet to be fully documented. In this systematic review of research, bibliometric methods were applied to a database of 709 Scopus-indexed documents. Author co-citation analysis identified four schools of thought comprising the intellectual structure of this literature: Sustainable Production and Environmental Management, Sustainable Supply Chain Management, Reverse Supply Chain Management, and Circular Economy. Synthesis of these themes suggests that the adoption of a circular economy perspective is transforming sustainable supply chain management in two important ways. First, this perspective reorients supply chain management away from a narrow focus on efficiency and waste reduction and towards a new paradigm of redesign, reuse, and product transformation. Second, adoption of the circular economy highlights and leverages reverse cycles in the supply chain. Thus, circular economy business models enable supply chain management to enhance corporate contributions to sustainable production and consumption. Drawing upon this framing of supply chain management within a circular economy, the review proposes a new framework for accelerating corporate sustainability.
... The last strategy "closing the loops" recycles materials or other kinds of resources (e.g., by-products) by closing the loops in both postproduction and post-consumption stages avoiding landfilling 1 [ 1]. At the company or industry level, the application of CE translates into the adoption of cleaner production processes creating the opportunity of exploring internal and external recycling processes with other companies in the supply chain [2][3][4]. Through internal or external recycling strategies, the industrial activities operate more closely to the functioning of natural ecosystems where resources are never considered as a "waste" [ 5]. Frosch and Gallopoulous [ 6] in their seminal work emphasized the need for industrial activities to be more integrated by cooperating in exchanges of by-products and resources. ...
... The latter involves the activation of complex interplay of resource exchanges (materials, water, energy, and by-products) within the participating companies to achieve socio-economic and environmental benefits [ 16,17]. 4 The essence of industrial symbiosis is taking full advantage of by-product utilization, while reducing residual products or treating them effectively. The term is usually applied to a network of independent companies that exchange by-products and possibly share other common resources [ 23]. ...
This chapter provides an overview of the application of CE at the meso level. The authors focus on EIPs, as the most representative cases at this level. The EIPs are unique examples showing how companies can cooperate in sharing resources such as water, energy, material, by-products, and services. Case studies of EIPs (IZ NÖ-Süd in Austria and Ulsan Mipo and Onsan Industrial Park) are presented, with their environmental, economic, and social performances tracked through existing evaluation frameworks. To provide a deeper perspective on the topic, the origins, evolution, and current performances of Kalundborg Symbiosis EIP in Denmark, the well-known longstanding case of EIP are briefly summarized. Moreover, the current monitoring framework developed by the Chinese government complements the analysis. So far, China has developed the largest EIP program worldwide. Overall, the EIPs case studies show that, besides the economic benefits, EIPs provide environmental and social benefits depending on their implementation and management. In such a way, the cases show how EIPs can contribute to diversifying the industrial context in a more sustainable way and more in harmony with the natural environment and the surrounding social community.
... For example, Winkler (2011) [63] introduced the sustainable supply chain network (SSCN) concept by moving from isolated applications of waste management in the production process to a closed-loop production system in which interacting companies work together to create a network for collecting and conditioning waste to be reused as resources. Winkler (2011) [63] emphasized that companies within an SSCN should involve those outside the same industry who can benefit from waste and use it as materials, as well as those providing know-how, technologies, and services in collecting, conditioning, or exchanging waste material. As the proposed network is built within the circular economy context, the supply chain network is extended to the end-of-life stage when products are recovered effectively from customers for reuse, remanufacture, or recycling [63]. ...
... Nascimento et al. (2019) [14] asserted that supply networks must be circular in order to achieve sustainable production. Winkler (2011) [63] emphasized the need for all actors along the supply chain to co-operatively implement circular economy practices from production to consumption. The vital interdependency among circular economy, sustainable operations, and sustainable consumption is visualized on the map where sustainable supply chain management is located in the center linking the three concepts (see Figures 4 and 5). ...
This edited volume, “Research on Corporate Sustainability”, contains reports written by experts in their areas of specialization. The volume begins by introducing a report on the interim system theory of corporate sustainability, which fills in the gap in the
predominantly empirical field of corporate sustainability, and is followed by three reports on organizational resilience that are widely regarded as sustainability outcomes. Another set of reports is concerned with sustainable tourism and community development, as sustainable community development can often be sustained by the people who live there. Finally, the edited volume concludes with two reports on sustainable supply chain
management and climate finance, which are seen as critical aspects of sustainable development.
... A closed-loop production system should be considered regarded as a sustainable approach to the supply chain. However, a sustainable production system makes sense only if the conflicts between economic and environmental goals are resolved (Winkler, 2011). This goal may be most effective at the supply chain level since this is where the negative impacts of processes such as transportation take place. ...
... In addition, Winkler (2011) suggests establishing specific supply chain networks with production systems that act as a single integral organization. The development of measures of fluidity using data generated by NNs in this work is compatible whit this goal. ...
Travel time pattern analysis and prediction are essential for achieving better logistics performance in the supply chain. Solid theoretical assumptions based on reliable historical information must be established to analyze travel time; however, access to such information in emerging markets is challenging. Neural networks can learn historical data patterns and are proposed in this study as an artificial intelligence tool to calculate and forecast travel times to develop reliability measurements. Thus, the following measures and indices were used: the percentiles of travel time and the mean, amplitude, skew, buffer, and indices of fluidity and planning time regarding the mean. The obtained data were compared, and a small variation was found between the control and prediction sets. Furthermore, the model did not generate large prediction errors based on the root-mean-square error (RMSE) values. According to the mean difference test results, the hypothesis that the real and forecasted datasets have the same mean was not rejected. Overall, the possibility of predicting travel times using neural networks allows modeling the transportation segments where information is unavailable, thus, preserving travel data anonymity. Finally, helpful conclusions and a proposal for future research are presented.
... An eco-innovation model [4,5]; • Recyclables and waste recovery [6]; • Waste treatment and recycling [7]; • Eco-design and resource productivity [8,9]; • Other activities, i.e., industrial symbiosis [6,10,11]; • Taxonomy [12]; • ...
... An eco-innovation model [4,5]; • Recyclables and waste recovery [6]; • Waste treatment and recycling [7]; • Eco-design and resource productivity [8,9]; • Other activities, i.e., industrial symbiosis [6,10,11]; • Taxonomy [12]; • ...
More and more attention is paid to the circular economy (CE) and indicators that enable the monitoring and verification of the progress of transformation at various levels (the European Union, countries, regions, companies, etc.). Many analyses of CE indicators for different levels have been presented in the literature, but the benefits of their implementation and their limitations have not been discussed individually. The aim of the work is to identify and verify, based on the research conducted, CE indicators relating to sustainable production, along with their advantages and limitations. The article presents the selection process as well as the potential benefits and limitations of using indicators to assess the transformation towards a CE as identified for the Polish economy. The practical aim is to apply the indicators identified to different sectors of the economy. An important element of the work is the proposal for the process of selecting CE indicators that monitor the CE transformation based on their advantages and limitations, taking into account the goals and obligations set out in the main strategic documents of Poland and the EU, the process of consultations with industry, and the structure of the economy.
... Individual and firm strategic decisions relating to allocating and using resources can contribute to CE transition, representing the micro-scale of CE implementation [45]. At the firm level, strategies such as eco-design, design for the environment, and cleaner production may contribute to circular economic transition [45,46]. ...
... Individual and firm strategic decisions relating to allocating and using resources can contribute to CE transition, representing the micro-scale of CE implementation [45]. At the firm level, strategies such as eco-design, design for the environment, and cleaner production may contribute to circular economic transition [45,46]. The micro-level of CE practice focuses on improving the environmental performance of a particular organization, such as the reduction in resource consumption and waste discharge, or even designing products that are more environmentally friendly [47]. ...
Achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 will require tackling both energy-related and non-energy-related GHG emissions, which can be achieved through the transition to a circular economy (CE). The focus of climate change crisis reversal has been on the energy-related continuum over the years through promoting renewable energy uptake and efficiency in energy use. Clean energy transition and efficiency gains in energy use alone will not be sufficient to achieve net-zero emissions in 2050 without paying attention to non-energy-related CO2 emissions. This study systematically reviews the CE literature across different themes, sectors, approaches, and tools to identify accelerators in transitioning to a CE. The study aims to understand and explore how technology, finance, ecosystem, and behavioral studies in the CE paradigm can be integrated as a decision-making tool for CE transition. The material analysis was carried out by identifying the main characteristics of the literature on CE implementation in the agriculture, industry, energy, water, and tourism sectors. Results of the literature survey are synthesized to engender clarity in the literature and identify research gaps to inform future research. Findings show that many studies focused on technology as an accelerator for CE transition, and more studies are needed regarding the CE ecosystem, financing, and behavioral aspects. Also, results show that CE principles are applied at the micro-, meso-, and macro- (national, regional, and global) levels across sectors with the dominance of the industrial sector. The agriculture, water, and energy sectors are at the initial stages of implementation. Additionally, the use of carbon capture and utilization or storage, conceptualized as a circular carbon economy, needs attention in tackling CE implementation in the energy sector, especially in hydrocarbon-endowed economies. The major implication of these findings is that for CE to contribute to accelerated net-zero emission by 2050, coordinated policies should be promoted to influence the amount of financing available to innovative circular businesses and technologies within an ecosystem that engenders behavioral change towards circularity.
... A CE program in a company implies the implementation of different strategies to bring circularity to the production system and also to cooperate with other companies along the supply chain in search of an effective circular pattern (Winkler, 2011). The main strategies in this direction are associated with rethinking business models, and the company's production processes (cleaner production with prevention of pollution, reduced use of toxic substances, among others) (Winkler, 2011;Ghisellini et al., 2016), as well as supply chains (supply and reverse logistics), to achieve and maintain operational efficiency. ...
... A CE program in a company implies the implementation of different strategies to bring circularity to the production system and also to cooperate with other companies along the supply chain in search of an effective circular pattern (Winkler, 2011). The main strategies in this direction are associated with rethinking business models, and the company's production processes (cleaner production with prevention of pollution, reduced use of toxic substances, among others) (Winkler, 2011;Ghisellini et al., 2016), as well as supply chains (supply and reverse logistics), to achieve and maintain operational efficiency. Products need to be designed with various stages of use and economically viable value recovery activities, as part of closed-loop supply chains. ...
Sustainable development has been pursued by organizations around the world ever since environmental and social issues were introduced into institutional agendas. In the various sectors of the economy, the factors that influence sustainable decisions are multidisciplinary and systemic, and address the concept of Circular Economy (CE). This study aimed to develop a method to measure the level of commitment of companies and sectors to CE. The method allows investigating institutional factors associated with sustainable development and assessing the depth of CE practices. A circularity index is originated that can assist decision makers in the development of specific strategies, investment plans, and policies to guide organizations towards the achievement of a CE. The proposed method was then applied to 75 Brazilian companies recognized for their sustainability initiatives, analyzing practices associated with CE actions, as well as their depth. The results, using the Analytic Hierarchical Process (AHP), indicate that the sectors analyzed do not have a significant difference among them and that the majority of the companies analyzed (80%) do not practice any circular action despite claiming the opposite. Therefore, CE is still incipient in Brazil. The application of the proposed method to a large sample showed its potential for global use, and that it can also be employed to guide actions of single companies or entire sectors towards sustainable development using a CE path.
... The traditional linear model has limited the environmental component to theoretic models (Heshmati et al., 2013;Szita et al., 2017) that accept the generation of waste and emissions as inevitable due to the entropy of processes, considering these externalities and causing material and energy losses. This model is unsustainable, and the closed cycle models may present alternatives to obtain economic and socioenvironmental gains simultaneously (Winkler et al., 2011). ...
The increasing world population boosted the demand for basic needs such as energy, water, and food. In turn, agricultural production has increased, generating a large amount of agro-industrial waste every year. Globally, Brazil is the seventh-largest rice producer, and the State of Rio Grande do Sul is responsible for 70% of the rice production in Brazil. Rice husks are composed of organic compounds (cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, and extractives) and inorganic elements that include potassium, calcium, magnesium, and sulfur. These inorganic elements are essential nutrients in the soil. Since natural degradation is slow due to the aromaticity of lignin, rice husk (RH) waste accumulates and poses an environmental threat, causing air and water pollution. In this context, in order to return the biochar to the soil, the properties of rice husk and rice husk biochar were evaluated. Parameters such as pH, true density, bulk density, porosity, identification of the composition and concentration of the elements, analysis of the functional groups, total carbon (TC), and cation exchange capacity (CEC) were performed on RH biochar samples. These samples were produced in a laboratory-scale pyrolysis rig, under a con-trolled atmosphere of Nitrogen (N), using three peak temperatures (350 °C, 450 °C, and 550 °C) and three soak times (30, 60, and 120 min).Based on the results obtained in the characterization analyses of the biochar, as well as the yield values found, it is concluded that the best pyrolysis temperature for the production of biochar from rice husks, for application in soils, is 550 °C.
... This shortcoming in the CE research is crucial because fundamental activities for successful CE implementation, such as the application of GM, new product/service design, the transformation of processes, business models, usage of renewable energy, restructuring/ greening of the supply chain, and choice of materials are in control and therefore finally determined by production firms with the underlying motivation of gaining economic benefits . Moreover, the micro-level requires multiple changes, such as the collaborative new business model development and distinctive strategies to develop the circularity of the manufacturing systems (Winkler et al., 2011) (i.e., GM/cleaner production) in the CE adoption. ...
In this book, circularity is introduced and discussed as a driver of the
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and its progress in emerging
and developing countries. As we move forward, we want to capture the
realities of the circular economy concept as much as possible by moving
quickly to the fascinating theoretical and practical progress across various
sectors in these economies. The circular economy approach is inherently
accompanied by a wide range of other issues, which one must address
while exploring its progress path: early in the book, a state-of-the-art
review provides a theoretical framework for mapping the subtle characteristics, scope, and progress of emerging and developing economies, while
the diverse case studies provide insight into the real stories—the progress
and challenges.
This book was written to help students at universities, and other
institutions of higher education find empirical case studies on circular
economy from emerging and developing countries. It is also intended for
people pursuing a professional career in sustainability and readers with
a general interest in circular economy and the SDGs. At an advanced
level, this text can also be used as a handbook, providing an overview
of current theoretical and empirical debates and controversies regarding
circular strategies and SDGs. As well as providing a non-technical entry
point towards circular economy strategies in emerging and developing
economies, the book provides a broader perspective on circular economy
as an emerging field.
This indispensable reference is written by a team of international
scholars from a variety of disciplines, including development, education,
business, ecology, geography, and planning, and presents the current state
of circular economy research within emerging and developing economies.
... This shortcoming in the CE research is crucial because fundamental activities for successful CE implementation, such as the application of GM, new product/service design, the transformation of processes, business models, usage of renewable energy, restructuring/ greening of the supply chain, and choice of materials are in control and therefore finally determined by production firms with the underlying motivation of gaining economic benefits (Lieder & Rashid, 2016). Moreover, the micro-level requires multiple changes, such as the collaborative new business model development (Lieder & Rashid, 2016) and distinctive strategies to develop the circularity of the manufacturing systems (Winkler et al., 2011) (i.e., GM/cleaner production) in the CE adoption. ...
An emerging phenomenon, circular economies (CEs) seek to reduce the amount of raw materials needed for production and reuse waste products in the production process. Enterprises need to change their manufacturing processes to achieve the CE approach’s goal of reintroducing waste into the economy through recycling. Creating a circular manufacturing process requires innovative practices. Emerging countries, in particular, need to improve manufacturing performance to reduce waste, material waste, energy consumption, industrial pollution, etc. Turkey’s manufacturing companies are developing green innovation strategies and integrating environmental management systems into their business strategies to combat environmental degradation. Therefore, it is appropriate for enterprises to adopt green manufacturing (GM) methods to implement this initiative. In particular, emerging economies must innovate, develop, and adopt low-carbon energy sources and technologies that are environmentally friendly and sustainable. This study used a case study method to explore the possible effects of green production and innovation on the CE implementation of Arçelik, a leading white goods manufacturer. According to case study findings, companies are significantly more likely to adopt CE practices and to develop green products when GM goals are in place. The study also indicates that CE innovation reduces a firm’s costs by using fewer resources. When these cost savings are reflected in the prices of the products by the manufacturing firm, the demand for the products is likely to increase in the long run. On the other hand, since CE innovations require incurring high investment costs in the short run, price increases may be possible in the short run to cover these costs. This means that the demand for the firm’s products decreases in the short run, hence its output and employment. Therefore, it can be argued that there is a U-shaped relationship between CE innovations and firm-level employment over time. As a result, CE and GM applications lead to lower-cost products in the long run; contribute to ensuring sustainability in economic, environmental, and social dimensions; and are most likely to have an employment-increasing effect of meeting the increase in demand for green products.KeywordsInnovationGreen manufacturingCircular economyTurkey
... EMF [2] proposes that companies can benefit from new and larger profit pools, greater security in supply, and enhanced demand for business services, thus building greater resilience. Adopting different strategies is necessary to make CE happen at the company level [2][3][4]. ...
... Literature suggests that circular product and material flows increase interdependencies due to their life-cycle and industry-spanning nature and thus increase inter-organizational collaboration (Toffel, 2004;Brennan and Saccani, 2017). Thereby circular activities may increase transaction costs in the up-and downstream value chain due to an increased number and intensity of relationships (Masi et al., 2017) as well as through the respective coordination of information and material flow (Winkler, 2011). However, similar to creating competitive advantages in upstream supply chains (Gold et al., 2009), successful collaboration with downstream loop operators can advance new resources and capabilities that are difficult to imitate due to their social complexity and ambiguity. ...
Consumer goods industries are increasingly under pressure to better retain economic value and mitigate ecological impact in their downstream value chain. The circular economy (CE) proposes repair, reuse, refurbishing, and recycling as key service strategies for extending a product life cycle. But manufacturers and distributors usually have limited internal competencies in circular service development, making collaboration with specialized service providers in innovation ecosystems essential. Research on how such ecosystems can be developed, orchestrated, and used for experimenting with circular services is in its infancy. Against this background, this paper explores how a large German telecommunication operator orchestrated an ecosystem for experimentation with circular smartphone service offerings. We utilize a longitudinal and embedded case study design to analyze the ecosystem orchestration process. Our results are twofold. First, we present ecosystem development in three phases: from 1) limited compliance relationships, via 2) circular strategy-specific subsystems, to 3) circular system integration. Second, we show how distributed agency across various internal departments contributes to ecosystem orchestration. Overall, we contribute to the emerging literature on inter-organizational and cross-sector collaboration in circular ecosystems.
... The closed-loop economy, otherwise known as the circular economy, is an economic model in which resources circulate in a closed system. The closed loop of circulation reduces waste, extends the life cycle of products, and reduces greenhouse gas emissions [15]. In this work, we describe the use of lake sediments in polymers, which is in line with the principles of the closed-loop economy, due to the fact that it is a widely available, environmentally friendly material, does not use large amounts of energy for preparation, and is characterised by reduced pressure on the environment. ...
The purpose of the study was to determine whether lake sediments could be a potential raw material for the plastics industry. The examined samples were obtained in a complex process of sediment collection from Lake Swarzędzkie located in the region of Wielkopolska, Poland, followed by granulometric analysis by sieving and quartz grain shape analysis, with preparation of geotechnical sheets. The works involved the examination of physico-chemical characteristics of carbonate lake sediments and the analysis of impact of the sediments’ depth extraction on their chemical composition and physico-chemical properties. The lake sediment consists mainly of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) and can be a potential filler for plastics. Tests were carried out to determine chemical composition of the sediments and their thermal stability. The thermogravimetric analysis showed the three stages of the thermal decomposition. Sediments in deeper layers of the lake are characterised by the presence of not only CaCO3 and silica, but also other chemical compounds, including aluminosilicates. In addition, as the depth increases, the average size of sediment particles changes, with the main fraction particle size being the smallest for the material from the 6–12 m depth. Additionally, carbon content systematically decreases with increasing depth.
Keywords: sediments; mineral fillers; natural fillers; CaCO3 ; calcite
... The goal of this system is economic improvement and environmental sustainability. This system should ensure that these materials have no environmental impact and reduce agricultural waste production [20,[42][43][44]. The CE should become a model as a sustainable path for the development of every country. ...
Climate changes, drought, the salinity of water and soil, the emergence of new breeds of pests and pathogens, the industrialization of countries, and environmental contamination are among the factors limiting the production of agricultural products. The use of chemicals (in the form of fertilizers, pesticides and fungicides) to enhance products against biotic and abiotic stresses has limitations. To eliminate the effects of agricultural chemicals, synthetic agrochemicals should be replaced with natural substances and useful microorganisms. To be more effective and efficient, plant biocontrol bacteria need a coating layer around themselves to protect them from adverse conditions. Whey protein, a valuable by-product of the cheese industry, is one of the important natural polymers. Due to its high protein content, safety, and biodegradability, whey can have many applications in agriculture and encapsulation of bacteria to resist pests and plant diseases. This compound is a rich source of amino acids that can activate plant defense systems and defense enzymes. Considering the amazing potentialities of formulation whey protein, this review attends to the efficiency of whey protein as coating layers on fruit and vegetables and in the packaging system to increase the shelf life of agricultural products against phytopathogens.
... 33, 36). Hence, stakeholder cooperation plays a central role in the success of CE initiatives, which has been confirmed in several studies investigating the importance of networking within a CE (see e.g., Chertow, 2000;Winans et al., 2017;Winkler, 2011). Intensive cooperation in industrial networks leads to an essential exchange of information flows, builds trust, and nourishes successful and necessary business interaction (Chertow, 2000(Chertow, , 2007. ...
During the last decade, the circular economy (CE) concept has gained momentum amongst policymakers, industries and academia and is now often seen as a toolbox that can be used in different context to achieve a sustainable development of our economies. Whilst the idea of a circular resource flow is now well established in manufacturing industries, especially in Europe and China, it is new to non-manufacturing sectors based on the extraction and exportation of raw materials, such as salmon aquaculture in Chile. During the last three decades, the salmon industry’s economic success-story has been accompanied by environmental pollution and social conflicts. The ongoing waste generation of the industry does not only endanger the Patagonian ecosystems but has become a major constraint to the aspired expansion of the industry. As a solution, the implementation of a CE is promoted by both, the Chilean government and the industry. However, it remains uncertain how the
concept can be applied to the aquaculture context, what challenges arise in its
implementation, and in what ways it addresses the problems resulting from waste generation.
In this thesis, we aim to answer these questions through a theoretical review of the CE from a thermodynamic and a social perspective combined with a practical investigation in the form of qualitative interviews with key actors from the private, academic and governmental sector.
Our results reveal that the CE in the Chilean salmon industry is still in its beginnings and that a variety of political, industrial, and cultural challenges have to be overcome to realize the concept’s sustainability potential. Aspired economic growth threatens to nullify possible environmental benefits, and a debate about respecting absolute environmental limits will be inevitable if the CE is to become the new sustainability paradigm, not only in Chile, but worldwide.
... Governments need to start implementing targets for this system, such as in China, whose goal is to produce electronic equipment with 20 percent recycled material by 2025 [15]. Closed-loop systems strive to reach sustainability by concurrently enhancing financial and environmental objectives and creating maintainable supply chains for electronics [19]. Regarding a circular economy, e-waste management is vital in the following areas. ...
Zero waste management is a holistic concept that recognizes waste both as a resource and a measure of the inefficiency of our modern society. While the traditional waste management system considers waste an ‘end-of-life’ product consumption, zero waste challenges this notion by recognizing that waste transforms resources in the intermediate stage of the resource consumption process. In this context, the most critical aspect of creating a zero-waste city is shifting from a linear economic model to a circular economy. According to a recent study, only 9 percent of the global economy is circular (reused or recycled into products). The other 91 percent follows a linear model of making and taking waste. This study investigates the role of effective e-waste management as a crucial part of a circular economy. Accordingly, this study offers insights into the role of the circular economy by presenting a successful implementation of the circular economy.
... Due to more global food demand for the world, agricultural activity is also expanding to maintain it (Blouin et al., 2019;Sharma and Garg, 2019). However, the modern agricultural system in European countries has induced 700 million tonnes of agri-food to be wasted every year (Winkler, 2011). Agricultural Centre for Sustainable Energy System (ACSES) at Harper Adams University was found to be involved in major research and innovation projects (under agro-cycle). ...
The increase in the human population in the world, industrialization, and rapid urbanization create a big challenge for the agricultural revolution. Hence, to enhance the crop's productivity modern agricultural technology, hybrid seeds; management of full irrigation facilities, and the use of various fertilizers, and pesticides are being adopted. Though such advanced techniques enhance productivity, they also produce a huge amount of agro-waste. The proper waste management of such wastes is a headache for the farmers due to the lack of dumping lands, proper transportation, removal facilities, and lack of planned utilization. Since direct burning of the wastes do air, water, and soil pollution, a systematic utilization of these cheap wastes for the development of value-added products and chemicals will promote a clean and healthy environment for the biotic and abiotic components. A proper, efficient, and effective treatment system can break down waste biomass into simple forms and can be easily consumed by our natural and engineered microbial systems to produce bio-chemicals and bio-fuels. Value-added products from agro wastes are now needed every hour as far as the sustainable production of energy and biochemical is an important concern. Agro-waste utilization-based biorefineries can provide a big pillar for the development of a circular bio-economy. The review emphasizes the value-added products generated from agricultural byproducts/waste residue's utility, towards sustainability and a clean environment.
... Minelgaite and Liobikiene (2019) emphasized the importance of 3R behavior as an effective zero-waste strategy in the EU. Many authors focused on different theoretical and operational aspects to measure the transition from the linear to circular economy model (Winkler 2011;Geng et al. 2012;Elia, Gnoni, and Tornese 2017;Awasthi et al. 2018). Such criteria of assessment are not readily applicable to various social, economic, and technological contexts. ...
... This is likely to be especially relevant in manufacturing companies attempting to advance sustainability and circularity management. As the design phase is an essential determinant in the environmental impact of products (Winkler, 2011), exploring how DTs can be used to further support this stage in the product life cycle is essential. ...
There is growing consensus in literature and practice that digital technologies (DTs) can offer a wide range of potentials for implementing a circular economy in companies. However, empirical insights on how the potentials of different DTs are already realized across various industries are lacking. This study addresses this research gap through descriptive, hierarchical cluster and non-parametric analyses (Kruskal-Wallis tests and Spearman rank correlations) of the use of DTs for circular economy and sustainability management based on data collected in a structured telephone survey with 132 sustainability managers and CEOs of Austrian manufacturing companies. The paper shows for the first time the degree and stage of implementation of four key enabling DTs for a sustainable circular economy and 31 specific applications of those DTs across eight different industries. Of the four DTs, Internet of Things (IoT) technology is most widely implemented, followed by big data analytics, artificial intelligence (AI), and blockchain technology. However, their use in sustainability management is still very limited and is currently mainly in pilot phases. Of the 31 applications surveyed, IoT technology is most frequently used for collecting data from production processes, AI for predictive maintenance, big data analytics for demand forecasting, and blockchain technology for tracking product origins. Statistically significant differences were found in the degree of digitalization, in general, and for sustainability management between industries and company sizes. A strong positive correlation between the implementation of digital technologies in general and their use in a sustainability management context indicates synergies and spillover effects. The findings may help to tailor context-specific and purpose-driven strategies that selectively leverage the benefits of different DTs and supporting sustainability management effectively. Further research may identify scalable best practices, optimal enabling conditions, and environmental and social outcomes.
... Adopting a CE strategy comprises a company implementing various techniques to increase the circularity of its manufacturing systems and collaborating with other companies throughout the supply chain to produce a more efficient circular pattern. Within a company's production processes, eco-design or green design and cleaner production (CP), are the major methods to be regarded as a precursor to CE within a company's manufacturing processes (Winkler, 2011). ...
In regional and global contexts, the circular economy (CE) has gained significant traction to sustain the economy while maintaining environmental and social justice. However, the literature on CE lacks substantial information regarding the theory and methodology of putting CE into practice. The goal of this work is to create a framework for evaluating CE indicators and CE implementation in biological systems. The findings of this study suggest that CE may be more complicated than previously thought, involving a wide variety of interconnected mechanisms. The CE’s guiding principles differentiate between biological and man-made (artificial) material and resource cycles. Biological cycles concern the safe and efficient movement of renewable biotic resources into and out of the biosphere. This study looks at the 13 different indicators of a circular economy, with a particular emphasis on the biological approaches that make up the biological cycle. The 13 papers were broken down as follows: four at the macro level, three at the meso level, and seven at the micro level. Furthermore, through the analysis of various literary sources, this paper proposed a framework for calculating and quantifying the CE. The framework’s first steps are measurement criteria, the second are level monitoring procedures, and the third is the impact of CE. The proposed framework will aid in disseminating knowledge across regions, industries, and stakeholders, as well as accelerating CE implementation.
... Over the last decade, the relationship between CE and SC collaboration has been discussed in academia. However, although it is evident that a functional development of partnerships along the SC is essential for the success of CE [1,12,13], there are still many doubts about the most valuable collaboration practices that could support sustainable development. ...
The establishment of valuable collaborations among supply chain partners is essential for the success of a circular economy. However, there are still many doubts about the most helpful collaboration practices that could support sustainable development. The analysis deals with deepening links between the circular economy and supply chain collaborations that could favor its development. Specifically, the study focuses on recognizing the most diffused collaboration practices among the actors that successfully implemented circular systems. A multiple case study from the Italian textile industry is the methodology chosen to carry out the research. The analysis of five selected companies confirms the creation of valuable collaborations is essential to successfully implement circular practices, highlighting that a holistic approach is needed to establish this new economic paradigm effectively.KeywordsCircular economySupply chain collaborationMultiple case study
... Environmental sustainability requires an intensive process of "recirculation of resources in loops of reuse": recycling, renewing using clean energy, and eliminating waste [38]. This requires a far-reaching restructuring of companies and production processes to drastically reduce the environmental footprint [39][40][41] and achieve sustainability through design, adopting strategies to improve the circularity of the production system [42], and developing new collaborative business models [43]. ...
The literature on circular economy has highlighted the need for more studies focused on
investigating the journey of individual companies in the transition toward sustainable processes. This paper addresses this need by focusing on the furniture design industry, showing how the transition requires the re-organization of knowledge regarding materials, processes, technologies, and product quality. This assumption is demonstrated through the design research activity conducted in 2019–2020 as the first part of broader research by Cassina LAB, a collaboration between Cassina Research and Development Centre and POLI.design of Politecnico di Milano. Based on the analysis of the Italian furniture industry between constraints and opportunities, the aim of the research is to identify critical issues and propose sustainable and circular solutions, tailor-made for Cassina. Through this example, the paper contributes to the literature in two ways. First, it adds to the understanding of how companies are adopting the circular economy paradigm. Secondly, it contributes to defining tools to implement new forms of knowledge of materials and re-design processes to deliver products that are compatible with a circular economy model.
... The importance of remanufacturing, product recovery and recycling of end-of-life products is expanding as raw material resources become scarcer, people become more aware of the environmental consequences of disposal, landfill space becomes scarce, and pollution levels rise [32]. CLSC is a cost-effective and environmentally friendly method to achieve many of the goals of sustainable development [33]. It offers several advantages over traditional SCs [34], but it also makes traditional SCM and controls more difficult [35]. ...
Global crises such as COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian-Ukrainian war pose many challenges for closed-loop supply chain networks (CLSCN) due to the lack of supplies of raw materials and returned products. Therefore, this research focused on developing a multi-objective MILP mathematical model for the design and planning of CLSCN to help overcome these challenges considering the uncertainty in both the supplying capacity of the raw materials and the return rate of the used products.
The developed models aim to maximize total profit, minimize total cost, and maximize overall customer service level (OCSL) using the ɛ-lexicographic procedure.
The effect of variation in both the supply capacity and return rate of the used products on the design and performance of the CLSCN have been studied. It is recommended to optimize the profit then the total cost with a maximum allowable deviation of 5%, and finally optimize the OCSL.
... Environmental sustainability requires an intensive process of "recirculation of resources in loops of reuse": recycling, renewing using clean energy, and eliminating waste [38]. This requires a far-reaching restructuring of companies and production processes to drastically reduce the environmental footprint [39][40][41] and achieve sustainability through design, adopting strategies to improve the circularity of the production system [42], and developing new collaborative business models [43]. ...
The literature on circular economy has highlighted the need for more studies focused on investigating the journey of individual companies in the transition toward sustainable processes. This paper addresses this need by focusing on the furniture design industry, showing how the transition requires the re-organization of knowledge regarding materials, processes, technologies, and product quality. This assumption is demonstrated through the design research activity conducted in 2019–2020 as the first part of broader research by Cassina LAB, a collaboration between Cassina Research and Development Centre and POLI.design of Politecnico di Milano. Based on the analysis of the Italian furniture industry between constraints and opportunities, the aim of the research is to identify critical issues and propose sustainable and circular solutions, tailor-made for Cassina. Through this example, the paper contributes to the literature in two ways. First, it adds to the understanding of how companies are adopting the circular economy paradigm. Secondly, it contributes to defining tools to implement new forms of knowledge of materials and re-design processes to deliver products that are compatible with a circular economy model.
... Some countries have already started to incorporate the closed-loop system (CLS) as a new production model, leading to an alternative greener than the existing one. The main goal of CLS is to reuse material waste generated during the production process and, at the same time, to use recycled products to create new ones [30][31][32]. ...
A circular economy (CE) transforms the linear system into a resource flow model based on reusing products and materials and increasing lifetime periods. This academic work aims to review the current CE research status from business, economic, and managerial (BEM) research perspectives. We carried out a systematic and bibliometric analysis to gather information on the current state of the art applications and learn about the leading research topics and sources. To reach these goals, we reviewed 962 research papers published in journals indexed on the Web of Science. After analysing the articles, three categories emerged worldwide: literature reviews, case studies, and frameworks and guidelines based on the current closed-loop system approach. Results evidence that BEM research in the CE is focused on the existing barriers to adopting a CE. More concretely, findings show that CEs are being slowed by the fact that citizens and companies do not know how to be circular. At the same time, the article showcases how the BEM areas and the recurring topics in CE research are increasingly being developed by collaborations between engineers and economists to design and create robust and measurable closed-loop models.
... Humans individually and collectively, e.g., as corporations and institutions, are applauded as self-interested resource maximizers. Finally, environmental waste is treated as primarily a technical constraint to economic growth addressable through interventions like closed loop manufacturing (Winkler, 2011). ...
To achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a marketing ecosystem composed only of human producers, customers/consumers, and economic stakeholders is inadequate. Instead, foundational rethinking is required. The study’s purpose is to analyze some of the constraints inherent in dominant marketing ontologies for reaching the SDGs. One such foundational constraint in the dominant market ontology is human-centricity, ignoring relationships between humans, animals, and other members of the natural biotic community. Neo-animism rejects the culture (humans)-nature dichotomy. We present three contributions that we call ontological enablers to pursue the SDGs. These contributions bridge a neo-animist approach to resource integration and value cocreation in service-dominant (S-D) logic, which entails implications for researchers and managers. Future research avenues elaborate a relational resource integration and cocreation approach between people and diverse members of the entire biotic community.
... CE unites different aspects of environmental sustainability as a sustainable umbrella concept (Blomsma and Brennan, 2017) and internalizes the negative externalities that emerge during product life cycles through company activities (Grafström and Aasma, 2021). Thus, manufacturing, distribution, use, and recovery systems are designed to keep resources in the loop and minimize energy use (Wells and Seitz, 2005;Winkler, 2011), thus promoting cleaner production in society. CE has become increasingly popular in recent years, and while various initiatives and declarations favor it, the transition remains in its infancy (Ghisellini et al., 2016). ...
A circular economy limits the consumption of virgin resources, fosters cleaner production, and promotes the efficient utilization of resources. However, many companies still struggle with its implementation. In this study, we explore the barriers that companies encounter internally and externally when implementing circular economy measures. Based on 59 interviews with Swiss small- and medium-sized enterprise managers from three industries, we identify six company-internal barriers (risk aversion, short-term orientation, economically dominated thinking, unwillingness to engage in trade-offs, shortage of resources, and lack of knowledge) and four levels of company-external barriers (technology, market, legislative, and society and consumers). We further identify their interrelationships and integrate them into a holistic sustainable strategic management framework. Finally, we present six broader strategic recommendations building on the study framework.
Recently increasing popularity and the substantial need for sustainability in supply chain requires new designs of procurement which is being regarded as the most important driver to push the suppliers to become more sustainable. Manufacturing firms, in the name of survivability on the market, accept sustainability principles and transform their corporate culture in this respect. The power of procurement is being regarded yet as a regulatory tool by the national governments and international organizations while establishing sustainability in supply chains. In this study, we intend to establish a multi-criteria-decision-making model to select the most sustainable supplier/manufacturer conforming to the current purchasing requirements of a sustainable manufacturing company. In doing so, the procuring company will foster the suppliers to becoming a sustainable company in the supply chain by both a product redesign and by the whole manufacturing process.
The Circular Economy (CE) is a philosophy that aims to alter current consumption and output trends that are putting a tremendous strain on the earth and its environment. It has been extensively reviewed throughout the world as an alternative to the old economic model, namely, “purchase, consumption and dispose”, as well as a solution to the complication of efficient use of resources and environmental pollutions. CE applies theories from environmental economics, ecological economics and industrial ecology to the business-sustainability relationship. By adopting particular CE strategies, savings may occur by creating proper systems to retain value and keep the resources flowing in a circular manner. This approach would close materials and components, energy, and water loops and minimize the associated potential environmental impacts. This has driven recent researchers to investigate the CE strategies that are applicable to the construction industry. However, those studies are limited to given local contexts, thus, the knowledge is scattered. Therefore, this paper aims to analyse CE strategies for the life cycle of building collectively, using a systematic review towards understanding the significance. Filtering the search from the period of 2015 to 2022 offered 18 out of 113 research articles suitable for the analysis. The collected data shows high variability related to different stages of building and suitable CE strategies for the building life cycle. According to the review, preconstruction, construction building renovation, use and operate, demolitions and repurpose, material recovery and production stages account for the highest portion of the life cycle of building for which CE strategies could be highly incorporated. Further, it is expected that the collective reviews regarding building stages would better guide the categorisation of CE strategies in the built environment.KeywordsCircular economyStrategiesLife cycle of building and built environment
In this paper, a time-conserving fragility curve formulation methodology for extreme events is discussed. Uncertainty is a parameter that has a significant effect on the probabilistic estimations of infrastructure failures. Structural damages to civil infrastructure range from minor defects to collapse relative to serviceability or restoration measures. In this paper, earthquake-induced landslides are used as a sample case study, to study empirical methods of fragility curve formulation. Method of maximum likelihood and best-fit regression methods are applied to an extreme event, and fragility curves are derived. Monte Carlo stimulation is applied to analyse the behaviour of uncertainty parameter concerning standard sections of highway and railway embankments. Finally, the coefficient of determination was calculated to illustrate the correlation between developed curves and data points. The proposed method suggests an optimum method to quantify the failure probability from an available data sample or a real incident-based data sample, which is computationally very effective. Improvement in vulnerability estimations provides high maintenance and efficient restoration schemes for transportation networks which are prone to extreme events such as landslides.KeywordsFragility curvesEarthquake-induced landslidesMaximum likelihoodMonte Carlo
Residential apartment buildings are widely implemented in Sri Lanka due to rapid urbanization and land scarcity. The confined spaces and controlled ventilation in such apartments could result in adverse health effects, including Sick Building Syndrome (SBS). Because of the usage of chemical products such as incense sticks in such compact spaces for religious activities in South Asia, SBS can occur. This study is one of the first field studies to establish a connotation between the indoor air quality of apartment buildings in Colombo, Sri Lanka, with various chemicals, including incense products and SBS. Measurements were taken from multiple locations in 50 apartments of various indoor environment parameters. Significant Total Volatile Organic Compound (TVOC) concentrations (up to 4.500 ppm) were associated with the use of chemicals, particularly cube-type incense products. Higher CO2 concentrations were associated with migraine and headaches. The relationship between chemical and incense products with higher levels of TVOC and SBS symptoms calls for urgent attention of the key urban planning stakeholders in Sri Lanka to improve ventilation and avoid using such products indoors.KeywordsSick Building SyndromeIndoor air pollutionIncense productsUrban high risersTVOC concentration
Background: By decoupling economic growth from an intensive use of resources, preventing the impairment of natural capital, and enhancing resilience to system-wide shocks, the Circular Economy (CE) is a powerful opportunity to hedge against “linear” risk factors. In fact, it helps shielding against the risk of assets becoming stranded, can generate fresh and non-speculative demand for investments, and can improve investment results at both individual and portfolio levels. Problem: Therefore, equity investors into circular undertakings could benefit from (H 1 ) reduced stock return volatility, as well as (H 2 ) a greater ability to withstand exogenous negative events. Approach: For testing these hypotheses, we constructed a sample of 644 listed companies across EU-15 countries, plus Switzerland, and 17 different industries. We retrieved their market data in 2019–2020, as well as their accounting fundamentals in 2018–2019. By controlling for the latter, we investigated whether equity risk—either in total terms (i.e., the standard deviation of returns) or circumscribed to the systematic component thereof (i.e., the Beta against a European or global market index)—may be explained by a company’s degree of circularity, measured by the Circularity Score (CS). This is a novel indicator originally proposed by Zara and Ramkumar (2022), based on Refinitiv ESG data, the methodology whereof we significantly amended. As a core innovation, in weighting an entity’s performance on a CE framework, we assessed the latter’s “financial materiality” (i.e., relevance to the company’s business) at sub-industry level, applying the SASB Materiality Maps. Via OLS estimation, we tested our hypotheses (i) over the whole-time horizon, in a panel model; (ii) on specific timeframes, in a standard cross-sectional model. The latter was applied to either the entire 2020 or subperiods thereof: namely, with respect to the COVID-19 outbreak, we distinguished between a pre-shock, a shock and a post-shock phase. Our quest was refined to conduct a deeper investigation into the Oil & Gas industry, which is intrinsically the most exposed to linear risks and, also, did experience the widest volatility in 2020. Findings: Both H 1 and H 2 received widespread confirmation. The CS was found to exert a negative, significant and robust effect on all the three risk measures, over the whole timespan as well as in subperiods (particularly the post-shock phase). Also, amplifying effects were recorded on the Oil & Gas industry. Conclusions: Our results lend remarkable support to the idea that the CE is a powerful enabler of de-risking, also in case of a severe shock, with a view to mitigating the negative consequences and building back better. They call on firms and policymakers to foster the circular transition, thereby accelerating economic recovery in the aftermath of the pandemic crisis.
The gradual increase in industrial wastes allowed the utilization of these wastes in different areas. Steel slag, one of the industrial wastes, is formed during the reduction of molten crude iron to molten crude steel in basic oxygen furnaces (BOF) or scrap to molten crude steel in electric arc furnaces (EAF) and induction furnaces (IF). Removal, storage, or disposal of steel slag is an important environmental and economic problem. Steel slag offers opportunities to be used as an alternative material in various areas and contributes to the national economies through recycling. This research provides information about the studies and application examples on the use of steel slag as a soil amendment and mineral fertilizer in the world. This usage allows reducing the consumption of natural resources and providing great agricultural, environmental, and economic gain by minimizing the negative environmental effects of steel slag.
It is already widely known that the world is facing a serious and difficult struggle against climate change and environmental degradation. As a result of continuous efforts of scientists and researchers to find a solution to these problems, two fields developed in the last couple of years: circular economy and green human resource management. Although these two concepts received substantial amount of attention lately, it is clear that circular economy and green human resource management evolved in opposite directions. Referring to the gap existing in literature, the aim of this chapter is to explore the human aspect of circular economy, specifically green human resource management. With the intention of contributing to better understand the human aspect of circular economy, this chapter aims to establish the relationship between circular economy, green human resource management and sustainability.KeywordsGreen human resource management
Circular economy
Sustainability
Resumo A economia circular tem foco na aplicação de princípios que visam o alcance da meta "berço ao berço", de tal forma que se possa diminuir o uso de recursos naturais e que o máximo de materiais que sobra de processos de produção ou de consumo seja utilizado como matéria-prima de novos processos. Como todo tema de pesquisa relativamente novo e com muitas publicações recentes, a compreensão da sua estrutura é ainda um construto que está sendo realizado em conjunto por atores sociais que atuam na prática e por pesquisadores. Neste contexto, o objetivo deste artigo é "identificar os desafios e requisitos principais que devem ser atendidos para a implementação dos princípios e estratégias da economia circular". A pesquisa é qualitativa e descritiva com metodologia baseada em revisão integrativa onde foram envolvidos 2.233 artigos e análise bibliométrica de 8.000 artigos utilizando o software SCIMAT. Os resultados demonstraram que os requisitos principais para a transição para a economia circular são desenvolvimento de políticas públicas e de tecnologia e estabelecimento de estrutura de governança e produção; para que se possa ter a implementação de uma plataforma que torne possível a implementação da "estrutura R" da economia circular.
Resumo A economia circular tem foco na aplicação de princípios que visam o alcance da meta "berço ao berço", de tal forma que se possa diminuir o uso de recursos naturais e que o máximo de materiais que sobra de processos de produção ou de consumo seja utilizado como matéria-prima de novos processos. Como todo tema de pesquisa relativamente novo e com muitas publicações recentes, a compreensão da sua estrutura é ainda um construto que está sendo realizado em conjunto por atores sociais que atuam na prática e por pesquisadores. Neste contexto, o objetivo deste artigo é "identificar os desafios e requisitos principais que devem ser atendidos para a implementação dos princípios e estratégias da economia circular". A pesquisa é qualitativa e descritiva com metodologia baseada em revisão integrativa onde foram envolvidos 2.233 artigos e análise bibliométrica de 8.000 artigos utilizando o software SCIMAT. Os resultados demonstraram que os requisitos principais para a transição para a economia circular são desenvolvimento de políticas públicas e de tecnologia e estabelecimento de estrutura de governança e produção; para que se possa ter a implementação de uma plataforma que torne possível a implementação da "estrutura R" da economia circular.
This paper aims to uncover and provide solutions to capital problems that often occur in organizations, especially small and medium-sized (and private) hospitals. Limited financial resources have become a major problem for many hospitals that are developing to increase the utility of services. Using qualitative methods with the type of case study research, this paper provides a comprehensive description of the sources of capital, governance, and rental value as well as the profit sharing of a simulated investment. The results of this study reveal that IMBT can be a capital strategy for service development plans in hospitals.
This two-volume set, IFIP AICT 663 and 664, constitutes the thoroughly refereed proceedings of the International IFIP WG 5.7 Conference on Advances in Production Management Systems, APMS 2022, held in Gyeongju, South Korea in September 2022.
The 139 full papers presented in these volumes were carefully reviewed and selected from a total of 153 submissions. The papers of APMS 2022 are organized into two parts. The topics of special interest in the first part included: AI & Data-driven Production Management; Smart Manufacturing & Industry 4.0; Simulation & Model-driven Production Management; Service Systems Design, Engineering & Management; Industrial Digital Transformation; Sustainable Production Management; and Digital Supply Networks. The second part included the following subjects: Development of Circular Business Solutions and Product-Service Systems through Digital Twins; “Farm-to-Fork” Production Management in Food Supply Chains; Urban Mobility and City Logistics; Digital Transformation Approaches in Production Management; Smart Supply Chain and Production in Society 5.0 Era; Service and Operations Management in the Context of Digitally-enabled Product-Service Systems; Sustainable and Digital Servitization; Manufacturing Models and Practices for Eco-Efficient, Circular and Regenerative Industrial Systems; Cognitive and Autonomous AI in Manufacturing and Supply Chains; Operators 4.0 and Human-Technology Integration in Smart Manufacturing and Logistics Environments; Cyber-Physical Systems for Smart Assembly and Logistics in Automotive Industry; and Trends, Challenges and Applications of Digital Lean Paradigm.
“Source reduction is, on the face of it, perhaps the most appealing of all the possible approaches to solid-waste management” - William Rathje and Cullen Murphy Waste poses a threat to public health and environment and hence it should be properly collected and disposed. Managing municipal solid waste is a pervasive problem for any urban area and the Singara Chennai is no exception to it. Admitting that it is one of the best managed city, but still problem of dealing with solid waste generated in the ever expanding Chennai city is an uphill task. The materialistic world has been sustaining, so to say, by transforming natural resources into garbage. This is an unnatural behavior because mother nature does not throw stuff away – dead trees, birds, beetles and for that any natural material including human being are pretty quickly recycled by the earth system. Our perception of waste as an unwanted material with no intrinsic value has to change because of the fact that the waste generated is a resource with transformed material. Hence, to extract value from this science, technology and attitudinal changes are the need of the hour for converting the ever increasing waste into wealth. For a long time our economy has been linear but there is a positive shift to the circular economy which has changed the way we look at the urban solid waste which no longer remains a waste but is a resource now. The paper deals with the environmental and health implications of the urban solid waste and its impact on society if a timely intervention to make it a part of circular economy is not attempted seriously. The paper brings out the economic, social and environmental benefits of treating solid waste as a resource.
The research explores the field of sustainability assessment in its environmental and social aspects, by considering the possibilities of the design discipline to guide society towards widespread sustainable empowerment. The growth of the Circular Economy as a sustainable business model to contrast the climate and pandemic crisis, within the European regulations, challenges designers to face this model and take on a new role. The complexity of production systems leads to a systemic vision in which relations between different actors can take on new conformations and foster the transition from a linear supply chain to a networked one based on information sharing. Moreover, achieving sustainable innovation does not seem to be very effective without the active involvement of individuals. The increasing attention to consumer behaviour and attempts at sustainability education indicate a trend for companies to not only act on the production and disposal phases, but also on the use phase.
At the same time, the spread of participative systems highlights an increasing willingness on the part of consumers to play an active role in the production chain and become ‘prosumer’. The field of self-production, or Do-it-Yourself, emerged as a fertile ground for triggering sustainable practices, in which the designer plays the role of intermediary between expert and non-expert.
The research studied the strategies of the Circular Economy in relation to the responses pursued by Design for Sustainability, as well as the emerging practices linked to peer-to-peer and commons systems, in order to channel them into the Design Driven Innovation process.
Focus of the research is the Life Cycle Assessment methodologies with its softwares and database adapted to informal contexts. The complexity of the process and the difficulty of interpretation of the results obtained make this methodology accessible only to those who have a strong chemical-environmental background. Furthermore, the Life Cycle Assessment is not is not yet a complete tool for assessing sustainability as it relates environmental impacts only, whereas it has now become essential to assess the social social aspects related both to workers' conditions and to the consequences on communities and territories.
The study of Life Cycle Assessment was carried out through participation in specific training courses for learning the LCA calculation software and GaBi thinkstep, within university research projects in collaboration with the Design for Sustainability Laboratory of the University of Florence, and through the collaboration with Idemat database and mobile-app tool for Light LCA.
Beyond the difficulties of applying Life Cycle Assessment, it can be used as an introductory tool for learning about sustainability. The first output of the research was the set-up of a workshop for design students to learn Life Cycle Assessment, and introduce them to the comprehension of product-service systems and supply chains, facilitating the learning and management of complex systems.
Final output is MAKE!T DIFFERENT a collaborative and circular service platform, designed for Do-It-Yourself target group, it uses a simplification of the Life Cycle Assessment methodology to provide its users with a tool they can use to calculate their own environmental impact, namely by offering them an empowerment tool that enables them to approach environmental issues.
A gaming system was created to guide the user in the acquisition of green skills through the completion of the actions proposed in the different sections of the platform, with the aim to spread knowledge about the impacts of production processes and to strengthen a circular territorial network.
In conclusion, the research brings the discussion on the opportunities for the dissemination of Life Cycle Assessment in new contexts. The platform is intended to be a model that can be adapted and replicated in other contexts, so as to encourage practices of circularity of knowledge and materials, in order to come closer to the requirements of transparency and traceability of processes required by European regulations.
Agricultural residues or/and the postharvest by-products generated via different production processes of agriculture are known as agriculture-originated wastes (agro-wastes), which have the potential to be a promising source of energy and feedstock for the production of high value-added chemicals and other substances. Therefore, it remains a major obstacle for today’s society to seek cost-effective strategies in addressing the ongoing issues associated with agro wastes. The benefits and advantages of agro-waste processing and refining methods are believed to be cost-effective and eco-friendly, as well as could contribute positively toward more sustainable waste management and less-carbon intensive energy utilization path. Indeed, this chapter presents agro-waste-to-biofuel strategies that play a critical role in managing a circular economy, in which the system would effectively eliminate waste by adopting the continued use of resources. Promoting the benefits of the agro-waste-to-biofuel approach and the advantages of embracing the basic tenets of a circular economy can provide incentives for farmers, agro-business owners, and other stakeholders to embrace more sustainable practices in not only modernizing the sector but also contributing toward the overall sustainable development of the economy and society at large.
The literature already discussed about how the synergic implementation of Circular Economy (CE) and Industry 4.0 (I4.0) paradigms in industrial contexts could enable improvements in Supply Chain (SC) efficiency and competitiveness. However, the experts concentrated on a single topic of circular supply chain (CSC), CE, and I4.0, lacking a systemic approach to the integrated context. To this aim, the paper proposes a systematic literature review investigating and systematizing the knowledge around the circular SC domain enabled by CE and I4.0 and, simultaneously, highlighting the major trends. Starting from six dimensions of analysis (Type of contribution, LC phases, I4.0 technologies, Triple Bottom Line (TBL) layers, CE strategies, and SC typologies), CSC-related articles have been classified basing on five thematic categories (I4.0 enabling technologies, Performance tools and indicators, Challenges and barriers, Business models and strategies, Best practices). Results allowed to provide some peculiarities of each category. From a sustainability side, they confirmed a predominance of economic and environmental aspects over social ones, together with a life cycle perspective. From an I4.0 side, they shown a prevalence and a synergic implementation of internet of things, big data analytics, and cloud technologies. From a CE strategy side, reuse-recycle-remanufacturing, waste management, material and energy efficiency have been identified as prevalent topics. The paper contributes in building an integrated knowledge of the threefold CE, CSC and I4.0 research context. In addition, it proposes a theoretical framework useful to gradually guide practitioners in approaching the CSC transition. Depending on different CSC aspects, managers could easily raise their knowledge about practices, methodologies, and technological solutions helpful to support their CSC activities.
While Environmental Management Systems Standards (EMSS) have been advocated by policy makers and consultants on the basis of a number of benefits associated with their implementation some companies are reluctant to implement them. This paper tests four hypotheses with regard to the significance of a number of factors in a company's decision to implement EMSS. Specifically, it assesses whether a company would be more likely to implement EMSS if its management has a positive perception of environmental issues; if there are pressures on the company to improve its environmental performance; if opportunities arise through its environmental activities; and if it operates in sensitive environmental conditions. For this purpose, Greek companies in the process of EMSS implementation were surveyed and their responses compared with companies that had not decided up to that point to implement the standards. Specific aspects of the hypotheses posed were supported and confirmed a range of factors that are important in a company's decision to implement EMSS.
While the rest of the world has generally accepted ISO 14001 as the environmental standard, US firms, in general, have lagged behind in their acceptance of this standard. Given the relative importance of US manufacturing and given that one of the objectives of the ISO 14001 standard was that it was to be a global standard, this apparent 'hesitancy' on the part of US firms is troublesome. This paper attempts to explain this hesitancy by casting the certification decision as a business decision. As such, certification will occur when the quantifiable benefits exceed the measured costs. The paper examines how US managers perceive the relative costs and benefits associated with this form of certification. The analysis is carried out at two levels: at an aggregated level using data generated from a large-scale mail survey and at the micro level using data provided by a detailed case study. The results indicate that environmental activities have a more positive impact on plant operations among those facilities that are certified. Moreover, these benefits tend to be primarily attitudinal in nature and strongly influenced by the industrial setting in which the plant is located.
Industrial ecology is an emerging concept for the establishment of ecologically sustainable industrial development of industrial zones and estates in China. Optimizing materials and energy flows among facilities within specific regions or industrial ecosystems is a basic industrial ecology strategy. As such, life cycle analysis and management and green supply chain management are related approaches. The Guitang Group, a Chinese sugar complex, has developed an embryonic eco-industrial development by applying an integrated approach to green supply chain management. This paper describes the Guitang Group and its evolving integrated green supply chain management model. After summarizing experiences of the application of the Group’s model, the paper analyzes challenges and then introduces possible solutions. Some conclusions are developed on the basis of this analysis.
Since the introduction of the industrial ecology concept by Frosch and Gallopoulos in 1989, and the apparent success of the Kalundborg Industrial Symbiosis project, attention to planned eco-industrial park (EIP) development projects has grown all over the world. This article includes data from six of these EIP development projects. Three of the projects discussed are located in the Netherlands and three in the US. This article compares the differences in project approach and results on a national level. The approach suggested is derived from the available EIP development literature.Initial research indicates that the Dutch EIP projects are more successful than their US counterparts. This difference in success can be, mostly, attributed to the fact that the US projects are initiated by local and regional governments that see the project as a way to improve the local/regional economy with access to substantial government funds. Because of this heavy government involvement, US companies are, in general, not interested in the project. The more successful Dutch projects, on the other hand, are mostly initiated by the companies themselves with financial and advisory support from the local and regional government.
Much of the received wisdom emanating from modern corporations indicates that business competition is being fought "supply chain versus supply chain" rather than "firm versus firm". The ability to deliver goods and services in full, on time and error free to customers is therefore of increasing strategic importance to any organization, independent of size or sector. From demand forecasting, to the sourcing of raw materials, right through to manufacture and dispatch- visibility in the supply chain is becoming an important facet of any modern operation. How to leverage emerging information technologies, such as radio frequency identification (RFID) to create innovative opportunities in service engineering, management and marketing are important questions for executives. This special issue invites papers in the broad domain of RFID, information systems and supply chain management.
The need of small medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) for reliable means of managing environmental issues has become increasingly felt over recent years. SMEs have in fact been forced to fulfil the expectations of an increasing number of demanding stakeholders: public opinion, consumers, customers, local communities, public authorities, environmental NGOs, and so on. Environmental management systems have become a powerful and diffuse instrument, capable of supportnig enterprises in managing, monitoring and effectively improving their environmental performance. Since their official launch, both the EU Eco-management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) and the ISO 14001 standard have been taken up by a wide range of companies with widely varying profiles. We propose an evaluation of the efficiency and effectiveness of these key management tools from SMEs' point of view, by analysing the barriers and problems inhibiting participation in these schemes, as well as identifying related motivations and benefits.
This paper introduces the special issue of the Journal of Cleaner Production on “Sustainability and Supply Chain Management”. This special issue mirrors the increasing relevance of this topic for both practitioners in companies, and academics. The purpose of this special issue is to serve as a catalyst to this important topic. Environmental and social problems and challenges do not stop at the gates of single companies, but have to be considered along the supply chains as the entities across which related material and information flows are organized. The aims of the paper are to introduce current research topics and provide an overview of the single papers. The papers cover supply chain strength of regions and regional activities as well as actions taken by small- and medium-sized manufacturing and public organizations. The papers in this issue also take a look at performance indicators and closed-loop supply chain aspects. Amongst these topics, four papers incorporate social aspects, which have been relatively and significantly less researched than environmental issues.
Increasing attention is being given now a days to developing environmental management (EM) strategies for the supply chain. This research: (1) investigates the factors leading to the development of a closed-loop supply chain, (2) describes the closed-loop supply chain design, (3) focuses on the collection challenges companies have been facing. More specifically, this paper tends to (4) show that manufacturers can create value by implementing a partnership with an eco-non-profit community organization in the collection process of used products for the closed-loop supply chain. This study focuses on the reuse-a-shoe program of Nike and the creation of Throwplace.com to point out the benefits of strategic alliances between manufacturers and eco-non-profit organizations.
Since the early 1990s, many corporate environmental managers have seen their progress grind to a halt. The search for explanations included the powerful imagery of the “Green Wall” spelled out by Robert D. Shelton in 1995(see CES Vol. 2 No. 2). An alternative interpretation may help explain this lack of progress and the corporate environmental managers' perpetual struggle up the Green Stairway. This model looks at environmental programs in relation to the business, rather than in a vacuum. The Green Stairway identifies six stages beginning with “Denial” and continuing on to “Sustainable Competitive Advantage”. It suggests a more dynamic way for corporate environmental managers to look at their current situation and their aspirations. It is a model that puts much more responsibility for the success and failure of corporate environmental programs on the strategic capabilities of those programs' managers. It suggests both a greater burden, and greater opportunity for corporate environmental managers to take control of their own fates as they move forward into a period of continued pressure and uncertainty.
In order to realise sustainable development, sufficient waste management is
rather important. It is inappropriate for the future only to reduce waste and save
energy. Sustainable economic growth is necessary for prosperity but this also in
turn causes waste. Based on the literature and formal empirical research, we can
state that a movement towards sustainability is only possible if we manage to
develop concepts that integrate economic and ecological goals. These challenges
can be realised best with the application of certain Sustainable Supply Chain
Networks and supply chain management methods. The set up of Sustainable
Supply Chain Networks strongly supports the realisation of a circular economy
by way of closing process chains between enterprises within an industry and by
implementing joint environmental protection measures. This significantly
enables the avoidance and reduction of waste and saves costs as well as improves
the competitiveness of the members.
Keywords: waste management, waste avoidance, waste reduction, sustainability,
Supply Chain, Sustainable Supply Chain Network.
1 Introduction
Reducing and/or avoiding waste was already an important issue since the early
1970s. Initially, waste was reduced by end-of-pipe-technologies, followed by
process- and product-integrated environmental technology developments in the
1980s [1]. These concepts were isolated applications that focussed on a single
enterprise.
Today, waste management has to be considered in the context of sustainable
development. Sustainable development claims the simultaneous improvement of
Increasing pressures from a variety of directions have caused the Chinese automobile supply chain managers to consider and initiate implementation of green supply chain management (GSCM) practices to improve both their economic and environmental performance. Expanding on some earlier work investigating general GSCM practices in China, this paper explores the GSCM pressures/drivers (motivators), initiatives and performance of the automotive supply chain using an empirical analysis of 89 automotive enterprises within China. The results show that the Chinese automobile supply chain enterprises have experienced high and increasing regulatory and market pressures and at the same time have strong internal drivers for GSCM practice adoption. However, their GSCM implementation, especially with consideration of external relationships, is poor. Therefore, GSCM implementation has only slightly improved environmental and operational performance, and has not resulted in significant economic performance improvement. In furthering this analysis we investigate one specific organization in this supply chain, the Dalian Diesel Engine Plant, and how this pioneering company has addressed the issues identified by the broader empirical analysis.
nvironmentalism is no longer an issue of reluctant compliance with regulatory requirements. In the last decade, it has increasingly emerged as a potential mechanism for gaining competitive advantage and has become an important aspect of strategic management. ∗ E Being environmentally conscious involves detailed attention to a variety of issues, such as energy conservation, pollution prevention, and avoidance of ecological degradation. Our current levels of resource consumption and waste generation are unsustainable in the long run. A 1987 report by the World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED) warns that current
The number of organizations contemplating the integration of environmental practices into their strategic plans and daily operations is continuously increasing. Numerous initiatives have provided incentives for organizations to become more environmentally benign. Some of these regulation driven programs are mandatory, but increasingly numerous voluntary environmental programs are also introduced by organizations. Organizations view many of these environmental programs, which may include technological and organizational development projects, as possible alternatives for gaining or maintaining a competitive advantage. One environmental program area that continues to gain in importance is one that focuses on the external relationships among organizations. To help evaluate alternatives that will effect this relationship we present a strategic decision framework that will aid managerial decision-making. This decision framework is based on literature and practice in the area of environmentally conscious business practices. The focus of this paper will be on the components and elements of green supply chain management and how they serve as a foundation for the decision framework. We shall explore the applicability of a dynamic non-linear multiattribute decision model, defined as the analytical network process, for decision making within the green supply chain. Issues facing the modeling approach are also discussed.
Consideration is given to the convergence of supply chains and sustainability. In doing so, the focus on environmental management and operations is moved from local optimization of environmental factors to consideration of the entire supply chain during the production, consumption, customer service and post-disposal disposition of products. This is a critical and timely topic that captures increasing concerns over sustainability, whether driven by current legislation, public interest, or competitive opportunity. As such, sustainable development is a rich area for academic research that is still in its infancy and has the potential to affect future government policy, current production operations, and identify new business models. This paper provides a background to better understand current trends in this multidisciplinary field that intersect with operations management, and the research opportunities and challenges it presents. # 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Sustainability and sustainable development became two of the most popular expressions of our time in politics, science and business. However, a movement towards sustainability is only possible if companies develop concepts in production and logistics integrating both economic and ecological goals and measures. Managing sustainability seems to be more effective on a supply chain network level than on a company one. The paper illustrates the state-of-the-art of the discussion about managing sustainability. Furthermore, recommendations for sustainable development in industrial systems are made. Additionally, we outline the concept of sustainable supply chain networks as a tool for dissolving economic and ecological goal conflicts. This benefits sustainability and leads in the long run to an improvement of the economic and ecological performance and the enhancement of the competitive position for all participants. An example from the automotive industry illustrates the practical relevance.
In the last ten years, the notion of a ‘business case’ for corporate sustainability has increasingly been used by the corporate sector, environmental organizations, consultancies and so on, to seek justification for sustainability strategies within organizations. In this paper, we aim to systemize and assess existing research and tools related to this increasingly popular concept. We present a review of (1) theoretical frameworks, (2) instrumental studies aiming to either prove or disprove a hypothesized causal sequence between corporate social or environmental performance and financial performance, (3) descriptive studies examining manager’s actual perceptions and practices, and finally (4) tools. We identify a clearly insufficient understanding of manager’s key arguments or business logic for adopting corporate sustainability strategies (how ‘business cases’ are built, how effective they are and what barriers they face). We attribute this primarily to lack of descriptive research in these areas.
This paper is concerned with the sustainable development of society, its economy and in particular with the future industry–environment partnership. As a working hypothesis we interpret sustainable development as an evolutionary step taken by society and its economy. The path to be taken will be one of increasing complexity. Consequently, it is argued that efficiency improvements are the first step of development but will by far not be sufficient for a radical breakthrough toward sustainable development. Currently, the most appropriate guiding model for industrial development is assumed to be the industrial ecology model. Networks of industrial and various other activities comprising the three essential areas of effect, ecology, economy and sociology, are important components of the complex industrial systems under discussion. It is these comprehensive networks, intermeshed with society as a whole, that will encourage sustainable development. In conclusion, we will discuss alternative development possibilities available to cities and regions. New forms of Eco-Clusters (ECOFIT-Parks) shall become the germ cells of development for a sustainable industry.
In this article, the concept of Integrated (Substance) Chain Management (ISCM) is discussed. The definition of ISCM, motives for ISCM, conditions for implementation, different points of view and a five-step model are dealt with. In addition, a number of possible barriers on the road to ISCM are discussed. The model is applied to a stonewool-producing company in the Netherlands. This company set up a recycling project in the form of a briquetting factory. The substance-flow sheets show that after implementing the briquetting factory, almost all process wastes are used in the factory and that fewer virgin materials have to be used. From an economic point of view, production in a more sustainable fashion is very unattractive: production costs per ton of stonewool product rose as a consequence of the use of the briquettes as an input. The barriers connected to ISCM are mainly economic and regulatory. Solutions for the Rockwool company may include engaging in environmental product stewardship and a realignment of the government policy towards dumping re-usable and non-separated building and construction waste.
While biological systems are centrally characterized by the rate of composition and decomposition being practically equal, industrial systems show a primary focus on production. The industrial recycling network integrates the re-use of ‘former waste’ by an inter-company matching of production processes. In this way it helps to reduce material and energy throughput in the economic system to sustainable levels. This article identifies central characteristics of this concept. Conclusions for further enhancement are drawn based on two observed recycling systems. The industrial recycling network is also shown to foster development within regions.
This study summarizes results from six case studies in Sustainable Product Development, based on a method developed in the Nordic Project for Environmentally Sound Product Development. In all, but one case, there are reported significant improvements in environmental performance of new products, compared to existing reference products. Proposed options for improvement would increase purchase cost in as many cases as it was reduced, whereas life cycle cost for the user of the product was mainly influenced positively. The improvement options did not influence on important customer quality parameters in most cases, and there was as many positive as negative relationships. Based on the results from the study, it is not possible to give a general rank of priorities of strategies and options for improvements. What are the best solutions depend to a high degree on the external conditions of the product systems, and what types of products are examined. A scenario model, based on real product data, shows that the optimal life time of a product with the most significant environmental impacts related to the user stage might approach the innovation cycle time, if increased eco-efficiency is the driving force of the innovation process. To reach a level of global sustainability, it is not sufficient to improve the eco-efficiency of each product as such. Major changes in the infrastructure for energy production, distribution and consumption, in transport infrastructure systems, and in management of material cycles in the society is necessary. It is proposed to use eco-effectiveness as a measure for environmental improvement of product systems, as an alternative to eco-efficiency.
In a recent article of this journal, Robert et al. [Journal of Cleaner Production 10 (2002) 197] define five hierarchical and interdependent levels for a systems approach for strategic sustainable development (SSD) to move toward the desired outcome, the state of sustainability. This paper evaluates the concept of industrial ecology (IE) by considering its application and use in terms of the strategic sustainable development model. The author argues that the applications of the concept of IE can contribute to all five levels in the hierarchical model. However, the paper shows that if IE is used outside the systems model, four risks and difficulties are generated that can lead to suboptimal solutions, problem displacement and problem shifting. Recommendations derived from ecological economics and environmental management are made for ways to proceed with the integration of IE into the broader SSD concepts and approaches.
This paper sets out an illustrative application to the UK of a new framework for identifying critical natural capital (CNC). This involves classifying the characteristics of natural capital and the environmental functions to which it gives rise, and then defining standards of environmental sustainability for these functions. The framework then relates these functions to the economic system, through physical input–output tables, in order to identify the pressures on the functions and hence the extent to which the functions are not being maintained at a sustainable level. The framework is worked though in some detail for water, with less detailed application of it to air, land and habitats. The methodology can be used to identify areas of environmental unsustainability and the processes to which this unsustainability is due, so that policies to more towards sustainability may be more easily identified.
This paper summarises the main results of the CRITINC project and briefly describes the case studies in which the CRITINC methodology was applied. These related to air quality, river systems, forests, urban areas, coastal wetlands and agricultural and water resources. The paper concludes that the methodology provides a way of systematically considering different uses of and impacts on the environment, with a view to evaluating whether environmental functions are being used sustainably and the extent of any sustainability gap, identifying the source of environmental pressures, and monitoring whether policies aimed at environmental improvement are being effective.
Much debate has occurred in the extant literature as to whether socially responsible actions undertaken by firms result in improved financial performance. One key dimension of social responsibility is environmental initiatives and programs. While the purchasing function can create value and significantly affect the environmental actions of a firm and its upstream supply chain, no research to date has explored the effect of environmental purchasing on firm performance. Our research provides an initial examination of this relationship. We combine survey and archival data to show that environmental purchasing is significantly related to both net income and cost of goods sold, after controlling for firm size, leverage, and primary earnings per share.
In light of increasing pressures to adopt a more sustainable approach to product design and manufacture, the requirement to develop sustainable products is one of the key challenges facing industry in the 21st century. Hence, the concept of developing sustainable products as well as services is evolving as a key element of Cleaner Production. Sustainable product development initiatives (mainly through eco-design) have been evolving for some time to support companies develop more sustainable products. Ireland has been running the highly successful Environmentally Superior Products (ESP) initiative that supports industrial companies to incorporate a more sustainable approach to the development of products and/or services. The lessons learned from the ESP and other global Sustainable Product and Service Developments in industry and research, are being used to develop a method for effective sustainable product and/or service development (SPSD) in industry. The method is designed to provide pragmatic guidance to business and industry for developing sustainable products and services as well as incorporating this approach within existing corporate strategy, cleaner production and product development systems. This method is being developed by the authors at the Environmental Policy and Management Group (EPMG), Department of Environmental Science and Technology,Imperial College London, UK in conjunction with industry and practitioners. The method provides a framework for implementing SPSD throughout the entire lifecycle of a product and/or service. It can be used to identify, assess and implement the options for optimum sustainability in the design and development of a product and/or service. This paper describes the key features of this method.
These days, sustainability is a key issue for many private companies that address their sustainable corporate performance (SCP). The perspective is essential for their license to operate and forms the basis for business principles and practices. The lack of internationally accepted reporting standards on what, when and where to report makes it difficult to assess sustainability, however. Moreover, measuring tools providing information on SCP are only the first step towards sustainability. To prevent negative effects of operations being transferred from one company to another, the second step is the development of a system-based approach for all companies that contribute to an end product. This paper presents the findings of a study about the use of environmental indicators for food production and proposes a measuring method for environmental sustainability in food production systems. The study shows that environmental SCP often focuses on events at a local level. The enormous number of indicators found in the literature generates too much data that often provide no additional knowledge on the environmental sustainability of a system. Moreover, although environmental research has addressed many aspects of sustainability, it has often ignored interactions. Overall environmental implications of food production are therefore poorly understood. The proposed measuring method uses three indicators that address global environmental issues: the use of energy (from both fossil and renewable sources), land and water. The systemic approach can calculate trade-offs along supply chains that make up a production system. The use of the method implies an extension of environmental SCP towards the overall performance of a production system. The final outcome is expressed in three performance indicators: the total land, energy and water requirement per kilogram of available food. For companies, the data generated can be used to compare trends over time, to compare results with targets and to benchmark a company against others. For consumers, data can be used to compare the environmental effects of various foods. The method is also applicable to other business sectors. The study is part of a multidisciplinary project on the scientific modeling and measuring of SCP involving economic, social and environmental dimensions. Acceptance of the measuring methods developed may be a powerful contribution towards creating sustainable business practices.
This article investigates the impact of ISO 14001 certification on the compliance with environmental regulations by Korean companies. The impact of ISO 14001 certification on the industry was studied through a questionnaire survey and the compliance of environmental regulations were investigated using government-released data. The motivation for an environment management system was a result of the current international situation and the need to maintain fair competition. ISO 14001 certification has been recognized as an essential strategy for industrial competition and to improve company/product recognition. The certified and non-certified companies' environmental regulation violation (ERV) rates were 3.5% and 11.6%, respectively, in 1997. In 1998, the ERV rate had an eight-time difference with 1.0% and 8.5% for certified and non-certified companies, respectively. Annual regulation violation rates were reduced from 3.5% in 1997 to 1.0% in 1998 with certified companies and from 11.6% in 1997 to 8.5% in 1998 with their non-certified counterparts, respectively. ISO 14001 certified companies showed more improvement than non-certified companies in regards to environmental performance.
This study investigates the relationship between characteristics of environmental policy statements and the reputations of ISO 14001 registrars who had performed certification audits of firms operating in mainland China. Three characteristics of environmental policy statements were examined: (1) The conformance of the policy to strict interpretations of the international standard; (2) The policy statement's adherence to the good practice guidelines specified in ISO 14004; and, (3) Self-reported evaluations of the policy statement's effectiveness as implemented. Data from 106 facilities in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou reveal that registrar quality has a relatively weak, positive relationship with conformance to both ISO 14001 standards and to ISO 14004 guidelines, but no relationship was observed with the self-reported data. Additional findings are that the use of foreign registrars is significantly associated with the adoption of ISO 14004 guidelines and that conformance with ISO 14001 standards is somewhat higher for international joint ventures and foreign-owned firms than for state-owned enterprises.
Toward a Mid-range Theory of the Environmental Investment Decision Process, Paper Presented at the EURAM Conference
- C Drechsler
Drechsler, C., 2005, Toward a Mid-range Theory of the Environmental Investment Decision Process, Paper Presented at the EURAM Conference 2005.
Management in an Uncertain World (Munich, Germany, May 4-7),.
Moving Toward a Less Consumptive Economy, in Worldwatch InstituteState of the World 2004—Special Focus: The Consumer Society
- M Renner
Renner, M., 2004, Moving Toward a Less Consumptive Economy, in Worldwatch InstituteState of the World 2004—Special Focus: The Consumer Society. WW Norton & Co, Washington, NY, pp. pp.96–119.
- D.-M Kwon
- M.-S Seo
- Y.-C Seo
Kwon, D.-M., Seo, M.-S., Seo, Y.-C., 2002, A Study of Compliance With Environmental Regulations of ISO 14001 Certified Companies in Korea, Journal of
Environmental Management, 65/4: 347-353.