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Life cycle assessment (LCA) is amongst the most frequently used methodologies to identify and evaluate the environmental impacts of the circular supply chain configurations. This article aims to showcase how a socio‐material perspective can increase the embeddedness of such an assessment within inter‐firm networks. A comparative LCA of two circular product systems is conducted, namely single‐use and reusable tableware within a canteen located in northern Italy. To contextualise the LCA, the Actor Network Theory (ANT) is used as an epistemological lens to identify the framing and problematisation of bioplastics in Italy, as well as the power constellation of actors affecting the bioplastics life cycle. The ANT complements the LCA in three ways: firstly, it informs the end‐of‐life modelling of the product systems away from public narratives to the actual waste management practices and secondly, it contextualises the interpretation of the LCA results—in favour of the reuse system—with the socio‐technical factors in Italy. Finally, the socio‐material perspective allows for a discussion on the performative role of LCA in the light of its increasing popularity in the public and private sectors and on its potential to guide more sustainable production and consumption patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Oiconomy Pricing approach provides an innovative way of measuring and communicating (un)sustainability of products. It expresses (un)sustainability in a virtual monetary unit, the 'Eco Social Cost Unit' (ESCU). As closely as possible, the ESCU score of a product equals the externalities, which can also be described as hidden preventative costs. In the context of product sustainability assessment, these are the costs that need to be spent to avoid any damage to the environment or society that the product causes during its entire lifecycle. This paper presents the result of a pilot project with three companies operating in global value chains, applying the Oiconomy Sustainability Assessment Tool. The project encouraged end‐producer companies and their value chain partners to calculate the hidden preventative costs and jointly implement sustainable solutions. This article presents the results of these calculations for the three cases, the experiences of the companies and the implications for the market introduction of the tool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cities play a central role in the circular economy (CE) as they are important centres of production and consumption, responsible for 80% of global GDP. European cities are particularly important due to their position of power in the global economy as major markets, and places of industrial and social innovation. Yet urban CE policies and discourses remain poorly researched and understood. This paper addresses this research gap by analysing and comparing the CE policies and discourses in different European cities to draw critical insights and recommendations. It does so by first reviewing academic literature on urban CE policies to develop a new conceptual framework to analyse CE discourses and policies. This framework is then used to analyse and compare the CE policies of three European cities: Glasgow, Amsterdam, and Copenhagen. Results show that technocentric approaches to CE are dominant in the three cities. Moreover, they have very limited social justice policies for a fair distribution of the costs and benefits of a CE transition. Key policy recommendations to address these shortcomings are thus proposed. The insights brought about by this paper are valuable for both practitioners and academics seeking to improve urban CE policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of life cycle‐based assessment has been defined a crucial microfoundation to implement circular business models from a dynamic capabilities perspective. Through a case study of a multi‐national packaging corporation in the plastics sector, the application of an industry‐developed circularity assessment, the Circular Transition Indicators (CTI), is analysed in two manufacturing locations (Italy and China). The aim is to identify how this life cycle‐based assessment can amplify the company's capability to sense, seize and reconfigure its resources. Data were collected from a company placement, interviews, and sustainability reports. The CTI mainly contributed to the sensing microfoundations concerning the company's life cycle‐based perspective and the use of environmental management tools. It also proved to complement existing life cycle‐based approaches because it does not identify sustainability impacts, but only captures material flows. Furthermore, the results showed how the CTI implementation benefitted from existing microfoundations, such as the strategic collaboration with knowledge partners and previously collected sustainability and process efficiency data. Finally, it was also discussed for which microfoundations the CTI results could be most useful: to improve internal resource management processes and to support external circularity pledges. This paper contributes an empirical example to connect dynamic capabilities with life cycle management literature in a circular economy context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The strategic relevance of extracting raw materials from waste from electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) in the EU is increasing due to value chain risks caused by geopolitical instability, accessibility of specific minerals, and decreasing reserves due to growing extraction rates. This article examines the quantities of so‐called critical raw materials (CRMs) originating within WEEE streams from a depletion perspective. Presently, current recycling targets are based solely on mass collection and recycling rates. We examine the potential limitations of this approach using an exergy‐based indicator named thermodynamic rarity. This indicator represents the exergy costs needed for producing materials from the bare rock to market. The case of Italy is used to explore the application of the indicator at the macro (national) and micro (company) level for the product categories "small electronics" and "screens and monitors." Our estimations show significant differences between the mass and rarity of materials within Italian WEEE streams. While iron accounts for more than 70% of the weight of the product categories analyzed, it accounts for less than 15% of the rarity. Similarly, several CRMs with a small mass have a higher rarity value, for example, tungsten with less than 0.1% of the mass and over 6% of the rarity. The policy context is reflected upon, where it is argued that thermodynamic rarity can provide novel insights to support end‐of‐life WEEE decision‐making processes, for example, target development and recycling standards setting to help prioritize material monitoring and recovery options. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Used European electric and electronic equipment (UEEE) has multiple use cycles in various countries, including Nigeria. Although the EU‐Nigeria e‐waste trade is illegal under EU and Nigerian law, previous research shows that some imported equipment is only fit for disposal. Imported UEEE has a short lifespan. Such European e‐waste exports imported to Nigeria have sustainability and circularity implications for both places and raise questions about justice and equity. Using a transdisciplinary approach, we identify existing practices and challenges in Nigeria and co‐create actionable solutions towards a sustainable, circular and fairness‐driven UEEE and e‐waste value chain. We find current extended producer responsibility (EPR) does not focus on the entire global value chain, is linear, and lacks transparency, accountability, and consideration for spatial equity. To overcome these shortcomings, we propose ultimate producer responsibility (UPR). UPR aids sustainability and circularity transition while paying attention to justice and equity. The research adds global and social dimensions to the European circular economy (CE), otherwise primarily focused on national material cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ongoing social and ecological crises create urgency in academia and elsewhere to devise actionable problem‐solving knowledge to tackle sustainability challenges. Transdisciplinary research (TDR) represents a problem‐solving methodology for sustainability problems. TDR requires researchers to get out in the real world and engage with other societal actors to jointly produce such problem‐solving knowledge for research to have a societal impact. This radical process of doing "science with society" instead of "science for society" is becoming more urgent and relevant. However, a transdisciplinary (TD) researcher faces challenges: often, institutions have limited readiness for facilitating TDR, a researcher has to juggle the roles of an academic and changemaker simultaneously and needs new ways of doing science. The research process requires enough manoeuvring space to incorporate reflexivity, adaptiveness, and emergence based on the research context. The research uses case studies, interviews, reflections, and document analysis from two finished and one ongoing TDR PhDs in sustainability science and connects them with the TD literature. Based on previous and ongoing TDR by early‐stage researchers (ESRs), this article identifies and discusses six TDR challenges ESRs in sustainability sciences might face. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An emerging research area is dedicated to developing approaches for assessing the 'circularity' of companies and their products, within the context of sustainability goals. However, empirical evidence on the uptake of these assessment approaches remains scarce. Using a purposive sampling, we conducted a survey receiving 155 responses and held 43 semi‐structured interviews with Dutch and Italian companies active in circular economy (CE), pursuing three research aims: to explore the use of CE and sustainability assessment approaches; to study the process of developing assessment approaches; and to uncover benefits of—and barriers to—CE assessment. While we find high variability of assessment approaches, most often, companies develop tailor‐made sustainability indicators and apply life cycle assessments to CE strategies. Importantly, assessment development for CE practices requires and facilitates collaboration with external stakeholders. Finally, we reflect on the paradox of standardisation versus tailoring of assessment approaches within the CE reality and recommend establishing company needs and capabilities before designing assessment approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The circular economy is promoted as a contributor to sustainable development; however, the process of circular business model innovation remains under‐explored to date, hindering its implementation. Dynamic capabilities research provides a theoretical perspective to explore how incumbent firms can innovate in rapidly changing environments. An abductive qualitative research is done through an exploratory multiple case study on 10 incumbents that implemented a circular business model innovation. We identify 26 practices, aggregated in 12 micro‐foundations of the dynamic capabilities of sensing, seizing, and reconfiguring. By integrating the few empirical studies characterizing dynamic capabilities for sustainability‐oriented business model innovation, we offer a comprehensive framework of 33 practices. This study proposes that the most relevant practices for circular business model innovation processes are adopting a lifecycle perspective, employing sustainability‐oriented instruments, ideating sustainable value propositions, developing a sustainability strategy and culture, and engaging and coordinating stakeholders in the business ecosystem. We also suggest seven particularly relevant practices for long‐term business model transformations (e.g., top management commitment), four for innovations focused on short and medium loops of the circular economy (e.g., early customer engagement), and four for long loops (e.g., business ecosystem coordination). This study corroborates and expands recent research on dynamic capabilities for sustainability‐oriented innovation and provides practitioners with a set of 33 skills, processes, procedures, and activities to be prioritized to successfully innovate their business models for the circular economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extended producer responsibility (EPR) is a proposed policy approach to promoting the circular economy (CE) within the European Union. This research used a policy Delphi to explore perspectives on improving EPR policies to further contribute to the CE goals of the Netherlands. Both the potential improvement and critical reflections discussed by CE and EPR experts and practitioners from this study contribute to a more detailed understanding of the future governance of CE practices. We present various activities to improve EPR and insights from Delphi participants that emerged from the study. This paper shows that whilst actors agree, in essence, that there is a need for modifying EPR, what the specific changes to the form are and to whom the new responsibilities apply is contested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Corruption is one of the key social aspects, heavily impacting all three Planet-, People- and Prosperity sustainability pillars and is therefore essential to be included in S-LCA. The objective of this article is to consider the available options to quantify corruption in preventative cost-based S-LCA, and to make a first proposal for quantification.Methods: Literature was investigated on potential S-LCA assessment methods of corruption. To date, such literature is hardly available, so more generally, S-LCA methods were assessed on described concepts and ideas, and assessed on five criteria. Following this, using the obtained conclusions and ideas, a proposal for the quantification of corruption for the preventative cost-based Oiconomy system was developed, following the five-step Oiconomy method (Croes and Vermeulen in J Clean Prod 102:178-187, 2015).Results and discussion: Based on some examples, Dreyer et al. (Int J Life Cycle Assess 15(3):247-259, 2010) argue that various social aspects, including corruption, are better assessed by companies' preventative efforts than by their impact. Therefore, modifying a method developed by Dreyer et al. (Int J Life Cycle Assess 15(3):247-259, 2010), an indicator is proposed provided by the product of the marginal preventative costs and the quality of a companies' preventative governance. For the aspect of corruption, the internationally accepted target is "zero tolerance." Literature shows that the ultimate business choice under pressure of corruption is "not doing the business." Because profitability is the main driver for companies, refraining from the business is proposed as the marginal preventative measure, and the related profit as the maximum quantitative indicator for S-LCA. For the risk factor, a technique is proposed based on scoring a company's governance quality by checking the four Plan-Do-Check-Act effort classes of common risk-based certification standards' criteria.Conclusions: Our assessment shows a definite need for the inclusion of the aspect of corruption in S-LCA, but no options for a reasonably certain assessment are available for the aspect of corruption in impact-based S-LCA, also suitable for the preventative cost-based Oiconomy system. However, based on literature-derived ideas and principles, for the Oiconomy system, we could propose both a performance reference point and marginal preventative costs as a quantitative measure for corruption. The proposed measure is not paying the bribe, but the proposed indicator is a governance quality-dependent fraction of the consequentially lost profit margin. Consequences, limitations and possible objections to our proposed methods are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The relationship between coffee quality and sustainability is typically analysed using symbolic quality attributes, not material quality. This article provides a bottom‐up perspective of Burundi's current competitive advantage in the global coffee market: material quality. The research agenda was embedded within the operations of a Burundian coffee washing station and describes critical business practices for producing and selling high material quality coffee. We argue that these business practices represent quality governance mechanisms that are significantly different from the exogenous and fixed criteria of sustainability certifications and labels. Such quality governance mechanisms are an important trading trend to recognize and understand in a producing country such as Burundi that is unable to effectively compete in the certified coffee market because of the small size and irregularity of its supply. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A correction has been made in Section 2.1.1: "To better navigate and understand these differences, this research uses the discourse typology developed by Calisto-Friant et al. (2020), which has also been used to analyze the EU's CE policies [64], CE discourses in Norway [65,66], the European plastics strategy [67] and competing discourses on the CE in Australiaindustry practices in Italy and the Netherlands [68]". This has been changed to: "To better navigate and understand these differences, this research uses the discourse typology developed by Calisto-Friant et al. (2020), which has also been used to analyze the EU's CE policies [64], CE discourses in Norway [65,66], the European plastics strategy [67] and competing discourses on the CE in Australia [68]". (2) A correction has been made in Section 4.3: "Future research should further analyze these and other policy options and approaches to addressing the CE 95 for plastics". [Extracted from the article]

ABSTRACT In the last decade, many authors have observed shifts from government to governance in the environmental policy domain. However, a clear conceptual framework to differentiate between modes of environmental governance is lacking and our understanding of when, how and why environmental governance changes from one mode to another is limited. In this paper we propose such a framework and we illustrate its usefulness by applying it to two environmental policy sectors in the Netherlands: urban environmental policy and policy regarding sustainable production and consumption. We show how the application of our framework leads to detailed, replicable and comparable claims about character and intensity of shifts in environmental governance. From this analysis, we conclude that character and intensity of shifts in environmental governance vary significantly. Furthermore, we show that modes of governance build on rather than completely replace one another. Finally, we point to a number of possible explanations for shifts in environmental governance, recognized in literature and in practice. We conclude with some suggestions for further research. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Business strategy is linked to organisational values and culture, which is determined to some extent by national culture. This can provide a challenge in a global supply chain where culture and values at one end of the chain do not correspond with culture at the other end. This paper contends that shared values contribute to effective sustainability changes in supply chains. Two case studies from the South African-British fresh fruit export chain present two contrasting business strategies for achieving socially sustainable practices: (i) a unilateral, prescriptive approach (pushing), mirroring a paternalistic value system, in which a company prescribes norms of socially responsible behaviour at the ground level (the Tesco case) and; (ii) a bilateral, collaborative approach (sharing) in which business and non-governmental organisations work together to improve working conditions (the Waitrose case). Outcomes of these approaches are observed over a 3-year period. It is concluded that within this specific supply chain a shared value approach is a more successful initiative than paternalistic pushing initiatives. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses various reports published within the issue including one on the activity of business enterprises in the first generation of sustainable supply chain governance, one on the capacity of developing countries to respond to Europe-based supply chain demands, and one on the approach of World Shop movement towards a more commercial association.

This article reports on the mechanisms of business-to-business regulation as governance approach in an agricultural supply chain. The article explores the activities of NGOs, government and business in promoting sustainable production. It focuses on the requirements set for producers in agro-food chains and the effects of NGO perceptions on these issues. The subsequent business standards set by retailers and other market role-players and the responses of producers are reported and the responsibility for achieving desired outputs is discussed. The research methodology included open interviews with various stakeholders in the chain, as well as structured questionnaires to determine practices on farms. From the findings it is clear that perceptions of European stakeholders differ substantially from the reality found in South Africa. This has consequences for producers, from both a social and a financial perspective. Understanding the role and function of NGOs, market role-players and national government in the governance of sustainable development in the South African–European table grape supply chain contributes to identifying barriers and opportunities to achieving sustainable practices in global supply chains. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global trade is strongly growing and becoming connected to the issue of sustainable development in business practices. In recent years this has resulted in businesses on the demand side formulating sets of requirements for suppliers on their performance on corporate social responsibility and sustainable production. In doing this, value systems of the industrialized world are forwarded towards developing countries. It is seen as a way to complement poor sustainability policies on practices in these countries. This relatively new phenomenon of promoting sustainable development through market interactions is quite remarkable. Why would economic actors take up such public interests (abating environmental degradation and social injustice)? From the perspective of developing countries on the supply side of global value chains, being able to commit to such business-to-business standards requires developing world producers to possess certain qualities and capacities. This article reflects on this issue, identifying essential capacities, drawn from literature on (sustainable) entrepreneurship. It develops a model explaining business performance with characteristics of entrepreneurship. The model is tested in practice using data on exporters of table grapes in South Africa. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bhutan's nature conservation policy aims to integrate nature conservation and economic development. This policy is guided by a Buddhist attitude that places coexistence with nature over exploitation of nature for economic gain. We looked at how nature conservation policy affected everyday life and economic activities of local communities and what this may imply for the country's long-term socioeconomic development. The study includes a field survey involving 210 local residents in two national parks. The results indicated that there is support for nature conservation in local communities despite the significant restrictions on the use of non-timber forest products and the loss of crops to wild animals. However, the compensation schemes are inadequate which may lead to depopulation and the abandonment of land in rural areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The circular economy (CE) has become a key sustainability discourse in the last decade. The Netherlands seeks to become fully circular by 2050 and the EU has set ambitious circularity targets in its CE Action Plan of 2015. The plastics sector, in particular, has gained a lot of attention as it is a priority area of both the EU and Dutch CE policies. However, there has been little research on the different and often contested discourses, governance processes and policy mechanisms guiding the transition to a circular economy and society. This paper aims to fill these gaps by asking what circular discourses and policies are being promoted in the Netherlands and what sustainability implications and recommendations can be drawn from it. It does so through a mix of media analysis, policy analysis, semi-structured interviews, and surveys using Q-methodology. Results indicate a dominance of technocentric imaginaries, and a general lack of discussion on holistic, and transformative visions, which integrate the full social, political, and ecological implication of a circular future. To address those challenges, this research brings key policy insights and recommendations which can help both academics and practitioners better understand and implement the transition towards a sustainable circular plastics economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the literature, environmental leaders are often implicitly considered as a homogeneous group of companies. In addition, this proposition underlies much public policymaking that is aimed at supporting companies that go green'. A recent exploratory study conducted in the Netherlands however revealed that environmental leaders are often rather heterogeneous – even if they operate in the same sector. Differences are particularly related to incentives for and barriers to environmental leadership. In this paper we develop a typology of environmental leaders and provide recommendations for a differentiated and more effective public policy approach to supporting environmental leaders. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the practice of implementing the Sustainability Treaty signed by Bhutan and the Netherlands in 1994. This unique treaty represents a new relationship between developed and developing countries, based upon the principles of reciprocity and equality. The operational aspects of this treaty and the impacts are addressed and analysed in this article. The analysis pays close attention to the implementation process in Bhutan and the Netherlands. The analysis includes a review of the policy documents, interviews and case studies of four projects. The core idea of the agreement was to deviate from the traditional form of cooperation by building a two-way path, promoting equity, reciprocity and participation through dialogue, but it never succeeded in achieving its goal due to differences in political ideology and socio-economic status and lack of shared vision. Yet, the analysis shows that the implementation has been a ‘successful failure’. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last few decades, Bhutan has followed a controlled tourism policy, with a 'high value, low volume' strategy. This approach is based on the country's sustainable development policy. In recent years, tourism has been identified as the backbone of private sector growth. To this end, a 'high value, low impact' strategy was adopted, which would allow for a doubling of the number of tourists in the next decade. Growing numbers of visitors could jeopardize the intended low impact on both nature and culture, which are the selling points of Bhutanese tourism. In this article, we examine the contribution of tourism to the sustainable development of Bhutan, focusing on the socio-economic, environmental and cultural impacts of present-day tourism. Information was gathered by conducting field surveys in the tourist sector and in rural communities, and by analysing financial data relating to tourism. The results indicate that tourism has the potential to stimulate private sector growth by producing spin-off effects in the related service sector and to transform the rural economy. The impact on culture and the environment is currently low. However, the expected growth may, if it is not managed properly, erode the unique nature of tourism in Bhutan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the practical approach to sustainable development in Bhutan and specifically on public views on and experiences with the implementation of this strategy. Bhutan's development goal is ‘gross national happiness’. The strategy it has adopted to achieve this goal is known as the ‘middle path strategy’, which essentially addresses four sources (‘pillars’) of gross national happiness: economic development, ecological preservation, cultural preservation and good governance, without giving greater emphasis to any one pillar over the others. The paper is based on a survey conducted in 10 districts of Bhutan. Standard pre-designed questionnaires were used for interviews with representatives of three main groups in society: the state, civil society and the market. The results of this survey, the first of its kind to be carried out in the country, revealed that there is general agreement with the substance of the development strategy, although not everyone is fully aware of its scope and implications. A remarkable outcome of the survey, and one that contrasts with happiness studies conducted elsewhere in the world, was the high score for happiness in a country whose gross domestic product is so small. However, people do feel uncertain and the chosen development path is still fragile. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Greening of product chains has come up as an important means to systematically improve the environmental performance of products from cradle to cradle in Europe and elsewhere. Some experience with inter-firm co-operation aiming at reducing the environmental impacts has been generated in recent years. Most of these experiences involve cooperation between some of the links in product chains, very often stopping at European borders. Problems of market communication, information availability and information costs prevent companies from going beyond these lines. Also, anonymous markets may prevent communication between producers and end-users in the West and supplying firms in developing countries. Only very few documented case studies of global greening of product chains are available. Therefore, the challenge here is how to establish interactions with the first links in supply chains. Within the context of South Africa it is of cardinal importance to identify these links to ensure sustainable synergy. European countries are constantly changing the standards of products in order to meet environmental targets. Moreover, European consumer markets are increasingly sensitive to environmentally sound products. From the perspective of South African suppliers there is an increasing need for interaction in their global product chains. In this conceptual analysis we will present the way that should be followed from both ends of the global product chains. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In theory, eco-industrial parks can make significant improvements in the environment. In that light, this article analyses six planning methods currently in use in the Netherlands. The most salient findings are that these methods lack an explicit vision of sustainability, they do not give due consideration to symbiotic or utility-sharing options, they do not sufficiently engage the companies involved in the development and their policy instruments have a limited environmental impact. The planning methods prove to have many shortcomings: the definition of sustainability is unclear; there are no quantitative standards; information on symbiosis and utility sharing is inadequate; the economic and organizational implications are largely ignored and the environmental impact is insufficiently monitored. However, eco-industrial parks can only have greater environmental benefits through symbiosis and utility sharing. Therefore, location- and company-specific factors have to be taken into consideration. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. and ERP Environment [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the potential of a method for participatory policy making in the field of carbon dioxide (CO[sub 2]) reduction in housing: the CO[sub 2] reduction workshop. This innovative method aims to involve relevant actors at an early stage of urban development and to formulate common ambitions for CO[sub 2] reduction. Special attention is paid to the inputting of information about options for CO[sub 2] reduction. The workshop was organized and evaluated in two planning processes for new housing estates in the Netherlands. The evaluation addresses the design of the workshop, the utilization of knowledge in the process, the effects of the workshop on the commitment and knowledge of the participants and the effects on the wider planning process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]