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Circular economy practices are gaining importance in the global textile and apparel value chain to promote sustainability. However, the lack of attention paid to the circular economy's social dimension is concerning, given its expected global implementation for 2050. Neglecting this social impact undermines both environmental and social sustainability, perpetuating industry inequalities. To address this problem, this study develops Transformative Circular Futures (TCFs) to inform policy and business decision-making in the textile and apparel value chains of India, the Netherlands and Spain. TCFs are co-created circular economy scenarios that are diverse, systemic, and embedded with social impact considerations. This research employs participatory methods to blend system-change, Circular Economy, social impacts (through a gender lens), and positive desirable futures approaches, resulting in 16 scenarios. The results emphasise the pivotal role of diverse stakeholder engagement in reshaping the textile and apparel value chain towards equitable and transformative circular economy futures. The TCFs-derived recommendations to reduce inequalities and improve workers' well-being are critical steps towards a more inclusive and equitable transition to circular practices in the textile and apparel sector. Common recommendations include normalising living wages for direct, indirect, and informal workers, implementing regulations challenging patriarchy, eliminating gender pay and establishing permanent global committees of social actors. This ensures that social considerations are integrated throughout national and international negotiations within the circular textile and apparel value chain. [Display omitted] • There is a need for alternative visualisation of more transformative socially rich CE futures. • Positive desirable futures and systems thinking produce alternative inclusive, circular scenarios. • Co-created futuring methodologies bring geographic, role, and gender diversity of stakeholders. • Transformative circular futures (TCFs) offer compelling recommendations for businesses and policymakers. • Comparing TCFs from different countries contributes to CE futures theory by bringing diverse visions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of renewable feedstocks for biodiesel production makes it an attractive large-scale alternative to fossil diesel. Nevertheless, traditional routes employ methanol as transesterification agent, a fossil based chemical. To improve renewability, governmental policies and subsidies have arisen to promote substitution of methanol. In the Brazilian soybean biodiesel scenario, the objective of this work is to compare the methylic and ethylic production routes, and unveil whether ethanol-based biodiesel has potential to be more sustainable. The comparison is supported by: (i) Construction of the fatty acid methyl ester and fatty acid ethyl ester soybean biodiesel production chains; (ii) Assemblage of the respective inventory matrices to quantify energy and material flows; and (iii) Application of Multi-criteria Analysis and Principal Component Analysis for data interpretation and identification of the most relevant factors affecting sustainability. Focus is on the social and environmental aspects of sustainability. Contrarily to common belief, fatty acid methyl ester, although more environmentally impacting in the step of methanol production, is shown to be generally more sustainable than the ethylic counterpart, which shows a heavy burden in the social dimension, more severe conditions of the transesterification process and extra transport demand, as demonstrated by the multi-criteria analysis, which combines quantitative indicators with ad hoc principles of green process design to provide a criticality matrix and a one-dimensional index, the Sustainability Degree. Principal Component Analysis, on the other hand, indicates average wage, water intensity and carbon intensity as the top influential indicators, out scaling energy consumption. A low compliance to the original objectives of increasing sustainability by substituting fatty acid ethyl ester for fatty acid methyl ester is observed and the importance of the social dimension is thoroughly evidenced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper identifies and addresses the challenges of implementing the corporate responsibility to respect human rights in practice at project sites. To support on-ground operational staff, we offer the Human Rights Sphere (HRS), a practical tool we developed from empirical research in three large-scale projects and from an analytical literature review. The tool is consistent with the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGP). The HRS comprises seven steps through which the understanding and addressing of the social and human rights impacts of projects and corporate human rights due diligence procedures can be enhanced. The HRS describes the various groups of rights-holders to be considered, the social and environmental impacts they may experience, and how these impacts can be linked to actual or potential human rights impacts. The HRS shows how corporate mitigation and compensation practices have to be improved to prevent human rights harm to workers and communities. The HRS presents a comprehensive picture of the human rights side of projects and is presented as a practical tool that can be utilized by operational staff at all project phases. By utilising the HRS, multinational corporations will be better equipped to address the adverse human rights impacts of large projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improved sustainability performance in increasingly complex business environments is a challenging task for organizations operating in many different industries. In the offshore oil and gas industry, the use of potentially hazardous materials and operation under progressively hostile environments increases the risk of major accidents. Regulators have been trying to catch up on the design of regulatory frameworks that prevent these types of events, aiming to protect people, assets, and the environment. Although there are some recommended practices that companies have been using as the basis for their process safety management systems (PSMS), lack of uniformity and inefficient enforcement remain as two fundamental problems. This paper explores these two problems and takes some first steps toward a broader discussion about these important issues. We draw from the literature on sustainable operations to develop a descriptive case study of the offshore oil and gas industry by employing document analysis and an analysis of the Health, Safety and Environment Management System (HSEMS) of Petrobras, a world leader energy company. By employing multiple primary and secondary data collection strategies, including a number of formal expert interviews, we map, explore and compare major recommended practices for PSMS, identify a series of gaps in policy and practice, and offer a number of recommendations and implications for practice, policy, and research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the study was to research the possibility and methods of measuring the social sustainability of the circular economy (CE) transition nationally and sub-nationally in Finland based on secondary and regularly updated data. The aim was to assess both the social impacts of, and socio-cultural changes needed for, the transition. Expert elicitation method was used to develop experimental pilot indicators for Finland that would cover different types of social implications and CE principles and be based on secondary data sources. 12 indicators proceeded into piloting and data collection. The study confirmed the difficulty of monitoring the social sustainability for two main reasons. First, social outcomes are often very contextual and the result of complex personal and inter-personal relations, and they are difficult to connect to only the CE development. Second, the conventional data sources are based on a linear logic and are not fit to measure the circular processes. The monitoring results show weak signs for a socially just development and socio-cultural change towards the CE. The study answers to the research gap between CE practices and conceptual frameworks for monitoring the social sustainability of the CE. The real-world national and sub-national monitoring based on data readily available in regularly updated open databases was piloted to allow continuous monitoring to support strategic regional development. The study presents a model for an iterative and systemic process to develop social indicators for the CE that can also be applied outside of Finland. • National and sub-national social indicators of the CE were developed and piloted in a Finnish case study. • Weak signs for a socio-cultural change and fair CE transition were found. • An iterative and systematic model to develop social indicators is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A transition to a circular economy (CE) affects different stakeholders – positively and negatively. Social aspects still receive little consideration in the context of CE, which is why the assessment and monitoring of the social impacts of CE still require further development and consideration in research. In this context, social circularity indicators and social life cycle assessment (S-LCA) are important tools that were examined in more detail in this study. This paper aimed to assess the current state of social circularity indicators in the literature, the implementation of S-LCA to assess CE concepts, and which additional indicators might be included in future S-LCA studies. Focus will be on the methodological approach of how to assess the social impacts of CE. A systematic literature review was conducted using Scopus Database, Google Scholar, and Web of Science. The search terms were derived from the aim of the study to identify the social impacts of CE in existing literature, to compile relevant social indicators in the context of CE, and to analyze the current role of S-LCA in the assessment of CE concepts. 97 papers were found. After excluding contributions that did not match the search criteria and adding new relevant contributions found through the analysis of the identified studies with the snowball sampling approach, 40 papers were considered in the review. 40 social impacts of CE were found within the literature. About half of them were positive and the other half negative. The authors found that positive impacts for some stakeholders could imply negative consequences for others, e.g., job creation in one region might lead to a decline in job opportunities in other regions. To assess CE, 104 single social indicators and 9 composed indicators were identified. Most of them could be linked to stakeholder groups and subcategories proposed in the UNEP S-LCA guidelines (UNEP, 2020). Training and education, job creation, as well as health and safety were relevant identified indicators in the context of CE. S-LCA has rarely been used in the assessment of CE strategies so far and needs to be standardized for application in the industry. Not all social impacts of CE are addressed by existing indicators. This, and the fact that not all circularity indicators that address social consequences of CE (social circularity indicators) are covered with S-LCA, reveals the need to suggest and harmonize additional subcategories that are especially relevant for CE. The authors propose to apply and integrate the identified social circularity (inventory) indicators in future S-LCA studies to assess CE concepts. • About the same amount of positive and negative social impacts of CE were revealed. • 104 single social circularity indicators and 9 composed indicators were identified. • S-LCA is suitable for assessing the social impacts of CE. • Future S-LCA studies on CE might include specific indicators listed in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electronics industry has been a leader in understanding how to incorporate a triple bottom line approach into their operations. However, there is only a nascent understanding of the social impacts of the life cycles of electronic products. By providing an examination of the specific case of the mobile phone life cycle, this research advances the understanding of triple bottom line sustainability in this sector and provides actionable information in the form of improvement opportunities to ameliorate social impacts. The objectives are three-fold: to identify i) the social impacts across the life cycle of mobile phones, ii) opportunities to improve those impacts and iii) potential environmental and economic impacts of implementing those improvement opportunities. This work presents a two-part framework for considering different improvement opportunities that can affect social impacts and for considering the potential environmental and economic impacts of implementing the improvement opportunities. Results of this analysis highlight both positive and negative social impacts associated with electronic products. For example, while mobile phones have improved societal connections, manufacturing mobile phones involves environmental and human exposure to harmful heavy metals. These results lead us the conclusion that there are inherent tradeoffs present in triple bottom line sustainability, but future quantification of these tradeoffs will facilitate solutions to these social impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Assessment of social impacts of products and services has gained increasing interest in society. Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a tool developed to estimate the impacts of products and services from cradle to grave. Traditionally LCA has focused on environmental impacts, but recently approaches for social life cycle assessment (SLCA) have also been developed. Most of them fairly address social performances of business, but the aim of this paper is to analyse the possibilities and development needs in the complementary approach, which is the evaluation of social impacts in LCA. We review the field in general and take a closer look at the empirical case of biodiesel production, which is a timely topic globally in view of the climate change mitigation objectives. The analysis is carried out at three levels – company, regional, and state level. Despite active development in the field of SLCA, we conclude that in many cases it is not yet possible to carry out a comprehensive SLCA. Finally, we outline lines of research that would further improve the methodological and empirical basis of SLCA at various levels of decision-making. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The minerals industry interacts with water in many different ways that can affect the environment and communities. In the context of emerging debates about the status of access to water as a distinct human right and the mining industry’s engagement with human rights discourses, this article highlights points of disconnection between technical, scientific and engineering-based approaches to water management on the one hand and human rights perspectives on the other. We argue that greater understanding and emphasis on the intersecting nature of water and human rights is important from a sustainable development perspective. Better connections will increase the likelihood that mining companies will respect human rights, avoid or mitigate adverse social and environmental risks that occur through their interaction with water and collaboratively identify water-related development opportunities. Discursive, organisational, political and conceptual barriers of these various disconnects are considered and strategies for strengthening points of connection provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]