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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore how circular start-ups design and implement innovation into their business models to increase their positive impact. Design/methodology/approach This qualitative study is based on an exploratory multiple-case study involving six circular start-ups with positive impact in Poland. Data gathering took place via in-depth interviews with start-up founders. Findings The analysis demonstrates that three factors, which are strongly interconnected, can significantly influence the development of a circular start-up. The first is the purpose-led motivation for circularity as a solution, mostly concentrated on the environmental education of different market actors. The second factor is built on the aim to increase the positive impact by addressing the most pressing social and environmental problems. It determines the impact on society as well as on the environment and the extent to which its model can be scaled up. The third factor is driven by the understanding of the purpose of the innovation, concentrated on the business model innovation regarding circularity. Practical implications This paper demonstrates the benefits for diverse stakeholders and the importance of using circular business models in start-up development. Circularity can be perceived as a main part of the new approach to improve sustainability. Originality/value Circular start-ups represent a new phenomenon in the entrepreneurial market. While the structure and logic of the circular business model in start-ups are significantly unexplored in the management literature, this model is viewed as a crucial step in the direction of increasing the positive impact of start-ups. From a theoretical and practical perspective, it is important to understand the differences and similarities in this area within different markets.

Circular economy is an innovative approach to operationalize principles of sustainability management. The concept is based on the ‘closing the loop’ of product lifecycles and is expected to bring benefits for environment and economy as well as to contribute to the responsible business conduct. These benefits refer to reduced usage of resources, lower impact on the natural environment, cost savings and jobs creation. The implementation of circular economy has a disruptive impact on company operations and leads to the need of establishing new business models. While the concept remains significantly unexplored, few studies outline a practical approach to implement principles of circular economy in companies.

The role of sustainability strategic management is receiving more attention from scholars and practitioners in recent years. However, several aspects of a possible integration of business strategy and sustainability strategy remain unclear. With the aim of filling this gap in the literature, a conceptual paper is proposed by analysing some barriers and possible managerial enablers, presenting a sustainable strategic management framework. The primary purpose of this paper is to develop a reasonable and integrated approach to corporate responsibility undertaken by companies actively operating in Poland. The integrated approach also means that the theoretical dimension is closely linked to practical aspects, based on experience in working with managers. It has some practical relevance—the perspectives on strategic approach to sustainability developed in this paper would help managers to design internal processes in a more effective and efficient manner. This paper can be useful to international scholars for further strategic management framework development and improvement.

The growing power of stakeholders and the awareness of social and environmental issues in economic activity change the way business is done. Facing social and regulatory pressure companies incorporate stakeholder expectations in their strategic thinking and business operation. The need to combine financial, social and environmental performance leads to the transition of traditional business towards sustainable, resource-efficient and low-carbon economy. Such changes are also the impulse for organizational and business innovation and in line with the new developments in the institutional environment result in the emergence of new business models . We would like to add to this literature delivering an analysis of the business models of companies which adopt the logic of sustainability and collaborative economy. We propose that the sustainable business model follows the framework of: building stakeholder capital through inclusiveness, fostering innovation to address social or environmental challenges and focusing on at least 1 of 17 UN sustainable development goals (SDGs). Additionally, the sustainable company adopts ethical infrastructure to assure high integrity while improving social, environmental and financial performance. In this chapter we analyze selected companies operating in four different sectors addressing these five dimensions identifying key components of sustainable business models. We also address the issues of balancing these requirements and indicate the potential conflicts between social, environmental and financial goals.

This report presents the results of the Bioelektra case study, selected in the framework of the R2PI project, among 17 other cases. The mission of this company is to change the way people think of waste management, by using advanced technology. The information contained in the report is based on the methodology designed within the framework of the R2PI project to understand the characteristics of the business model, evaluate its outcomes and identify the main barriers and enablers. Bioelektra has developed and utilized the innovative technology for municipal solid waste as a complementary solution to waste management. The activity of the company is based on a mechanical-heat waste treatment (MHT) called RotoSteril, different from traditional technology of municipal waste treatment. Waste is sterilized at high temperature and pressure, which kills all microorganisms in waste and makes it odourless. Subsequently sterilized waste is sorted into usable fractions of different secondary raw materials, organic fraction and RDF. These fractions can be further used to other processes and products. Usually these fractions are sold to recyclers. The identified business model of Bioelektra is resource recovery. The contribution of Bioelektra to the closed loop is primarily based on a very high recycling rate - up to 96% of municipal solid waste stream with no need of separate collection. At the municipal level in different countries one can still find a significant amount of waste without separate collection. This innovative technology enables lower “gate fee” for municipalities (and finally for residents) and high revenue from fractions. The report also presents an assessment of the circularity of the business model. Traditionally, the waste management sector in the EU was described as a “collect and dispose” operation: collecting mixed waste streams from municipal and commercial sources and disposing of the waste to landfill or through incineration. The waste management system in the circular economy will have to go beyond such an end-of-pipe approach to become an integral part of an economy, closely linked to patterns of production and consumption. Circular product design should be based on the feedback from the waste management sector concerning the ways to remanufacture, dismantle and recycle. At the same time the waste management sector should become a partner in developing circular business models focused on waste prevention and turning waste into resources. Activity of Bioelektra Group is based on the improving circular economy model since the very beginning. The aim of establishing the company was to implement and deliver the technology of waste treatment allowing recovery every material from waste. Bioelektra was focused on reducing the negative impact on the environment in waste management. The company was involved in the process that allow to obtain clean secondary raw materials and organic fraction, ideal for recycling purposes. It has now the full control concerning the composition of final products – recyclates - that they obtain. Those products can circulate in the economy for longer. But Bioelektra is not a manufacturer, so real circularity is out of their business model. Bioelektra fulfils its own function towards the circularity of the economy by addressing some of the challenges, but they don’t have complete control over their remanufactured products. As shown in the report, Bioelektra has created a waste treatment technology that can unveil resource potential in waste. It allows for simple methods of waste management in the cases where there is no segregation-at-source. The technology respects local community by making waste odourless. It is also the most financially viable waste treatment technology – according to managers from the company, as municipal solid waste is sterilised and turned into resources. It creates new opportunities for local economies in different parts of the world by delivering streams of recycled resources as secondary raw materials to the market by achieving a diversion rate of over 96% from landfill. Crucial for the business success of Bioelektra is the legal framework. Some provisions of EU law, especially in Directive on Waste, creates many opportunities for Bioelektra to expand. The constant increase of recycling level, which is declared by EU can create much bigger market for Bioelektra services. Limiting the biodegradable municipal waste going to landfills can create another possible opportunity, as well as a radical decrease in the amount of waste disposed in landfills, while increase of recycling and the recovery of waste. Based on the analysis, it is concluded that the resource recovery CEBM is replicable and transferable, especially that Bioelektra’s technology is fully scalable to the size of the waste stream and can be adjusted up and down in scale during its operations by adding or taking out autoclaves. Autoclaves are easy to transport, and installation is rather fast. Most of the investment cost is machinery and equipment which makes it ideal for external financing (bank or leasing). The construction costs are usually 10-20% of the total CAPEX. Technology is 100% environmentally friendly – it is odourless, there is no leakage, fumes and sewage system needed thus public acceptance and support can be expected. All these requirements are easy to meet thanks to Bioelektra technology – which creates many possibilities for strategic development of the company. However, the regulatory framework on the national level is now the biggest threat for Bioelektra, especially different interpretation of the EU legal requirement in different countries This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 730378

The cultural and institutional context in Poland can influence patterns supportive for workplace innovation. Highlighting technological innovation only and neglecting the workplace improvement in the case of Poland is associated with low work engagement. It is recognized that one of the central aspects of workplace innovation is the active involvement of employees in the innovation process. Hence, we investigate the following research questions: What is the role of employees in the process of designing and implementing workplace innovation and change in Poland? What is the impact of formal and informal organisational structures in this process? The chapter uses a qualitative approach based on in depth interviews and focus groups to answer those questions. We conclude that interaction between the individual (employee) and the structural level (organisation) may result in a gradual destruction of innovation, because innovation processes in Polish companies seem contrary to what workplace innovation WPI) stands for: WPI stresses an engaging role for employees to succeed in innovation, while Polish companies seem to do the opposite.

Purpose – This paper aims to explore how the model of participative leadership may operate in the context of partnership with internal stakeholders. By linking the moral claims of an organization's employees to CSR strategies, an organization can strengthen emotional bonds with its key stakeholders, and create deeper, longer‐lasting relationships that translate to increased support, loyalty and a sense of stakeholder ownership.Design/methodology/approach – Although there are many definitions of leadership, none of them is universally agreed‐upon. The paper reviews different approaches and paradigms of leadership and the role of ethical values in leading responsible organizations. The effective and ethical leadership and the critical role of employees' participation in implementing corporate responsibility agenda are analyzed.Findings – Corporate responsibility strategy will succeed only if employees recognize that this strategy creates value for them as well. In recent times participative leadership is at...

Ethics is not only a matter of convenience, but a condition of survival in society. The lack of moral values seems to afflict the current social tissue, according to critics. As a cancer that spreads in the body, amorality destroys the climate of trust that should guide social relationships, leading to sometimes unsustainable situations. Beyond a certain point, jungle law begins to be the only possible rule for social and economic relationships. Of the many available ways to find the importance of ethical values, the bitterest is that of experience. But the goal of responsibility toward the future is what mostly moves forward citizens and corporations and government leaders. This book focuses on many aspects to help understand ethics and responsibilities in a globalizing world.

During the next decade, we will face a complex set of “responsibility questions.” Different organizations will go through radical and unprecedented changes of rules. What we need now is a permanent platform for business and its stakeholders as they grapple with the most pressing ethical issues facing businesses all over the world concerning the vital area of responsibility. The transition to a market economy in many parts of the world in the recent two decades has not only opened up new horizons for business but also created a need to renew traditional moral values in the interest of social stability and the well-being of societies. There is a growing recognition that responsibility could create added value both for the economy and for society.

In his book, Business Fairy Tales: Grim Realities of Fictitious Financial Reporting (2006), Cecil W. Jackson quotes the words of Arthur Levitt, the former Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), who draws attention to the habitual behaviours that lie in the grey zone; that is, between what is legal and what is not. Illusion wins over honesty, continues the cited author; we are witnessing a specific kind of deception. These words seem to be incredibly prescient, considering the crash on the US financial market. Craftiness turns out to be more valuable than integrity. Is this because — in the words of John Hendry (2004) — we live in a bimoral society? Perhaps not everybody, but rather the ‘developed’ (in terms of what: unreliability or integrity?) societies of highly active economies, though globalization stimulates the attitude of ‘getting as much as possible, as fast as possible, in whatever way’, which does not have a place of origin and continues to spread to remote places in the world.