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Circular Economy Practices and Strategies in Public Sector Organizations: An Integrative Review

Author

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  • Natacha Klein

    (CENSE—Center for Environmental and Sustainability Research, Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University Lisbon, Campus de Caparica, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal)

  • Tomás B. Ramos

    (CENSE—Center for Environmental and Sustainability Research, Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University Lisbon, Campus de Caparica, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal)

  • Pauline Deutz

    (Department of Geography, Geology and Environment, University of Hull, Cottingham Road, Hull HU6 7RX, UK)

Abstract

The concept of the Circular Economy (CE) is an increasingly attractive approach to tackling current sustainability challenges and facilitating a shift away from the linear “take-make-use-dispose” model of production and consumption. The public sector is a major contributor to the CE transition not only as a policy-maker but also as a significant purchaser, consumer, and user of goods and services. The circularization of the public sector itself, however, has received very little attention in CE research. In order to explore the current state of knowledge on the implementation of CE practices and strategies within Public Sector Organizations (PSOs), this research aims to develop an overview of the existing literature. The literature review was designed combining a systematic search with a complementary purposive sampling. Using organizational sustainability as a theoretical perspective, the main results showed a scattered landscape, indicating that the limited research on CE practices and strategies in PSOs has focused so far on the areas of public procurement, internal operations and processes, and public service delivery. As a result of this literature review, an organizational CE framework of a PSO is proposed providing a holistic view of a PSO as a system with organizational dimensions that are relevant for the examination and analysis of the integration process of CE practices and strategies. This innovative framework aims to help further CE research and practice to move beyond current sustainability efforts, highlighting that public procurement, strategy and management, internal processes and operations, assessment and communication, public service delivery, human resources dimensions, collaboration with other organizations, and various external contexts are important public sector areas where the implementation of CE has the potential to bring sustainability benefits.

Suggested Citation

  • Natacha Klein & Tomás B. Ramos & Pauline Deutz, 2020. "Circular Economy Practices and Strategies in Public Sector Organizations: An Integrative Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-24, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:10:p:4181-:d:360567
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Korhonen, Jouni & Honkasalo, Antero & Seppälä, Jyri, 2018. "Circular Economy: The Concept and its Limitations," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 143(C), pages 37-46.
    2. Will McDowall & Yong Geng & Beijia Huang & Eva Barteková & Raimund Bleischwitz & Serdar Türkeli & René Kemp & Teresa Doménech, 2017. "Circular Economy Policies in China and Europe," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 21(3), pages 651-661, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Sánchez-Chaparro, Teresa & Soler-Vicén, Miguel Ángel & Gómez-Frías, Víctor, 2022. "Be good and look good: Communicating the triple bottom line through corporate websites," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 144(C), pages 136-145.
    2. Pedro A. B. Lima & Gessica M. K. Jesus & Camila R. Ortiz & Fernanda C. O. Frascareli & Fernando B. Souza & Enzo B. Mariano, 2021. "Sustainable Development as Freedom: Trends and Opportunities for the Circular Economy in the Human Development Literature," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-26, December.
    3. Hinrika Droege & Andrea Raggi & Tomás B. Ramos, 2021. "Overcoming Current Challenges for Circular Economy Assessment Implementation in Public Sector Organisations," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-22, January.
    4. Lingaitienė Olga & Burinskienė Aurelija, 2023. "Formation the links between circularity and sustainability in the circular economy," Logistics, Supply Chain, Sustainability and Global Challenges, Sciendo, vol. 14(1), pages 1-20, December.
    5. Meleddu, Marta & Vecco, Marilena & Mazzanti, Massimiliano, 2024. "The Role of Voluntary Environmental Policies Towards Achieving Circularity," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 219(C).
    6. Renato Monteiro & José C. Ferreira & Paula Antunes, 2020. "Green Infrastructure Planning Principles: An Integrated Literature Review," Land, MDPI, vol. 9(12), pages 1-19, December.
    7. Simone Wurster & Rita Schulze & Ramona G. Simon & Stefan Hoyer, 2021. "A Grounded Theory on Sustainable Circular Public Procurement in Germany: Specific Product Case and Strategies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(24), pages 1-29, December.
    8. Dhesigen Naidoo & Luxon Nhamo & Shenelle Lottering & Sylvester Mpandeli & Stanley Liphadzi & Albert T. Modi & Cristina Trois & Tafadzwanashe Mabhaudhi, 2021. "Transitional Pathways towards Achieving a Circular Economy in the Water, Energy, and Food Sectors," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-16, September.
    9. Joanicjusz Nazarko & Ewa Chodakowska & Łukasz Nazarko, 2022. "Evaluating the Transition of the European Union Member States towards a Circular Economy," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-24, May.
    10. Natacha Klein & Tomás B. Ramos & Pauline Deutz, 2022. "Factors and strategies for circularity implementation in the public sector: An organisational change management approach for sustainability," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 29(3), pages 509-523, May.
    11. Arezoo Ghazanfari, 2023. "An Analysis of Circular Economy Literature at the Macro Level, with a Particular Focus on Energy Markets," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(4), pages 1-24, February.
    12. Dragan, George Bogdan & Arfi, Wissal Ben & Tiberius, Victor & Ammari, Aymen & Ferasso, Marcos, 2024. "Acceptance of circular entrepreneurship: Employees’ perceptions on organizations’ transition to the circular economy," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    13. Sven Kevin van Langen & Renato Passaro, 2021. "The Dutch Green Deals Policy and Its Applicability to Circular Economy Policies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-17, October.
    14. Sugiyono & Bart J. Dewancker, 2020. "Study on the Domestic Water Utilization in Kota Metro, Lampung Province, Indonesia: Exploring Opportunities to Apply the Circular Economic Concepts in the Domestic Water Sector," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(21), pages 1-23, October.
    15. Natacha Klein & Tomás B. Ramos & Pauline Deutz, 2022. "Advancing the Circular Economy in Public Sector Organisations: Employees’ Perspectives on Practices," Circular Economy and Sustainability, Springer, vol. 2(2), pages 759-781, June.
    16. Hinrika Droege & Andrea Raggi & Tomás B. Ramos, 2021. "Co‐development of a framework for circular economy assessment in organisations: Learnings from the public sector," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 28(6), pages 1715-1729, November.
    17. Rita Lopes & Rui Santos & Nuno Videira & Paula Antunes, 2021. "Co-creating a Vision and Roadmap for Circular Economy in the Food and Beverages Packaging Sector," Circular Economy and Sustainability, Springer, vol. 1(3), pages 873-893, November.

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