IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v13y2021i18p10285-d635660.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Innovative Circular Economy Models for the European Pulp and Paper Industry: A Reference Framework for a Resource Recovery Scenario

Author

Listed:
  • Amaia Sopelana

    (Fundación Tecnalia Research & Innovation, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Mikeletegi Pasealekua 2, 20009 Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain)

  • Camille Auriault

    (LGI Sustainable Innovation, Headquarters I 6 Cité de l’Ameublement, 75011 Paris, France)

  • Anurag Bansal

    (Acciona Construcción S.A., Dirección de Innovación Tecnológica, 28108 Madrid, Spain)

  • Karmen Fifer

    (Slovenian National Building and Civil Engineering Institute (ZAG), Dimičeva 12, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia)

  • Helena Paiva

    (Civil Engineering Department, CICECO, Universidade de Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal)

  • Christian Maurice

    (Department of Civil, Environmental and Natural Resources Engineering, Luleå University of Technology, 971 87 Luleå, Sweden)

  • Gunnar Westin

    (RISE Processum AB, Box 70, SE-891 22 Örnsköldsvik, Sweden)

  • Javier Rios

    (GAIKER Technology Center, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Parque Científico y Tecnológico de Bizkaia, Edificio 202, 48170 Zamudio, Spain)

  • Asier Oleaga

    (Fundación Tecnalia Research & Innovation, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Mikeletegi Pasealekua 2, 20009 Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain)

  • Antonio Cañas

    (Greenize Projects S.L., c/Iruña 9D, 2ºD, 48014 Bilbao, Spain)

Abstract

According to recent literature in the field of sustainability, the circular economy (CE) appears to be a thriving opportunity for creating new businesses, although less attention has been paid to the form in which its principles fit into a comprehensive framework that enables companies to design it in a practical way. This paper presents the methodology that has been adopted to pave the way to a coherent reference framework for circular business model innovation and its outstanding design and implementation, taking into consideration the entire value and supply chain. A unique analysis of recent innovations in circular economy models is provided herein, together with an exhaustive analysis of those elements that enable or hinder their implementation. The main interactions among all those critical elements influencing how organisations innovate and operate cooperatively within a CE ecosystem are also evaluated. In addition, a study of five industrial cases in the pulp and paper industry allowed searching for industrial insights and empirical evidence of the relevance of those elements, including observation, document analysis, and interviews. Lastly, the main outcomes of this research are illustrated using the CE reference framework designed when applied to the aforementioned industrial cases, and relevant insights into future improvements are also provided.

Suggested Citation

  • Amaia Sopelana & Camille Auriault & Anurag Bansal & Karmen Fifer & Helena Paiva & Christian Maurice & Gunnar Westin & Javier Rios & Asier Oleaga & Antonio Cañas, 2021. "Innovative Circular Economy Models for the European Pulp and Paper Industry: A Reference Framework for a Resource Recovery Scenario," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(18), pages 1-16, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:18:p:10285-:d:635660
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/18/10285/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/18/10285/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Julia L. K. Nußholz, 2017. "Circular Business Models: Defining a Concept and Framing an Emerging Research Field," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(10), pages 1-16, October.
    2. Bohnsack, René & Pinkse, Jonatan & Kolk, Ans, 2014. "Business models for sustainable technologies: Exploring business model evolution in the case of electric vehicles," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 43(2), pages 284-300.
    3. Anne P.M. Velenturf & Paul D. Jensen, 2016. "Promoting Industrial Symbiosis: Using the Concept of Proximity to Explore Social Network Development," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 20(4), pages 700-709, August.
    4. Mateusz Lewandowski, 2016. "Designing the Business Models for Circular Economy—Towards the Conceptual Framework," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(1), pages 1-28, January.
    5. Artem Golev & Glen D. Corder & Damien P. Giurco, 2015. "Barriers to Industrial Symbiosis: Insights from the Use of a Maturity Grid," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 19(1), pages 141-153, February.
    6. Mariale Moreno & Carolina De los Rios & Zoe Rowe & Fiona Charnley, 2016. "A Conceptual Framework for Circular Design," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(9), pages 1-15, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Lukas Alexander Benz, 2022. "Critical Success Factors for Circular Business Model Innovation from the Perspective of the Sustainable Development Goals," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-18, May.
    2. Rusanen, Katri & Hujala, Teppo & Pykäläinen, Jouni, 2024. "Research approaches to sustainable forest-based value creation: A literature review," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 163(C).
    3. Cyrine Mrad & Luís Frölén Ribeiro, 2022. "A Review of Europe’s Circular Economy in the Building Sector," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-19, October.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Maria Rosa De Giacomo & Raimund Bleischwitz, 2020. "Business models for environmental sustainability: Contemporary shortcomings and some perspectives," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(8), pages 3352-3369, December.
    2. Julian Lauten-Weiss & Stephan Ramesohl, 2021. "The Circular Business Framework for Building, Developing and Steering Businesses in the Circular Economy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-14, January.
    3. Marina P. P. Pieroni & Tim C. McAloone & Daniela C. A. Pigosso, 2019. "Configuring New Business Models for Circular Economy through Product–Service Systems," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(13), pages 1-22, July.
    4. Johannes Matschewsky, 2019. "Unintended Circularity?—Assessing a Product-Service System for its Potential Contribution to a Circular Economy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-27, May.
    5. Saskia Manshoven & Jeroen Gillabel, 2021. "Learning through Play: A Serious Game as a Tool to Support Circular Economy Education and Business Model Innovation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-25, November.
    6. Piera Centobelli & Roberto Cerchione & Davide Chiaroni & Pasquale Del Vecchio & Andrea Urbinati, 2020. "Designing business models in circular economy: A systematic literature review and research agenda," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(4), pages 1734-1749, May.
    7. Okechukwu Okorie & Fiona Charnley & Jennifer Russell & Ashutosh Tiwari & Mariale Moreno, 2021. "Circular business models in high value manufacturing: Five industry cases to bridge theory and practice," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(4), pages 1780-1802, May.
    8. Claudia Aparecida De Mattos & Thiago Lourenço Meira De Albuquerque, 2018. "Enabling Factors and Strategies for the Transition Toward a Circular Economy (CE)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-18, December.
    9. Fabio A. Madau & Brunella Arru & Roberto Furesi & Pietro Pulina, 2020. "Insect Farming for Feed and Food Production from a Circular Business Model Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(13), pages 1-15, July.
    10. Marcos Ferasso & Tatiana Beliaeva & Sascha Kraus & Thomas Clauss & Domingo Ribeiro‐Soriano, 2020. "Circular economy business models: The state of research and avenues ahead," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(8), pages 3006-3024, December.
    11. Nancy Bocken & Lars Strupeit & Katherine Whalen & Julia Nußholz, 2019. "A Review and Evaluation of Circular Business Model Innovation Tools," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(8), pages 1-25, April.
    12. Anita Ollár & Paula Femenías & Ulrike Rahe & Kaj Granath, 2020. "Foresights from the Swedish Kitchen: Four Circular Value Opportunities for the Built Environment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(16), pages 1-21, August.
    13. Gilbert Silvius & Aydan Ismayilova & Vicente Sales-Vivó & Micol Costi, 2021. "Exploring Barriers for Circularity in the EU Furniture Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-25, October.
    14. Carlos Pablo Sigüenza & Bernhard Steubing & Arnold Tukker & Glenn A. Aguilar‐Hernández, 2021. "The environmental and material implications of circular transitions: A diffusion and product‐life‐cycle‐based modeling framework," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 25(3), pages 563-579, June.
    15. Vinit Parida & Joakim Wincent, 2019. "Why and how to compete through sustainability: a review and outline of trends influencing firm and network-level transformation," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 15(1), pages 1-19, March.
    16. Ida K. Rovanto & Anu Bask, 2021. "Systemic circular business model application at the company, supply chain and society levels—A view into circular economy native and adopter companies," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(2), pages 1153-1173, February.
    17. Pejvak Oghazi & Rana Mostaghel, 2018. "Circular Business Model Challenges and Lessons Learned—An Industrial Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(3), pages 1-19, March.
    18. repec:aud:audfin:v:20:y:2018:i:48:p:356 is not listed on IDEAS
    19. Panagiotis Stavropoulos & Alexios Papacharalampopoulos & Konstantinos Tzimanis & Demetris Petrides & George Chryssolouris, 2021. "On the Relationship between Circular and Innovation Approach to Economy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-16, October.
    20. Marlin Hoffman & Catherina J. Schenck & Frederick Herbst, 2022. "Exploring the Intersection Where Business Models, a Circular Economy and Sustainability Meet in the Waste Economy: A Scoping Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-14, March.
    21. Nynne Marie Bech & Morten Birkved & Fiona Charnley & Louise Laumann Kjaer & Daniela C. A. Pigosso & Michael Z. Hauschild & Tim C. McAloone & Mariale Moreno, 2019. "Evaluating the Environmental Performance of a Product/Service-System Business Model for Merino Wool Next-to-Skin Garments: The Case of Armadillo Merino ®," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(20), pages 1-21, October.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:18:p:10285-:d:635660. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.