What Is the Relation between Circular Economy and Sustainability? Answers from Frontrunner Companies Engaged with Circular Economy Practices.

The circular economy (CE) concept has become a major interest for companies, promising new business opportunities and a decrease in environmental impacts. Though research on circular business models has recently increased, few scholars have investigated how companies engaged with CE view the connection between CE and sustainability. To address this gap, this paper uses a semi-quantitative survey and semi-structured interviews conducted with companies based in Italy and the Netherlands.

A bibliometric and network analysis of Lean and Clean(er) production research (1990/2017).

In recent years, the renewed interest in environmental issues has gradually required manufacturers to simultaneously pursue a more rational use of resources and a reduction in wastes production. New strategies, technologies and organisational innovations must be therefore conceived to "create more value with less impact" (WBCSD, 2010). An interesting and promising perspective for achieving internal efficiency, market effectiveness and environmental eco-efficiency is that of integrating the environmental variable in the Lean Production (LP) paradigm.