https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4647-8961
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ABSTRACT
Several circular economy indicators have been proposed at the company level, but their applicability in industrial practice is limited. It is therefore necessary to assess the usefulness of existing metrics and refine their use through practical applications across different types of companies and industries. This study assesses the usability and usefulness of the Overall Circularity Effectiveness Index. The index was applied in three different companies, such as rubber, steel, and plastic companies. Then, the usability and usefulness of the index were analyzed through a qualitative assessment considering nine criteria based on the literature. The results showed the index demonstrated to be adaptable to different business, the data collection and index calculation were simple and not too time-consuming. However, the index’s usefulness can be improved concerning gaps identification and user experience. This study contributes to deep and advance CE assessment in companies due to lack on practical application of existing circular economy metrics.
Graphical abstract
Abbreviations
| CF Circularity Facts | = | ITr indicator of Training |
| CM-FLAT Circularity and Maturity Firm-Level Assessment tool | = | IW1 indicator of Water Input 1 |
| CMT Circularity Measurement Toolkit | = | IW2 indicator of Water Input 2 |
| CTI Circular Transitions Indicators | = | OAc indicator of Accidents |
| CYTICS Circulytics | = | OCE Overall Circularity Effectiveness |
| DEI disabilities, equity, and inclusion | = | OEm indicator of Emission Output |
| DRM Design Research Methodology | = | OEq indicator of Equipment Output |
| IDei indicator of DEI | = | OM indicator of Material Output |
| IE1 indicator of Energy Input 1 | = | OPr indicator of Product Output |
| IE2 indicator of Energy Input 2 | = | Out indicator of Turnover |
| IM1 indicator of Material Input 1 | = | OW indicator of Water Output |
| IM2 indicator of Material Input 2 | = | SCI Sustainable Circular Index |
| IOSBM Indicators for Organizations considering Sustainability and Business Models | = |
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Additional information
Funding
Notes on contributors
Marina Ilka Baumer-Cardoso
Marina Baumer-Cardoso is a professor at the Universidade Estadual de Santa Catarina. Dr. Marina has recently finished her PhD in Production Engineering where she proposed a circular economy index for manufacturing companies. Before dedicating to academia, Dr Baumer-Cardoso worked in manufacturing companies and developed strong knowledge of production and supply chain management with more than 10 years of experience in different areas, such as Material Planning, Quality, Project Management, and Production areas.
Lucila Maria de Souza Campos
Since 2010, Lucila Campos has been a professor at the Department of Production and Systems Engineering and a permanent professor at the Graduate Program in Production Engineering at the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina. Her current researches involve environmental management, circular economy, green supply chain management, sustainable supply chain management, environmental performance assessment and application of MCDA to environmental management.
Daniela Cristina Antelmi Pigosso
Daniela Pigosso is an associate professor at the Technical University of Denmark, being part of Department of Civil and Mechanical Engineering and Engineering Design and Product Development. Dr Pigosso has been actively researching on sustainable design since 2006, with an evolving focus from ecodesign and eco-innovation, to circular economy and product-service systems (PSS) through a strong link with industry. Her current work focused on the development of an leading-edge approach for explaining, simulating and preventing the occurrence of rebound effects, by design.
Weslynne Ashton
Weslynne Ashton is an associate professor at the Illinois Institute of Technology with joint appointments at the Stuart School of Business and the Institute of Design. Dr. Ashton is a sustainable systems scientist, whose research, teaching and practice are oriented around transitioning our socio-ecological systems towards sustainability and equity. Her current work focuses on increasing sustainability and equity in urban food systems, and developing regenerative economies in post-industrial regions, newly industrializing countries and small island states.