Policies for the Circular Economy: The Case of Paper Industry

Abstract

The circular economy is considered by international institutions such as the United Nations and the European Union as the most urgent strategy to orient the economic development model towards sustainability. To find concrete applications, the circular economy requires greater awareness in consumers and businesses. The Italian paper industry, which boasts high levels of competitiveness at an international level, has initiated important restructuring and rationalization processes over the last decade with a view to recycling and sustainability. Only the final phase of the production process is yet to comply with all circular economy criteria, that is, the recovery of production waste (pulper). Hence, the actual technological and strategic challenge of the paper industry is to phase out landfilling of recyclable waste and implement energy recovery strategies, as well as promoting the use of renewable sources.

How Boards Can Help Sustainability Transformations

“…In this context, in order to translate the board's new approach into an effective orientation of the firm's business model toward increasing sustainability conditions, it is essential to promote, first and foremost, a wide rethinking of values, beliefs, and expectations embedded in the dominant corporate culture (Greenberg & Baron, 1997;Clemente & Greenspan, 1999;Ahmed et al, 1999). The board should engage different stakeholders (both internal and external) to drive behaviors toward responsible consumption and production models; principles such as inclusion, accessibility, and mutual respect in the workplace and daily community life; ecosystem and biodiversity's protection; reuse of materials and resources; a long-run perspective focused on the belief that the value created by the firm should be shared by all stakeholders; and the awareness that the firm's activities imply unavoidable consequences in intertwined fields where the social and environmental dimensions have become progressively relevant (Ngai et al, 2017;Todeschini et al, 2017;Yip & Bocken, 2018;Rossignoli & Lionzo, 2018;Heyes et al, 2018;Rizzi and Danesi, 2021).…”

Covid-19: Prospering Industries & Oversize Management

“…On the one hand, multinational companies have contributed to eco-friendly production processes focused on recycling waste into a product that can be fed back into the new process. On the other hand, medium and large non-internationalized companies believed that such outcome would constitute a key factor in the much-needed market repositioning, with widespread recognition of innovative production processes and products with a benefit shared at the international level (Rizzi & Danesi, 2021).…”