The circularity radar: a digital tool for SMEs to assess circular opportunities

Merlano, Eugenio Felipe, Frei, Regina and Zhang, Danni ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2729-9562 2024. The circularity radar: a digital tool for SMEs to assess circular opportunities. Presented at: 2nd Workshop on Low-Cost Digital Solutions for Industrial Automation, Cambridge, UK, 1-2 October 2024. IET Conference Proceedings. , vol.2024 (11) Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), pp. 17-25. 10.1049/icp.2024.3480

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Abstract

The transition to more sustainable and circular business models (CMBs) is complex, and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) often struggle with the intricacies and additional costs of achieving sustainability. To address these challenges, we developed an interactive web application – the Circularity Radar – in the open-source language for statistical computing and data visualisation R. We used the Shiny package, which provides desirable features for businesses such as a choice between local or online deployment that preserves data privacy, an interactive interface that allows users to specify the conditions under which computations are executed, and dynamic visualisations rendered through input variables. The Circularity Radar can provide low-cost insights to guide SMEs and practitioners in retail and manufacturing industries in exploring the drivers of their sustainability transition, assessing their situations, and understanding the obstacles they must overcome. Our tool incorporates a digital companion framework that involves seven elements of circularity: sustainable materials, sustainable operations, eco-design, product stewardship, R-terms, strategic organisational positioning, and social aspects. Additionally, the Circularity Radar presents alternative instruments and metrics businesses can use to quantitatively and qualitatively assess their progress regarding CBM implementation.

Item Type:	Conference or Workshop Item (Paper)
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Business (Including Economics)
Publisher:	Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET)
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	7 January 2025
Last Modified:	07 Jan 2025 12:16
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/175073

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