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Business Circular Economy and Sustainability

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Economic and Business Aspects of Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2026) | Viewed by 5840

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Laboratory of Forest Economics, Department of Forestry and Natural Environment, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
Interests: sustainability accounting and reporting; circular economy and bioeconomy; economics of natural resources; innovation

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Guest Editor
Department of Environmental Engineering, Democritus University of Thrace, 67100 Xanthi, Greece
Interests: system dynamics; sustainability management

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Although the operation of businesses is a cornerstone for the provision of goods and services, the creation of new jobs and the increase in GDP in the modern economy, it nevertheless causes significant negative impacts on the natural environment. In particular, the operation of businesses affects the quantity and quality of renewable and non-renewable natural resources, and this degradation equally poses a risk on business operations. To avoid such risks and ensure continuity, businesses adopt circular economy and sustainable development practices.

The purpose of this Special Issue is to attract articles that will shed light on practices adopted by companies in the field of circular economy and business sustainability. The aim is to highlight techniques throughout the life cycle of products that reduce pollutants and resource consumption, that use end-of-life materials, and that promote a sustainable way of operating.

Thus, we aim to feature a range of disciplinary and interdisciplinary research contributions that propose solutions, whether for new policies and legislative reforms, for changes within the business, or for channeling other societal and economic incentives to achieve sustainable business as a key element of the transition towards a sustainable circular economy. In this context, some indicative topics relevant to the SI’s main theme include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Corporate circular business models and the 17 SDGs;
  • Corporate sustainability reporting and circular economy;
  • Corporate circularity indexes;
  • Corporate sustainability performance;
  • Corporate circular economy performance;
  • The social aspects of corporate circular economy;
  • ESG and corporate circular economy;
  • Corporate circularity and consumers;
  • Corporate circular economy practices;
  • Circular public procurement and corporate circularity;
  • Corporate circular intellectual capital;
  • Critical raw materials and circular economy;
  • Circular bioeconomy;
  • Circular economy and strong sustainability.

Dr. Ioannis Nikolaou
Dr. Konstantinos Papaspyropoulos
Dr. Thomas Tsalis
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • corporate circular business models and the 17 SDGs
  • corporate sustainability reporting and circular economy
  • corporate circularity indexes
  • corporate sustainability performance
  • corporate circular economy performance
  • the social aspects of corporate circular economy
  • ESG and corporate circular economy
  • corporate circularity and consumers
  • corporate circular economy practices
  • circular public procurement and corporate circularity
  • corporate circular intellectual capital
  • critical raw materials and circular economy
  • circular bioeconomy
  • circular economy and strong sustainability

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

52 pages, 1762 KB  
Article
Algorithmic Management and the Social Sustainability of Employment Relations: Representationless Governance in Platform Courier Labor
by Emrullah Tekin and Bozhana Stoycheva
Sustainability 2026, 18(10), 5011; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18105011 - 15 May 2026
Viewed by 246
Abstract
Artificial intelligence-based management systems are becoming increasingly embedded in labor processes, particularly in platform-mediated work. While existing research has shown that algorithmic management intensifies data-driven control, opacity, and performance monitoring, less attention has been paid to how algorithmic decision-making reshapes the institutional conditions [...] Read more.
Artificial intelligence-based management systems are becoming increasingly embedded in labor processes, particularly in platform-mediated work. While existing research has shown that algorithmic management intensifies data-driven control, opacity, and performance monitoring, less attention has been paid to how algorithmic decision-making reshapes the institutional conditions of representation, negotiation, and accountability in employment relations. This article examines how AI-based management may reconfigure workplace conflict by translating managerial decisions into “system outputs” and narrowing the extent to which disputes remain institutionally addressable and negotiable. Drawing on a qualitative case study of platform-based motorcycle couriers in Türkiye, the analysis is based on semi-structured, decision-moment-focused interviews with 19 couriers and 5 representation actors. Rather than testing a full causal model or advancing a universal claim about algorithmic management, the article traces recurring processual linkages among the technicalization of decision-making, epistemic opacity, weakened addressability, and the thinning of representational intervention. The findings suggest that, in the Turkish platform courier context examined here, representationless governance appears as an empirically observable pattern where consequential algorithmic decisions intersect with limited transparency, fragmented appeal channels, income-sensitive sanctions, and constrained collective representation. In this configuration, decision-making remains procedurally dense yet substantively difficult to contest through identifiable, accountable, and negotiable channels. The article argues that the social sustainability of labor governance depends not only on efficiency, flexibility, or access to work, but also on whether decisions affecting workers’ livelihoods remain intelligible, contestable, attributable, and open to institutional negotiation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Business Circular Economy and Sustainability)
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25 pages, 1145 KB  
Article
From Linear to Circular: Barriers to Sustainable Transition in the Saudi Banking Sector
by Aroop Mukherjee and Luisa Pinto
Sustainability 2026, 18(2), 673; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18020673 - 8 Jan 2026
Viewed by 517
Abstract
This study investigates the barriers in adopting the Circular Economy (CE) in Saudi Banking under Vision 2030 and using the Resource-Based View and stakeholder theory. This study examined how customer engagement, process innovation, and dynamic capabilities limit the implementation of CE. A quantitative, [...] Read more.
This study investigates the barriers in adopting the Circular Economy (CE) in Saudi Banking under Vision 2030 and using the Resource-Based View and stakeholder theory. This study examined how customer engagement, process innovation, and dynamic capabilities limit the implementation of CE. A quantitative, cross-sectional survey collected 418 responses from bank employees in Riyadh and was collected from January to March 2024. A 29-item Likert scale was analyzed with SmartPLS 4; measurement quality was strong, and confirmatory factor analysis confirmed construct validity. Results highlight the main barriers as customer resistance regulatory constraints and lack of adequate employee training. The construct is highly interconnected (r = 0.758), showing that improvements in customer engagement and process innovation strengthen dynamic capabilities. The study provides practical guidance for banks and policymakers on designing circular finance products, targeted training, and supportive regulations to accelerate the CE transition and achieve measurable sustainability outcomes in financial sectors, aligning with SDG 3, good health and well-being, and SDG 7, affordable and clean energy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Business Circular Economy and Sustainability)
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25 pages, 1044 KB  
Article
Reimagining Heritage Tourism Through Co-Creation: Insights from Prenggan Tourism Village, Yogyakarta
by Juliana Juliana, Febryola Indra, Rosianna Sianipar, Arifin Djakasaputra and Linda Effendy
Sustainability 2025, 17(24), 11112; https://doi.org/10.3390/su172411112 - 11 Dec 2025
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 1941
Abstract
This mixed-methods study examines how cultural heritage identity and co-creation value influence the tourist heritage experience in Prenggan Tourism Village, Yogyakarta, particularly focusing on local wisdom’s role as a mediator of these effects. This study was conducted in two sequential phases: the qualitative [...] Read more.
This mixed-methods study examines how cultural heritage identity and co-creation value influence the tourist heritage experience in Prenggan Tourism Village, Yogyakarta, particularly focusing on local wisdom’s role as a mediator of these effects. This study was conducted in two sequential phases: the qualitative phase explored community narratives, cultural practices, and co-creation activities through interviews and observations, while the quantitative phase validated these insights using survey data collected over the past year from 208 domestic tourists. Data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares–Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to test the reliability and validity of the results and evaluate the hypothesized relationships. The findings reveal that both cultural heritage identity and co-creation value significantly strengthen local wisdom, which in turn enhances the depth and authenticity of the tourist heritage experience. This study demonstrates that local wisdom serves as a bridge between cultural identity and visitor engagement, promoting immersive and meaningful experiences. This research aligns with several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): it contributes to SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) by supporting local livelihoods through tourism, SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) by preserving cultural heritage and empowering local communities, and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) by fostering sustainable and culturally respectful tourism practices. The findings contribute theoretical insights to the heritage-based experiential co-creation literature and offer practical implications for policymakers and destination managers aiming to enhance community-based tourism sustainability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Business Circular Economy and Sustainability)
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20 pages, 1174 KB  
Article
A Study on the Driving Factors of Continued Use of Sustainable Ready-to-Drink Packaging: The Moderating Roles of Perceived Sustainability and Perceived Value Fit
by Yidong Liu, Yongxin Wu, Xichen Feng and Euitay Jung
Sustainability 2025, 17(17), 7797; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17177797 - 29 Aug 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2478
Abstract
This study, based on the Decomposed Theory of Planned Behavior (DTPB), constructs and validates a systematic model to explore the key drivers influencing consumers’ continuous usage intention of sustainable Ready-to-Drink (RTD) beverage packaging. The model includes perceived value and social normative paths, introducing [...] Read more.
This study, based on the Decomposed Theory of Planned Behavior (DTPB), constructs and validates a systematic model to explore the key drivers influencing consumers’ continuous usage intention of sustainable Ready-to-Drink (RTD) beverage packaging. The model includes perceived value and social normative paths, introducing perceived sustainability (PS) and perceived value fit (PVF) as moderators to reveal the role of contextual perceptions in green consumption decision-making. Empirical results show that all conventional path hypotheses (H1–H6) are supported. Among the moderating effect hypotheses, H7b, H9a, and H10c are not supported, while the rest hold. Theoretical implications include the following: Perceived Usefulness (PU) and Perceived Enjoyment (PE) significantly and positively influence consumer satisfaction (SA), consistent with the Expectation Confirmation Model (ECM). Both external influence (EI) and interpersonal influence (II) significantly enhance subjective norms (SN), aligning with TPB theory. Self-efficacy (SE) and facilitating conditions (FA) positively affect perceived behavioral control (PBC), consistent with the DTPB model. Satisfaction, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control significantly predict continuous usage intention (UI), with satisfaction showing the strongest effect, highlighting the importance of positive initial experiences for green behavior continuation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Business Circular Economy and Sustainability)
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