Sustainable Innovations in Industrial Transformation: Integrating Industry 5.0 and Ecological Economics
A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Management".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 February 2026 | Viewed by 1419
Special Issue Editors
Interests: Industry 5.0; manufacturing innovation; circular economy; sustainability; sustainable manufacturing; digital transformation; human-centered manufacturing
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: green manufacturing; green logistics; work study and ergonomics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: manufacturing optimization; Industry 5.0; circular economy; operational research
Interests: manufacturing optimization; applied statistics; operational research
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The rapid advancements in industrial technology and the growing awareness of environmental sustainability have given rise to new paradigms such as Industry 5.0. While Industry 4.0 emphasized automation, digitization, and the integration of cyber-physical systems, Industry 5.0 shifts the focus towards the synergy between humans and machines, aiming for human-centered and sustainable, environmentally friendly production processes. Ecological Economics, on the other hand, seeks to understand the relationship between ecological systems and economic activities, promoting an economy that supports sustainable development by balancing ecological integrity, economic viability, and social equity. The integration of Industry 5.0 principles with Ecological Economics presents an approach to transforming industrial processes in a way that not only enhances efficiency and productivity but also ensures long-term sustainability and social well-being.
This Special Issue aims to explore and disseminate innovative research at the intersection of Industry 5.0 and Ecological Economics, focusing on sustainable industrial transformation. It seeks to highlight cutting-edge developments, theoretical insights, and practical applications that contribute to a more sustainable and resilient industrial ecosystem.
In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but not limited to) the following: Human-Centric Industrial Design, Circular Economy and Resource Efficiency, Green Manufacturing and Clean Technologies, Social and Economic Implications of Industry 5.0, Policy and Governance for Sustainable Industry, and Sustainable Manufacturing.
This Special Issue will serve as a comprehensive resource for researchers, policymakers, and industry professionals, providing a platform for sharing knowledge and advancing the sustainable transformation of industries globally. We look forward to receiving your contributions.
Guest Editor Guest Editor /Co-Guest Editor
Dr. Maja Trstenjak
Dr. Tihomir Opetuk
Dr. Nataša Tošanović
Dr. Hrvoje Cajner
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 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
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
- sustainability
- sustainable manufacturing
- circular economy
- Industry 5.0
- ecological economics
- human-centered manufacturing
- green manufacturing
- clean technologies
- manufacturing optimization
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.
