Work

Beyond compliance: Designing value-creating, service-oriented, and integrated product passports that contribute to the circular economy

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Product passports (PPs) are the newest instance of transaction systems that try to mitigate the information gaps between stakeholders and foster the Circular Economy (CE). Regulators progressively prescribe its implementation and use. However, the contributions of PP systems to the CE are not self-evident, as some systems fail to deliver added value to the sustainability of organizations or society. This design science research investigates how to design PP systems that enhance the product’s circularity and contribute to the CE. The study goes beyond the stakeholder and regulatory perspective but draws on the ideas of eco-effectiveness and sustainability handprints. This nascent PP design approach expands our understanding of PPs as a non-financial data reporting tool through three more perspectives: value creation, service orientation, and integration. Eventually, PPs can improve the eco-effectiveness and handprint of products when the PP systems are designed to offer the necessary information services.

Source: Procedia CIRP

DOI: 10.1016/j.procir.2024.12.120

Authors: René H. Reich, Luc Alaerts, Karel Van Acker

Institution: KU Leuven

Language: English

Topic: Sustainable Supply Chain Management

Subfield: Strategy and Management

Field: Business, Management and Accounting

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Responsible consumption and production, Industry, innovation and infrastructure

Open Access status: diamond

Funders: KU Leuven, Onderzoeksraad, KU Leuven