Transforming global production networks: A comprehensive approach to integrating circularity

The reduction of global resource consumption and the attainment of international climate goals are core issues of our time. Consequently, companies, including their global production networks, which have historically grown based on linear economic models, must undergo a transformation towards sustainability. One promising path is the concept of the circular economy, which promotes resource-efficient, closed-loop material flows. This work aims to facilitate the transformation by developing and presenting a comprehensive methodology that enables companies to analyze, evaluate, and implement measures for transitioning to a circular economy model. The approach is based on an upstream analysis of relevant (circular) influencing factors. Building on this, a maturity model is applied, which intuitively determines the current and desired state of circularity, assesses organizational readiness, and supports the identification of areas for improvement. To address these potentials, possible measures are assembled into a catalogue of measures to holistically identify circularity-promoting actions or combinations thereof. Depending on the underlying production network and its level of circular maturity, effective measures can be selected from the catalogue and proposed for implementation. Preliminary results suggest that the proposed methodology provides a comprehensive evaluation of a company’s circularity potential and facilitates the integration of sustainability practices into global production networks.