The overarching purpose of this study is to explore what perceived barriers that prevent Swedish fashion companies from implementing rental services to their current business model. A qualitative approach was adopted, where a single case study on the phenomenon of rental services, in the context of collaborative fashion consumption, CFC, was executed. CFC referrers to an alternative way of consumption where consumers have access to already existing garments. The focus of this study, rental services, is the action of providing and consuming products without any transfer of ownership. Multiple sources of data collection were used, consisting of semi-structured interviews with eight company executives representing Swedish fashion companies in three product segments; everyday fashion, performance wear and outdoor wear. The findings showed that six significant barriers were perceived as preventing implementation of rental services; economic, social, lack of information and technological know-how, supply chain, organizational and environmental impact. Moreover, the findings showed interrelated relationships between barriers. For instance, the perception of the social barrier affected the perception of the economic barrier, and the organizational barrier impacted companies’ perception of the informational and technological barrier. By exploring what perceived implementation barriers prevent Swedish fashion companies from adding rental services to their business model, this paper contributes with relevant knowledge to academia as well as to the fashion industry.

Název diplomové práce v anglickém jazyce, abstrakt v anglickém jazyce a 3 klíčová slova v anglickém jazyce NÁZEV V ANGLICKÉM JAZYCE Legal aspects of prevention of generation and recovery of packaging waste KLÍČOVÁ SLOVA V ANGLICKÉM JAZYCE packaging, prevention of generation of packaging waste, circular economy ABSTRAKT V ANGLICKÉM JAZYCE This diploma thesis addresses the legal aspects of packaging and packaging waste with the focus on the prevention of generation of packaging waste. The thesis is devoted to the legislation of packaging, packaging management and packaging waste management. The subject of research is the european legislation (mainly directive 94/62/EC on packaging and packaging waste and directive 2008/98/EC on waste) and Czech legislation based on the european directives (mainly Act No. 477/2001 Coll., on packaging and Act No. 185/2001 Coll., on waste). This legal problematics is undergoing a significant evolution. Higher targets regarding minimisation of packaging waste and more ecologically acceptable ways of managing packaging waste required by european directive amendments and other new conceptual documents (most importantly A new Circular Economy Action Plan) are going to be reflected in the Czech legislation by a new act on packaging, which is being a subject of a legislation process....

The choice of policy design has crucial implications for a policy’s efficiency. Plastic as a material is an important issue because of its fossil origin and because it often ends up as litter and spreads microplastics. Consequently, policies regarding plastic are vital to examine to understand how we can reduce the environmental consequences of plastic. This study has examined the design of the plastic carrier bag policy and especially focused on the choice of policy instrument, the actors involved, and if the desired change in behaviour occurred. By utilising Schneider and Ingram’s policy design theory, and Howlett and Vedung’s works on policy design and policy instruments, the study built an analytical framework to examine the plastic carrier bag policy. The result showed that the design of a policy was largely dependent on who governed, reflecting the government’s political culture, aims, and goals. The outcome of the policy showed that tax as an economic instrument was efficient in changing the public’s behaviour in the use of plastic carrier bags.

E-waste is one of the fastest-growing waste streams in the world, and South Africa (SA) is no exception. This is driven by increased consumer demand and access to electrical and electronic equipment, in addition to perceived equipment obsolescence, and rapid advancements in technology. E-waste recycling presents an opportunity in providing a source of secondary resources such as metals, plastics and glass, as well as employment and economic opportunities in both developed and developing countries. Furthermore, the diversion of this waste stream from landfills or dumps prevents additional land use and the potential negative impacts on human health and the environment. E-waste collection and upgrading is a relatively small-scale but growing industry in SA. Only 12% of e-waste generated was estimated to be recycled in 2015. Most of SA’s ewaste volumes are inaccessible due to lack of formal take-back schemes, lack of consumer awareness, as well as e-waste being kept in storage or disposed of in landfills. E-waste recyclers in SA generally carry out collection, dismantling and sorting, refurbishing, as well as pre-processing of value fractions. There is currently limited local end-processing capacity, therefore partially upgraded value fractions are prepared for export, while non-viable fractions are stockpiled or disposed of in local landfills. The business case for local end-processing of e-waste value fractions, particularly metals, does not seem feasible due to the inconsistent and insufficient volumes available. Furthermore, SA faces unique socio-economic challenges such as an unregulated yet well-established informal sector. Additionally, the legal framework presents many inhibitors for e-waste recyclers. This research study builds upon the knowledge that there is a limited understanding of the feasibility of existing e-waste end-processing technologies for implementation in the South African socio-economic and legislative context. Therefore, this research intends to find out what are the key barriers and enablers to implementing e-waste end-processing technologies in SA. Qualitative research methods were used to uncover the current challenges faced by local recyclers and other stakeholders in the value chain. The data collection thus took the form of interviews, site visits and desktop research. The findings show that the e-waste recycling industry in SA is undergoing many new developments in terms of research and investment interest, as well as the anticipated outcomes from the recent submissions of Industry Waste Management Plans (IndWMP). The industry shows potential as an emerging secondary resource economy, however, the extent to which it will mature is dependent on the organisation of its collection network as well as the development of local end-processing and manufacturing capacity. The collection network and infrastructure are currently supported by both informal and formal recyclers who provide a diversity of collection strategies and a wide network of ewaste sources. However, efforts to increase recycling rates by accessing volumes in storage and increasing consumer awareness and engagement is necessary. Besides the economies of scale required to support the development of local end-processing, alternative technologies to large-scale smelting should be considered for the SA context. While this is seen through initiatives by SA Precious Metals, end-processing technologies is still inaccessible to small and medium recyclers due to cash flow issues as well as cherry-picking of high-grade materials. Therefore, recyclers require further support in terms of dealing with non-viable fractions. This includes research and investments into technologies and business models for the recycling of low-value materials including plastics, as well as subsidies for the cost of safe disposal or treatment of these fractions. Additionally, acquisition of product markets and an increase in manufacturing capacity is necessary to accelerate industry development. The legislative framework also poses limitations on recyclers in the e-waste value chain, stemming from the legal definition of e-waste as a liability as opposed to a resource. While the legislation is unlikely to change, provisions to relieve any legal barriers should be implemented. This includes permissions for pilot projects to test new technologies, as well as legal support for smaller recyclers in the form of consultancy as well as guidelines for sustainable waste management practices should be provided. Finally, while there are many challenges present in the e-waste recycling industry today, the IndWMP offers an opportunity for collaboration between key stakeholders, including the relevant government bodies. Plans have been submitted and the outcomes of approved plans will be revealed at the beginning of 2019. The plans offer solutions for recycling subsidies, increasing the collection and recycling rates, as well as investment into technology, research and enterprise development. However, successful implementation of these plans will only occur if integration and collaboration of the local e-waste community prevail over greed and the struggle for power.

Background: The resource demanding textile industry has long been linked to the linear economy, an economy contributing to negative effects on the environment. However, there is an alternative to the linear economy, namely the circular economy. In a circular economy, a closed-loop design is promoted in order to eliminate the negative effects of the linear economy. However, in the context of the Swedish textile industry, there is a lack of case studies on the topic and especially regarding experienced barriers to a circular business model as well as drivers and enablers needed to overcome these barriers. Purpose: The purpose of this research is to support the development of the Sustainable Development Goal 12: sustainable production and consumption. This is done through exploring the experienced barriers to circular business models among companies in the Swedish textile industry at a macro and micro level, but also drivers and enablers in order to overcome these barriers. Method: This research follows an interpretivist view and an inductive approach based on a cross-case analysis of five companies. The research is qualitative and semi-structured interviews were conducted with open questions. The identified themes were analysed and interpreted with a careful awareness of the trustworthiness and ethical considerations. Conclusion: The result showed five barriers which appeared to be the most common across the companies. Namely, technological un-readiness, circularity costs, market unacceptance, financial shortage and knowledge gap. For these barriers, possible solutions in the form of drivers and enablers were identified. According to the findings, the identified drivers and enablers which have the greatest potential of positive impact on the barriers were as follows: knowledge sharing, collaboration, regulatory changes, more research and refocus of efforts

In the last three decades, the increased use of plastics is rapidly becoming a global environmental issue, resulting in growing landfills and pollution of air and water. The automotive industry, as a major demander of plastic materials, is starting to take responsibility with promised sustainability actions. One action relates to the concept of circular economy and closed loop thinking through the implementation of recycled plastics. However, the barriers of such implementations are still undiscovered, with research missing out on the challenges of strategic and business perspectives. The aim of this thesis is to asses and understand the challenges connected to implementing recycled plastics in the automotive industry, and to provide strategic recommendations. In order to identify the challenges, an empirical case study was carried out collecting data through 10 interviews with suppliers throughout the plastics refining chain. A cost calculation was also included, to highlight the economic potentials of recycled plastics. The findings address 6 themes as barriers for implementing recycled plastics in the automotive industry: economic, organizational, infrastructural, interactional, design and technical barriers. The barriers shed light on the challenges connected to the implementation of recycled plastics and concludes that the rate of recycled plastics in a car can be increased, which also increases sustainability and circular thinking. However, the rates could be further improved if managers were to consider the existing barriers when implementing higher rates of recycled plastics in their components.

In a world which is highly reliant on international trade and at the same time is facing what has been described as among the greatest challenges planet Earth ever seen, climate change. The connection the two have to each other becomes increasingly essential to understand. This study was put in the context of a developing country, Malaysia, due to the increased amount of businesses located in developing countries which are choosing to internationalise and export products. The 17 Global Goals created by the United Nations, which has been adopted by all member states are aimed to be reached in 2030. The Global Goals are built upon trust and responsibility for the planet which creates a scenario where the behaviour of both businesses and consumers is changed. The purpose of the study was to gain knowledge of how the aspect of environmental sustainability impacts export and what motivates the Malaysian businesses to change for the better. The outcome of this study indicates that the customers have a significant role for both motivation of businesses and the implementation of new strategies. The study has also seen an indication of a connection between the speed of internationalisation and export related to how businesses are motivated by customers in terms of environmental sustainability. Moreover, the study has shown that there is little connection between the business’s selection of export mode and environmental sustainability.

Circular economy is considered one of the most viable approaches to sustainability and it has gained a lot of traction in recent years. It challenges the linear approach to production and consumption that generates waste and is unsustainable for the planet and future generations. It is crucial to counteract the negative impacts of production on the environment by implementing new and effective business strategies that are compatible with circular economy. Nowadays, manufacturing industries are struggling to make the transition towards circularity because of the intrinsic complexity of adapting new business models, product development, production processes and supply chain management to a non-linear approach. The literature on the transition towards circular economy extensively covers the aspects connected to either one of the above-mentioned domain-specific areas, developing different tools such as roadmaps and frameworks to support companies in the transition for a specific area. Yet, there is a lack of a systematic tool that can give support in each stage of the process based on the different business areas that need to be adapted to circularity. The purpose of this study is to explore the existing state-of-the-art knowledge with a systematic and holistic approach to factors that are connected to circular economy, so to create a practical tool for facilitating the process of transitioning towards circularity in a step- by-step manner, in connection to activities and strategies that can be implemented in different business domains. An explorative case study in a manufacturing company in the construction equipment industry was carried out, with a twofold purpose: firstly, to gather, analyse and frame the existing state-of-the-art knowledge on the implementation of circular economy. Secondly, to explore the suggested multi readiness level model with the case study company in order to validate it. In order to do so, a set of ten semi-structured interviews with senior managers and experts in the field was carried out to gather valuable insights and practical knowledge. The outcome of this study is a multi-readiness level model for transitioning towards circular economy that explores the most important strategies and activities that should be implemented by a manufacturing company in four different areas of intervention, namely Ecosystem of External Partners, Customer and Business model, Company’s Culture and Internal Capabilities and Design and Product Development. Each area of intervention will be presented in connection to identified strategies and activities that must be implemented to reach circularity.

Background: The circular economy model is an essential theme in sustainable development research and a promising chance for companies to combine environmental and economic benefits. Nevertheless, a CE implementation was not realised in most companies to date. Purpose: The purpose of the study is to understand what hinders companies from becoming more circular and what measures need to be taken to initiate a CE implementation. Method: An embedded single case study methodology serves to explore the process of initiating a CE implementation, based on a firm within the manufacturing industry. Conclusion: Our research reveals the necessity of a pre-implementation phase before the CE implementation. The readiness of a company can be evaluated through a scoresheet that assesses the status quo. This scoresheet helps to estimate a potential urgency to achieve CE readiness. A pre-implementation sheet provides insights for firms to understand measures that need to be taken to reach readiness.

Aim: The aim of this thesis is to describe possible steps of how circular partnerships can be formed, and how they can connect the different steps of a material loop, such as design and recycling. The focus of the empirical study within this thesis is the reconnection of recycling, design and production within the household goods industry. By this we will answer the following research question:“What are the rationales and circumstances needed for separate organizations to develop a sustainability-oriented innovative partnership in the context of the Circular Economy?” The Case: This research project is based on a case study of a collaboration between Stena Recycling AB, a Swedish recycling company, and Electrolux AB, a global appliances producer. Together those two companies formed a pilot project, called the “Infinity Project”, whose goal is to produce a vacuum cleaner which is made out of 100% post-consumer recycled materials, and is 100% recyclable. Methodology: The researchers participated in the meetings of the Infinity Project, and interviewed the people who were involved in the beginning of the collaboration. The research is done in an abductive process, as literature was analyzed that explained the findings made in our observations. From the theory and our findings we created a model, which helps explain the what, why, and how of Stena Recycling AB and Electrolux AB reconnecting recycling with design and production processes. Key findings: Through industrial symbiotic lenses and a corporate social innovation mindset the two companies recognized the enormous amount of waste as a problem of linear business models. With a mindset driven by corporate social innovation, they saw the potential of a collaboration in order to achieve a shared competitive advantage. By selecting each other as a partner for this circular economic collaboration, they identified how they could combine their respective knowledge and resources to reach their mutual goals. Through a long term strategic approach with a clear and shared vision, clear targets from the directing management, and a team with complementary skills, many program synergies have been realized, with potentially outsized successes for each organization. This setting also created an environment of trust and a common identity within the project, which was fundamental to create social innovation and to find successful ways to reconnect recycling with design and production. Additionally, the existence of the project within each organization seemed to function as a talent magnet, attracting like-minded sustainability-motivated talent who would best perform towards the goals of the project.