Embedding circular economy principles into public procurement of net zero solutions

Embedding circular economy principles into public procurement of net zero solutions

by | Dec 10, 2023

Embedding circular economy principles into public procurement of net zero solutions

Researcher in Residence: 40 new world class research projects confirmed by the Innovation Launchpad Network+

The UK is in the process of reforming its procurement policy, as set out in its Green Paper on Transforming Public Procurement, which will deliver a new regulatory framework. In September 2020 the government adopted a Procurement Policy Notice (PPN 06/20) which required that social value is explicitly evaluated in all central government procurement, including requirements linked to fighting climate change. While the PPN does not directly apply to local authorities, it provides useful strategic direction of what will be required at the local level. In June 2021 the Cabinet Office published the National Procurement Policy Statement (Action Note PPN 05/21) which includes one main change concerning a mandate for local authorities. Contracting local authorities should consider social value outcomes alongside any additional local priorities in relation to tackling climate change and reducing waste. It appears that the inclusion of net zero considerations in procurement decision-making will acquire a new legal and policy dimension at the local level.

There are, however, several challenges to be addressed before and during the implementation of this new procurement framework. There is still no clear guidance on how these new requirements will be embedded into local procurement decision-making. New guidance is expected to be issued only in late 2023. Research implemented by Energy Systems Catapult identified that local authorities’ public procurement processes and culture need substantial change to be aligned with the national and international net-zero ambition. Similarly, a Connected Places Catapult’s report points out that much more needs to be done around government policy, stakeholder engagement and capacity building for procurement in the UK to become a key driver of innovation and sustainable growth.

This project will support local authorities’ transition towards green public procurement by identifying barriers for the inclusion of net zero considerations in procurement decision-making, and by proposing an implementation framework that aids local authorities to overcome the identified barriers. Ultimately, this research will support local authorities in the process of embedding circular economy principles into procurement of net zero solutions. Despite this explicit connection between green public procurement and circular economy, research shows that their integration might not be yet achieved (Fuertes Giné et al., 2022). Our research will contribute to the stream of literature looking at closing this gap, as well as public procurement professionals looking at sourcing net zero solutions in the transport sector.

Embedding circular economy principles into public procurement of net zero solutions

Embedding circular economy principles into public procurement of net zero solutions

Enabling business models innovation for sustainability in the UK glass sector

Enabling business models innovation for sustainability in the UK glass sector

The Underemployment Project

The Underemployment Project

How is COVID-19 impacting women and men’s working lives in the UK?

How is COVID-19 impacting women and men’s working lives in the UK?

Enabling business models innovation for sustainability in the UK glass sector

Enabling business models innovation for sustainability in the UK glass sector

by | Feb 12, 2023

Enabling business models innovation for sustainability in the UK glass sector

The UKRI-ISCF Transforming Foundation Industries Network+ awards over £200,000 to 5 research projects aimed at exploring enablers of transformation and social sciences in the Foundation Industries

This research will provide a comprehensive understanding of policy interventions needed to enable business model innovation for sustainability, and in particular circular economy, in the glass sector in the UK. We ask two questions: what new policy interventions and/or policy mix are needed to enable sustainable business model innovation in this sector? How does the role of the local and national government need to evolve to facilitate this transformation?

The focus is on flat glass products (windows and glazing) used by the construction sector because of their high circularity potential but the low actual rates of recycling and reuse.

We propose three research objectives:

  1. Review best practices regarding policy interventions/mix enabling business model innovation for sustainability in the UK glass sector.
  2. Evaluate what has worked and what needs to change in current UK government policy interventions/mix to facilitate sustainability transformation in the glass sectors.
  3. Determine what policy interventions/mix are needed to enable innovation for sustainability and their pathways for implementation in the UK’s glass sector.

A sustainable approach focuses on the main goal of embedding key environmental, social, and economic factors in core business processes. Enhanced sustainability requires changes in theway companies create, deliver and capture value. This transition requires rethinking their business models and aligning them towards sustainability principles and outcomes. A typical sustainability-oriented innovation is implementing circular economy principles and practices into business models.

The glass sector has a great potential to implement circular economy principles to achieve decarbonisation. However, the collection and processing of glass materials for recycling, reusing, or recovering purposes are still challenging. While public policy attention has been around recycling and reusing container glass, most end-of-life flat glazing, refurbishment and demolition glass are not recycled and reusing them is less appropriate. Keeping flat glass within a circular economy model presents a great opportunity for reducing CO2 emissions and it is economically beneficial for the sector.

Creating a circular economy requires fundamental changes throughout the value chain. There is recognition that the range and depth of powers that only the State can call upon will be required if these changes are to be achieved. Policy interventions should facilitate innovation by removing regulatory barriers and creating incentives. These policies can include ‘hard’ regulations such as national legislation, as well as market-led solutions in the form of ‘soft’ regulations which may take the form of guidance, social partner agreements, standardisation, and certification. However, there is no guidance on how the current role of the State should change to facilitate industrial transitions. Similarly, there is a lack of research about the relevant policy interventions (from hard to soft policy and their mix) that will facilitate this transition.

We propose a multimethod research design based on three stages:

Stage 1: Literature and reports. A review of academic and grey literature will be undertaken to document policy interventions enabling business model innovation for sustainability in the UK glass sector and abroad. Within this, the review will provide an understanding of the operational and innovation related opportunities and challenges faced by businesses operating in this sector, the concerns of policy makers, and best practices.

Stage 2: Interviews. The second stage will be based on semi-structured interviews. Industry bodies and key companies representing the glass sector will be interviewed. Representatives from the government (including councils), as well as the construction and the recycling sectors will be included. The interviews will aim at identifying what has worked and what needs to change in the UK policy interventions to facilitate sustainability transitions.

Stage 3: Workshops. The last data collection stage will be based on a stakeholder workshops. Support will be sought from interview participants in the previous stage to identify the most relevant attendees for the workshops. The workshops will be divided into three key questions: how do we envision the role of the local and national government to facilitate innovations for sustainability in the sector? What policy interventions are needed to facilitate the development of circular business models? What do sectors need to do to implement those policies through to 2050?

Participation in this research is voluntary. Participants may change their minds about being involved in the research at any time, and without giving a reason.

This section is designed to give you full details of the research project, its goals, the research team, the research funder, and what you will be asked to do as part of the research. If you have any questions that are not answered by this information sheet, please ask.

This research has been reviewed and given favourable opinion by the Nottingham University Business School Research Ethics Committee.

What is the research project called?

Enabling business models innovation for sustainability in the UK glass sector

Who is carrying out the research?

  • Dr Luis Torres, Nottingham University Business School
  • Dr Fangying Wang, Faculty of Engineering
  • Dr Athina Grizi, Faculty of Engineering

Project funded by the UKRI-ISCF Transforming Foundation Industries Network+

What is the research about?

We ask two questions: what new policy interventions and/or policy mix are needed to enable sustainable business model innovation in this sector? How does the role of the local and national government need to evolve to facilitate this transformation?  Please see the Background and Methodology sections for further details.

What groups of people have been asked to take part, and why?

We are inviting industry bodies and key companies representing the glass sector. Representatives from the government (including councils), as well as the construction and the recycling sectors will be included.
Participants are also identified during the literature review and from our project partners: British Glass and the TFI Network+.

What will research participants be asked to do?

Participants will be invited to take part of:

  • A 40-minutes interview (face to face or online): The interviews will aim at identifying what has worked and what needs to change in the UK policy interventions to facilitate sustainability transitions.
  • A one-day stakeholder workshop: The workshops will be divided into three key questions: how do we envision the role of the local and national government to facilitate innovations for sustainability in the sector? What policy interventions are needed to facilitate the development of circular business models? What do sectors need to do to implement those policies through to 2050? A short survey will be also implemented to quantify policy options among participants. The survey will be available online and on paper at the workshop.

You can participate in the interview and the workshop or choose to take part in only one of those (interview or workshop).

What will happen to the information I provide?

The University may store your data for up to 25 years and for a period of no less than 7 years after the research project finishes. The researchers who gathered or processed the data may also store the data indefinitely and reuse it in future research. Measures to safeguard your stored data include encryption protocol, pseudonymisation procedure, and anonymisation of data when possible.

The use of potentially identifying characteristics will be reduced to the role of the company/stakeholder in the glass value chain (e.g., demolition company, recycling company, etc.), and the job level/job area or the participant.

Anonymised excerpts from your interviews and/or workshop participation may be used in reports, publications, and policy briefs.

Please read the section “Privacy notice” for further details.

What will be the outputs of the research?

We will intend to publish peer reviewed publications, conference papers, and policy briefs with the finding of this project.

Do you have question about the project? 

You can contact the principal nvestigator:

Dr Luis D. Torres
Nottingham University Business School
C31, North Building, Jubilee Campus, Nottingham, NG8 1BB, UK
Luis.Torres@nottingham.ac.uk 
Tel: +44 (0) 115 9514023

Do you have a complaint about this project?

If you wish to complain about the way in which the research is being conducted or have any concerns about the research then in the first instance please contact the Principal Investigator: Dr Luis D. Torres.

Or contact the School’s Research Ethics Officer:

Gerardus Lucas
Nottingham University Business School
Jubilee Campus
Nottingham NG8 1BB
Phone: 0115 9515278
Email: gerardus.lucas@nottingham.ac.uk

You can download a copy of this information page here: Download 

For information about the University’s obligations with respect to your data, who you can get in touch with and your rights as a data subject, please visit: https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/utilities/privacy.aspx

Why we collect your personal data.

We collect personal data under the terms of the University’s Royal Charter in our capacity as a teaching and research body to advance education and learning. Specific purposes for data collection on this occasion are: 1) to evaluate what has worked and what needs to change in current UK government policy interventions/mix to facilitate sustainability transformation in the glass sector, and 2) to determine what policy interventions/mix are needed to enable innovation for sustainability and their pathways for implementation in the UK’s glass sector.

Legal basis for processing your personal data under GDPR.

The legal basis for processing your personal data on this occasion is Article 6(1e) processing is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest.

Where the University receives your personal data from.

We may access your contact information including your name, job title, organization, and email address from:

  • publicly available sources e.g., via Google, Websites, etc.
  • our project partners: British glass and the TFI Network+
  • participants in the interviews and workshops that we will run as a part of this research.
  • yourself during your participation in the interviews and workshops that we will run as a part of this research

How long we keep your data.

The University may store your data for up to 25 years and for a period of no less than 7 years after the research project finishes. The researchers who gathered or processed the data may also store the data indefinitely and reuse it in future research. Measures to safeguard your stored data include encryption protocol, pseudonymisation procedure, and anonymisation of data when possible.

Who we share your data with.

Extracts of your data may be disclosed in published works that are posted online for use by the scientific community. Your data may also be stored indefinitely on external data repositories (e.g., the UK Data Archive) and be further processed for archiving purposes in the public interest, or for historical, scientific or statistical purposes. It may also move with the researcher who collected your data to another institution in the future.

Embedding circular economy principles into public procurement of net zero solutions

Embedding circular economy principles into public procurement of net zero solutions

Enabling business models innovation for sustainability in the UK glass sector

Enabling business models innovation for sustainability in the UK glass sector

The Underemployment Project

The Underemployment Project

How is COVID-19 impacting women and men’s working lives in the UK?

How is COVID-19 impacting women and men’s working lives in the UK?